by The Cowl Editor on March 16, 2017
Arts & Entertainment
By Kerry Torpey `20
A&E Staff
With a highly anticipated seventh season on the way, the hit HBO series Game of Thrones released its first official teaser for the second-to-last season. Despite the show’s strong tendency to keep information about upcoming seasons concealed, the public has been gifted with some details about what to expect in the next seven episodes.
Game of Thrones first took the world by storm with the 1996 release of George R.R. Martin’s first novel of the series, A Song of Ice and Fire. In April 2011, creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss premiered the HBO adaptation of the hit TV drama. Although the first six seasons have 10 episodes each, this upcoming season will only have seven.
Since 2011, the series has ruled the television world with its never-ending twists, gory deaths, and highly-produced battle scenes led by an all-star cast that includes Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, and more.
With a premiere date set at July 16, 2017, the seventh season of Game of Thrones has a lot to live up to, as season six ended with a bang that left fans wanting more.
In the first official teaser released last week, fans see the different sigils of House Lannister, House Targaryen, House Stark, and many more involved in the fight for the Iron Throne. While the voices of characters that coincide with their particular houses playing as each sigil appears, fans sense a feeling of darkness.
The voice of fan-favorite Jon Snow is heard at the end of the teaser as he says, “There’s only one war that matters, the Great War. And it is here.” With a flash to the eye of a White Walker, “the Great War” is presumably that between those south of The Wall and the White Walkers that reside north of The Wall.
It was also recently released that singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran will have a small cameo role in the upcoming season. Creator David Benioff said, “For years, we tried to get Ed Sheeran on the show to surprise Maisie and this year we finally did it.”
In terms of what cast members have revealed to the public about the upcoming season, the information is, unsurprisingly, vague.
Emilia Clarke, who plays the Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen, took to Instagram as she wrapped filming for season seven. She captioned a video of herself singing. “I believe this one is gonna be a mind blower.”
While at the Malta India Fan Convention, Alfie Allen, who stars as Theon Greyjoy, said, “There will be more dragons…lots more torture!”
Kit Harrington, who plays Jon Snow, told ABC News that the cast often finds themselves theorizing about how the show is going to end in the eighth season. He said, “That’s what’s magnificent about it. I can’t wait, I’m going to feel so privileged to be one of the few people who is going to get to read the ending before anyone else sees it, a year before. I really am counting down the days till I get those scripts.”
Although few concrete details have been provided, the excitement for season seven can be seen around the world and across the Seven Kingdoms.