3 Game Of Thrones Fan Theories That Could Come True In Season Seven

*WARNING: Spoilers ahead*

“L+R=J” must be the weirdest equation never understood by mathematicians, at least not by those who haven’t seen Game of Thrones or read the A Song of Ice and Fire books. It used to show up everywhere on the internet, usually posted by smug little nerds that had read the books, spent some hours doing research on YouTube, and needed to show off (like yours truly). The weird formula was a mathematical representation of a very popular fan theory about Jon Snow’s real parents, and in the season six finale, after countless hours of YouTube videos presenting evidence to confirm the theory, the answer came in the form of a scene implying that Jon isn’t Ned’s son, but his sister’s, Lyanna, which means Rhaegar Targaryen could be his father and Daenerys his aunt. The news gave goosebumps to thousands of book fans around the world (I almost cried… Don’t judge me, I’d been waiting for this for too long). It was a satisfying conclusion to one of the greatest mysteries hidden among the pages that make up the five books in the ASOIAF series. And due to the fact that after six years George RR Martin, the author, still won’t finish writing The Winds of Winter, it was logical that fans would end up scanning every single sentence in search for hints that might reveal what happens next. The universe of GoT is huge, with hundreds of characters and houses, and a rich history that spans thousands of years; this is merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of fan theories. Some theories are simple, while others are so incredibly complex that if they turn out to be true, the seventh book will be so brilliant that Martin will receive the last Nobel Prize in literature ever given, for writing will be rendered pointless after its publication —in 2045, probably.

1. Bran is responsible for everything

It all started with “Hold the door.” What began as a fantasy series with dragons, castles, and humongous wolves, suddenly turned into a science fiction story that features time travel with its very own time traveler, capable of generating time paradoxes. Hodor’s heart-breaking origin story revealed that Bran has the power to travel in time and change things in the past to alter the future. This was surprising for everyone —the scene hasn’t appeared in the books— and the ramifications could be huge. Some fans have theorized that Bran could be the first Stark, Bran the Builder (responsible for the Wall’s construction), and Eddard Stark’s son, all at the same time, as well as the cause for Mad King Aerys Targaryen’s insanity. There are a few clues in the books that might support this hypothesis: the song that tells the story of how Storm’s End (Robert Baratheon’s castle) was built mentions a little boy giving instructions on how to build a seventh tower and that he would grow on to become Bran the Builder; and when Old Nan (an old lady storyteller and Hodor’s grandmother) tells stories of the Stark family, she sees all Brandons (there are quite a few) as the same person. It might seem slim, but it’s very likely it will turn out to be true.

2. Tyrion is a Targaryen

Everyone’s favorite imp and Tywin Lannister’s least favorite son might take an even bigger role before the series’ conclusion. In season six, when Tyrion comes face to face with Daenerys’s dragons —an action that should have ended with him engulfed in flames and eaten by giant, fire-breathing lizards— and tells them of the obsession he had with them since he was a child, they seem to like him instantly. This might be because Tyrion isn’t a Lannister, but a Targaryen, more specifically Daenerys’s half brother. You see, “it is known” that the Mad King Aerys Targaryen lusted after Joanna Lannister, Tyrion’s mother, so it’s possible that at some point in her marriage to Tywin (Aerys’s Hand of the King), the Mad King could have raped Joanna and gotten her pregnant. If that is the case, it would explain the dragons’ behavior towards Tyrion, why they’ve interested him so much throughout his lifetime, and why Tywin hated his guts (without taking into account the arrow he shot into his belly while he was in the toilet, which was so totally not cool).

3. Jaime will kill Cersei

If you remember the first chapter of season five, you might recall Cersei’s conversation with Maggy the Frog, a fortuneteller to whom she asks three questions about her future, questions with horrifying answers, although not as horrifying as the ones she receives in the book. The show cut out the single most important prophecy Maggy gives Cersei. TV Maggy tells her she will marry a king, but lose her position to a younger, fairer rival, and that she would give birth to three children, but that all of them would die. Book Maggy doubles down on the bummers and informs her that once she’s lost everything, the Valonqar will strangle her to death. Valonqar is a High Valyrian word that means “little brother.” Most people think that means Tyrion, but the season six finale features a moment when Jaime returns to King’s Landing and sees the aftermath of Cersei’s epic massacre. He stares straight at her, and you can see the anger in his eyes. Their relationship has gone through a lot by that point, even more in the book. So it might be that Jaime will be the younger, fairer little brother that will put an end to Cersei’s evil ways. So there you have it. Check out season seven; maybe we’ll see these prophecies come true, or it could happen in season eight. Valar Morghulis. *If you want to know more about TV series theories, check out these Rick and Morty possible outcomes before season three is released. Or if you’re looking for something to binge watch this weekend, check out this series that’ll make you understand all you need to know about unrequited love.

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