Entertainment

7 Crazy 'Game Of Thrones' Fan Theories

by Nick Romano

I know, we're all still reeling from Sunday's Game of Thrones . If the Red Wedding and the Purple Wedding were any indications, weddings just don't have the same meanings in Westeros as they do in the real world. But the scarring events that happened to Sansa were foreseen. Fans of the series who are also up to date on their Game of Thrones book list have been blogging, tweeting, Facebooking and YouTubing about all the crazy theories they have on what could take place on the show moving forward, and fan theories about Sansa's fate were high among them — though it was predicted to be much worse. In light of this event actually coming to pass, what other theories are fans musing about online?

There are a lot of them, which happens when there are numerous platform options — from message boards to Reddit — to voice opinions. Sure, there's a lot of B.S., but Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin even said that some people have already figured out what has still yet to be revealed. Here's the rub: who actually knows what they're talking about, and who is simply blowing dragon smoke up our butts?

Here are some of the more talked about and crazy Game of Thrones fan theories circling the web. Who knows? Perhaps there's at least one grain of truth among them.

1. R + L = J

What if Jon Snow isn't the bastard son of Ned Stark? What if the previous Lord of Winterfell didn't stray from his wedding vows to Catelyn in the heat of war? This is perhaps the biggest fan theory out there with the most signifiant potential impact.

The "R + L = J" theory posits that Jon Snow is actually the son of Lyanna Stark with Rhaegar Targaryen. If you recall, Lyanna is Ned's deceased sister, and the love of Robert Baratheon's life, and Rhaegar is the Targaryen prince who abducted her, and inadvertently started the uprising against the dragon-blooded family. The theory states that Rhaegar had sex with Lyanna, resulting in a child, the conception killed Lyanna, and Ned hid the truth, masquerading baby Jon Snow as his own bastard. Robert was keen on killing every last Targaryen, and Ned wasn't about to let the last remaining link to his sister be slaughtered. Offering further evidence is the fact that Ned never outright says that Snow is his son, but rather his blood.

This theory would mean that Snow is a Targaryen, and a rightful heir to the Iron Throne of Westeros. Can't you just imagine the chink in the chain this rock would make? Here's an epic breakdown for more information.

2. Who Is This Guy?

Remember this face only a mother could love from Season 4? He popped up for a couple seconds at the end of the episode called "Oathkeeper," which revealed what happened to all those male infants after the White Walkers came to take them away. Basically, they're turned into baby White Walkers! But, more importantly, this figure could have greater implications for what's coming... besides winter. (Get it? Winter is coming!)

In the book, A Storm of Swords, Bran Stark tells Hodor, Jojen and Meera a story on their journey North to find the Three-Eyed Raven. As ScreenCrush broke down, the story tells of The Night's King, the 13th Commander of the Night's Watch. He fell in love with a woman "with skin as white as the moon" and "cold as ice," and "eyes like blue stars." Ahem, White Walker. He married her, made a home in one of the castles along the wall, and introduced the tyrannical age of his reign in the North. It took the combined forces of the Lord of the Winterfell and the King Beyond the Wall to bring him down, but, then, he mysteriously disappeared.

HBO let slip for an instant in its viewers' guide (it has since been edited) that this figure in the episode is The Night's King, and he's been commanding the undead from Beyond the Wall this whole time.

3. The Second Coming Of Azor Ahai

Azor Ahai is the one who defeated The Others (aka White Walkers) long ago, and he's prophesied to make a return. The Red Priestess Melisandre believes Stannis Baratheon is the second coming, but what if he's not? Who else might be the reincarnation of this legendary figure?

According to one common fan theory, that would be Jon Snow. He is one of the few in the TV series able to kill one of those White Walker zombies, and Melisandre can sense something special about him, which is why she tried to seduce him in his Night's Watch office. If it's not the second coming of Azor Ahai she's feeling, then perhaps it has something to do with the royal blood theorized to run through his veins.

4. "The Dragon Has Three Heads"

Many fans don't believe Daenerys is the last Targaryen, bringing to mind a number of possibilities. One of them is how Jon Snow is one, but perhaps there are in fact three.

In Game of Thrones Season 2, a scene from the book was cut. In the House of the Undying, where Dany goes to get her dragons back from the clutches of the purple-lipped warlocks, she has visions to sway her path. The cut scene saw a mirage in the form of Rhaegar naming his son Aegon as The Prince That Was Promised, aka the second coming of Azor Ahai. But, he also drops a line that fans are still dissecting to this day: "the dragon shall have three heads."

Could this mean Azor's rebirth will take the form of three people? Dany does have three dragons, and she can't possibly ride all of them at once. This would imply that there are three Targaryen children, including the Mother of Dragons, still left alive. If Jon could be one, another possibility is...

5. Another Lost Targaryen Child

...Tyrion! #ItsAllConnected.

Tywin kept jostling back and forth between shunning him and embracing "the imp," but could his last words before getting crossbow-ed on the toilet ring true, that he isn't in fact his son? This would mean that Tyrion is the son of "The Mad King," Aerys Targaryen. According to George R.R. Martin, Aerys was attracted to Tyrion's mother, Joanna. Could he have forced himself on her and conceived Tyrion? This would also further explain Tywin's hatred for him, aside from his diminutive stature and the fact that his birth caused Joanna's death.

6. Is Syrio Alive?

This one is pure speculation, but will blow your mind, regardless.

We all remember Arya's first "dancing" instructor Syrio. We last saw him in Season 1, waving the little one off during the fray with Ned. Faced with three armed members of the King's Guard with nothing to defend himself with but a wooden practice sword, it was presumed, but never shown, that he died that day. However, one theory suggests he could still be alive, and he's been in front of us this whole time.

Let's do the math: Syrio is from Braavos. Who else is from Braavos? Jaqen H'ghar, the mysterious man who takes an interest in Arya on the road after her escape from the castle. Jaqen is a faceless assassin with the ability to change his appearance. Could the reason behind his instant interest in Arya be because Syrio and Jaqen are the same person, just another one of his "many faces?"

7. Brienne Is The "Beauty" To Overthrow Cersei

Game of Thrones recently featured a flashback scene to a young Cersei Lannister. She enters the hut of a witch who can see the future. When inquiring about her fate, the seer says that Cersei will be queen until "another, younger and more beautiful, [will] cast you down and take all that you hold dear." It's seems like Margaery is this "another," but what if it's actually Brienne?

Brienne of Tarth may not have the classical beauty of Cersei or Margaery, she is referred to as "Brienne The Beauty." While she may not have been after Cersei's children, she earned the affection and respect of Jamie Lannister, the love of Cersei's life. The former Queen Regent was threatened by their relationship at the Purple Wedding, forcing Brienne to politely retreat to the back.

Amirite or amirite? Mind blown!

Images: HBO (8)