Game of Thrones just dropped the trailer to the show’s final season

Sit down. Take a deep breath. Clear your mind of any lingering thoughts about that Twix bar lying in your refrigerator. The first trailer for the final season of Game of Thrones is (finally!) here, and it’s exactly what you thought it would be. (Warning: Spoilers ahead for the entire series up till season 8 ahead.)

The penultimate season ended with a newly-resurrected ice dragon attacking the wall, while fan-favourite Tormund Giantsbane runs away in terror. Jon Snow’s true parentage is revealed and it’s finally confirmed that he is (spoiler alert) a Targaryen. This news is delivered to us right when Jon and Daenerys (who is now technically his aunt) finally give in to the insane chemistry between them and are having sex on their way to Winterfell.

While the trailer doesn’t reveal much about the fates of our favourite characters, and the cast has been notoriously tight-lipped about the final season, here’s a comprehensive look at everything the cast and makers of the show have revealed about the show so far.

Game of Thrones season 8 will be shorter than the earlier series

Earlier last year, HBO confirmed that the final season of Game of Thrones will have fewer episodes than usual. The eighth season will have six episodes, with each episode being 90 minutes long.

The premiere will have callbacks to the pilot episode

Late last year, Entertainment Weekly published a preview of the final season with a description of the first episode. According to it, the last season opens at Winterfell with an episode that contains plenty of callbacks to the show’s pilot. “Instead of King Robert’s procession arriving, it’s Daenerys and her army. What follows is a thrilling and tense intermingling of characters—some  of whom have previously never met, many who have messy histories—as they all prepare to face the inevitable invasion of the Army of the Dead,” read the description.

The final battle is going to be everything you wanted it to be

This should not come as a surprise to anyone, but there’s going to be a big battle in the final episode that will possibly be a stand-off between the living and the undead. According to Entertainment Weekly, the final battle of the season will be ‘the longest consecutive battle sequence ever committed to film.’ It’s also confirmed that the battle will take place at Winterfell with most of the main characters present, including Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, Sansa Stark, Brienne of Tarth, Samwell Tarly, Jorah Mormont and the Hound, and will result in the death of a fan-favourite character. Though it hasn’t been revealed which one it will be, according to executive producer Bryan Cogman, the twist will “blow everybody away”.

The episode will be directed by Miguel Sapochnik, who previously directed one of the most iconic Game of Thrones episodes—The Battle of the Bastards.

Peter Dinklage is ‘very happy’ with Tyrion’s fate

Like the rest of the cast, Peter Dinklage (who plays Tyrion Lannister) has not revealed any concrete details about his fate in the final season of the show. In an interview with Vulture, however, he hinted that he is very happy with the way his story concludes. “I think (Tyrion) was given a very good conclusion,” he said, “No matter what that is, death can be a great way out.”

One of the younger actors might have shot a death scene

In the same interview, Dinklage revealed that one cast member’s final day was a bit more difficult to shoot than others. “I won’t say their name or their character’s name, but one of the young people on the show wrapped this past season and everybody was a wreck,” he said. While this does not confirm whether the character is dead or not, it definitely hints pretty strongly at it. This, combined with what we saw of Arya in the trailer released, makes us very scared for the youngest Stark’s fate.

Gendry will return

One of the character with the most legitimate claim to the Iron Throne is Robert Baratheon’s bastard child, Gendry (Joe Dempsie). In an earlier interview, the actor revealed that he has been filming “a fair bit” this season, and that he has “done well out of this season”. This means that Gendry is going to be a major part of season eight, and will be present for most of the show—possibly meaning that he survives to the end.

Tormund Giantsbane could be alive

While things didn’t look good at all for Tormund (Kristofer Hivju) during the the last few minutes of the season seven, there might be hope that he has survived the ice dragon’s attack on the wall. In a series of photos captured by fans in Belfast, Hivju was spotted arriving for a table read with fellow cast members who are still alive on the show. Once again, there has been no official confirmation or denial, so there’s hope for a Tormund-Brienne reunion.

The finale will be divisive

In an interview promoting her upcoming film, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Sophie Turner (who plays Sansa Stark) revealed that the Game of Thrones finale is likely to polarise fans. While most of the show’s major plot points have been largely divisive in the past, Sophie’s ominous words hint at a shocking finale. “I think a lot of fans will be disappointed and a lot of fans will be over the moon,” she said.

This is not the end of Game of Thrones

While this will be farewell to the Westeros we’ve come to know and fear, there may be more of George RR Martin’s universe to explore. Earlier last year, it was announced that five potential Game of Thrones prequel series are in development. The network also confirmed that the prequels will be budgeted at or above the level of the parent show.

Also read:

Game of Thrones fans can’t stop talking about *this* from the latest trailer

The Game of Thrones prequel cast has a surprise for Harry Potter fans

Could Game of Thrones actually be filming multiple endings for the show finale?

Game of Thrones season 8: Release date, the rumours and the predictions