Game of Thrones season 8: New trailer suggests everyone could die

Watch out: Game of Thrones’ new trailer for season 8 suggests that all of your favorites could die in the “Aftermath,” except for the Night King.

Never mind Avengers: Endgame tickets going on sale. Game of Thrones comes first in the April calendar, and it’s coming with not one, not two, but three new teasers. We’ve already covered the first two, but there was a wintry surprise waiting for us this morning: a third teaser, this one longer and much more ominous.

Considering the generally grim tone that season 8 promotion has taken so far, that’s really saying something.

This teaser, titled “Aftermath,” is particularly nasty:

Now, let’s be clear here. This does seem to confirm previously reported spoilers that Winterfell will not stand, although the ruins are only covered in ice, not fire. However, what’s more important is the strong symbolism of the items the camera focuses on after it pulls away from the ruined Stark flag at the beginning.

Here’s what we saw, in order: spears or arrows, apparently tipped with dragonglass, likely for the Unsullied and Grey Worm; an effigy of a dog or a direwolf, accompanied by snarls, possibly for Ghost or the Hound; Tyrion’s Hand of the Queen pin; Needle, stuck upright in the ground; a feather commonly associated with Sansa, fluttering down to Bran’s broken wheelchair; Jaime’s golden hand; Daenerys’ chain; and Jon’s Longclaw, its wolfs-head pommel prominent. All of these items are abandoned, and in some cases, no longer able to be used.

The concept is that no one — no one — is safe come season 8, even big players like Jon and Daenerys, especially when the Night King walks through the gates at the end.

But even though the visuals dominate, there are some particularly notable noises as well: snarls at the wolf statue, the sounds of swords clanging, the roars of dragons and horses whinnying at Daenerys’ chain, and all of it building up to harrowing drumbeats and high-pitched screeches as the Night King approaches.

In other words, Game of Thrones fans, brace yourselves. It’s only going to get more dire (pun intended) from here, and April 14 probably won’t bring much relief, just more tension.