Entertainment

The New 'GOT' Season 8 Trailer Might Give Away A Major Lannister Death

by Ani Bundel
HBO

The Game of Thrones production would like you to know there's a giant battle happening this season. Where most productions in the series' shoes would talk about character development in the finale episodes, dramatic tensions in families or a certain romance, the new trailer concentrates almost to the exclusion of all else on the upcoming Battle of Winterfell. Major characters aren't going to survive this episode, but who? The clues Jaime Lannister dies in Game of Thrones Season 8 have fans convinced he's the answer.

Looking over the trailer, it's remarkable how much of the footage focuses on the Battle of Winterfell, especially when it comes to the secondary characters. However, by spreading out the clips to encompass everyone, there's little screen time dedicated to the main characters. Sansa gets reduced to all of two screenshots. Even Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen get little more than a bunch of meaningful glances, and they're supposedly the heroes of the story.

Instead, the two characters who get an arc in the trailer are Arya and Jaime. Arya's arc stays contained within the opening seconds, but Jaime's moments are spread throughout. Fans are reading it as his swan song.

Let's start with Jaime's quote:

"I promised to fight for the living. I intend to keep that promise."

Consider, first, the situation. Daenerys and Jon Snow arrive at Winterfell. There is the Stark family reunion, one assumes some acceptance of Daenerys as their sovereign, and most like Bran brazenly bashing Jon Snow over the head with the reality of his birthright.

Then Jaime arrives. He will be sans the army Cersei promised, alone. With Bran now awake and remembering who pushed him out a window, he'll also be in a slightly awkward situation. Seeing him stand up in from of the Starks and promising to be on their team will be a sight to behold. Fight for the living he does, as the shot of Jaime surrounded by fire in battle shows.

But then there's this shot.

HBO

This image of Cersei, teary-eyed and drinking directly follows the one of Jaime in battle. The connection is obvious. While Jaime is out there, perhaps dying for the cause of the living, Cersei is surviving, alone in the castle, drunk and carrying their child.

Most fans have been confidence Jaime would not stay for the battle. Some have even proposed he doesn't make it to Winterfell, turning back to Cersei. This certainty is partly due to the Prophecy of the Valonqar, which many interpret to mean either Jaime or Tyrion will kill their sister. With Tyrion in the thick of it at Winterfell, Jaime has become the more likely of the two for that role.

Seeing Jaime fighting at the Battle of Winterfell has caused many to change their minds. If there's one thing everyone knows about Game of Thrones, it's that the story never goes the way one expects it too. There will be twists and shocking deaths. Could Jaime's be one of them?

Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres on Sunday, April 14, 2019.