Decoding Game of Thrones Season 8 first footage

Eagle-eyed fans spotted that one important piece in the puzzle presented by HBO after the season finale of Amy Adams' Sharp Objects.' This is when the frenzy started. (HBO)

As soon as the footage was unveiled there was confusion about which scenes are actually part of season eight. Fandom was divided into two. (HBO)

First confusion was about Gendry fighting Jaime Lannister. One of the clips was Gendry wielding his hammer. The footage shows that the blow nearly misses Jaime Lannister's face. (HBO)

Turns out that was a masterful edit of the season seven footage we see keep popping up through that 1.11-minutes-long trailer. Gendry's hammer blow scene is from when he escapes King's Landing with the help of Ser Davos. The follow-up scene featuring Jaime is from the fight in the episode 'Spoils of War' from season seven. (HBO)

The new footage is actually a re-reunion between Jon Snow and Sansa Stark. It seems like the scene could be from the episode 'Book of the Stranger' when Jon and Sansa meet in years at Castle Black. But you need to pay a close attention to Sansa's expressions. (YouTube screenshot)

After hugging her brother -- now a King in the North, object of affection for Daenerys Targaryen, co-leader of the war against Night King and his army of the dead, etc -- Sansa's ice cold stare sounds all kinds of alarms. (YouTube screenshot)

In the last episode of last season, we saw that Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen spend the night together on the ship back from Castle Black. This cozying up does not sit well with Tyrion Lannister and there is no reason for Sansa to approve this new development. (HBO)

Don't forget that Sansa and Arya colluded to take down one of the most conniving players in this Game of Thrones -- Petyr Baelish. So this wiser Sansa understands the importance of the power, instilled in her by Baelish himself. She has observed Cersei Lannister wreck havoc all these years being in King's Landing. This contemplating, calculating face shows Sansa may come into her own in last season. 

"We've got to the point where she's this steely, strong, manipulative, intelligent, kind, young woman, and it's completely the opposite of who she was at the beginning of the series," Turner had said in an interview. (HBO)

In the same interview, Sophie Turner said, ""She's a real, true leader of Winterfell now. And that's where we first see her as a very protective, empowered lady in charge. It's the first time you ever see her like that, and it's so amazing to see her like that kind of owning her destiny."

So after seeing new alliances, her first reaction will be of protecting her people and her position. Jon Snow's ideals will have to wait. (HBO)