Season 4 of 'Game of Thrones' Gets a Premiere Date

Citizens of Westeros, there's news afoot, and there's a chance it may be pleasing to thine ears. HBO has announced via press release that season four of Game of Thrones will premiere on Sunday, April 6th to continue its epic storytelling of George R.R. Martin's fantasy novel mega-series, A Song of Ice and Fire. And hoo boy, are we ever excited for what's still to come in the unendingly brutal and yet beautiful tale.

Games of Thrones' fourth season kicks off at 9PM on the 6th, and will continue to feature the epic struggle for control in an increasingly tumultuous time and place. Actors Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kit Harington, Natalie Dormer, Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner will all return, as well as a host of new additions previously reported on. HBO also announced that the first official trailer for season four will air on HBO Sunday, January 12, immediately before the debut of Woody Harrelson/Matthew McConaughey drama, True Detective.

Now, of course, fans of the books will know this season is sure to be a walloper — sorry, everyone who thought the Red Wedding was the worst of it — and there are a bevy of reasons to be excited. As long as you're willing to wade through the spoilers (let me repeat: MAJOR GAME OF THRONES SPOILERS AHEAD), we've compiled the moments we're most anticipating in season four.

That Other Wedding

Ah yes, the most satisfying wedding of the year, the Purple Wedding, is nearly upon us — one that will bring all sorts of happiness to those who abhor the Boy King as much as we all know you do. We've been chomping at the bit to see the events of this happenstance take place, and it is sure to be the exciting and shocking game-changer we know it to be. You think Westeros is in a disarray of calamity now? Oh ho ho, just you wait.

A Wild[ling] Battle

Perhaps what is likely to be the penultimate episode of the season (as it stands, it is titled "Castle Black," so spoiler alert: it definitely will), the clash between wildlings and the wall will have epic consequences, effectively setting the stage for season five. The bonus is it paves the way for Jon Snow to go from the boy who knows nothing to the man who guards the realm.

Those Seriously Major Deaths

Some will be unexpected, some will be long-desired, and others will be — of course — straight-up shockers, but death will play a big part in developing storylines (shocker, shocker). With the death of a king, a hand, and a whore all on deck (just to name a few), blood and tears will go pound for pound in season four of the series.

The Change of Scenery

We've seen much of Winterfell and King's Landing in the series' previous seasons, but season four is likely to take us away from all of that, focusing on stories that land us in The Eyrie, The Vale, and Braavos in addition to a major return to Castle Black. Plus several folks will find themselves escaping the realm, landing us in new areas of the world we'd previously only heard mentioned in passing.

A New Conquest for Dany

In addition to having some hot new man candy on her arm in the form of Daario Naharis, the Mother of Dragons also has a major shift in her quest for Seven Kingdoms domination: the takeover of the third slave city in Slaver's Bay, Meereen. With a few dynamic shifts and a major exit, Dany's storyline this season should be big on character development.

The Shocking Return

We're sure they're going to save this for the last possible second of the last episode of season four (think the white walkers of season one), but the arrival of Lady Stoneheart is sure to cause anyone who hasn't read the books to stop and get all DA FUQ? on HBO. It's going to be a-maz-ing.

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