Hey there, champ. Mind if we have a seat? We heard this week’s episode of Game of Thrones was especially difficult to watch. And we just wanted to let you know that we understand, and that it’s going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. But probably not.

This week’s episode, titled “The Rains of Castamere,” is the ninth episode of season three and one that fans of George R.R. Martin‘s “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series have been waiting for since the show began…with sick, sadistic smiles of pure evil hiding behind poker faces in front of unsuspecting friends and family members who entered the show unaware of what fates these characters had coming to them. As the show has progressed there have been some shocking moments, sure, and even fans of the show who hadn’t previously read the books had learned that it was not wise to grow too fond of a character. But they were not prepared for this.

Be warned that I’m going to do my best not to say anything specific that would spoil the show, but if you’re behind it might be safer to just avoid reading this so you don’t find yourself trying to figure out what happened.

Anyone who’s been keeping close tabs on Game of Thrones, HBO’s ultra popular fantasy drama based on author George R.R. Martin‘s “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series, likely is aware that each season of the show thus far has been based on one full book in the series. Those same people also might be aware that book three in the series, A Storm of Swords, is so massive and so packed with action that season three of the show, which just kicked off this past Sunday, only covers half of the book.

Because of all of this, it was widely assumed that a season four of the show was already guaranteed, despite no official announcements from HBO. We heard a rumor a while back that the network might have been considering filming seasons three and four back-to-back, and then there was another rumor recently that the next season had already been ordered.

So it will come as no surprise that after one episode of season three, HBO has officially announced season four.

A recent event was held for the world premiere of season three of HBO’s Game of Thrones, which the rest of us will get our eyes on when new episodes start airing on March 31st.

Speaking at the event, George R.R. Martin, the creator and author of the books on which the series is based, was asked about the other titles he may be working on for HBO after that recent two-year deal he signed.

He understandably could not speak much about what he was working on, but Martin did talk about the possibility of a Game of Thrones prequel series. Find out more about it below.

When it comes to HBO greenlighting new seasons of their shows, an announcement doesn’t usually come until the current season gets going and the network can see how the numbers are looking. This also goes for Game of Thrones, especially given the show’s massive budget.

That said, everyone has assumed that a season four of the show based on George R.R. Martin‘s “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series has been locked in for a while now, despite no official confirmation yet. This is because not only is it one of the most popular series on TV, but because season three—which premieres on March 31st—only covers half of the massive third book in the series, A Storm of Swords, while the first two seasons covered the first two books in their entirety.

Now, according to one of the actors on the show, it’s looking more and more likely that the waiting is just procedure.

Game of Thrones: The Complete Second Season
Blu-ray | DVD
CREATORS: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, George R. R. Martin (author)
STARRING: Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Richard Madden, Emilia Clarke, Michelle Fairley, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Stephen Dillane, Conleth Hill, Aidan Gillen, Kit Harington, Maisie Williams, Iain Glen, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Jack Gleeson, Sophie Turner, Alfie Allen, Liam Cunningham, James Cosmo, Rory McCann, Gethin Anthony, Gwendoline Christie, Carice van Houten, Joe Dempsie, Charles Dance, Donald Sumpter, Kristian Nairn, John Bradley, Sibel Kekilli, Natalia Tena, Finn Jones, Oona Chaplin, Natalie Dormer, Nonso Anozie, Rose Leslie
HBO
RELEASE DATE: February 19, 2013

I’ve developed something of a young tradition, one that I hope to continue for the next handful of years or so…if the old gods and the new see fit. As someone who was introduced to George R.R. Martin‘s “A Song of Ice and Fire” universe by HBO’s adaptation of the books (I read, but not nearly as much as others), Game of Thrones, I, like many others—much to the chagrin of readers who had been singing its praises for years—instantly found myself obsessed with this incredibly detailed world, its unique and complex characters, and a long, rich history that could force many aspiring writers to retire their quills for the rest of their days.

After the first season came and went and instantly became one of my favorite new shows, the next logical step was to jump into the books. A year is a tortuous amount of time to wait for something this good. And while most people already knew how brilliant the books were, I soon found out that reading through after seeing the season was an exciting way to add new layers to the story. As I was nearing the end of the first book, the first season was getting ready to arrive on Blu-ray and DVD and season two was nearing its premiere. And so it began. As I write this I near the end of book two, I’m rewatching season two (and all the wonderful special features) on Blu-ray, and season three of the show inches ever closer.