Entertainment

This Is Not An April Fools' Prank: There Are 2 New 'GOT' Season 8 Promos Out Now

by Ani Bundel
HBO

At this point, it is no longer news the Game of Thrones showrunners are doing all they can to keep Season 8 spoilers under wraps. The wait for the trailer release was far longer than usual, with rumors HBO had to put its foot down to get one at all. Therefore, it might come as a slight shock to learn the series put out not one but two new 30 second trailers last night promoting the new season ahead of HBO's premieres of VEEP and Last Week Tonight. These new Game Of Thrones Season 8 promos are chock full of new footage too.

It is notable that, unlike everything else Game of Thrones-related so far, neither the official HBO YouTube channel nor the official Game of Thrones YouTube channel has released high def versions of these TV spots. The hope seems to have been by not uploading them, the chances of fans going full Zapruder on these clips would be lessened.

As if a mere failure to upload has ever stopped the obsessives among the GoT faithful. Within minutes both were up on Twitter, with YouTube uploads quickly following.

The first, which we'll call "Fight Together" features Tyrion giving an impassioned speech in the Winterfell Great Hall, with Dany and Sansa sitting on either side, like the angel and devil on his shoulders.

Other new footage moments:

  • What looks to be the end of a fight between Jon and Dany, with him leaving her staring into the fire, her back to him.
  • Beric Dondarrion, holding his flaming sword, which cuts directly to The Hound, in battle, surrounded by fire.
  • More battle footage, which has a cut to Cersei clip in the middle of it
  • Davos, Tyrion, and Varys looking up, clearly watching dragons fly overhead. This seems to be of a piece with the Sansa seeing the dragon flyover and may be proof of a scene where Dany and Jon go joyriding, to the shock of all and sundry.

The second trailer, which I'll call the "Where We Started" promo, begins with an image fans have been waiting for since Season 1 Episode 2. It's Jon and Arya, together again at last.

Other new footage moments in this clip include:

  • The Sam and Jon voiceovers, neither of which are from previous seasons
  • Jorah is entering Dany's chambers in what looks like an advice-giving scene.
  • More dragon flying footage, which seems to confirm this will be "Jon's First Flight" scene
  • Jaime's line about "This goes beyond loyalty.... this is about survival." It's too quiet a line to have been recorded in the Great Hall, so I'm betting it comes from a moment just before the Battle of Winterfell commences, where he's talking to Brienne or something.

These were HBO's last major Sunday night premieres before Game of Thrones arrives, so it's a good bet they are the only promos fans will see between now and the premiere. Let the fan theories commence.

Game of Thrones arrives on HBO with Season 8 on Sunday, April 14, at 9 p.m. ET.