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Once more, with feeling: “Winter is coming.”
The final season of Game of Thrones premieres April 14, bringing an end to the story of Jon Snow (Kit Harington), Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) and all their friends and foes — including the Night King’s White Walker army, a pair of fire-breathing dragons (as well as an undead one with blue flames to spare) and the resolution to the biggest question of them all: who will sit upon the Iron Throne?
With precious little time left before the final season premiere, lapsed viewers no longer have an opportunity to binge-watch the entire series as a refresher course. Great news: there’s plenty of time to dive deep into The Hollywood Reporter‘s extensive Game of Thrones coverage, not only from the past several weeks leading up to the season, but dating as far back as the season seven finale in September 2017. Need to get up to speed on all things Westeros before creators David Benioff and Dan Weiss’ story draws to a close? Look no further.
Let’s begin with season seven. Sure, you can go back and watch “The Dragon and the Wolf,” the most recent episode in the series — but when you’re done revisiting the climactic meeting between Jon, Daenerys, Cersei and their allies, dig back through the archives for our analysis on the episode’s impact on what’s ahead in the final six episodes.
Where We Left Off
• Seven Key Scenes From the Finale
• What That Destructive Ending Means for the Final Season
• The Stark Truth About the Night King
• Seven Predictions for the Final Season
• The Season 7 Finale, One Week Later
• The Final Images From Westeros, for Now
• What Game of Thrones Still Needs to Accomplish With 6 Episodes Left
• Why Game of Thrones Won’t Return Until 2019
With season seven officially in the rearview mirror, all eyes are ahead on the final six episodes of Game of Thrones. Who’s on tap to direct the remaining installments? (Hint: they have all directed iconic Thrones moments in the past, including the Red Wedding and Battle of the Bastards sequences.) What do we know about the end of the story, based on trailers, teasers and photos released by HBO? The answers lie ahead in these final season essentials:
Final Season Essentials
• All the Final Season Details (So Far)
• Final Directors Announced: Miguel Sapochnik, David Nutter, David Benioff and Dan Weiss
• Final Season Premiere Date Revealed
• Final Season Trailer: The Winter War is Here
• The First Look at the Final Season
• Final Season Running Times, Revealed
• HBO Announces Final Season Documentary
• War Comes to Winterfell in Final Season Photos
• Jon Snow and the Night King Prepare For Deadly Reunion
• Final Season Teaser Promises Battle of Ice and Fire
• New TV Spot Sets the Stage for Violent “Aftermath”
• Daenerys Comes to Winterfell in Final Season Teaser
• Everyone Wins the Iron Throne in New Photos
Want to drill down deeper into the denizens of the Seven Kingdoms? We have you more than covered on that front. Since January, The Hollywood Reporter has rolled out character-by-character retrospectives and predictions in a series known as Final Path. Find out what we expect will happen to the army of the living when they meet up with the White Walkers in the season ahead:
Final Path
• Jon Snow
• Daenerys Targaryen
• Tyrion Lannister
• Cersei Lannister
• Jaime Lannister
• Sansa Stark
• Arya Stark
• Bran Stark
• Samwell Tarly
• Theon Greyjoy
• The Hound
• Brienne of Tarth
• Varys
• Melisandre
• Davos Seaworth
• Jorah Mormont
• Bronn
• Tormund Giantsbane
• Beric Dondarrion
• The Dragons
• The Night King
• Various Supporting Cast
• Final Predictions
The cast and crew behind Game of Thrones are understandably tight-lipped about what we can expect in the final season, though even they have offered some insight into what fans should be looking for from the closing arc. Ahead, read up on THR’s interviews with castmembers both past and present, as well as the creative minds behind the scenes.
The Players on the Path
• Liam Cunningham: “The Great War Has Begun”
• John Bradley on that “Game-Changing” Jon Snow News
• Sophie Turner on the “Incredibly Emotional” Ending
• Isaac Hempstead Wright on the Final Season: “It’s Going to Hit Hard”
• Emilia Clarke Teases Multiple Endings for Final Season
• Natalie Dormer Knows the Ending
• David Benioff and Dan Weiss Preview Final Season’s Big Battle
• The Game of Thrones Cast Goes Inside the Lavish Final Season Premiere
• George R.R. Martin: “I Don’t Think It Should Be the Final Season”
As they say in House McCallister: “Do you guys give up, or are you thirsty for more?” If you’re still here and in the market for additional Thrones material, behold: deep dives into all things Westeros ahead of the final season, including trailer breakdowns, podcast breakouts and much more.
Additional Deep Dives
• Final Season Trailer: 7 Key Reveals
• Series Regular Podcast: What to Know Before the Final Season
• Series Regular Podcast: Five Fatal Final Season Theories
• Why Game of Thrones Will Rank as One of TV’s All-Time Greatest Dramas
• Composer Ramin Djawadi Breaks Down 7 Key Music Moments
• Who Will Die in the Final Season?
• Nine Burning Questions About the Inevitable End
• “Fire and Blood” Excerpt Reveals Key King’s Landing Origin
• How to Throw an On-Theme and Elegant Game of Thrones Viewing Party
• Looking Ahead at the Final Season Battle
• Night King Actor Hints at Dark Final Season Secrets
• George R.R. Martin’s New Book Includes Final Season Implications
• Peter Dinklage Promises a “Beautifully Bittersweet” Ending
• Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke Preview “Relentless” Final Season
It’s hard to imagine the television landscape without Game of Thrones in the mix. Here’s the good news: Westeros will live on after the Thrones series finale, thanks to several successor shows in development, including a pilot from Jane Goldman currently gearing up for production. Familiarize yourself with the future of Game of Thrones by reading up on everything we know about the prequel so far.
The Beginning After the End
• All the Details About the Prequel (So Far)
• HBO Braces for Post-Game of Thrones Landscape
• HBO Orders First Prequel Pilot
• What to Expect From the New Pilot
• George R.R. Martin Reveals Prequel Details
• Naomi Watts to Star in Game of Thrones Prequel
• Josh Whitehouse Signs On as Male Lead
• Miranda Richardson Joins the Cast
• Eight Rising Stars Join the Prequel Pilot
• One of the Successor Shows is No Longer Active
Follow THR.com/GameOfThrones for more coverage of the final season.
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