Entertainment

Everything You Need To Know About ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 8

From the premiere date to new photos, here's what to expect from GoT's final chapter

The season seven of Game of Thrones left fans hungry, with a ton of questions remaining. Since the final episode’s release, a number of theories have been circulating as people try to predict who will finally end up sitting on the Iron Throne. 

Here’s what we know so far and what we can expect from the final (sob!) season of Game of Thrones.

The First Teaser Trailer Is Here

With the premiere of Game of Thrones season 8 mere weeks away, HBO has released the first full-length trailer. Fans are given a full two minutes of glorious footage, with appearances from Arya Stark, Sansa and Tyrion and Cersei. Jon Snow and Daenerys also make their presence known. 

Watch below:  

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Release Date

HBO has confirmed that Season 8, Episode 1 would air on 14 April 2019. According to the show’s visual effects supervisor, Joe Bauer, the hit show will be in the running for the 2020 Emmy Awards – meaning the show is likely to miss the cut off for the 2019 Emmys which is May 31, according to The Sun.

The Ending For Daenerys Is So Intense, Emilia Clarke “Needed Wine”

Emilia Clarke has thrown a spanner in the works in terms of Game of Thrones spoilers. The British actress admitted she “wandered around London for three hours, aimlessly” after she got hold of the scripts for Season 8, and in particular what happens to Daenerys, according to the Press Association via Esquire

“It might as well have been raining and I would’ve just walked in it not knowing what to do,” Clarke said, adding that there were “loads of tears” while she filmed her final scenes as Daenerys.

“That was the moment I realised that alcohol can also be a depressant,” Clarke said. “I was kind of nursing a glass of wine going, ‘I don’t know why I’m not getting any happier from this.'” 

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Controversial Character May Be Returning

HBO has released a new collection of character posters featuring each of Westeros’ remaining power players on the Iron Throne. But while no one should have been shocked to see Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow or Sansa Stark spotlighted in the new promotional posters, the reappearance of Melisandre has surprised fans. 

When we last saw Melisandre in the third episode of season 7, she informed Varys that she was leaving Dragonstone to travel to Volantis — one of the Free Cities of Essos that is the location of a prominent Red Temple — before making an ominous declaration concerning both their fates. “I will return, dear Spider, one last time,” she said. “I have to die in this strange country, just like you.”

The Budget Is $15 Million Per Episode

The final season could be the most expensive season of Game of Thrones with a budget of $15 million per episode. Compare that to the show’s previous expenses: Season 2 reportedly cost $6 million per episode, and Season 6 apparently cost $10 million per episode. Moreover, while episodes have traditionally been an hour long, the ones in Season 8 are clocking in at 80 minutes or more. One thing is certain: GoTs final season is gonna be insane!

Jon Snow Will Learn His True Parentage

As a reminder, Samwell Tarly and Bran Stark in the season sevens final episode have both confirmed that Jon Snow is, in fact, the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Jons real name is Aegon Targaryen. While this revelation makes Jon the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne, it also makes Daenerys Targaryen – his new lover – his aunt.

Jon And Daenerys Will Head To Winterfell

The last time we saw Jon and Daenerys, they were sailing north. We expect that their eventual arrival in Winterfell will cause some troubles. How Sansa and Arya would respond to the fact that Jon has bent the knee to a woman they have never met, let alone a Targaryen, without consulting anyone? And, lest we forget, the fact that Bran and Samwell resolved to inform Jon that he’s a Targaryen when returns to Winterfell. This news will inevitably, if not separate them, will create real problems.

There’s *Another* Secret Targaryen

It turns out, Jon Snow isn’t the only undercover Targaryen kicking around Westeros. That’s right, there’s yet another character who has a claim to the throne: Gendy, the blacksmith and bastard son of Robert Baratheon. Gendry is not just Robert’s only living son, he’s also cousin to both Jon and Daenerys. It’s also rumoured that his mum is Cersei Lannister, which, if true, would mean he has the blood of three of the most powerful houses there is.

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Jaime And Cersei Lannister Will Go From Lovers To Enemies

In season seven, Cersei revealed her intentions to betray her commitment to Daenerys and Jon as long as it means her own survival. Jaime instinctively knows this is wrong, and finally decided to walk away from his sister. 

It would appear that Jaime is now switching sides. We expect to see him on the side of the heroes during the final season. We also believe this “breakup” had to happen imminently in order to set up the stage for the Valonqar prophecy – the prophecy comes from Maggy the Frog, the fortune teller in a season five flashback, who tells a young Cersei predictions about her future, all of which have proven to be accurate so far – So maybe Jaime could be the one to take Cersei’s life next season.

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Sansa Stark Lives Until The End Of The Show

Sophie Turner revealed that reading the final episode of the series was “a shock to the system,” simultaneously revealing that her character, Sansa Stark, lives right to the end of GoT.

There’s a theory Sansa and Tyrion will rule the Iron Throne

And it actually makes a lot of sense.

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WATCH: Game of Thrones Final Season Premiere Date Announcement Trailer.

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