“I’m pleased to announce a brand new cartoon series for kids based on the world of Westeros,” deadpans Martin before offering a “sneak peek” of the faux series.
The brief segment features crudely illustrated versions of many of the key characters in Game of Thrones, including Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson), Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey), Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), and various others that will be familiar to fans of the HBO series. Of course, part of the joke involves revealing some major plot points — particularly characters’ deaths or in some cases, maiming — so if you’re not caught up with Game of Thrones, you might want to hold off on watching Lil Thrones.
The preview of the cartoon, which draws heavily from the Muppet Babies animated series, concludes with all of the characters announcing in musical unison, “We’re all screwed.”
While the cartoon itself is fictional, anyone watching Game of Thrones will likely attest to the closing sentiment being all too true for many of the characters in the series. Notorious for killing off major characters in brutal fashion, the series has been one of the most popular cable television programs in recent years, regularly breaking records for HBO.
The current season of Game of Thrones premiered over the weekend on April 12, and the series will continue to air every Sunday at 9:00 pm ET on HBO.