【Switzerland】

The Switzerlandcostumes on Game of Thronesaren't just Emmy-winning works of art -- they also give us insight into the mental states of our favorite characters, often offering clues about their narrative trajectories.

Take, for example, the subtle appearance of fur in Daenerys' clothing after she and Jon Snow started growing closer. Some fans may have blamed the approach of winter for the cozier ensemble, but considering that the new material appeared just before Dany set off to roast thousands of Lannisters in one of the show's hottest battles to date, that theory holds about as much water as a drowning Kingslayer.

Costume designer Michele Clapton reveals that she threaded a similar hint about Cersei Lannister's intentions into the queen's imposing dragonpit costume in the Season 7 finale.

The dress is designed to look like chainmail, implying that Cersei feels the need to armor herself while meeting with her political opponents, and features a slashed pattern on the back of the monarch's fitted coat, reminiscent of a scorpion's tail. It's that subtle design flourish, Clapton says, that hints at Cersei's duplicitous nature.

“I knew she was lying,” Clapton says of her inspiration for the piece. “Something about the slashing and the twisting told you a lot about her character, a contradiction of the costume from the front. It’s almost like a sting in the tail, something on edge as you see her walk away: there’s something really disturbing about this woman.” 

It's the perfect ensemble to epitomize Cersei's behavior as she unrepentantly lies to Jon and Daenerys when agreeing to a truce, pledging to send her troops north to help fight the White Walkers. She later reveals to Jaime that she has no intention of keeping her promise, preferring to let her enemies kill each other and save her the trouble.

This double-cross prompts Jaime to abandon Cersei for the first time in their lives, as the Kingslayer vows to honor his word and lend his assistance in the battle against the dead.

Below, take a look at the designs, revealed on Game of Thrones' behind-the-scenes production blog, to see the intricate details of the costume.