‘Game of Thrones’ hype hots up in Las Vegas

Posted on 4 April 2019

Winter is coming – we cannot dispute that – but as the days tick away, the much anticipated Game of Thrones premier of the eighth and final season gets ever nearer, airing on 14 April, at Eastern and Central Time.

In the weeks and months leading up to the show’s final season premier, Game of Thrones owner HBO hid six replicas of the prized Iron Throne around the world, challenging fans to try and find them.

As the excitement builds, the luxurious Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas has recently joined in on the hype; in its iconic Bellagio Fountains, a series of decorative water fountains and light displays in the huge pond in front of the hotel, the Bellagio staged a spectacular sound and light show, seemingly sparing no expense to satisfy the nostalgia fanaticism of ‘Thronies’ (GoT fans).

A song of ice (water) and fire

In the light and sound show, which can be viewed right up until 13 April, the day before the screening, the hotel made use of about 800 of its water fountains, pyrotechnics and video projectors to produce eerie silhouette displays like opaque holograms on the ‘screen’ of water.

Depicted on the curtain of glistening water are Khaleesi’s dragons, the Night King – head of the white walker army – and the Night King’s abominable ‘ice dragon’ spewing bright blue ‘fire’. All the while, the famous, catchy Game of Thrones soundtrack plays in the background.

Dragons – the other stars of the GoT franchise

 

The silhouette of the formidable Night King – leader of the white walkers

If you didn’t already know, Game of Thrones (GoT) is a series featuring families of the seven fictional kingdoms in Westeros fighting to win the Iron Throne and become the ruler of the seven kingdoms. The honourable Stark family of Winterfell are split up, including its many siblings, and with other families and bad guys, they try to get rid of the Lannisters, the unfit ruling family.

This fantasy world also includes dragons, namely those belonging to Daenerys Targaryen, also known as Khaleesi or Mother of Dragons, from the former ruling family who believes she’s destined to rule the Iron Throne. The threat to all the brawling families is revealed in the final episodes of the penultimate seventh season of the HBO show, where an army of ‘white walkers (fearsome ice creatures) and even ice dragons threaten to put an end to all normal human life. The airing is fast approaching, with the season premier in New York last night inviting the famous cast and hordes of fan to the red carpet.

The trend at the moment is to attend a Game of Thrones screening party:

– Ster Kinekor theatres will be hosting screenings of the very first of Season Eight’s six episodes

– Host your own party and stream from HBO (or the suggestion below) and have some fun with your fellow Thronies

– If all else fails, hop in front of a DStv-connected TV at 3am SA time on Monday, 15 April.

If you can’t make it to Vegas in time to catch the Bellagio fire and water show, you can get a glimpse of the magnificent display right here – we guarantee it’ll give you goosebumps:


Featured images by Denise Truscello via MGM Resorts






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