37

Game of Thrones season 8 started and it comes with a new intro, where we see the wall, Winterfell, and kings landing only. And they made some difference in the sigil.

enter image description here

It looks like a lion is eating a fish, next a wolf is hanging dead, and then a man is holding the head of a lion (I am not sure). What is the real meaning of these?

2
  • 4
    “we see the wall, Winterfell, and kings landing only” — and Last Hearth! Beautiful, fortified, 100%-safe Last Hearth! Commented Apr 16, 2019 at 15:34
  • This post -> reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/bdiytl/… gives a pretty neat description of the entire new intro & the things you might have missed Commented Apr 17, 2019 at 4:56

2 Answers 2

39

This is a depiction of the Red Wedding, when Lannister and Bolton houses attack Stark and Tully houses.

  • It looks like a lion is eating a fish. The Lion is the Lannister's emblem, while the trout is the emblem of the Tullys.

  • Next a wolf is hanging dead. The Wolf is the Stark's emblem.

  • Then a man is holding the head of a lion (I am not sure). It's another wolf, still representing the Starks. The man is the red flayed man, emblem of the Boltons.

  • Finally, the castle represents the twins, the castle of House Frey, where the Red Wedding happened.

3
  • 9
    Any idea why this would only just now make it into the intro sigil, even though it's been just over 4 seasons since these events? The intro has already steadily evolved over time as is; this seems really late in the game to add such a thing.
    – drmuelr
    Commented Apr 16, 2019 at 12:34
  • 3
    @drmuelr Maybe history is about to repeat in some way, but maybe it's also just to show a summery of 'the whole series', as opposed to watching a slow evolution? Commented Apr 16, 2019 at 12:43
  • 14
    @drmuelr Because this is the first time they've completely re-done the intro. Before, the astrolabe was always the same in every season. This is the first time they've spent the budget to change it... it's as simple as that.
    – user91988
    Commented Apr 16, 2019 at 14:34
24

Kepotx answered it pretty well but I got my hand on polygon analysis which is pretty detailed too:

The opening sequence was designed as a subtle history lesson. A brief reminder of some of the most important historical events that preceded the events of Game of Thrones.

The images engraved into season 8’s title sequence offers a more recent history — or, if your theory brain is wired for clues, a glimpse of the future.

The first thing we see in the new sequence is an image that appears to be Viserion burning a hole through the Wall, with the Night King on his back.

enter image description here

In front of the wall, the Night King’s dead soldiers wait to enter the rest of Westeros, on the other side, crows flee south. It’s an effective reminder of just how high the stakes are this season and the unforgettable end to season 7.

This second carving seems to be a depiction of the Red Wedding.

enter image description here

In the same house sigil-based characterizations from the old opening, we see a flayed man — representing house Bolton — holding up the head of a wolf, Robb Stark, to an appraising, but pleased lion, meant to represent Tywin Lannister who orchestrated the plot. Between them stands the Twins, the castle of the Frey’s where the Red Wedding happened. A Direwolf hangs from the arch between it’s two high towers.

There is a third image too but that one polygon used to speculate future events so not incorporating.

1
  • 2
    "that one polygon used to speculate future events so not incorporating." After speculating on future events, they say that there is a better historical scene that this covers. Namely, the birth of Daenarys dragons. Others, like Jason Concepcion at The Ringer (theringer.com/game-of-thrones/2019/4/16/18410573/…) agree.
    – kuhl
    Commented Apr 17, 2019 at 11:38

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .