My Game of Thrones Season 8 Theories!

Hi all!!

With the final season of Game of Thrones starting TOMORROW (😱), I thought I’d share some of my theories for how the show will end, plus which characters I think will survive and which won’t.

If you don’t know, I absolutely love Game of Thrones. I started watching the show when the final episode of season one came out and haven’t stopped since. That’s been 9 years! I’ve dedicated 9 years of my life to this show. Wow, ok.

Anyway, here we go! Here are some of my theories!

Theory 1: Jon rides Rhaegal

This theory is most likely going to happen. I’m not sure if it will occur before or after Daenerys and Jon find out about Jon’s true parents — his father is Daenerys’ older brother Rhaegar and his mother is Lyanna Stark, Ned’s sister — but Jon will ride Daenerys’ dragon, Rhaegal, the same way Dany rides Drogon.

Also, Rhaegal was named after Dany’s brother, Rhaegar — who is Jon’s father.

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Theory 2: Cersei, Jaime & the prophecy 

In season 5, we see a young Cersei and a friend visit a witch called Maggy the Frog. Cersei threatens the witch into telling her about her future … but it’s nothing Cersei wants to hear. Cersei asks Maggy if she will marry a prince — as, at the time, her father, Tywin, was trying to get her engaged to Prince Rhaegar — but Maggy says, no, she will marry a king. Cersei asks, “Will I be queen?” Maggy says, “Yes, for a time. Then comes another, younger, more beautiful, to cast you down and take all you hold dear.”

When Cersei asks if she and the king will have children, Maggy responds, “The King will have 20 children, you will three. Gold will be their crowns and gold their shrouds.” This part wasn’t in the show, but it was in the books: Maggy says, “And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.”

Now, what does this mean and how has a portion of the prophecy come true?

• Prophecy 1 – She will marry a king: Cersei didn’t marry a prince, she married King Robert Baratheon.
• Prophecy 2 – She will be queen, until another comes: For a long time, Cersei thought the “younger, more beautiful queen” was Margaery Tyrell, until Cersei had Margaery killed, but now we know that this is actually in reference to Daenerys.
• Prophecy 3 – 20 children: Robert had many illegitimate children with many women, while Cersei only has three with her brother. Joffrey had all of Robert’s bastard children killed in season 2 — except for Gendry.
• Prophecy 4 – “Gold their shrouds”: All of Cersei’s children died and she had to bury them.

So now that we know that all of Maggy’s prophecies have come true, what does this mean for the final prophecy?

• Prophecy 5 – the Valonqar: In Old Valyrian, “valonqar” means little brother. Cersei believes that her little brother will kill her. She has always believed that this will be Tyrion, which is why she has treated him so cruelly over their entire life — plus she has other reasons to hate him too, but this is a big one. However, Cersei is overlooking something very important — she is the eldest child, which means she has two little brothers: Tyrion … and Jaime.

This is where my theory — and the theory of many others — comes into play. I believe that Jaime will kill Cersei, completing the final part of her prophecy. Cersei is slowly becoming the Mad Queen, much like Daenerys’ father was the Mad King. She already plans to betray Jon and Dany, leaving them and every other human at the mercy of White Walkers. And let’s not forget that she LITERALLY EXPLODED THE SEPT OF BAELOR WITH WILDFIRE, MURDERING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE … which is what the Mad King wanted to do on a larger scale. Cersei doesn’t care if the human race dies out — she just wants to be queen. Plus, Jaime has already left her — basically betraying her — as we see him riding for the North last season, presumably to join Daenerys and Jon in their fight against the White Walkers. They’re now on opposite sides of the war.

This theory would also be an amazing parallel to Jaime’s storyline. As we know, Jaime killed the Mad King before he could burn the city alive, and if he is forced to kill his sister, the Mad Queen, we’ve got some awesome symmetry happening.

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Theory 3: Bran the Builder & the Night King

This has been a theory that’s been around for many, many years in GOT reddit threads. The theory is that Bran Stark is also Bran the Builder … and many other famous people in Stark history.

In season six, we found out that Bran can see the past and also manipulate it — due to what happened with Hodor. He went back in time to tell Hodor to “Hold the door”, but accidentally ended up shattering his mind until the man could only ever say, “Hodor”. His powers as the Three-Eyed Raven are very strong, and many theorists believe that the famous Bran the Builder in history is the Bran we know — the one who built the Wall to keep the White Walkers out.

Here’s a quote from the books that many fans use as proof:

“I could tell you the story about Brandon the Builder,” Old Nan said. “That was always your favorite.” Thousands and thousands of years ago, Brandon the Builder had raised Winterfell, and some said the Wall. Bran knew the story, but it had never been his favorite. Maybe one of the other Brandons had liked that story. Sometimes Nan would talk to him as if he were her Brandon, the baby she had nursed all those years ago, and sometimes she confused him with his uncle Brandon, who was killed by the Mad King before Bran was even born. She had lived so long, Mother had told him once, that all the Brandon Starks had become one person in her head.”

So my theory is that we will, at some point, see Bran going back in time and building the Wall. Which brings me to a subpart of this theory …

Theory 3a: Bran and the Night King

In a recent interview with the Night King actor, Vladimir Furdik, the actor said his character “has a target he wants to kill, and you will find out who that is.” My theory — and the theory of many other fans — is that the Night King is after Bran, as Bran is the Three-Eyed Raven.

The Night King has tried to stop many Three-Eyed Ravens from being trained in the past, and even tried to stop Bran from reaching the previous one. Many fans believe that the Night King and the Three-Eyed Raven are ancient enemies and that the Three-Eyed Raven is one of the only people who can defeat the Night King. They believe — as do I — that the Children of the Forest created the Three-Eyed Raven, just like they created the Night King to defeat the First Men, to balance out their mistakes. One reddit user explains:

Dan and Dave [the creators of the show] told us that the three eyed raven is not entirely human. Just like the NK. Both of them are not human because they were created by the children! All of the ancient past three eyed ravens, went inside of Bran when he uploaded all of the history of the world. All of the souls of the past three eyed ravens are now in Bran. So Bran is not Bran anymore he is all of the three eyed ravens in one mind. He’s not exactly human anymore.

So, if Bran has the consciousness of all the Three-Eyed Ravens in him, he is technically the first Three-Eyed Raven … which means that the Night King definitely wants to kill the only person who has the knowledge to defeat him.

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Theory 4: The Dead come back

This one is an absolute awesome theory and makes so much sense!

In a teaser railer for the final season, we see Jon, Arya and Sansa walking through the crypts of Winterfell, passing the statues of long dead characters until they stand in front of statues of themselves. Then, a cold mist comes into the crypts, symbolising the coming of the White Walkers and the Night King.

When fans — myself included — saw this trailer, we all immediately theorised that this trailer might have significant meaning in the show. What if the Night King, who has the power to bring people and creatures back from the dead, does so with the dead in the crypts of Winterfell?

This theory gains ever more credence when you watch the offical trailer for season eight. In the very first scene of the trailer, Arya is running from something chasing her, in what looks like the crypts of Winterfell. We then see Arya holding a dagger of dragonglass, one of the only things that can kill a White Walker or wight. Could Arya be running from the reanimated corpse of one of her loved ones? Maybe — after all, there’s got to be a reason why we keep seeing the crypts in all these trailers!

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Theory 5: Melisandre returns

I really, really like this theory and I’m hoping it comes true! I believe that Melisandre will return to Westeros with an army of followers of R’hllor. Last time we saw her, Melisandre told Varys that she was going to sail to Volantis … but that she’d be back. She says, “I will return, dear Spider, one last time. I have to die in this strange country, just like you.”

It seems as though Melisandre has had a vision of herself dying in Westeros — just like she had a vision of the Prince That Was Promised (incorrectly believing it was Stannis).

Back in season six, Tyrion met a Red Priestess named Kinvara in Volantis, who believed that Daenerys was the Princess That Was Promised. Kinvara was working to convince her people to follow Dany. Considering that Melisandre is heading to Volantis and Kinvara is already there, there’s a big chance the two Priestesses will meet. Many fans also stated that Volantis is protected by an army called the Fiery Hand (which Tyrion actually sees in book five, A Dance with Dragons). So, we have a massive army that follows a fire god and an army of corpses and ice creatures that can only be killed by fire or dragonglass … I think there’s a pretty good chance that Melisandre will come back with the Fiery Hand to help Dany and Jon, but she will die before she sees the end of the war.

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Theory 6: Cleganebowl!

WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS SINCE SEASON FIVE, AND IF IT DOESN’T HAPPEN NOW, I’LL SCREAM!

Cleganebowl is a massive fan theory that has been around for years, about a massive fight that will take place between Sandor Clegane, the Hound, and his brother Gregor, the Mountain.

So what’s this fight about? Fans of the books probably know more of the Clegane brothers fraught history, which includes Gregor burning Sandor’s face as a child as well as many other horrors the Mountain has committed since then. Sandor has wanted revenge against his brother for years and in season seven, Sandor told his brother, “You know who’s coming for you. You’ve always known.” FORESHADOWING, PERHAPS? I think so!

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Theory 7: Daenerys & Jon

I have a couple of theories for what will happen to Dany and Jon. Bear with me, here, there’s a bit to get through.

Theory 7a: Dany gets pregnant 

I know, I know. Daenerys can’t have children anymore, not since season one and the witch, Mirri Maz Duur, hurt Khal Drogo and cursed Dany. When Dany asks when Drogo will be himself again, Mirri says:

When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east
When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves
When your womb quickens again and you bear a living child
Then he will return, and not before.

MIRRI MAZ DUUR NEVER SAYS THAT DANY CAN’T HAVE CHILDREN! She says, “When you womb quickens again,” suggesting that Daenerys might be able to bear a child again. Also, as Jon is also a Targaryen, maybe the only way she can get pregnant again is by another Targaryen? We all know the family is incestuous and has been for centuries.

Not to forget, in season seven, Daenerys tells Jon, “The dragons are my children. They’re the only children I’ll ever have — do you understand?” Now, why does Dany keep bringing up her inability to have children? That seems strange. Also, when Jon and Dany first meet, she says to him, “I am the last Targaryen, Jon Snow.” BUT WE KNOW SHE’S NOT. A few episodes later, we find out that Jon is a Targaryen, and that’s he’s actually Dany’s nephew. So Dany’s announcements of things she believes to be true have a tendency to be false — could this also be false?

In a perfect world, Jon and Dany will marry and win the war, and then raise their child together while ruling, but this is GOT not a perfect world, so …

Theory 7b: Jon betrays Dany

If my first theory doesn’t pan out, I’ve got a terrible feeling that Jon will betray Daenerys, if her has to choose between her and killing the Night King.

If you remember back in season two, Dany had a vision in the House of the Undying. The vision was quite short and didn’t show much, but in the book, A Clash of Kings, we see more. In her vision in the book, Dany is given a prophecy … and we all know that prophecies come true, if Cersei has anything to say about it.

The prophecy is:

“Three fires must you light… one for life and one for death and one to love… three mounts must you ride… one to bed and one to dread and one to love… three treasons will you know… once for blood and once for gold and once for love…”

Who can this prophecy be alluding to? And has it already come true? A reddit user broke the prophecy down by numbers, which I agree with, so I’ll explain it in a more concise way:

There are only three people the prophecy can reference to.

1. One for life; One to bed; Once for Blood

2. One for death; One to Dread; Once for Gold

3. One to Love; One to Love; Once for Love

Number 1 is definitely Drogo: 

• Dany physically lit a fire to bring her dragons to life: a fire for life

• Dany has to consummate her marriage to Drogo: a mount to bed

• Mirri Maz Duur betrays Dany, the cost of which was blood (the loss of Dany’s child and Husband: family/blood): treason for blood

Number 2 could possibly relate to Hizdahr zo Loraq (the man she was about to marry in the city of Meereen):

• Dany and Drogon set fire to Meereen, killing many people: fire for death

• Dany dreads “mounting” him, because she does not have any love or any sexual attraction toward him: mount for dread

• Hizdahr betrayed Dany by convincing her that he would bring peace for 90 days if she married him. This allowed him to reopen the fighting pits, which he and his “advisors” made considerable money (gold) off of: treason for gold

Number 3 relates to Jon Snow:

• Dany and Jon Snow have sex: mount to love.

Now before I explain the next part, we have to look at the prophecy of Azor Azai. Azor was a hero who fought the White Walkers during the Long Night and defeated them, after forging a sword called Lightbringer. Here’s the story from the books:

“To fight the darkness, Azor Ahai needed to forge a hero’s sword. He labored for thirty days and thirty nights until it was done. However, when he went to temper it in water, the sword broke. He was not one to give up easily, so he started over. The second time he took fifty days and fifty nights to make the sword, even better than the first. To temper it this time, he captured a lion and drove the sword into its heart, but once more the steel shattered. The third time, with a heavy heart, for he knew before hand what he must do to finish the blade, he worked for a hundred days and nights until it was finished. This time, he called for his wife, Nissa Nissa, and asked her to bare her breast. He drove his sword into her breast, her soul combining with the steel of the sword, creating Lightbringer.”

So the theory is that Jon Snow is Azor Azai reborn, as the prophecy claims that another hero like Azor will rise again to weild Lightbringer:

“There will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. In this dread hour a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him.”

If Jon is Azor Azai reborn, there is a chance that he will have to kill Daenerys to reforge Lightbringer. So, in regards to Dany’s prophecy:

• Dany will be betrayed by Jon in order to reforge Lightbringer (obtaining the power to kill White Walkers). This act also serves the part of the prophecy of lighting a fire for love (like Nissa Nissa), since the fire of her heart will burn within the blade: fire for love AND treason for love.

A lot of fans think that the Prince That Was Promised (a hero who is said to wake dragons out of stone, and who will be born under a red star) and Azor Azai are the same people, but I think they’re two different ones: I think Dany is the Prince and Jon is Azor, and they’re BOTH needed to defeat the Night King. (However, we also have to remember that Jon was literally born under a red star, which was on the pommel of a sword near him when he was born.)

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Theory 8: Jaime kills the Night King 

THE KINGSLAYER SHALL KILL A KING AGAIN! At least that’s what I think.

I like the symmetry of this theory, much like I think the symmetry of Jaime having to kill his sister. I don’t know if the show writers will let one character kill two massive villains, but you never know.

Many fans think that once Jaime kills the Night King, his dishonourable title “Kingslayer” will become honourable — and perhaps his title has been suggesting this all along. We also know that Jaime has a pretty good chance of being able to pull this off: he has Widow’s Wail, a sword of Valyrian steel which can kill a White Walker.

I just really like the redemption arc of this theory, so I’m hoping it’s true!

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Theory 9: And the winner is …

I know this is probably a little predictable, but I can’t see it going any other way. Everything has been set up for Jon to take the Iron Throne. Obviously, you never know with a show like this — a lot of the time, the things that seem predictable and obvious don’t actually happen, but I’ve got a feeling it will this time.

I also think it would be an amazing ending to a series. Jon has the skills to be King even though he might not necessarily want it.

Other contenders:

• Daenerys: Even if Jon doesn’t end up killing Dany, I have a feeling she’s going to die anyway.
• Sansa: This would be cool, but I don’t think it will happen.
• Tyrion: He likes power but he likes the game more. I think he’d get bored easily being an actual king; he likes the games played on the outside and shaping the kingdom.
• Cersei: I would love for Cersei to take the Iron Throne. I think the show honestly could go in that direction, but I have a feeling she will be killed before she has that chance.
• Jaime: No, he’s never wanted power like that.

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Who I think will live and who I think will die:

Live:

Die:

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And that’s my theories for season eight of Game of Thrones! What are yours? Who do you think will survive in the end?
Who do you think will end up on the Iron Throne? Let me know!