This past week has been a veritable feast for starved Game Of Thrones fans, with new pictures, a poster, and — finally! — a trailer for the upcoming seventh and penultimate season. Now, Entertainment Weekly has released a new batch of Game Of Thrones promotional photos that just continues to solidify the fact that this has been the best week ever. Although the last crop of stills hinted at the possibility of a Stark family reunion in Season 7, these new pics dispense with the waiting and give fans what they've always wanted: the sight of all the remaining Stark siblings, together again… and smiling!
Basically, these new photos are giving viewers all the happy feelings the show itself will probably deny them. Even though Jon and Sansa had a fairly happy reunion last season, it will be a minor — nay, major — miracle if Jon, Sansa, Arya, and Bran all manage to end up alive and in the same place again before the show ends. It seems much more likely that the show will tempt us with the idea, only to snatch it away at the last moment with a cruel death; or, even if all four siblings do reunite, that conflicting agendas or lingering resentments may quickly sour the happy reunion. This is Game Of Thrones, after all…
So let's enjoy these family photos while the happy feeling lasts, however short-lived it may be:
1. Reunited And It Feels So Good
Oh my gosh, they look so different when they smile! I'd forgotten what that facial expression looked like after rewatching all six seasons of GoT in preparation for the premiere. (That said, Bran certainly seems to know something the rest don't… like maybe the identity of Jon's real parents??)
2. Sister, Sister
D'aww. Now I really hope one of those many Game Of Thrones spinoffs is about the Stark sisters, once the war is all over, making up for lost time while backpacking across Essos like a couple of bright-eyed college grads. They deserve a nice, fun bonding sesh after all they've been through.
3. A Little Fall Of Snow
I'm so dreading the inevitable dropping of the shoe that I'm subconsciously looking for danger in all of these photos. Don't trip over those piles of cables, Jon Snow! Protect ya neck.
4. A Feast For Crows
That being said, I'm not worried about Arya in the slightest. She clearly knows what kind of show she's in if she's bringing her sword with her everywhere, even to craft services. Smart girl.
5. Sansa Fierce
Remember that time everyone and their mother hated Sansa for being a spoiled brat who mooned over Joffrey? Now Sansa is the most important character on the show and she is absolutely reveling in it.
6. Turn That Frown Upside Down
Why the long face, Bran? Perhaps he's brooding because he knows he's the only Stark who won't survive the penultimate season. (No, that's not a spoiler; but if I had to put my money on one Stark biting the dust in Season 7, he'd be first on my list.)
7. Smolder For The Camera!
Everyone joins Bran in frowny town for one final group photo, probably as a reminder that sh*t is about to go down when Season 7 premieres on July 16.
I knew that warm, fuzzy feeling could only last for so long…
