Winter is here and the Great War begins. Dive in to this speculation-filled breakdown of the Game of Thrones Season 7 Winter is Here trailer.
By Ryan Colantonio // With flaming swords and epic book quotes, the Game of Thrones Season 7 Winter is Here trailer debuted in spectacular fashion. It also contained all kinds of juicy hints for the season to come. Let’s get to speculating!
An Unholy Alliance
Euron’s fleet arrives in King’s Landing.
Cersei has an abundance of rebellious kingdoms, but lacks naval support. Euron has “1000 ships” and very much wants new territory. It’s a match made in writing room heaven.
It was essentially a formality that these two baddies would team up. Without naval support, Cersei risked a devastating blockade of Blackwater Bay. With this Unholy Alliance confirmed, the only question is whether Euron’s offer is also an offer of marriage. Cersei probably won’t be in the marrying mood, but a large navy may change that.
The Sack of Highgarden
Tyrell man lies dead before a victorious Jaime Lannister.
Gold Cloaks deliver freshly raided Highgarden supplies.
I previously speculated that a Ruse at Casterly Rock would free up the Lannisters for a surprise attack on Highgarden. Given the dead Tyrell pictured above, that appears to be the case.
Attacking Highgarden makes a lot of sense for the isolated and indebted Queen Cersei. The Reach’s wealth, provisions, and bountiful harvests have been mentioned for several seasons. Fooling Dany into attacking Casterly Rock would give Jaime the opening he needs to seize control of Highgarden.
In addition, let’s not forget about the importance of wartime morale. Sacking Highgarden would be a genius move of propaganda. Not only would the commoners relish in Highgarden’s vast resources, but Cersei would paint Daenerys as an enemy of the people.
Attacking Lannister Supply Lines
Lannister archers protect their supplies.
Dragonfire devastates a Lannister convoy.
I believe there will be two direct ground battles between the Lannisters and Targaryens. The first being Casterly Rock, the second a Targaryen raid on Lannister supply lines.
The Winter is Here trailer appears to depict a guarded Lannister convoy carrying wheat and other provisions. If correct, this convoy may be a supply line between King’s Landing and a newly captured Highgarden. Later in the trailer, this same convoy is completely obliterated by dragonfire. To me, it looks a lot like Targaryen forces will conduct a fiery raid on Cersei’s supply lines. In fact, this encounter has the potential to be the most critical battle in the entire war.
Why you ask? Because Jaime Lannister is on the battlefield. A captive Jaime would possibly put an end to Cersei’s entire crusade. After all, Tyrion is quite knowledgeable concerning the value of a good hostage.
The Brotherhood Beyond the Wall
Beric Dondarrion faithfully serves his Lord.
Jon and the Brotherhood surrounded by wights.
Dondarrion and the Brotherhood Without Banners appear to be pledging their service to the Lord’s Chosen in Season 7. After the first trailer, I speculated that Jon’s objective here was to lay a trap against the Army of the Dead. Given his companions, this theory is still in play.
As loyal servants of R’hllor, the Brotherhood Without Banners is honor bound to defeating the Lord’s enemies. As such, I fully expect the Brotherhood will act as Jon’s personal kingsguard on this certifiable insane mission. I also expect they probably won’t make it out alive.
Benjen Saves the Day
Jon uses an anti-wight fire ring. It’s not very effective.
Benjen’s horse to the rescue?
It doesn’t look like this mission will go as Jon had planned. His fire ring fails, his companions perish, and he looks to be in desperate need of a miracle. Luckily, his younger brother happens to possess miraculous powers.
In previous articles I’ve theorized that Bran is the true master of the undead Benjen Stark. Benjen can act as Bran’s eyes, ears, and sword behind enemy lines. As the Night King’s rival, it makes sense that Bran would monitor Jon’s mission. If things go wrong, and it looks like they do, I’ve no doubt Benjen will be waiting in reserve.
A Battle of Greenseers
Bran spies on the Army of the Dead.
The Night King senses his rival, Brandon Stark.
Followers of this site will know that I believe the Night King is a greenseer. Based on the editing in the Winter is Here trailer, I’m more convinced now than ever.
Consider the sequence showing Bran’s ravens spying on the Army of the Dead. There’s a quick cut to the Night King, which is then immediately followed by a depowered Bran. In my opinion, this very much signals that the Night Knight will be a legitimate and direct threat to Bran’s life. It could even be argued that he’s able to forcefully disrupt Bran’s warging abilities. Either way, it’s certain that a mystical battle between Bran and the Night King will be a significant component in the Great War.
The North Travels South
Jon and Davos in Southern attire.
The Hound dons his battle kilt.
The trailers have made clear that the North alone won’t stop the Army of the Dead. To unite Westeros against this common enemy, King Jon needs to convince two Queens.
With his southern garb and those familiar rock formations, it looks like Jon Snow is headed to Dragonstone! Ace negotiator Davos Seaworth, and Jon’s old friend Tyrion Lannister, should be more than enough to convince Daenerys.
Cersei, however, might be a challenge. With the Hound appearing in the frozen North earlier in the trailer, perhaps Jon recruits him as extra muscle on a trip to King’s Landing. If the negotiations go sour, the Hound is one fighter he’d want in his corner – especially when The Mountain is in the other.
Greyjoy Civil War
Euron, with axe, amidst a raging naval battle.
Let’s be honest, this upcoming Greyjoy vs Greyjoy battle royal could go down in cinematic history. All the fireballs, TV-MA action, and violent family drama has the potential to be unlike anything viewers have seen before. The new trailer confirms that Yara and Theon will come face to face with their axe-wielding uncle Euron. Let’s also not forget that the Targaryen navy includes the Tyrell and Dornish fleets. Yara and Ellaria looked quite cozy in the previous trailer, so perhaps the Sand Snakes will join the fighting as well.
Closing Remarks
My main takeaway from the new Winter is Here trailer has to be the incredible amount of action lined up for Season 7. Targaryen vs Lannister, Greyjoy vs Greyjoy, and the living against the dead are just a few of the battles to come. For just seven episodes, the coming season looks to be the most action-packed yet! As always, stay tuned for continued Game of Thrones coverage right here at RetroZap!