GAME OF THRONES
EIGHT THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT GAME OF THRONES’ FINAL SEASON…
Behind the scenes of the seismic final season.
THE GREAT WAR IS HERE
Between the lack of a new season and the horror of Donald Trump co-opting the show’s iconography, 2018 was a long night for Game-watchers. But the wait will be justified by what’s set to unfold – with a leathery flap of dragon wings – on screen in April, says coshowrunner David Benioff: “The final season has taken a long time because it’s the biggest thing we’ve ever done.” Back as steward Samwell Tarly, John Bradley’s affirmation nods to Thrones’ reputation for delivering ferocious episode nines: “Viewers are going to get six ‘episode nines’ this year.”
IT’LL BE SHORTER. AND LONGER
Yes, six. After S7’s trimmed-back, seven-episode run, the dragonglass blades have sliced another ep off the series count. But the unusually long 10-month shoot apparently means that each episode will exceed 60 minutes and outstrip previous expectations of scale. Years back, source author George R.R. Martin told Benioff and co-showrunner D.B. Weiss about the giant climactic battle his saga would lead towards. Concerned, the duo thought TV’s resources wouldn’t cut it and considered making three feature-length movies for S8. But HBO ploughed $15m into each S8 episode, compared to the usual $5m, which enabled the showrunners to expand the scale of Stark home Winterfell… and nail the mum of all ruckuses.
THE BIG BATTLE IS A RIGHT BASTARD
Game-watchers have been hotly anticipating potential stand-offs. Did the Super Bowl’s Bud Light ad tease the long-awaited ‘Cleganebowl’? Will Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) fight psycho-uncle Euron (Pilou Asbaek)? Will we get some dragon-on-icedragon action? Either way, S8’s major battle (living versus dead, presumably) required 55 nights of outdoor shooting, plus weeks more indoors. The lead director was Miguel Sapochnik, whose previous form – humdingers ‘Hardhome’ and ‘Battle Of The Bastards’ – bodes well. Just ask Peter Dinklage, aka Tyrion Lannister, who says: “It makes the ‘Battle Of The Bastards’ look like a theme park.”
IT’LL BRING IT ALL BACK HOME
Even so, Thrones isn’t all about fighting. “Having the largest battle doesn’t sound very exciting – it actually sounds pretty boring,” says Benioff. “Part of our challenge is how to keep that compelling.” Duly, S8 promises to thrive on charged character intimacies, beginning as the newly bedded Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) reach Winterfell in an echo of the royal court’s arrival there in S1’s opener. One HBO teaser revealed Sansa Stark’s (Sophie Turner) ambivalence about Dany’s arrival. She knows nothing…
UNfINISHED fAMILy BUSINESS BECKONS
“You never finish with your family, even if you want to,” says Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, aka Jaime Lannister. After crazed queen Cersei (Lena Headey) revealed her betrayal of Jon and Dany to brother-in-twincest Jaime at S7’s climax, Jaime’s exit raised questions: would he join Jon/Dany, go wight-bashing, or take down Cersei? Either way, reckonings awake. Jon/ Dany will face S7’s revelations about Jon’s Targaryen lineage. Awks! Theon’s redemption bid continues as he tries to rescue sister Yara (Gemma Whelan); plus, Arya (Maisie Williams) and Sansa should cement sisterly bonds after S7’s takedown of Littlefinger. How about a sibling throne-share?
THERE WILL BE GAME-CHANGERS
As conflicted characters unite to fight the dead, co-producer/co-writer Bryan Cogman promises sharp character curves: “It’s about all of these disparate
characters coming together to face a common enemy, dealing with their past, and defining the person they want to be in the face of certain death.” If the crypt-set trailer implied some lead characters may meet their makers, Clarke warned us about Dany’s fate: “It fucked me up, knowing that is going to be a lasting flavour in someone’s mouth of what Daenerys is…”
THE WITCH IS BACK
As well as orchestrating the lead regulars, writers Benioff/Weiss, Cogman and Dave Hill have some comebacks and debuts to deliver. After a low profile in S7, Carice van Houten’s witchy Melisandre seems set for a significant return from Volantis, a location near the Essos base of ‘sellswords’ Golden Company. In S7, Cersei was ready to utilise the Company’s 10,000 soldiers, whose leader is Game newbie Harry Strickland (Overlord’s Marc Rissmann). More enticingly still, Entertainment Weekly teased some wholly unforeseen returns in episode six. Get guessing…
IT’S APRIL’S OTHER HIGHEMOTION ENDGAME
As for where it all ends, HBO’s Casey Bloys claimed multiple climaxes were shot to throw spoiler-hounds offscent. Cast members have variously promised “incredibly emotional” and “unpredictable” twists. Harington cried at the read-through (twice), while Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei) promises heartbreak. Does this mean we’ll be sad it’s all over (bar the prequels), or sad at what happens? Either way, warns Gwendoline Christie (Brienne), “You’re going to need therapy.” Even if all shows must die, will nerves of Valyrian steel be required? Here’s hoping. Kevin Harley
GAME OF THRONES: SEASON 8 STARTS ON 15 APRIL ON SKY ATLANTIC.
‘the final season is the biggest thing we’ve ever done’ david beniOff