We’re only a month out from the long-awaited return of Game of Thrones, and to celebrate the summer solstice, HBO on Wednesday released the second trailer for GOT’s seventh season. (I guess because, from today on, winter is officially coming.) We’ll break down what we learned from the latest trailer, but first, here’s the trailer so you can get a refresher:
Wow, what a trailer. Great soundtrack, right? Okay, now to the breakdown.
We begin with Sansa Stark walking in the Winterfell godswood, as Littlefinger advises her to be constantly fighting battles, all the time, in her head. Only then, he says, will she know what it’s like to be on Twitter.
Here’s two tiny people that are almost certainly Bran and Meera making their way to safety through a gate in the Wall.
Looks like Jon is there to meet them. More Starks reunited!
In King’s Landing, a group of Gold Cloaks push their way through an unruly crowd of people …
… a sign that Cersei’s rule is probably not going too well.
On Dragonstone, Dany casually runs her fingers along the table-sized map of Westeros built by her ancestor, Aegon the Conqueror. (That won’t be on the exam.)
Arya as you’ve rarely seen her before — on a horse!
On the battlements of King’s Landing, Jaime recreates his favorite Terrence Malick films.
Littlefinger, with the creepiness, in what looks like the Winterfell crypt. Will he be the one to spill the truth about Rhaegar and Lyanna?
Dany’s dragons enjoying the freedom of the skies above Dragonstone.
Tyrion looks nervous on Dragonstone. Perhaps he’s worried about the prospect of going to war against his sister and brother?
Here’s Theon at night. We’ll come back to this.
A stoic Grey Worm prepares for his hardest task yet: rebranding himself as a British R&B star. He could also be preparing to sneak into that crevasse — part of Dany’s secret plan to take King’s Landing?
No. 1 pals Brienne and Pod in the courtyard of Winterfell, which looks like it’s going to be the central location of the Northern action this year.
An Unsullied soldier going splat! during one of the season’s big battles. This one looks like it takes place on a grassy field on a cloudy day. Remember that, too.
It’s night again, as one character (maybe Yara Greyjoy?) prepares to leap from one ship to another during a giant naval battle.
Dany’s cavalry charges a Lannister shield wall during a daytime battle. Note the massive fire in the background: Drogon was here. Also note the visuals: brownish and saturated.
An army of ravens take to the skies.
Lannister archers commanded by Jaime and Bron prepare a volley for the Unsullied we saw earlier. (Update: This guy on Twitter points out that they’re probably Tarly soldiers.) So far we’ve seen a lot of shots from daytime battles between Lannisters and Dany’s army. The question is, do they come from two different battles — one grey and misty, one brown and fiery — or one massive one?
The Night King unleashes a little Blue Steel.
Bran made it home! Here he is in a new chair in the Winterfell godswood, with what looks like Davos. (Update: According to Joanna Robinson at Vanity Fair, it’s the Boltons’ old maester. Well-spotted!)
Beric Dondarrion is here, and he brought his flaming sword. If you’re counting, this is another new battle scene, somewhere up north.
Greyjoy ships approach King’s Landing. They could belong to evil uncle Euron, but I’m guessing they’re probably Theon and Yara’s.
Unsullied charge at a gate, while a bunch of Lannister soldiers try to keep them out. This is probably also King’s Landing!
We’re back in the brown-and-fiery battle again, with Jaime riding a single horse amid the flames. Since we already saw Jaime at the gray-and-misty battle, it’s a solid sign that they might just be different parts of one big battle. (Before and after Drogon arrives, perhaps?)
Tormund takes a swing during the blue-and-snowy battle. Hopefully he’ll survive long enough to settle down with Brienne.
Theon and Yara look up with dread during the nighttime naval battle. Whatever’s up there, it’s not good.
Drogon and Dany join the Dothraki in a cavalry charge. This seems to indicate that the grey-and-misty battle is the same one as the brown-and-fiery one. By the looks of it, it’s a massive confrontation outside King’s Landing.
Jon Snow and his buds do battle against what’s probably a gigantic army of wights. We saw the Wall still standing in the early part of this trailer, which raises the question of where exactly this battle’s taking place. Did Jon & Co. go up into the Land of Always Winter, or did the White Walkers and their army find a way to get past the Wall?
Missandei and Grey Worm share a pre-battle smooch. It’s worth noting that, directly after this, there’s a messy split-second shot of someone who could be the Hound drawing a sword, in what looks like the King’s Landing arena. This could be the fight many fans have been waiting for.
Evil uncle Euron seen sans eye patch at the nighttime naval battle. If this is taking place, as seems likely, in the bay outside King’s Landing, how does it fit into the big land battle?
Drogon, ready for his close-up as always. Look at Dany on top!
“When the snows fall, and the white winds blow,†says Sansa over this shot of someone riding away, “the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.â€
Which leads to our final shot: Jon Snow facing down the wight army, seemingly alone. Is he sacrificing himself to save the rest of the Starks? We’ll find out in a few weeks.