Game of Thrones – Breaking Down the “Crypts of Winterfell” Trailer
As we inch closer to the premier of Game of Thrones Season Finale, we get our first taste of what awaits us in April. The fans are stoked and counting down days to witness the conclusion of arguably the greatest fantasy drama series of the 21st century. The ultimate season reverts to old grounds, going all the way back to the first episode of the season. So, what can we make of the trailer? Find out below.
Back to the Origins
One of the first noticeable elements in the trailer is the setting. The teaser takes place in the crypt underneath Winterfell. Apart from the frosty and grim setting you would expect from a season where walking cadavers are waging war against humans, we cannot help but imagine that Game of Thrones is treading familiar grounds – coming full circle in Season 8.
You might recall watching some of the earliest sequences in these crypts, with King Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark paying their respects to the late Lyanna Stark and contemplating on the not so bright future of Westeros.
Voice of the Dead
Similar to the trailer of Season 6, this teaser very much revolves around the dead members of the Stark family. We see Jon, Sansa and Arya pass by effigies of dead family members, and hear important bits of dialogue spoken by them. For instance, Lyanna Stark can be heard urging her brother Ned to look after the infant Jon. While, Catelyn is heard ruing her inability to accept Jon as her son. Interesting to note, Med himself is heard telling Jon that he has Stark blood coursing through his veins.
A Peak into the Future?
Jon, Sansa and Arya’s paths eventually cross where they are confronted by 3 effigies of themselves. This raises all sorts of suspicions, as the Stark family members are not given statues until they pass over and are laid to rest in the crypt. You understand where we are getting, right? The remaining Starks are to be defeated and left to die in a battle with the White Walkers. In case you need more evidence, take a close look at the statue of Jon.
The Lone Wolf Dies, But the Pack Survives
The notion that the Final Season’s first teaser center on the Starks and not the other families only reaffirms our belief that the most celebrated son of the Starks, Jon would be the focal point here. Remember that iconic line from the end of Season 7 when Arya and Sansa called it a truce:
When snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.”
Here, we witness the Stark pack standing in unison against the coming winds of winter; Jon and Arya with swords drawn and Sansa protected by her status as Lady of Winterfell. So why the statue then? Perhaps the teaser is a reminder that as long as the Starks stick together, they will weather the storm.
Is Bran the Night King?
There is one member of the Stark family that was nowhere to be seen in the trailer – Bran. Is it possible that Bran’s absence is a sign of sinister events to occur? Evidence points towards the fact that he could be the Night King, and the feather freezing might just be a hint left to us by the creators.
More evidence comes in the form of his attire, which bears striking semblance to the man whom the Children of the Forest used to create the first White Walker. Also, the actor portraying Bran suggested that he’d be down to portray the character of the Night King.
The Feather
Finally, the feather makes its return for the Season Finale. We first had the glimpse of it in the Season premier, with King Robert placing it at the statue of Lyanna Stark during his visit to Winterfell.
The feather then reappeared in Season 5, when Littlefinger and Sansa discuss the histories of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. Another example of the series coming full circle?
