In light of the recent release of the second "Game of Thrones" Season 7 trailer, old feelings have been dredged up. Fans have been waiting for over a year for the popular HBO series to return for its penultimate season, and if the trailers have anything to say about it, fans will not be disappointed. Many things have been a long time coming; we've been talking about winter since April of 2011.
Through the years we have seen bloodshed, weddings, alliances, the most complex political game that has ever existed. Props to George R. R. Martin for his imagination.
But now we are finally at the point where it is time to go beyond the books, and there are some things that fans have been eagerly awaiting to see.
A Stark Reunion
From the very first season, the Stark family of Winterfell have met with terrible odds and circumstances. From Ned's beheading to the Red Wedding to Sansa's abusive marriage with Ramsey Bolton to Arya losing her eyesight, there is no end to the list of tragedies that have fallen upon the Starks. And that is not to say that other families have not felt the same pain, but the Starks are a fan favorite, a family that people would root for.
For the first time since the time the late King Robert Baratheon came to Winterfell to ask Ned to become the Hand of the King, the Starks have a chance at reuniting.
Sansa and Jon are together, and Walden Frey has just been slain just to the south of Winterfell. Perhaps Season 7 will let the sisters reunite and fight this battle together.
Kingslayer finally free of his Queen
Not many things have lasted the full span of "Game of Thrones, " but one thing that has never failed to be glaringly present is the relationship between the twins, Jamie and Cersei Lannister.
Their entire equation, whether it be the incest or the death of all three of their children, Jamie always seems to be bound to Cersei. He would do anything for her but would she do everything for him?
In the finale of Season 6, as Cersei was walking to take her place on the Iron Throne, you could almost see the deceit and anger rolling off Jamie in waves.
Hopefully, in Season 7, we will see Jamie taking charge and being his own man. Hopefully, he acts for himself now and not his sister's benefit.
Sam and the Citadel
Samwell Tarley has had one hell of a journey. He wasn't meant for the Watch, but somehow he ended up there, and his life changed in ways no one could imagine. He met Gilly and her son beyond the wall, and he had to fight, while his mind just wanted to learn. And finally, after a very long journey, we see Sam and Gilly at Old Town, the home of the Citadel.
In Season 7, it is evident that Sam will not be out on the front lines of fighting but, one would hope that the Citadel has a role in the Great War that is to come. Perhaps Sam will see something in the library and help change the face of the War.
Jon Snow's real name
Who is Jon Snow? Will we ever really know? Up till Season 6, we assumed and were told that he was the bastard son of Ned Stark. But then it was revealed that he was actually Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen's son, proving the "R+L=J" fan theory. However, we are left with one question; what was his given name at birth?
Lyanna whispers something in Ned's ear as she dies that sounds like "His name is.." and one can only guess at the ending. Maybe the secret is dead with Ned's beheading, or maybe it'll be one of the turning points of Season 7 because if Jon is a Targaryen, he is possibly the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. Is our King of the North about to become King of the Andals?
Only time will tell.
Daenerys v.s Cersei
It's been six seasons, and it's about time that Cersei and Daenerys battle it out and prove who is the ultimate queen. With the way the show is structured, we have never seen many of the characters in the same scene. These two powerful women in the same room will be a sight to see. And it is all the more likely that this 'clash of queens' will happen somewhere in the 7th season with Daenerys swiftly sailing towards Westeros.
Now, the question of who will win the battle is up to the fates A.K.A the writers because while Daenerys has a mind of steel and of course, a couple of dragons, Cersei has the Iron Throne and all the power that comes with it. Only one may survive this confrontation and bets are on.
What is Winter?
This is a real question. We've been hearing about Winter since day one, and all the stories inspire dread in the characters. What will Winter bring forward? The White Walkers are definitely going to be playing a huge role in winter, and the Great War is coming, but what else does Winter entail?
It has possibly been almost a decade since the entire country saw Winter and as they say, with the cold comes pain and with pain comes death. Fans should be prepared to see carnage at its best and possibly be ready to say goodbye to some fan favorites.
Catch the season premiere of Game of Thrones Season 7 on HBO on July 16th at 9 pm ET!
