Winter is here! Enjoy this prediction filled analysis of the new Game of Thrones Season 7 trailer.
By Ryan Colantonio // The first Game of Thrones Season 7 trailer has finally arrived, and now the over-analyzing begins. Below are five predictions based on the possible foreshadowing hidden within. Of course, prepare for material from all books and seasons.
The Ruse at Casterly Rock
Casterly Rock makes its debut! The Lannister stronghold appears to be the site of an upcoming Targaryen vs Lannister conflict. A conflict that looks awfully one-sided… A single Lannister garrison simply won’t cut it against a horde of Dothraki, Unsullied, and a very large dragon.
Traditionally losing one’s castle would be a major flop in Westerosi warfare. Of course, Queen Cersei isn’t exactly known for following tradition. The only thing on Cersei’s mind is vengeance. Tyrion, Varys, Olenna, Ellaria all these people helped betray and murder her family members. But why would Cersei allow Casterly Rock to fall so easily?
As a distraction.
The power of House Lannister comes from their perceived riches. However, the crown owes a tremendous amount of money to the Iron Bank. While Tyrion is aware of this debt, he’s not aware that the Lannister’s gold mines dried up years ago. That leaves House Tyrell as the wealthiest family in Westeros. A surprise raid on Highgarden, especially after luring Dany to Casterly Rock, would be a stroke of tactical genius.
There’s a number of signs in the Season 7 trailer that the Battle of Casterly Rock may be a ruse. For one, these Lannister soldiers are noticeably less armored than those featured throughout Seasons 1-6. These guys look more like Cersei’s B team.
The second is the battle’s utter one-sidedness. Jaime is now the supreme commander of the Lannister forces. There’s simply no dramatic weight in having him lose so badly in an actual battle. Jaime’s capture would quite possibly bring an end to the entire war. Instead I believe he and the bulk of Lannister forces are elsewhere, and Dany will fall for Cersei’s bait.
Melisandre is the Key
Following her Season 6 banishment, Dragonstone looked like Melisandre’s obvious destination. Having now devoted herself to Jon Snow, travelling to Dragonstone ensures her continued service to the Great War.
Dragonstone is home to Westeros’ greatest supply of dragonglass. Dragonglass that can be mined, worked into weapons, and sent North to aid King Jon. In the books series, the mining of dragonglass began as early as A Storm of Swords.
More importantly, Dragonstone is also home to Daenerys Targaryen. Like Jon, Daenerys received the title of the Lord’s Chosen in Season 6. However, Dany hasn’t exactly been focusing on the whole salvation of all mankind. That is where I believe Melisandre comes in.
Admittedly, Melisandre would have an uphill battle in an audience with Team Targaryen. But even if she’s denied, her mere presence on Dragonstone could be a crucial turning point. Simply mentioning Tyrion’s one-time travelling companion, Jon Snow, could be the spark that sets in motion an eventual alliance of ice and fire.
Jon Lays a Trap
After defeating the Boltons, Umbers, and Karstarks Jon has no enemies in the North. No enemies besides the Night King that is. Luckily he has a major advantage in this fight, a 700-foot-tall wall of ice that the dead cannot pass. Jon therefore must have a very good reason for leaving the Wall to engage the enemy head on.
Given the mere 12 companions he’s travelling with, this encounter doesn’t appear to be a major offensive. That narrows it down to recon, rescue, or special operation.
It can’t be recon as that job belongs to Lord Commander Edd. Rescue also seems unlikely as the only living characters beyond the Wall, Bran and Meera, are practically on its doorstep.
Could this instead be a mission from Bran to find some ancient artifact or truth? If that’s the case, then Jon’s team looks totally unprepared. Not a single one thought to bring fire to a wight fight!
So what the heck is going on here? Well, it looks to me like another trap.
Lure in the Night King’s forces with fresh, brave, meat and then roast them with fiery reinforcements in waiting. Perhaps this is even an attempt to capture one of their undead adversaries, and learn more about this mysterious enemy.
Littlefinger’s Demise
At this point, Littlefinger has spent more time in Winterfell’s crypts than the actual members of House Stark. He’s also previously revealed that he attended the Tourney at Harrenhal, and has doubts regarding Lyanna’s kidnapping. Thus far, Petyr’s strategy in the game of thrones has been to study and manipulate others’ wants and emotions. Having inside knowledge of Jon’s parents, or deceiving others into thinking he does, would be a major asset. Threads of dividing Jon and Sansa featured throughout Season 6, and this may be Petyr’s route of accomplishing that goal.
The problem is, Sansa Stark is not Lysa Tully, Lady Catelyn, or Cersei Lannister. Littlefinger’s past prey all had strong emotional weaknesses that he could manipulate. What’s more, Petyr’s own emotions towards Sansa puts him at a further disadvantage. This is why I believe he will shift his focus to Jon. Jon probably won’t be emotionally susceptible, but he is susceptible elsewhere – his honor. If Petyr could swindle Jon into stepping aside for Sansa, he’d be right back in the game.
Unfortunately, the longer Petyr stays in the wolf’s den, the more vulnerable he becomes. With Bran and Arya heading home, both quite aware of Littlefinger’s treachery, Petyr’s doom is literally on the horizon. Valar Morghulis.
Arya’s Encounter
Arya is going home. The showrunners couldn’t have made it any clearer. And yet rather than beginning her arc at Winterfell, here she is roaming around forests…
With screen time becoming more precious with each passing episode, this sequence needs to have a sizable payoff. The likely possibility is that Arya will encounter a major character during her trek northward. Possible candidates include The Hound and the Brotherhood Without Banners, or perhaps Arya’s long-awaited reunion with Melisandre.
However, there’s also another option. The camera angle used in this specific shot should be quite familiar to avid showwatchers. This low-to-mid angled shot has appeared numerous times when depicting the POV of Stark direwolves. Thus far, Arya’s direwolf Nymeria hasn’t appeared on the show since her abandonment over 5 years ago. In the books, however, Nymeria leads a large wolf pack wreaking havoc throughout the Riverlands. If this shot does correspond to Nymeria’s return than you’re probably asking yourself: why now?
Practically speaking, a direwolf would get Arya past Winterfell Guardsman X a heck of a lot easier. More practically, this season’s limited episode count means more budget to spend on special effects. Lastly, Nymeria’s reappearance fits nicely with the current point in Arya’s character journey. Having shed her lone wolf mentality, Arya is now preparing to rejoin the Stark pack. The introduction of Arya’s now fully grown she-wolf would perfectly parallel her own growth as a character.
Closing Remarks
These five predictions are just a few of the many takeaways within this first Game of Thrones Season 7 trailer. There’s still plenty more to dive into! Be sure to check out my pre Season 7 trailer predictions, as well as the Season 6 Revisited series. Stay tuned for continued Game of Thrones Season 7 trailer breakdowns, predictions, and analysis right here at RetroZap!