‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 7 Trailer Teases ‘The Great War’ Beginning In The Seven Kingdoms

The race to the Iron Throne is heating up on “Game of Thrones” and the rulers of the Seven Kingdoms are done playing nice. HBO released an official trailer for Season 7 which suggests things are going to get ugly.

The nearly-two minute clip centers around “the Great War,” which everyone — Cersei (Lena Headey) and Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), Jon Snow (Kit Harington), Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) and more — is bracing for. Each of the leaders appears to have their own strategy. Some intend to focus on themselves and their people, while others, namely Ser Davos (Liam Cunningham), seem to believe unity is the only true defense in this battle. He’s shown reminding Daenerys that if their shared enemies have their way, no one will get their seat on the Iron Throne.

The latest “Game of Thrones” trailer also provides some context on things fans have seen in previous clips and photos. The first is Daenerys arriving at what appears to be King’s Landing. Previous photos showed the Mother of Dragons and her confidants in formation with looks of wonderment on their faces, though it wasn’t clear what they were looking at until the release of the latest show-related clip.

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When viewers see Daenerys again in the newly released trailer, she’s seated on the same throne first featured in the Long Walk teaser. Viewers speculated then that it was a sign she’d be returning to Dragonstone, a land once run by her people. An in depth-look at the trailer released Wednesday suggests that’s definitely the case.

The trailer also explains to Thronies, via a brief appearance by both, what’s going on between Sansa and Littlefinger (Aiden Gillen) in “Game of Thrones” Season 7 stills. While we previously speculated that he was trying to urge her to turn on younger sister Arya, who fans believe will make her way home when the show returns, it appears he was aiming for much more. The shady adviser pushes Sansa to take the reigns from Jon, reminding her that she’s the eldest living Stark.

Lastly, we catch up with Jon, who appears to be in the tomb inside his childhood home. Previously released photos showed the reigning King of the North with a concerned look on his face in the same area. The “Game of Thrones” trailer gives fans a quick glimpse at an all-out brawl between him and an unknown other party, explaining his facial expression.

Dedicated “Game of Thrones” fans can rest easy with all those previously unclear scenarios explained, but there’s one moment we’ve yet to wrap our minds around. Stills from Season 7 of the HBO original series showed Gilly (Hannah Murray) reading in the Citadel library with Sam (John Bradley West). One fan was able to make out what she’s reading and post it on Reddit, which started a lot of buzz about the magnitude of her role in the upcoming installment of the show.

“It is also written that there are annals in Asshai of such a darkness, and of a her who fought against it with a red sword. His deeds are said to have been performed before the rise of Valyria, in the earliest age when Old Ghis was first forming its empire. This legend has spread west from Asshai, and the followers of R’hllor claim that this hero was named Azor Ahai, and prophesy his return. In the Jade Compendium, Colloquo Votar recounts a curious legend from Yi Ti, which states that the sun hid its face from the earth for a lifetime, ashamed at something none could discover, and that disaster was averted only by the deeds of a woman with a monkey’s tail,” the passage reads.

The book appears to be about the Azor Ahai prophecy. The complex “Game of Thrones” theory promises an unstoppable hero will be reborn to save the Seven Kingdoms from the Lord of Light’s enemies. While the identities of those enemies remain a mystery, some believe it’s the Night King (Vladimir Furdik) and his army.

Jon is believed by many “Game of Thrones” fans to be the second coming of Azor Ahai. One Reddit theory, posted on the site several years ago, suggests that Brandon Stark is the original. User OneEyedCheshire speculated that when the show comes to an end, the Seven Kingdoms will be overrun by White Walkers and require saving by the chosen one.

That special person will have to forge a sword called Lightbringer. He’ll then be called on to drive it through the heart of his one true love in the name of saving all humanity. To work, the weapon will have to be forged three times: once by water, once by driving it into the lion’s heart and one other way that’s yet to be revealed.

Read: ‘Game Of Thrones’ Spinoff: Everything We Know So Far About The HBO Prequels In The Works

The Reddit user who posted the theory speculates that that particular portion of the prophecy is a metaphor. Winterfell is Lightbringer, as it was tempered by water when the Greyjoys took it over. The lion’s heart symbolizes Jon and Sansa’s victory over House Bolton in Season 6, as they were aligned with House Lannister, which has a lion sigil.

“Now the third forging. I think this leads to the ‘bittersweet’ ending GRRM [George R.R. Martin] has promised, and Dany’s third betrayal. After Dany makes it to Westeros, I believe J = R + L will be revealed, and Jon and Dany will fall in love. This will be in the middle of the fight against the others,” the Redditor writes. “I believe two of Dany’s dragons will have died by this point of the invasion and she will be left with only the last child she will ever have (since she is barren). Drogon = her soul. Dany will be Nissa Nissa [Azor Ahai’s beloved] and Jon Snow must bind her soul (Drogon) to Lightbringer (Winterfell) in order to fight back the Others.”

Need more “Game of Thrones” Season 7 spoilers now? Click here. Be sure to catch the show when it returns to HBO Sunday, July 16.