“Game of Thrones” dropped a new trailer at San Diego Comic-Con Friday, showing the armies of the Seven Kingdoms gearing up for war, with an undead horde on the march.
Queen Cersei warns the people in King’s Landing to beware of the incoming Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen, who finally landed in Westeros in Sunday’s season seven premiere.
There were the usual battles, sweeping panoramas and politicking, as well as an appearance from Melisandre, who is seen counselling Daenerys that she may not be the only “chosen one.”
“I believe you have a role to play, as does another,” the Red Woman tells the Mother of Dragons at the close of the trailer.
According to “Game of Thrones” mythology, a hero who saved humankind from the White Walkers thousands of years ago is destined to be reborn and save the world again.
It is unclear who Melisandre is thinking of, but the most likely candidate would be Jon Snow, the newly crowned King in the North whom she met in season five.
Since its debut in 2010, the fantasy epic has picked up 38 Emmys, more than any other fictional show, but showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss announced last year it would finish with 13 episodes spread over a final two seasons.
The season seven trailer shows Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish telling the eldest Stark daughter Sansa: “Every possible series of events is happening all at once.”
As this season started later than usual, it was the first ever “Game of Thrones” Comic-Con panel to take place with the show still on air and the premiere fresh in fans’ minds.
Nine cast members — and Alfie Allen’s tiny dog, Abby — took to the stage at the San Diego Convention Center, although fan favorites Peter Dinklage (Tyrion), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys) and Lena Headey (Cersei) were missing.
The conversation — moderated by Kristian Nairn, who played the tragic Hodor until last season — focused on how various romantic relationships might play out during the seven-episode penultimate season.
Gwendoline Christie, who plays Brienne of Tarth, was asked how she feels about the amorous overtures from giant ginger wildling Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) towards her character.
“What I love about Brienne of Tarth, I don’t think at the foremost of her consciousness is a value system based on how men appreciate her,” she said.
But she hinted that he character may be secretly enjoying the attention, despite the awkwardness.
And on the subject of the “Thrones” women’s attitudes to men, Sophie Turner, who plays Sansa, was asked if her character still harbored ideas of romantic love.
“She’s not like season one Sansa and looking for a relationship or love at the moment, she’s done with that,” she said.
“She’s always on the search for happiness but she doesn’t see the world through rose-colored glasses now… She’s woke now guys. She trusts no one now, man or woman, family member or not. And that’s important if you play the Game of Thrones.”
Jacob Anderson — who plays Grey Worm — was asked if there was the potential for a relationship with Daenerys’s advisor Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel).
“There are things firing between them. I want those kids to be happy and find happiness between them, everything’s so sad” he said.
Season 7 premiered to record-breaking ratings — more than 10 million live tune-ins and a further six million streaming the show later.
The last season averaged 25.7 million viewers per episode across all platforms, including delayed viewing, making it the most watched season of an HBO series on record.
