Up to now, those who wanted to know what was about to happen in the upcoming season of HBO tentpole Game of Thrones needed only to take to the written page — drastic, we know, but mostly effective. However, to quote Sarah Connor from Terminator 2, GoT’s season 6 is “like a black highway at night,” for all but a lucky cast and crew, as the show has outpaced George RR Martin’s literary series for the first time. And HBO is reveling in its newfound enigma.
That’s clear in all of the promo material we’ve seen so far and it continues in the haunting new trailer, which HBO released over the Valentine’s day weekend.
In the trailer, we see the familiar Hall of Faces which the blood-lusting Arya Stark discovered after embarking on an arduous quest for vengeance for her family in season 5. The Hall, as familiar viewers will remember, is full of the faces of dead souls, which the mysterious “Faceless Men” use to change identities so they may kill at will.
(spoilers ahead)
In the ominous trailer we see a recap of sorts as the hall reveals the faces of those who have already died in the series, beginning with the first (and perhaps most shocking) to leave the GoT series, Ned Stark. We’re then guided through other familiar heroes led to their doom in the bloodthirsty series, including other Starks who met their unfortunate ends, Catelyn and Robb, as well as King Joffrey — all of which come with a telling quote.
However, then things get cheeky. After panning past Joffrey, we see what appears to be the answer to the long-held mystery as to whether Jon Snow truly died at the end of last season as Snow’s face is revealed, along with the quote “The Long Night is coming … and the dead come with it.” The quote alludes to the famed winter which has been coming to Westeros since the series began, bringing with it the powerful White Walker zombie tide.
But just as we think we’ve learned something monumental, the trailer again takes a left turn, revealing (with an ominous bass rumble) the faces of multiple other heroes left alive at the end of season 5, including Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Sansa Stark and others. Okay, so everybody’s dead? Nobody’s dead? No idea. All we do know is that the mystery of Jon Snow’s ultimate demise continues.
Thanks again, HBO, we all hope you’re enjoying your own little game. The rest of us can only wait for the April 24 season premiere.
