15 Things You Need To Know Before Watching 'Game Of Thrones' Season 8

Game of Thrones season 8 may only have six episodes, but they're going to be big! The first three episodes are extended to nearly an hour, while the remaining three episodes will run 74 to 80 minutes each.

Many fans guessed that Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark were Jon Snow's parents, but few suspected that they were truly in love. They wed in secret, as revealed in the season 7 finale. This means Robert Baratheon's rebellion is based on a lie.

Rhaegar and Lyanna's secret wedding also means two things for Jon Snow: he was never a bastard, and his real name is Aegon Targaryen! This means he has a stronger claim to the Iron Throne than Daenerys.

Daenerys probably won't be happy to discover that her lover is the true Targayen heir to the throne. She may be even less pleased when she learns Jon is her nephew.

Tyrion looked particularly displeased to see Daenerys shacking up with Jon. Does he have feelings for his queen? Fans also believe he struck a secret deal with Cersei for her truce with Daenerys.

Another long standing theory is that Tyrion is a secret member of the Targaryen family...he just doesn't know it yet. If true, this also gives him a claim to the throne.

In the books, one of the prophecies haunting Queen Cersei is that she'll die at the hands of her "little brother." This could mean her brother, Jaime. Tyrion would be the obvious choice, but further surprises may be in store.

Could Jamie really kill his sister and become the "Queenslayer?" Jamie already rejected Cersei when he rode off alone to join the final battle in the North. We expect that he might get a chilly reception from the Starks.

Another longstanding prophecy on the show is "The Prince That Was Promised," which predicted the reincarnation of a legendary hero. Both Jon and Daenerys are in contention for that one. But there are also some dark horse candidates, including Ser Davos.

Poor Hodor gave his life to save Bran in season 6, but his reanimated corpse didn't appear in season 7. If undead Hodor is going to reappear, it will happen this season.

One of the wilder theories is that Bran is somehow the Night King. That may be far fetched, but the Night King did leave his mark on Bran. They are linked in ways we don't understand.

Even if you thought the show was merciless before, the eighth season may surprise you. With only six episodes left, even major characters can die before the end. Martin always loved a few good surprises.

During a recent interview with Rolling Stone, George R.R. Martin indicated that the end of his novels may be different from the show's conclusion. Fans could be in for some additional surprises when Martin wraps up his epic novels.

Game of Thrones' final battle between the living and the dead may be the biggest showdown in the series' history. The cast and creators have teased a clash that took a long time to film. It sounds like an epic way to finish the White Walkers story.

Although the final season of the show hits on Sunday, April 14, HBO is far from finished with Game of Thrones. A pilot episode for the prequel series may begin filming as soon as this year.

Are you excited about the conclusion of the show? Let us know!