HBO has just released a snippet of footage from the final season of Game of Thrones. It features Arya laying eyes on Daenerys’ dragon Drogon for the first time, and it’s glorious:
It’s just a few new shots, but what new shots! Seeing the Unsullied march into the frosty North with Drogon overhead is enough to send chills down the spine, but easily the best thing about this tease is Arya’s reaction to seeing a dragon for the first time:
New season 8 footage - a girl has seen a dragon. #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/7gmv7UkQwN
— The Pixel Factor (@ThePixelFactor) February 24, 2019
Everyone behind Arya is scrambling to find cover from the terrifying fire-breathing beast, but Arya is staring up in open-mouthed wonder, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. The episode hasn’t aired yet and this is already a great moment.
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It fits, too. This isn’t the first time Arya has shown an interest in dragons. Remember way back in the very first season, when she was chasing cats through the Red Keep and came upon the skulls of the Targaryen dragons of old. They’re terrifying relics, but Arya, ever-curious, went in for a closer look and even hid inside the skull when she heard Varys coming down the stairs.
Then, in season 2, Arya talked to Tywin about her admiration for Visenya and Rhaenys Targaryen, the dragonriders who took over Westeros with their brother Aegon 300 years ago:
“Visenya Tagaryen was a great warrior,” Arya says. “She had a Valyrian steel sword she called Dark Sister.” Tywin has the right of it when he asks if Visenya was one of Arya’s heroes. Arya is a warrior herself and has long admired women who blazed the trail, from Visenya to Brienne. When the people of Winterfell see Drogon in the sky, they’re terrified for their lives, but Arya looks up and sees possibility. She sees the potential for greatness. She sees her childhood dreams brought to life. It’s charming and exciting and true. I love it.
Will Arya’s awe of Drogon transfer over to Daenerys Targaryen, the woman who rides him? We know that Arya and Dany will share scenes in season 8, and I’m curious how well they’ll get along.
If Arya decides she admires Daenerys, it could put her at odds with her sister Sansa. Based on what we’ve seen, it looks like Sansa is wary of Dany and the threat she could pose to Stark self-rule:
The season 8 premiere will feature all of these characters coming together at Winterfell, and it’s looking like the character dynamics are going to be layered and electric. I’m thrilled the Stark sisters have been featured so prominently in the season 8 promotional materials, and I find myself looking forward to April 14 that much more breathlessly.
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