"Game Of Thrones" Released A New Teaser – Here's What It Means

    I am very worried about the Starks.

    Jenna Guillaume
    by Jenna Guillaume

    Editor-at-Large, BuzzFeed Australia

    HBO just dropped a new teaser for the final season of Game of Thrones and announced the premiere date: April 14.

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    Now that I'm over my initial screaming and have watched the teaser approximately 167 times, let's break it down.

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    First things first, in case it's not already obvious: this isn't actual footage from Season 8, but rather a scene shot specifically for the teaser (you might remember the super cool one featuring Dany, Jon and Cersei from Season 7).

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    This time, the teaser focuses on Jon, Sansa and Arya in the crypts at Winterfell – suggesting that, unsurprisingly, House Stark is a major focus of Season 8.

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    AND YES I AM SCREAMING THAT JON AND ARYA ARE ACTUALLY ON SCREEN TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE SEASON 1.

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    I also screamed when Jon walked past the statue of his mother, Lyanna, as we heard her plea to Ned: "you have to protect him".

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    We also saw the feather in Lyanna's hand flutter to the ground.

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    If you're wondering why that feather is familiar, it's because it's the one Robert Baratheon placed on the statue way back in the very first episode of Season 1.

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    It happened during a conversation Robert had with Ned about his hatred of the Targaryens – an early hint as to why Ned would've had to hide Jon's identity, to protect him.

    We saw the feather again in Season 5, Episode 4, when Sansa visits the crypts with Littlefinger.

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    This moment happened right before Littlefinger recounted a key event in the romance between Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen – the Tourney at Harrenhal.

    Basically, the feather is very tied up with the story of Jon's parents, and also Ned's need to protect him. The fact it's now falling to the floor, with Jon looking over his shoulder towards it, indicates the truth is finally going to drop, and Jon will learn who he really is from Bran and/or Sam.

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    Yes, I'm over-analysing, but hey, it's my job. Also the fact Jon will learn the truth is not surprising, but his reaction is what will be interesting (more on that in a sec).

    We then see Sansa walking through the crypts, sporting her Catelyn-esque braids.

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    She glances briefly at Catelyn's statue, emphasising her ties to her mother and her role as Lady of Winterfell.

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    It's interesting that the voiceover we hear from Catelyn in this moment is not, however, about Sansa. It's about Jon, once again reinforcing the importance of him and his parentage: "All of this horror that’s come to my family, it’s all because I couldn’t love a motherless child."

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    It's a quote from Season 3, Episode 2, when Catelyn talked to Talisa about her struggle to accept Jon when Ned brought him home as his bastard after Robert's Rebellion.

    The teaser then cuts to Arya Stark, and unlike Jon and Sansa, we get no personal moment between her and any of the statues of her family members, suggesting her time as "no one" is still very much a part of her.

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    It's Jon who gets another moment with a family member. This time, he pauses at Ned's statue, as we hear Ned's words to him from Season 1, Episode 2: "You are a Stark. You might not have my name, but you have my blood."

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    Once again this suggests Jon learning the truth – and dealing with it – will play a big part in Season 8, but also hints that ultimately he will always embrace his Stark blood, and Ned as his father.

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    It's also worth noting that Jon is still very much wearing his Ned-inspired look in the teaser, down to his Stark armour, his fur cape and his hair being pulled back.

    Then we see Jon, Sansa and Arya uniting at last – which has me VERY EXCITED.

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    BUT THEN...

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    THEY ALL SEE STATUES OF THEMSELVES!!

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    Super rude, HBO. NGL, it has me very worried about House Stark (like I wasn't already), but I don't think it necessarily means all three siblings are going to die (if that happens, I swear to god I'll never recover). It definitely means all three will have to face death, though. Side note: is it just me or is Jon's statue...older? HMMMMMM.

    Then, of course, a frost descends, extinguishing Jon's torch (eek) and freezing Lyanna's feather.

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    In other words, the White Walkers are going to come and make every other plot... much less important.

    We then get this goosebump-worthy shot of Arya and Jon simultaneously pulling out their swords, preparing for the inevitable Battle for Winterfell.

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    Will it all end in the crypts? One thing's for sure: the Stark siblings aren't going down without a fight.

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    Bring on April 14!

    HBO