Gaming The System

If you need to get your blood flowing, here's the first trailer for the sixth season of Game Of Thrones. It comes a month and a half before the premiere episode, but not a moment too soon.



Here's what I saw.  You can look all over the internet and find more learned analysis than mine, but here's the only place you'll get my opinions.

We start where we ended season five—with a dead Jon Snow.  And Davos reminding us he’s gone.  Yeah, we get it, he’s dead.  But this is Game Of Thrones, where a whole lot of dead people are still up and about, doing damage.

Next we see a ship sailing toward a castle—don’t recognize the ship or the castle, but I'm guessing it's a big deal.

Now we see Jamie back with Cersei, swearing vengeance.  The last couple seasons the Lannisters, who were in charge, have been getting hit pretty hard.  Maybe they're poised for a comeback.  Alas, I don't like to see Jamie with Cersei.  It's not the twincest.  It's that he's a more interesting character when they're apart--he grew a lot more hanging out with Brienne, for example. And she's not a great leader, but do we need them together making decisions--I like an angry Cersei on a rampage.

We see the Boltons looking deep into each other's eyes.  I thought they just won a major battle, but I'm not sure if they're happy or sad.  Did someone just discover his wife and favorite slave took a powder?

Then we see Melisandre, for the first time ever doubting her visions.  I have to say I like the new Mel.  She’s been one of the most annoying characters up till now, a religious fanatic who's often proved right.  Giving her a crisis of faith brings her new depth, and sympathy.

We see Jorah (and Daario, I assume) searching for Dany, and picking up evidence.  I get the feeling he’s a good tracker and knows his way around Dothraki territory--better hurray though, with that greyscale.

Then we see Dany herself, not quite a queen anymore, walking into Dothraki headquarter.  Will they remember her?  Will she want them to?  Will she shake things up, or will she have to prove herself?  And where's her dragon?  Will she get to fly it again? (Btw, as I've been saying for a while, enough with the detours--this season better get her heading for Westeros.)

We see the High Sparrow making threats, and we know he can carry them out.  Cersei may be out of his clutches for now, but he’s still holding other royalty and may have enough people to hold King’s Landing.

We see Sansa and Tyrion give meaningful glances, though not at each other.  Just to remind us they’re still around, I guess.

We see Cersei choosing violence, happily unleashing her Frankenstein monster on the religious people who held her.

Then the editing picks up tempo and we only get glimpses.  There’s Arya being punched (?).  There's Littlefinger.  I think I see Theon and Brienne, and the Red Lady taking off her shirt. Is that Arya making a big jump?  Did I catch Tormund?  I think I see the King’s Guard attacking the Sept.   And is that Bran having what I assume is a vision of the Night King?

Now things slow down a bit and we come back to Davos, ready to get violent--probably to save Jon Snow, or at least his body.  I think most people are guessing Davos and Melisandre, leaderless for the first time, are going to back Jon Snow.  Though why?  They were wholly devoted to Stannis.  Mel may believe in visions, but not Ser Onion.  Is this a way to avenge Stannis?  To bring him back?  To save the world?

We'll know is six weeks, I guess.  Anyway, that's it.   Pretty action packed for a minute and forty seconds.