The Latest Game of Thrones Season 7 Teaser Goes Heavy on Obvious Symbolism

Not only do we have a Game of Thrones premiere date for season 7, we also have a new teaser that uses some symbolism to suggest what’s coming.

The Game of Thrones title card has four houses represented: the direwolf of the Starks, the lion of the Lannisters, the dragon of the Targaryens, and the stags of the Baratheons. However, as the show progressed, we could add a fifth house to the great listing: the Tyrells and their roses. It seems that even the show has picked up on that in its latest teaser for season 7.

Titled “Sigils Tease,” HBO just posted this to Facebook.

You can watch it below.

As voiceovers from the seasons all describe how the houses have vied for power, we see statues of the three-headed dragon, the direwolf, the lion, and the stag all attacking here. The Lannisters sent their regards, and as things continue, the thorny vines start to ensnare them all.

But, as we all know, roses burn, and as we hear Qyburn announce Cersei of the House Lannister, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, the rose and everything it’s hooked to burns in green fire. Pointedly, the teaser actually starts with Daenerys speaking about her father and how he earned the title, with Aerys helpfully shouting “Burn them all!” to make sure we get the point. Then the first part of the teaser segues into the second with wildfire, also known as Aerys’ signature method of burning. (He did not have dragons.)

But as the statues crumble, they fall into a very specific pattern, one we’ve seen before in the lands beyond the Wall, one that heralds the White Walkers. Jon Snow gets the last voiceover about how the real war is coming as the camera pulls up and out to reveal a bright blue eye of one of the Others.

It looks like we’re about to leave the politicking and maneuvering behind for a full-blown war between the forces of good, for kind of a loose definition of good considering the fact that Cersei is still around, and evil, with the Night King. Sure, it may have taken HBO a while to melt that ice, but this teaser definitely seems worth it.

Next: A GoT Poster and Some Speculation

Game of Thrones‘ seventh season will arrive on July 16.