Tiny but significant clue buried in the Game of Thrones trailer

"I forfeited the right to claim this sword. It's yours." Photo / Supplied

The trailer for Game of Thrones' final season was released this week and it was exactly as uninformative as you would expect, given the secrecy surrounding the show's ending.

There appeared to be no footage taken from any point after the season's much-hyped third episode, in which pretty much every character we like will face off against the army of the dead in the longest battle scene ever filmed.

The reason for that cut-off is obvious. Characters will die in the battle, and it would be a massive spoiler to reveal which ones are still around to clean up the mess afterwards, reports news.com.au.

As opaque as the trailer is, however, it does include one tiny but significant clue.

This shot shows Jorah Mormont — or Ser Friendzone, as we like to call him — preparing for battle outside Winterfell. Take a good look at his sword.

Pay particular attention to the hilt. Photo / Supplied

Does it look familiar? Probably not! You would have to be some kind of obsessive psycho to keep a visual record of every Game of Thrones sword hilt in your head.

But speaking as one such obsessive psycho, I can tell you Jorah is carrying a Valyrian steel sword called Heartsbane.

At the end of season seven, that blade was in the possession of Samwell Tarly, who had stolen it from his family's home as a sort of "up yours" gesture to his scumbag of a father.

You might recall that moment. It was the satisfying conclusion to Game of Thrones' "meet the parents" subplot, where Sam brought his wildling girlfriend home and extremely awkward dinner conversation ensued.

Anyway here is a shot of him casually nicking the invaluable family heirloom.

Now it should look familiar. Photo / Supplied

Since stealing Heartsbane, Sam has done absolutely nothing with it, because unlike most characters on this show, he is not the sort of person who runs around waving a sharpened piece of metal at things.

So until now, it has been unclear what purpose his theft of the sword served in the plot.

Thanks to the trailer, we know it ends up in Jorah's possession.

Does this knowledge reveal anything about Game of Thrones' ending? No. But it says a heck of a lot about two of its deepest character arcs.

Jorah was once the heir of House Mormont, and the son of Jeor Mormont, who was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch in the show's early seasons.

Jorah brought shame to his family by selling slaves, and fled Westeros, eventually becoming Daenerys's nice but moderately creepy adviser and bodyguard.

Meanwhile, his father bequeathed the Mormonts' family heirloom — a Valyrian steel sword called Longclaw — to Jon Snow.

In one of last season's quieter, more emotional scenes, Jon offered to give it back to Jorah.

"Your father gave me this sword. He changed the pommel from a bear to a wolf. But it's still Longclaw," Jon said.

"Lord Commander Mormont thought you'd never come back to Westeros. But you are back. And it's been in your family for centuries. It's not right for me to have it."

"He gave it to you," Jorah said.

"I'm not his son," said Jon.

But Jorah rejected the offer.

"I brought shame to my House. I broke my father's heart. I've forfeited the right to claim this sword. It's yours," he said.

"I forfeited the right to claim this sword. It's yours." Photo / Supplied

The sword was a symbol for the honour Jorah lost when he disgraced his family.

Where does Sam come into this?

He met Jorah last season, and formed a bond with the old knight after saving his life from the disease greyscale. Sam did that good deed in part because he's a wonderful human being, but also because he had such respect for Jorah's father.

"Your father saved me more than once. It was the least I could do," he said.

"Perhaps our paths will cross again," said Jorah.

"I hope they do," Sam replied.

Sam then reached out and clasped his hand, which brought the hint of a tear to Jorah's eye — perhaps because greyscale is spread by touch, and Jorah had thought he would never have that sort of human contact again.

In any case, Sam and Jorah became buddies.

Which brings us to season eight, during which the pair will meet again at Winterfell.

Sam has a Valyrian steel sword that has been passed down in his family for generations. But he is no warrior. He'll never use it.

Jorah is one of the best swordsmen in Westeros, but when he lost his honour, he also lost the right to wield his own family's Valyrian steel sword.

Expect a deeply poignant scene early in the season, where Sam gives Jorah Heartsbane — and symbolically, gives Jorah back his honour, just in time for what could be the last battle of his life.