Westeros

So, now that the huge explosion of amazement has happened ... just what did we see in that ultra-fast 20 second trailer?

What follows is our best attempt to look at it frame-by-frame to identify some of the key scenes, now with images thanks to A Song of Ice and Fire forum member thersites (all images © HBO). Suffice it to say, this is probably spoilerish, so read below:

4 seconds: Bird landing on a wall. Perhaps the raven arriving at Winterfell, bearing the news of Jon Arryn’s death? UPDATE: Definitely Winterfell. Notice the metal cup/bowl? Looks like this is the ravenry window, with an enticing bit of food (meat or corn) for the messenger raven.

5 seconds: Dothraki warriors fighting at Daenerys’s and Drogo’s wedding (plus a second shot a couple of seconds later). It seems quite clear to us that there’s a lot of people with similar skin tones to Jason Momoa, whereas we know that casting has looked at black actors for bloodriders (and certainly for Dothraki dancing girls) as well. We’re confident the Dothraki are going to be presented as multi-ethnic. UPDATE: With this image, I think the imposing central figure in background of the first image—glimpsed between the two warriors—could be Drogo ... and perhaps kneeling/on the ground next to him, a (heavily blurred) Dany?

6 seconds: Troop of horsemen with a white banner. We’re guessing this is Ned’s execution party from Bran’s first chapter. UPDATE: The Stark banner is very clear!

7 seconds: Seems to be the ranger Will riding in forest beyond the Wall. There are a few more shots of him scattered through the trailer. UPDATE: Yep, Bronson Webb as Will.

9 seconds: Ned Stark drawing Ice from its sheath, with Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) in the background or perhaps holding the sheath. UPDATE: Wow, that’s actually a pretty creepy sheath—Ice comes out of the wolf’s mouth!

11 seconds: Sean Bean saying, “Winter is Coming”, the words of House Stark. Followed by laughter . . . where’s that from? We’re thinking it may be Mark Addy as Robert ... or it may be the cruel laughter of the Others?

13 seconds:

Several women looking down at someone in bed. With reports that Tyrion’s introduction involved a brothel in the pilot, perhaps that’s what we’re seeing? UPDATE: Yep, three women hovering over someone in bed. One of the women is Esmè Bianco, who plays the whore Ros, now with two companions. So, Tyrion’s in that bed, but we don’t get a glimpse of him.

14-22: Game of Thrones logo (YES) and then a quick montage of what looks to be the attack on the rangers which brings the prologue to its conclusion. UPDATE: Montage includes a look at Jamie Campbell Bower as Ser Waymar Royce and Richard Ridings as Gared! Note that we’ve spoken with someone at HBO, and they say that the title logo is almost certain to change by next year’s premiere.