Jaime prepares to answer for his crimes in HBO’s official photos for Game of Thrones season 8 episode 2. After seven seasons and enough deaths to give Thanos’ Decimation a run for its money, the network’s ultra-popular A Song of Ice and Fire adaptation is down to its last pack of episodes. Game of Thrones’ eighth and final season kicked off this week with a premiere that primarily took place in Winterfell, as most of the show’s remaining characters buckled down in preparation for the Night King’s arrival. However, the episode itself ended with someone else altogether making their way to the Stark family stronghold - Jaime Lannister.
In an intentional callback to the final scene in the Game of Thrones pilot, the season 8 premiere ended with Jaime getting off his horse at Winterfell… only to turn around and see Bran Stark (the boy he pushed out of a tower window, all those years ago) sitting in his wheelchair, waiting for the Kingslayer. This in turn set the stage for season 8 episode 2, which will begin with Jaime on trial as he reveals that his sister/lover Cersei’s troops won’t be helping the North in their battle to come against the Night King and his undead army. Needless to say, this news does nothing to lighten the general mood in Winterfell, as these stills illustrate.
HBO has unveiled fourteen images in total from Game of Thrones season 8 episode 2, ahead of its airing this weekend. You can check them all out in the space below (via Vanity Fair).
Among the characters pictured here are, of course, the main players like Jon Snow, Sansa Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, Bran, Samwell Tarly, and Jaime. Also shown here are Gilly and her young son Sam, snuggled up with the older Sam (who got some rather devastating news about his family last episode), Daenery’s relentlessly loyal ally Jorah Mormont, the ever knowledgeable (if, currently, out of his element) Varys, and the survivalist Davos Seaworth. Meanwhile, youngster - and certified badass leader - Lyanna Mormont is all armored up and ready to battle the Night King’s army, and Grey Worm and Missandei are seemingly bidding one another farewell, ahead of the terrifying battle to come.
Still, as tense as everyone looks here, it’s nothing compared to what lies ahead for them in season 8 episode 3. It’s pretty clear that Game of Thrones is going to give us one more episode of build-up before the fight between the living and the dead gets fully underway, which is good because there’s some important table-setting that needs taking care of first (and not just the matter with Jaime, either). The season 8 premiere was uncharacteristically light on deaths for a Game of Thrones opener, and that will probably be the case again in episode 2. Rest assured, though, Death and his forces are coming after that.
Game of Thrones continues next Sunday, April 21 @9pm on HBO.
Source: Vanity Fair
