When we last left the world of the Seven Kingdoms at the end of season six of Game of Thrones, many narrative threads were resolved. PHOTO: SCREENSHOT

Game of Thrones season 7: The great war is here

Beyond the political machinations of Lannisters, Starks and Targaryens, the threat of the White Walkers looms strong.

Nudrat Kamal June 07, 2017
When we last left the world of the Seven Kingdoms at the end of season six of Game of Thrones, many narrative threads were resolved. Cersei Lannister blows up the Sept, vanquishing many of her enemies including the High Sparrow and the Tyrell siblings, and becoming Queen of Westeros in one fell swoop.

Seasons-old questions were finally answered. Jon Snow is indeed the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen and the major contenders to the Iron Throne seem poised to finally battle for it out once and for all. Daenerys Targaryen finally sets across the Narrow Sea towards Westeros, having established allies in the South. Jon defeats Ramsay Bolton and is declared King of the North with Sansa Stark by his side, and Cersei is as ready as ever to protect the power of the Lannisters.

The end of season six seems to have moved all the pieces in place for the final events of the show, events that are going to play out in a total of 14 episodes divided into the final two seasons.

Photo: Screenshot

Now, the countdown to season seven, which premieres in July, is picking up momentum with HBO’s release of the first official full-length trailer of the new season.

As one would expect after watching the last season finale, everyone who is vying for the Iron Throne is as determined as ever to claim it.

Daenerys proclaims,
“I was born to rule the Seven Kingdoms – and I will!”

Photo: IMDb

While Cersei acknowledges the fact that the Lannisters are surrounded by enemies from all sides but that,
“Whatever stands in our way, we will defeat it.”

Photo: IMDb

There are sweeping shots of powerful armies on all sides, indicating the epic battle (or multiple battles) to come. We see Daenerys and Tyrion having reached Dragonstone (which happens to be Daenerys’s birthplace), with her sitting on the throne within the Dragonstone’s keep (not quite the Iron Throne, but impressive nonetheless).

Photo: IMDb

Interestingly, we see a shot of Melisandre watching Daenerys and her army approach Dragonstone, signaling a meeting of these two characters which might end up being the first step in a Daenerys and Jon alliance, which many have predicted.

 

Photo: Screenshot

Photo: Screenshot

Up in Winterfell, we see Jon enjoying popular support, presiding over a meeting with Sansa and Ser Davos by his side. Meanwhile, Littlefinger’s attempts to manipulate Sansa seem to be continuing – he says to her,
“Your father and brothers are gone, yet here you stand. The last best hope against the coming storm.”

Photo: Screenshot

Photo: IMDb

Sansa and Jon don’t seem too receptive of Littlefinger’s conniving ways, as we later see a shot of Jon choking him in the crypts of Winterfell. However, the most chilling line in the trailer comes from Ser Davos who warns,
“If we don’t put aside our enmities and band together, we will die. And then it doesn’t matter whose skeleton sits on the Iron Throne.”

Photo: IMDb

This reminds the viewers that beyond the political machinations of the Lannisters, Starks and Targaryens, the threat of the White Walkers looms strong. And the trailer ends with the ominous,
“The great war is here.”

Photo: Screenshot

The first episode of the new seven-episode season premieres on July 16th, so fans have just over a month to speculate over the trailer’s tantalising glimpses of the events to come.

Winter is here, truly.
WRITTEN BY:
Nudrat Kamal The author is a Fulbright scholar studying comparative literature. She writes on literature and television. She tweets as @Nudratkamal (https://twitter.com/Nudratkamal)
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ