Entertainment Weekly releases 16 epic final season cover photos for Game of Thrones season 8, one of which teases “Cleganebowl.” In the HBO series' season 7 finale, Sandor “The Hound” Clegane reunites with his brother Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane.” The characters are known for their mutual disgust towards one another.
On Game of Thrones, Sandor Clegane is associated with House Lannister and highly regarded for his combat skills. Physically, the character has noticeable scars across his face, the result of his older brother Gregor pushing him into hot coal as a child. Throughout the series, Sandor forms a relationship with assassin-in-the-making Arya Stark, who learns that “The Hound” is indeed scared of fire, which ties into the Game of Thrones’ tagline “A song of Ice and Fire.” Meanwhile, Gregor Clegane experiences a less enlightening character arc, as he’s a notorious killer who is transformed into a zombie-like protector by House Lannister, now under the control of Cersei Lannister. For Game of Thrones fans, “Cleganebowl” is a term used to describe the inevitable face-off between “The Hound” and “The Mountain.”
Related: Every Game of Thrones Season 8 Update You Need To Know
To complement a 78-page issue dedicated to Game of Thrones, EW has released 16 final season cover photos. One of the images teases Cleganebowl, as Gregor and Sandor Clegane stand side-by-side with swords raised. While both characters are indeed associated with battle, it’s notable that they’re staged together, with the implication being that fans can expect a season 8 showdown. In addition, other Game of Thrones characters are paired together, such as Gilly and Samwell Tarly, Davos Seaworth and Melisandre, Theon and Euron Greyjoy, Lord Varys and Jorah Mormont, and Missandei and Grey Worm. Entertainment Weekly’s special collector’s double issue is available to order now. Check out all 16 covers below.
Last month, HBO’s CEO Richard Plepler announced that he’d seen rough cuts for the remaining Game of Thrones episodes, and described the experience as watching “six movies.” In recent weeks, various character theories have emerged, as fans of both the TV series and the original books await the the season 8 premiere on April 14. The final episodes mark the end of what’s highly regarded as perhaps the best TV show ever produced, which began with an infamously bad unaired pilot. After re-structuring the pilot and casting new actors, Benioff and Weiss delivered a first HBO episode that set the tone for the series as a whole, all the while setting a high bar for other network showrunners.
Winter is coming, and all will hopefully be resolved this spring for Game of Thrones fans. For now, let us know who you think will prevail in season 8: The Hound or The Mountain?
More: Game of Thrones Season 8 Theory: The Starks Are Descended From White Walkers
Game of Thrones season 8 premieres Sunday, April 14 at 9pm on HBO.
Source: EW