Game of Thrones Season 4 Trailer Analysis
Faith D’Isa ’17 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
With HBO’s Game of Thrones at its peak of popularity, fans have been going crazy waiting for Season 4 even without an air date in sight. But the past week was a frenzy, with the announcement that audiences would be returning to the lands created by George R. R. Martin on April 2nd, 2014. In addition, the creators announced a trailer which aired on HBO on January 12th, filled to the brim with what’s to come for the characters we’ve grown to love, hate, and everything in between, adapting the second half of the third A Song of Ice and Fire novel, A Storm of Swords. Spoilers ahead!
The first story arc that seems to be tackled in the trailer begins with Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)–complete with new hand and new haircut!–talking to his “nephew” King Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson), reassuring him that the people love him; and while Joffrey seems to insist that this is because they know that he’s won the war for his kingdom.
Jaime, however, retorts with a theme that will be prevalent this season; “The war is not over”. Throughout the trailer, we also get a brief glimpse of Joffrey’s wedding to Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer), complete with all the pomp and circumstance promised.
The focus then shifts to Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) speaking to her advisor, Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen), who is trying to explain to her how it is easy to see all of your enemies as evil, but that there are two sides to both stories; Daenerys, however, tends to see things differently.
Daenerys’ plot this season follows her continued growth of power far away from the conflicts of Westeros, building her army and freeing slaves with the power of her dragons. It is seen throughout the trailer that her numbers, both of loyal followers and armies, are growing at an exponential rate.
It looks as if trouble is brewing for the King’s uncle, Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), as well, who speaks about tight times in the kingdom, and the belief that he’s not going to “get out of this one” leaving viewers curious as to what he’s done this time. Is it something serious, like Ned Stark level “treason”, or just one of his silly drunken mistakes? Something to do with his new wife, Sansa (Sophie Turner), daughter of said traitor?
The other main plot focused on in the trailer is that of Jon Snow, having defected from the Wildlings who were once his kin, now fighting them and warning people of them. The threat of the Wildlings coming over the boundary of the Wall has been constantly dismissed as impossible over the past three seasons; will the people of the North’s ignorance be their downfall now?
A few other interesting bits and pieces are thrown into the mix, including: a shot of Melisandre (Carice van Houten), the priestess who we last saw primarily guiding Stannis Baratheon, brother of the old king, against their other brother, Renly, having him killed by a shadow she birthed, glimpses of the brother and sister of House Greyjoy, Theon (Alfie Allen) and Yara (Gemma Whelan), Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) still suffering from premonitions, and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams), who just narrowly escaped the Red Wedding (yikes!). We also see a bit of Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish (Aiden Gillen) and Cersei Lannister (Lena Headley) both in very tense situations.
There’s also a glimpse of a few new characters–HBO released some clips via Vine with the first look at one of the fan favorites from the novels, Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal), who looks to be a threat to the throne–or at least the Lannisters.