Entertainment

The One 'Game Of Thrones' Theory You Haven't Already Heard

by Allie Gemmill
Helen Sloan/Courtesy of HBO

Think you've read every darn fan theory in the known Game of Thrones universe and thus, you have all the answers? Think again, friends, because chances are there's one GoT theory you haven't heard and it involves Season 7 villain Cersei Lannister. The fan theory, discussed by Marie Claire and originating on Reddit, examines the nature of Cersei's pregnancy, positing that she is actually pregnant with a shadow baby — and that could mean something serious about her intention to stay on the Iron Throne.

Marie Claire drew attention to Cersei's shadow baby theory on Friday, bringing to the public's attention a theory first written about on the Fan Theories Reddit. There, Reddit user skatalon2 wrote about how Cersei is actually working with her ominous assistant Qyburn to create something that will make her a formidable enemy against Daenerys: a shadow baby that will most likely grow up to be an assassin of sorts. Creepy, right?

They explain that Cersei is already in violation of Maggy the Frog's prophecy because she is pregnant again (Maggy said she would only have three children), so something is very off about this pregnancy. The suddenness of Cersei's pregnancy also raises red flags, even though it's possible she could be pregnant after spending one night with Jaime. She is very calm and assured about being pregnant, especially considering this pregnancy outwardly appears like it was unplanned. Additionally, this Reddit user points out there is shadow baby precedent since Melisandre gave birth to a non-human baby in Season 2. Perhaps Qyburn's Little Birds caught with of The Red Woman's pregnancy and told him about it?

The theory finishes up by saying that Cersei seems oddly acquiescent to work with Daenerys or even be in the same location as Daenerys, Jon Snow, and Tyrion — people she most likely loathes to her core— so there is definitely something that she believes is giving her the upper hand in the impending war. Because we've already seen that Qyburn is able to give her weapons of immense power to take down her enemies (the Wildfire and the dragon-killing crossbow), it's not unreasonable to think he would have found a way to get her pregnant with a shadow baby to continue to give her the upper hand.

It's a disturbing thought, to say the least. If Cersei's baby does turn out to be anything other than human, then we know that she is a megalomaniac so bent on winning that she'll go to dark, dark lengths to maintain her power. Giving birth to a shadow baby is perhaps the scariest thing Cersei could do, but it certainly fits with who she is as a person in Season 7.