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'Game of Thrones' Season 8 Teaser "Aftermath" Hints at a Night King Victory

With the Game of Thrones Season 8 premiere less than two weeks away, HBO is bombarding fans with new teasers. On Sunday night we got to new promos filled with footage from Season 8, but the latest Game of Thrones video, titled “Aftermath,” takes a different approach. Nothing in the teaser above actually happens in Season 8, instead it’s just promotional material — but that doesn’t mean it’s not important or filled with spoilers.

Just like that Winterfell crypts teaser, “Aftermath” is a non-canonical look at a highly-anticipated event from the final season. This time, it’s the upcoming battle against the Night King and his Army of the Dead and its aftermath. So what could it mean

Light spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 8 below.

While the first teaser like this was all about Jon Snow’s true identity, this one focuses on the aftermath of the battle at Winterfell that leaks reveal is coming in Episode 3, airing on April 28.

First, we see a Stark flag in ruin, then we see how the battle has ravaged and destroyed Winterfell. Among the ruins are that same feather from the crypts teaser, Bran’s wheelchair, Daenerys’ chain, Tyrion’s pin, Jaime’s hand, and Arya and Jon’s swords. These all belong to characters we know are at or will be at Winterfell in Season 8 for the battle.

Does Jaime Lannister die at the Battle of Winterfell?

HBO

The last weapon we see is Jon’s sword, Longclaw, and it looks like there’s blood in the snow underneath it. That’s likely supposed to have fans wondering if Jon will die in the battle, but we don’t think you should be worried. After all, we’re pretty sure another promo teased Jon and Dany back at Dragonstone after the Battle of Winterfell.

However, maybe you should be worried that it could mean someone close to Jon — possibly a family member — won’t survive against the Army of the Dead.

At the end of the teaser, we see someone walking into Winterfell. It’s too snowy to see who it is, but there’s a strong possibility it’s supposed to be the Night King, suggesting he could win the battle — or at least get a series of small victories during it.

We don’t see any bodies, so that may be a good sign. Maybe everyone retreats and leaves Winterfell after suffering a defeat. That could explain why Jon and Daenerys are back in Dragonstone. Of course, the less comforting theory is that they all died and became undead wights, but we’re relatively confident that’s not what happened.

Game of Thrones Season 8 premieres Sunday, April 14 at 9 p.m. on HBO.

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