Fans have had to wait longer than usual for the new season of Game of Thrones, but the release of the first trailer has more than makes up for it. For over a year now, we’ve been hearing all about what to expect in season 7 of HBO’s hit adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s books. From fast-paced stories to Dany on her dragon, it’s been clear that, despite the smaller episode count, season 7 will be the most epic one so far.

But outside of some photos and a botched gimmick revealing the show’s premiere date, no one has quite known what to expect when the show returns. For years, fans could look to the books for possible plot threads and story arcs, but those days are mostly gone. With the show moving well past much of the material printed so far, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen next.

With today’s trailer, we finally have a better idea of both the plot and action. We get quick glimpses of many characters, while the Lannisters, Dany, and the North get a bigger spotlight. And though the suspicious absence of characters like Bran and Brienne will worry fans they’re sitting the season out, it’s likely that they’ll appear in a future trailer. For now, today’s tease has given us more than enough to unpack and puzzle over, so join us as we break down the trailer for season 7 of Game of Thrones.

The Last of the Lannisters

The trailer kicks off with quick shots of various characters and threats as Cersei lists the foes at every cardinal point that she and Jaime will need to defend against. Following the shocking events of last season, Cersei has left King’s Landing in turmoil, lost two sons and kings in as many years, and seemingly destroyed any hope of receiving the help of Highgarden and the Reach with her obliteration of Queen Margaery and her court. While some clever spin of the events could help her save face, she and the remaining Lannister forces have never been in more danger. In Cersei’s mind, it’s her and Jaime alone now, but the audience knows that Tyrion is still very much in play.

While Cersei and Jaime brood over their massive map of Westeros, Tyrion is taking in the sights of Daenerys’ three fully-grown dragons and standing beside her as the Hand of the Queen. Judging by the results of his last stint as Hand, things could go a few different ways for him. While he was successful at improving King’s Landing and defending the city against Stannis, his tenure soon led to his downfall and exile.

Daenerys Comes Home

Much of the action of the trailer is intercut with shots of Dragonstone, and Daenerys’ return to the castle. Cersei’s opening words are mixed with shots of the Painted Table, the massive wooden map of Westeros that resides in the Drum Tower at Dragonstone. From there, Aegon planned his initial conquest, and recent years have seen Stannis brooding over the same table.

Of course, the more significant aspect of Dany coming to Dragonstone is that it marks her return to her place of birth and the only part of Westeros she’s ever known. Following the Sack of King’s Landing and the Mad King’s death at the hands of Jaime, Dany’s pregnant mother and her young brother Viserys were spirited off to the Targaryens’ seat at Dragonstone. During an intense storm, Dany was born while her mother died. Shortly after, her and Viserys sailed off to Essos, with Dany only now returning to her ancestral home. You can read a lot into the shot of Dany as the gates open to the castle, inviting her back to Westeros and her awaiting kingdom.

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Arya Alone

Arya off on her own is certainly nothing new, as the young Stark has been mostly fending for herself since her father was beheaded back in season one. Of course, she spent many of the following years trying to return home to the North, only to be waylaid at a morbidly comical rate. Once she finally had a bit more agency, she set off for Braavos and learned the ways of the Faceless Men. Now, she’s back in her homeland but still just as alone.

There’s no telling where Arya will go next, but Winterfell seems likely. Assuming she’s received word that Jon is no longer at the Wall, it would make sense for her to seek out her home even if she isn't aware of the family she now has there. Another likelihood of Arya’s return is being reunited with Nymeria. The snow scenes seem to indicate Arya is back home, but with winter now upon Westeros, she could still be in the Riverlands after slaying Walder Frey. It’s there that she left her direwolf, who’s been slowly gathering a pack and fighting off foes ever since. This hasn’t been touched on in the show, sadly, but Arya and Nymeria’s reunion is still a major event that’s bound to be on the horizon.

Jon and Tormund on the Run

Seeing two warriors as fearsome as Jon Snow and Tormund Giantsbane flee for their lives likely only means one thing: the Others are coming. We see a few shots of Free Folk huddled in the snow, and we know from a previous teaser that the Night King and his army are on their way. It’s unknown if the shots of Jon and Tormund are beyond the Wall or not, but it’s interesting to note that Jon is clad like Tormund and his brethren. This could just be to stay warm, or may be part of some greater scheme.

If the Others have crossed the Wall somehow, then the petty wars of kings and queens will be the least of Cersei and Dany’s problems. There’s also plenty of shots of Jon at Winterfell following his ascension as King in the North, so the scene with him and Tormund could be towards the end of the season as the conflict comes to a head.

Conflict in the Crypts

Back at Winterfell, we get a few teases of Sansa’s future and where she and Littlefinger are headed. For Petyr Baelish's part, he may finally have met his match in Jon Snow. There’s a quick shot down in the crypts of Winterfell with Jon grabbing Littlefinger by the throat. Given Littlefinger’s proclivity for angering people, it’s not hard to imagine him saying something that could upset Jon, but the setting provides a further clue.

For years, fans have all but taken the theory that Jon is a Targaryen as fact. The books and show have both hinted at it, with the most blatant references on screen coming in the past two seasons. One moment in particular involved Littlefinger and Sansa in the Winterfell crypts, where the schemer hinted at Jon’s true parentage and his own awareness of the event. Could Jon’s anger come from Littlefinger revealing the truth, or even just teasing Jon with the knowledge?

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Grey Worm and Missandei in Game of Thrones

Iron and Sand

In a rapidfire moment towards the end of the trailer, we see quick shots of Grey Worm and Missandei continuing their relationship, followed by Yara (Asha in the books) and Ellaria Sand starting a new one. While their coupling could amount to nothing, it has some interesting implications.

For one, it teases that the new ruler of Dorne and one of the leaders of the Ironborn are together. We know Dorne has long had plans for the Targaryens to return to glory, and Yara recently swore herself to Daenerys. With Dorne and some of the Ironborn now on Daenerys side, her power will be one of the greatest in all of the land. The Dornish generally stay out of conflicts, but all agree they’re nearly unbeatable. Add in Yara’s forces and all of the others sworn to Dany’s cause, and King’s Landing won’t stand a chance against the invading Targaryen.

The Storming of King's Landing

Another one of the quick shots we get is Daenerys’ forces, led by the Unsullied, storming a castle with the crimson lions of House Lannister on them. You can also see slain guardsmen in the red of the Lannisters, hinting at two possibilities. The most obvious is that Dany has descended on King’s Landing. From her seat at Dragonstone, the royal city is just across the water. Its very name comes from Aegon landing on the barren spot 300 years ago and claiming it as his seat following his conquest. It also marks the only real threat to Dany and, of course, is where the Iron Throne sits.

There’s a small chance we’re seeing Casterly Rock,  the seat of Lannister power in the West. While it would certainly shame the Lannisters to lose the castle, it hardly matters in the grand scheme of what the show is trying to lay out in the new season. Once King’s Landing has been taken, it’s not as if Casterly Rock will pose much of a threat. King’s Landing will certainly provide a more difficult target, but Dany’s dragons alone will even the odds of the city’s walls. And while Tyrion’s end may prove to be treacherous for his person, it’s safe to assume his skills and knowledge of King’s Landing and his siblings will greatly help Dany in her battle against the other Lannisters.

Ser Robert Strong

The Mountain in Game of Thrones

One particular warrior who will help the Lannisters defeat Dany is Ser Robert Strong. Once Ser Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane, Oberyn’s poisoned spear brought the beastly knight to the gates of death a few seasons back. Thanks to Cersei and Qyburn, however, he was brought back to life as a mute brute and clad in the white of the Kingsguard. We haven’t seen much from him in the books yet, but the show has demonstrated his strength alone is terrifying to behold. It’s also unknown whether he can even be killed a second time.

Now that Cersei has claimed the throne, it seems she’s also followed Dany’s lead and instituted a Queensguard. Rather than the pure white the group traditionally wears, Strong is outfitted in a sinister black. Aside from providing a morbid inversion of what the Kingsguard represent, the new armor has driven the Internet into a frenzy with calls that the Mountain is the new Darth Vader—making Cersei a perfect match for the Emperor.

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The Great War

Game of Thrones has always been a show heavily focused on scheming and political intrigue, but there’s always been a larger threat looming on the horizon. Over the seasons, we’ve seen the Others grow from a bump in the night to a wave of terror set to engulf Westeros. While Cersei, Dany, and the others all prepare to fight for the Seven Kingdoms, there are players who know that the Great War is the only conflict worth facing.

Jon, the Night’s Watch, and the Free Folk know all too well about this threat, and Bran has learned plenty too. His significance in these events is still unknown, but Stannis, Melisandre, and Davos have all faced the White Walkers in combat. When Davos speaks of a greater threat in the trailer and promises only a skeleton will sit the Iron Throne, he’s not merely being dramatic. Likely, he’s counseling Daenerys and telling the would-be conqueror that thrones and castles are nothing compared to the lives of everyone in the realm.

Ten Thousand Dothraki Screamers

Following the death of Khal Drogo, Dany lost all but a few of the Dothraki from her kalesar. Last season, however, showed her dominating the remaining forces of the Dothraki Sea and taking them under her considerable wingspan. The threat of the Dothraki horde has always been known in Essos, but those in Westeros have never feared the horselords as they are not seafaring people. Despite their superstitions, though, last season ended with Dany setting sail with her forces on her way to Dragonstone.

Given the various shots of the Dothraki horde fighting and wielding their curved arakhs, we’re in for some brutal battles. Though lacking armor, the Dothraki are skilled warriors on horseback and will pose a threat to any who stand against them. Once the Dothraki land on the shores of Westeros, they will represent a foe unlike anything the Seven Kingdoms have ever seen and will help Dany in whatever battles she chooses to fight.

Daenerys the Conqueror

While the Dothraki may be a mystery to the warriors of Westeros, Dany’s three dragons will represent a familiar yet far more terrifying threat. We get a quick shot of Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal flying past Tyrion early in the trailer, but the final shot shows the largest beast flying over Dany’s massive army. Though it’s difficult to tell if Dany’s aboard Drogon, it’s likely she is. The dragons have been too small to ride in past seasons, but those days are long gone. Now, Dany can mount her dragon and fly at the head of her army, providing a foe that no one in Westeros will be able to fight.

The shot also calls to mind Aegon’s conquest 300 years ago. Though no one is alive who saw it happen, none in Westeros will forget the tales of those roasted alive on both the field and behind castle walls by Aegon, his sisters, and their three dragons. The symbolism alone will be hard to deny when Dany herself sweeps across the kingdoms with her three beasts, but their threat will be overwhelmingly obvious despite what parallels it has to history. And while Dany will surely lead her forces against Cersei, let us hope that she eventually turns her army and dragons north to face the White Walkers.

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There was a lot to unpack in the trailer, so let us know if we missed anything crucial. And be sure to tell us what your favorite moments were from the season 7 trailer of Game of Thrones in the comments!

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