[WARNING - This article may contain POTENTIAL SPOILERS for Game of Thrones season 7.]

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Rather unexpectedly, HBO released a second trailer for the upcoming season of Game of Thrones, announcing that #WinterIsHere and season 7 is right around the corner. It was only a month ago that HBO shared its first trailer for season 7, but this second trailer is a little bit longer and lot more dramatic.

Set to the eerie track, "Light of the Seven", from the show's season 6 score, this latest trailer includes quite a lot of new footage -- albeit often in short clips shown in quick succession. To help make sense of what's going on in this Game of Thrones trailer, we've broken it all down piece by piece, examining what even the briefest of shot might mean for the upcoming season.

A Stark In Winterfell

Sansa Sophie Turner Godswood Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer

This trailer for Game of Thrones season 7 opens squarely on Sansa as she walks thoughtfully through the snow-covered godswood in Winterfell. Littlefinger provides a voice over: "Don't fight in the north, or the south. Fight every battle everywhere. Always, in your mind."

These words might as well be Littlefinger's family motto, illustrating how he sees the world and stays a step ahead of his enemies. It's a tactic he's been urging Sansa to learn since he helped her escape King's Landing, molding her into an expert player in the game of thrones. (Interestingly, fighting every battle also seems to suggest not just those between warring houses in the Seven Kingdoms, but the great war between the living and the dead, even if that's unlikely to be Littlefinger's intention.)

Littlefinger's lesson seems to be ringing through Sansa's mind as she contemplates what moves are left to her. Season 7 finds Sansa in the best shape she's been in since she was first betrothed to Joffrey, but she still lacks control over her circumstances. With Jon's return and rise to King in the North, what becomes of her? Is she to be married off, made into another bargaining chip for powerful men? Or will she be treated as Jon's equal, perhaps shown exercising some of her power? It is Sansa, after all, and not Jon who is Ned's oldest, surviving, true-born child -- and there must always be a Stark in Winterfell.

Crossing The Wall

Bran Meera The Wall Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer

From the long, contemplative shot of Sansa, the trailer next cuts to a quick shot of Meera pulling Bran in his sled. They have finally reached the Wall and are at the tunnel which passes through it, the large gate rising to allow them entry.

The shot is followed by a look at Jon dressed for his north of the Wall expedition (more on that later), making it seem like the scene is one in the same, but this is clearly Bran and Meera and not the larger party Jon will presumably lead through the same gate. Maybe the two groups meet while passing through the Wall, but it's more likely the connection here comes from the editing. Still, Bran passing through the Wall is sure to be significant for several reasons -- not the least of which is the fact that Bran's crossing of the Wall may remove the magical spells said to have been woven into its stone and ice, stopping the White Walkers from going further south.

Back in season 6, Bran was branded by the Night King and that branding removed the protective magic from the Three-Eyed Raven's cave, allowing the White Walkers to attack. What's to stop the same from happening to the Wall? Could Bran's crossing cause the Wall to lose its the magical protections, or worse, send the entire thing crumbling down?

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Cersei Lena Headey Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer

Our Players

Leaving the north, this second trailer goes through several shots of this season's key players: Cersei, preceeded by Gold Cloaks marching in the capital; Daenerys in Dragonstone, stroking the length of her new map table; Theon and his few surviving Ironborn coming ashore (more of that later); a lonely shot of Ayra on horseback; Jaime walking the castle walls of maybe Casterly Rock, maybe Highgarden; Littlefinger creeping; a sword being sharpened.

This succession of shots along with those of our northern characters serves as something of a primer for the plot lines season 7 will follow. Cersei continues to rule, albeit just barely, in King's Landing (also note this is her sole appearance this trailer). Daenerys has finally arrived in Westeros, but now she must learn as much as she can about the land she wishes to conquer. Yara's fleet is expected to cross paths with that of her uncle, Euron, and the battle does not appear to go her way; Theon, however, escapes. Arya remains Game of Thrones' lone wanderer, though that may end this season. Jaime will either be sent to sack Highgarden, the seat of House Tyrell, or to defend Casterly Rock, the Lannisters' ancestral home, or both. Either way, season 7 will again see Jaime on the battlefield at his sister/Queen's behest, fending off attacks from their many enemies. Littlefinger will continue to the play the game as best he can and always from the shadows, but we may see his luck run out this season. Maybe that next shot of the sword is suggesting his days are numbered?

An Alliance

Dragons Dragonstone Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer

Over the next succession of shots -- which include Daenerys walking the beach of Dragonstone; her entering the castle with Tyrion; pulling down Stannis' flaming heart banners; her now very large dragons flying over the bay; Tyrion watching from the cliffs; Theon in shadow and flame; a helmeted Grey Worm in a boat; Brienne and Podrick in a snowy courtyard; and the Hound in the midst of a snowy battle -- Jon provides the voice over: "For centuries our families fought together against their common enemy. Despite their differences, together. We need to do the same if we're going to survive, because the enemy is real."

What Jon is obviously pitching here is the alliance needed to fight the Night's King and his army of the dead. That's the real enemy, and no other leader is more aware of that threat than Jon. It's expected we'll see him reach out to the newly arrived Targaryen conqueror, and that may in fact be who he's speaking to here. The following shots seem to back up the assumption, showcasing the team players from each side -- Tyrion, Grey Worm, and Theon from the Targaryens, Brienne and Podrick of Team Stark.

However, the wild card is Sandor "formerly the Hound" Clegane. Season 6 saw him join up with the Brotherhood Without Banners and they'll be traveling north to fight the White Walkers themselves. That puts him right in the heart of the great war, but after the Brotherhood inevitably fail in their attack on the White Walkers, who will he align himself with next? (Assuming he survives, that is.)

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Jaime Bronn Lannister Archers Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer

Battles Ahead

At this point in the trailer, the music intensifies and the actions ramps up. The fast-paced sequence includes an Unsullied soldier hitting the dirt, shot through with an arrow; a Dothraki horde charging the front line of the Lannister army; a ship ablaze on the sea at night, and is that Yara jumping onto the burning deck?; Lannister archers firing, Jaime and Ser Bronn of Blackwater behind them, looking on.

It's a flurry of shots but they tease important developments. The shots of a ship ablaze are again strong evidence that Euron overtakes Yara's fleet, crippling her ships and likely capturing her. Later on in the trailer, both Theon and Yara are shown to be at someone's mercy, but since there's also footage of Theon washing up on shore, he either escapes or is set free for some manipulative purpose. There's also a glimpse of Euron taking part in a fight which appears to take place in this same setting of a burning ship, really driving home the fact these two opposing Greyjoy fleets will engage in a fierce sea battle -- one that Yara and Theon appear to lose.

The rest of the action in this montage pertains to another major battle expected in season 7 -- Lannister versus Targaryen. Depicted throughout the trailer, these scenes of Daenerys' hodge-podge army of Unsullied, Dothraki, mercenaries, and dragons versus the red-clad Lannister army are pure spectacle. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising if this climactic showdown comprised its own episode, not so unlike 'Hardhome' or 'Battle of the Bastards'. Just how the two forces end up facing off on the battlefield isn't entirely clear, but with both Daenerys and Cersei closing in on their enemies, it isn't at all surprising for these two queens to come to blows this season. Question is, does all the action take place far away from King's Landing, or do some of those shots of the Unsullied storming a castle take place in the Red Keep?

The Real Enemy

Night King looking up in Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer

Still, for as great as it will be to witness Jaime's face when he sees actual dragons melting his soldiers in their armor, the great war, the only war that really matters remains that against the Night King. And right after the quick shots of these land and sea battles, the season 7 trailer returns to the north, and to Bran and his greenseeing.

First there is a flock of ravens, their eyes whited out, letting someone else peer through them; what they see is the Night King, who immediateyl locks eyes with the birds; a cut to a close-up of Bran's face, his eyes also white; now the camera zooms out, Bran is seated underneath the weirwood tree in Winterfell's godswood, Maester Wolkan attends to him. The screen cuts to black and Jon's narration returns: "It's always been real."

It's a spine-tingling moment, with Game of Thrones going full-on supernatural. All the myth and legends, all the terrors from Old Nan's stories -- they're all real and they are coming to kill everyone south of the Wall. And what's especially interesting here, besides Bran fully embracing his Three-Eyed Raven abilities, is that if he's made it as far south as Winterfell (which Wolkans' presence, the maester who served the Boltons in season 6, basically confirms) then he does pass through the Wall. Could this then be him watching as the Night King and his army follow in his tracks, passing through (or toppling over) a wall now stripped of its magical protections?

Journeying North

Beric holding a flaming sword in Game of Thrones

But never fear! Beric and his flaming sword are here! It's the closest this trailer has to a hero shot and it's just fantastic to see him in action again. Though Beric, Thoros of Myr, and the Brotherhood Without Banners reappeared late in season 6, they were last an integral part of the series in season 3 (back when Arya roamed the riverlands as Arry). Since then, they've continued to serve the Lord of Light, which by now has led them to travel north and face the White Walkers for themselves.

Isn't that brash and foolhardy? Certainly, but with only two shortened seasons left to go, expect Game of Thrones to begin whittling away at their cast more aggressively than every before. That puts Beric and his merry band on the chopping block, though they won't be going down without a fight. One that Sandor will likely also be taking part in. There's a shot near near the very end of the trailer which could very well be Sandor riding away on a horse as the lone survivor of Beric's assault. It's possible he could arrive at some unexpected moment to corroborate Jon's story, or even meet up with the group Jon leads north (a group that includes Tormond, another disposable character at this point), warning them of an incoming attack.

Regardless of how this all precisely plays out, there are quite a few people still hanging out near the Wall in season 7, and there's simply no way the Night King just lets them be.

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Greyjoy Ships Kings Landing Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer

Common Enemies

From the real war up north, to the skirmishes in the south, the next few shots feature a Greyjoy fleet, most likely a victorious Euron, arriving in King's Landing, followed by more shots of the Unsullied's castle storming. It might only be due to trailer editing, but it again seems like Daenerys' may send her army to attack the capital --  a move that's sure to only force Cersei to do something really crazy. (Can you imagine?)

But the Greyjoy fleet arriving does seem to also imply Euron is to Cersei's aide, perhaps even offering her a prisoner of two. The two have common enemies, and besides the Night's King, they are the series' only two remaining "villains", a team up between them shouldn't be unexpected.

Field of Fire

Field of Fire Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer

Beginning with a shot of Daenerys standing serenely on a balcony, this montage crams in a lot of information in a very short span of time. Jaime rides across a field of fire, entirely alone and looking distressed; more footage of ships at sea exploding; Tormund battling an assailant in the north; Daenerys atop Drogon as he flies over a Dothraki horde; Theon and Yara looking up as they come under attack; back to the front lines of the Lannister army; Jon and his men surrounded by wights; Missendei and Grey Worm about to kiss; and only the second close-up on Tyrion, looking uncharacteristically uncertain.

As if it weren't pretty clear already, Jaime is going to be lucky to survive this battle with Daenerys' forces -- and those dragons in particular, judging by the flaming carnage all around him as he rides across the field at full speed. The phrase, Field of Fire, is also a significant one in Westerosi history as it's the name given to a battle in which Aegon the Conqueror, his sisters, and their dragons burned up the Lannister and Gardener armies, erasing the Gardener family from existence and forcing the Lannisters to bend the knee. Could season 7 see a repeat?

Coupled with further confirmation of Yara's fleeting getting wrecked, Jon and Tormund under attack from wights, and even that quick shot of an anxious Tyrion, season 7 is shaping up to be a most intense season -- and for Game of Thrones, that's really saying something.

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Mystery Man Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer

Who Is This Man?

We interrupt this flurry of frenetic action and suspense to ask -- who is this mystery swordsman? His face is deliberately obscured and he's in a brand-new setting for the trailer. Still, using a bit of insider knowledge, this looks like the Italian ruins which are rumored to play the part of the Dragonpit -- a location in King's Landing in where the Targaryens of old used to house their dragons. As for the man, our best guess is it's Sandor (or the Hound if you like), now basking in the warm sun after his trip up north.

If true, then he's in King's Landing for one reason and one reason only -- to fight his brother, the Mountain, in the dream showdown long held by fans called "the Cleganebowl". There's obviously a lot of speculation surrounding this particular shot, including set reports that these Dragonpit scenes included more of the core cast than any other scene and theories that by this point Sandor has been killed and resurrected by Thoros of Myr, only it was a botched revival and he's now a zombie like his brother. Whatever is really going on here, it's significant, otherwise it wouldn't be so mysterious.

Action-Packed Season

White Walker Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer

What follows is a montage mostly comprised of scenes which back up the suspicions raised by previous shots in the trailer. Jon confides in Davos, likely before or just after his first meeting with Daenerys on Dragonstone; Jon fights a White Walker, again using his Valyrian blade, Longclaw to parry their attack; more from the field of fire; another shot of Theon and his few Ironborn coming ashore and looking defeated; the trailer's one and only shot of Euron, here likely taking part in that fiery sea battle; and Daenerys sitting rather triumphantly atop Drogon.

As has already been made abundantly clear, season 7 will manage to fit in a lot of stuff for only seven episodes. Just in this short blast of shots alone, the trailer jumps from Jon fighting White Walkers to the battle between Yara and Euron's fleets to Daenerys' dragons scorching her enemies where they stand -- all big action set pieces that in previous seasons would come only after an episode or two of slow and deliberate developments. Season 7 doesn't have that kind of time and this trailer practically promises what it does have will be action-packed.

"The Lone Wolf Dies"

Jon Snow Game of Thrones Season 7 Trailer

Bringing everything back around, this second Game of Thrones season 7 trailer ends on two core elements of the series -- "Winter is Coming" or rather, it's here, and the family famous for uttering those words. They were the first family introduced, the one that deep down we're all rooting for, and the family subjected to tragedy after tragedy. Every win for the Starks usually comes tinged with loss, and it'd be foolish to expect anything less from season 7.

A slow progression of shots -- an unlucky group, either Jon's or Beric's (or both?) surrounded in a snow storm; a lone survivor (possibly Sandor?) fleeing on horseback; Jon cutting down an attacking wight -- all set to Sansa's solemn voice over: "When the snows fall, and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives." The phrase is a favorite of Ned's and one that in the novels, Arya finds herself remembering, placing herself in the role of the "lone wolf" and relating pack with her surviving family members. Here it's Sansa, but it's still Arya who remains separate from her siblings, her pack, and that isn't a good sign.

It's a chilling end to a frenetic and fast-paced trailer, evoking the stubborn spirit of the Starks and teasing their potential return to power. But it's also hard not to read that phrase, "the lone wolf dies", as something ominous, even if "the pack survives" in the end.

Next: 15 Frustrating Ways Game Of Thrones Could End