The 2nd trailer for the Game of Thrones season 7 was out earlier this week and from the looks of it, we have finally arrived at the beginning of the Great War. Cersei Lannister sits on the Iron Throne at King’s Landing, with Jaime Lannister at her side. Daenerys Targaryen has finally reached Westeros and has taken her ancestral seat at Dragonstone. Jon Snow, along with Tormund and others have ventured north of the Wall. And as the late Lord Eddard Stark had promised in the first episode of the first season, Winter is finally here. We also see scenes from the war to come, which include Dragons, the Dothraki and the Unsullied attacking, what could possibly be Lannisport or the ancestral home of the Lannisters, The Casterly Rock. Lord save the Queen.
The trailers will not, for obvious reasons dwell into the minute details. However, we will. And with less than a month to go for the premiere of the 7th season, we have some theories, that will blow your mind.
1. Tyrion Lannister is a Dragon
Tyrion Lannister is a Targaryen. Yes. This might come as a bit of a surprise to the watchers of the show, but the bibliophiles have probably thought of it, at least once. During Game of Thrones Episode 6.02 “Home“, Tyrion walks into the catacombs and frees the dragons. And while that was evidently scary for him, one could not help but notice a certain understanding between the dwarf and the dragons. In the book series, it is said that the Mad King Aerys Targaryen had been infatuated with Joanna Lannister, ever after her marriage with the then Hand of the King, Tywin Lannister. Aerys had also, in full view of the court, once joked about what a pity it was that the tradition that allowed the king to sleep with new brides had been banned. Ser Barristan Selmy had also hinted that the Mad King had taken unwanted liberties with Tywin’s bride, causing friction between them. It is quite possible that Aerys had bedded Joanna at some point of time and Tyrion might have been a result of that unholy union.
Now, it is known that Tywin had no love for his youngest, which came as a surprise since Cersei was married to a Baratheon and Jaime was a member of the Kingsguard and was forbidden to take a wife or bear a child. In A Storm of Swords, Tywin tells Tyrion
Men’s laws give you the right to bear my name and display my colours, since I cannot prove that you are not mine. To teach my humility, the gods have condemned me to watch you waddle about wearing that proud lion that was my father’s sigil and his father’s before him. But neither gods nor men shall compel me to turn Casterly Rock into your whorehouse.
Even Tywin Lannister’s last words to Tyrion, before he murdered the former, were prophetic:
You are no son of mine
2. Tyrion Lannister is the Valonqar
Cersei Lannister’s life in the show has turned out, exactly the way prophesied by a witch during her childhood. She married a king, became a queen, till a younger one came along, and took her place (Margery Tyrell). She had three children as the prophecy said and all of them died in accordance with it.
But before Cersei left the witch’s place, she was warned about one last thing.
And when your tears have drowned you, the Valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.
In High Valyrian, Valonqar means little brother. This directly links her to Tyrion. Tyrion was always hated by Cersei, who blamed him for their mother; and then went ahead with persecuting him for her son’s murder. The Valonqar will also kill the one he loved, which happened when Tyrion choked the life out of Shae.
Unless…
3. Jaime Lannister fulfils the prophecy and becomes the Valonqar.
Jaime fulfils every criterion on the list. He is Cersei’s twin but was born moments after her. And we have had a better understanding of Jaime’s brain, ever since he confessed to Brienne of Tarth, about why he killed the Mad King. And if the season finale of Season 6 gave us any idea, it was of Jaime not being a big fan of wildfire terrorism.
4. Cersei Lannister becomes the Mad Queen
Cersei Lannister already killed half the cast of the show in the first 20 minutes of the season finale. We have seen Tyrion often say that the only redeeming qualities of Cersei were her cheekbones and the love for her children. And with all of them gone and entire armies wanting her head on a pike, it won’t be surprising to see her complete the transition. She is already halfway there.
5. The Starks finally get to Lord Baelish
If your parents have a friend, who had a crush on them, you better hope, he/she is Severus Snape and not Petyr Baelish. Littlefinger has been attempting to gain Sansa Stark’s trust back and pollute her against Jon Snow. We hear him in the background speaking to Sansa about the battles, she must fight. Now, alleged leaked scripts had revealed that Sansa, who was ruling the North in the stead of Jon Snow, sentences him to death after he fails in his dubious plans. And like the Starks say, the one who gives the sentence, must be the one to execute it. Now Sansa is not expected to wield a sword, but Arya Stark is. And she is coming home.
6. Bran Stark starts the Great War
In the episode Winds of Winter Benjen Stark tells Bran:
The Wall’s not just ice and stone. Ancient spells were carved into its foundation. Strong magic. To protect men from what lies beyond. And while it stands, the dead cannot pass. I cannot pass.
If you have mapped the progress of the Night King and his army of White Wakers, they have been roaming north of the wall, hitting only a handful of places such as Craster’s Keep, Hardhome and the Fist of the First Men. But if Episode 5 The Door of the last season was an indication, it seemed that they had been waiting for Bran. Bran managed to establish contact with the Night King and they came down on the Children and the Three-Eyed Raven, despite ancient magical protections. And with Bran crossing over to South of the Wall, he could carry the dead with him, by breaking the magic inscribed on it.
7. Bran Stark is Bran-The Builder
This one is a slightly less believable but think about it. Bran Stark can control human beings like puppets. He is the Three-Eyed Raven. He also has the powers to phase between the present and the past. He did that with Hodor, and while that did not work very well, it must be remembered that Bran was just learning the full use of his powers. Who knows, Bran Stark might pull off a Barry Allen/ The Flash and be Bran The Builder, the first Stark.
8. Jon Snow & Daenerys Targaryen decide to elope
Ya’ll love this theory, just because they are so pretty. Well, it is a bit weird that Jon is Daenerys’s nephew, but this is Game of Thrones. And the Lord knows, I have rooted for a man who once threw a child out of a tower. The pictures from the set do reveal that Jon and Daenerys meet at some point of time. Whether their meet leads to a marriage is the question. We, however, know that the Khaleesi is looking to make alliances and Jon needs her army if they have to survive the White Walkers.
9. Sam The Slayer holds the key to winning the Great War
Samwell Tarly is fat and unfit and everything a warrior is not. But that is what his father believes. We know that he is the first one to kill a White Walker in a thousand years. The first one to kill a White Walker and a Thenn in a thousand years. Also, he is hella smart and is in the citadel to be a maester. It won’t be surprising if he finds a new and more effective way to kill the White Walkers.
10. Gendry is back!
Well, Gendry, bastard of King Robert and the last of the Baratheons, has been rowing for a few seasons now and is expected to be back soon. He is a good blacksmith. Samwell Tarly is a genius. Valyrian Steel kills White Walkers. You can put it all together yourself. The art of making Valyrian Steel Swords was lost during the Doom of Valyria and Sam The Slayer is in the perfect place to resurrect the lost art.
11. Nobody sits on the Iron Throne
Well, this one comes from Joffrey Baratheon Jack Gleeson. Valyrian Steel swords can kill White Walkers, remember? And there is only a handful of them left in the seven kingdoms. The actor believes that to fight the White Walkers, there will be a need for Valyrian Steel Swords. And what better place to look at than the Iron Throne. The throne was constructed by Aegon I Targaryen. It is said to have taken a thousand blades to make, heated in the breath of his dragon, Balerion the Black Dread.
Think, we still missed something? Let us know in comments.
Design Credit: Utkarsh Tyagi