Seven questions posed by the new 'Game of Thrones' trailer (SPOILERS)
'Game of Thrones' fans were sent into a tizzy last week with news that the eagerly-awaited fourth season of the blood'n'sex'n'dragons show will air on the US on April 6.
The first trailer for the new run was released last night and it did not disappoint.
After we watched - and watched again, this time pausing at key moments - we came up with a few intriguing questions that we can't wait to see answered.
Watch the trailer below and have a look at what's raised our interest - warning though, everything underneath the clip is so proceed with caution if you're not up to speed - and that includes anyone who hasn't read the original 'Song of Ice and Fire' books.
The trailer opens with a silhouette of dragon wings flying over King's Landing towards the Red Keep. Which seems to imply that Daenerys Targaryen, plus attendent armies, winged reptiles and sundry hangers-on, are in Westeros at some stage during S4.
Unless it's a metaphor - 'the shadow of dragons draws ever closer to the capital' or some such.
Also - going by the shadow it casts, that's a big-ass dragon. Seeing as they've grown pretty slowly up to now, we're possibly looking at quite some time having passed. A glimpse into the as-yet unwritten future?
Good, isn't it?
It's called Feral Love and it's by Chelsea Wolfe.
We see the Kingslayer and Joffrey in conversation at 0:17, the former shorn of his luscious golden locks and sporting a tight, practical cut (and dull, practical armour plate).
Is it an illustration of his character's transition as he grows increasingly disillusioned with the deviance of his own family and seeks to restore a semblance of honour?
Is it lice?
Or is the long hair just too much of a bugger to comb with a wooden hand?
Making his debut at 0:45 is Oberyn Martell of Dorne, also known as the Red Viper.
Oberyn has come to King's Landing ostensibly to represent Dorne on the King's small council - but also to seek vengeance for the death of his sister Elia, murdered by The Mountain when King's Landing was sacked during Robert's rebellion.
Oberyn is played by Chilean actor Pedro Pascal, who's also been in The Good Wife.
“The Red Viper is sexy and charming, yet believably dangerous; intensely likable, yet driven by hate," said showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss.
"The boys love him, the girls love him, and he loves them all back.
"Unless your last name is Lannister."
Still with us? Good.
Theon Greyjoy makes an appearance at 1:23, wearing armour and looking reasonably healthy, which is a far sight from where we last left him.
Meaning he's either escaped the tortuous clutches of Roose Bolton's bastard, it's a flashback, or it's designed to throw us.
Probably not, going on George RR Martins' previous form.
But if ever there were to be a happy ending in the Seven Kingdoms, we'd like to see Jon and Ygritte riding off into the sunset, to go and live in a cave and raise little wilding babies with hair kissed by flame.
*Sigh*.
It's not going to happen, is it?
We like Brienne of Tarth.
Gwendoline Christie of @GameOfThrones and @MikeTyson posing at the @hbo @goldenglobes party pic.twitter.com/pEIpM9VNyV
— HBO PR (@HBOPR) January 13, 2014
And as you can see, the actress who plays her was out at the Golden Globes last night, but there's no sign of her in this trailer...
Come to think of it… where's Bran, Rickon, Hodor, Osha and the Reeds? Also nowhere to be seen...
Quite frankly we're agog with excitement to see how Tyrion gets out of the latest scrape he's in, how Arya fares with Needle back in her hands and what happens when the Crows and the Wildlings join battle.
Roll on April…
