Note: this article was written before Season 8, Episode 3 aired.
Things in the Game of Thrones land of Westeros appear to be going south—both literally and figuratively—at this point in season eight. The White Walkers continue their march down south from the wall, and tensions have never been higher amongst the characters preparing for the fight of their lives. With the worldwide phenomenon that is Game of Thrones drawing to a close, it has fans wondering just how exactly the series is going to end.
After eight years of breaking viewers’ hearts and leaving them wanting more, Game of Thrones is now only a few weeks away from confirming or denying all of the fan theories that have been circulating surrounding the show’s finale. Since I will be focusing on some of these theories, I would now like to issue a SPOILER WARNING, and advise to read at your own risk from this point on.
Using Twitter, Reddit, and other editorial content, I look to address some of the more interesting and wild fan theories out there surrounding how the show will ultimately conclude.
The first theory for the show’s end I want to examine is one of the more popular ones: that Bran is, in fact, the Night King. Bran, who has become a fan favorite due to his now deadpan nature and creepy stares, has the most prominent connection to the Night King so far in the show. The theory basically states that Bran may use his powers as the Three-Eyed Raven to warg back in time and warn the Children of the Forest about the White Walkers, and advise that they not create them in the first place. The twist of this theory is that Bran (while in the body of the man whom they turn into the first White Walker) is captured by the Children of the Forest and they follow through with their creation anyway. After the actor who portrayed the Night King was replaced a few years ago with another actor who bears a striking resemblance to Isaac Hempstead Wright (who plays Bran), fuel was added to the fire of this theory.
The next theory is the one that Littlefinger is still alive and still vying for the Iron Throne. For those reading who can’t possibly imagine how this is possible due to his death last season, I ask for you to stick with me as I explain. Last season on the show, before his death, Littlefinger talked to a woman in Winterfell and handed her a coin. This seemingly unimportant exchange becomes hugely significant when considering that Littlefinger is from Braavos and that he may have connections to the Faceless men and could be one of them himself. That exchange has led many to suspect that Littlefinger knew of his impending doom, and that he had one of the other faceless men take his place at his execution so that he could continue to live on with a different face. This theory, although outlandish, would make for a fantastic plot twist in line with both Littlefinger’s devious nature and the series’ tendency to bring back characters who were supposedly dead.
Another fan theory, and my personal favorite, is that Gilly’s child (Sam Jr.) is the reason that the White Walkers are marching south. Gilly’s father (Craster) had a deal with the White Walkers in which he would give them the male babies his daughters birthed at his home. The theory goes that when Gilly and Sam ran away with her baby (which was promised to the Night King), this disrupted their agreement and thus prompted the Night King to mobilize his troops in pursuit of the baby that was pledged to him by Craster.
Some other fan theories I suggest researching on your own time include: Jaime (and not Tyrion) being the little brother who kills Cersei, Daenerys becoming the Night King’s bride, Jaime being Azor Ahai and the sole target of the Night King, and Arya disguising herself as a White Walker and infiltrating their ranks from inside. These theories may all sound rather crazy, but upon some further investigation, there seems to be a lot more to these wild predictions than what appears on the surface.
Regardless of how the series ends, I am fairly certain that us fans of the show will be put through more emotionally than we can handle. Although I’m sure many of us would like to see our favorite characters survive, and for them to live happily ever after, I advise you to remember something Ramsay Bolton said back in season three: “If you think this has a happy ending, you haven’t been paying attention.”
Happy watching everybody!
COVER PHOTO: Variety
