The upcoming seventh season of Game of Thrones is heavily anticipated, even by the show’s own lofty standards in that department. It is essentially a question of spectacle and scale. Last year, the Battle of the Bastards set the benchmark for battle scenes on television, while Cersei Lannister’s annihilation of the Red Keep (with a little help from Varys-no-wait-Qyburn’s little birds) was a satisfactorily bloody end to a season where the scales of villainy and sociopathic behaviour were raised like never before.
What now, you ask?
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Well, for starters, we know that the end is nigh. George RR Martin and the makers of the show have confirmed that we’re into the final two seasons. Which means that the Great War between the living and the dead will be underway any moment now (think sixth episode of this season). In the trailer, we already see Jon Snow facing off against a god-awfully large group of wights, in a shot that feels like a sequel to that heartbreakingly beautiful moment in season six episode nine, where he turns his back on the camera, and we see death, in the form of the rampaging Bolton army, staring at him from across the field.
There are fascinating character dynamics to be savoured in the seventh season, none more so than Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, an event fans have already dubbed ‘House Starkgaryen’. I really want these two to hit it off, which they will, in all probability. But I don’t want it to be a tired rehash of Pride and Prejudice , with one party haughty every second of every minute, and the other smouldering with righteous outrage. How will Sam Tarly negotiate the Maesters and their labyrinth-like library? Will Cersei and Euron Greyjoy (aka Tag Team Evil) obliterate some of their less intimidating enemies, like Olenna Tyrell (the Queen of Thorns) and Ellaria Sand (and her daughters, the underwhelming-so-far Sand Snakes)?
Winter is coming A glimpse of Game of Thrones ’ new season
For me, however, the two people to watch this season are Beric Dondarrion and Jaime Lannister. Dondarrion is back with his flaming sword and his, well, never-say-die spirit, fighting the wights alongside Jon Snow in the trailer. But I am going to hazard a guess and say that he will finally kick the bucket in his fourth (or is it fifth) meeting with death, a demise that might clear the way for the most thrilling of all Game of Thrones fan theories — namely that Jaime Lannister is, in fact, Azor Ahai aka the Prince that was Promised, the messianic figure at the heart of R’hllor (the fire-faith followed by the Brotherhood Without Banners as well as Lady Melisandre).
I won’t go into the many compelling reasons why this might happen, but the conclusion of that fable, Azor Ahai forging a flaming sword called Lightbringer by plunging it “into the heart of his loving wife” certainly feels right. He offed the Mad King once, and now his beloved Cersei has done the very thing Jaime prevented by stabbing the king. Jaime killing her and becoming Azor Ahai would be some ending to this season.
In India, Game of Thrones is available on Hotstar Premium (http://www.hotstar.com/tv/game-of-thrones/8184) and will air on Star World, Star World HD on July 18 at 11 pm.
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