As filming continues on Game of Thrones season 8, you’ve got to give credit where credit is due: compared to last year, HBO has done a good job of preventing leaks. No, they can’t stop people from peeping in on the crew while it’s shooting major set pieces — these things do happen in the open, after all — and there have been a few behind-the-scenes leaks that at least have the appearance of legitimacy. But for every one of those, there’s another that contradicts it. This isn’t like last year, where we had a widely accepted point-by-point breakdown of everything that was going to happen in season 7 months before the premiere. We have a vague idea of what’s coming a season 8, but the details are hazy.
And that’s for the best, I think. For one, it means that we’ll all get to experience the season’s surprises together. For another, it means that the fan community gets to use their imaginations in coming up with theories for how the story will end. Just recently, Redditor thetripleb posted a detailed theory that lays out how season 8 will go, beat by beat. The theory blew up, getting reported everywhere from Digital Spy to TIME. Will any of it end up happening? I have no idea, but it’s a lot of fun. Take a look below and tell us if you think any of it holds up:
"I think that Jaime will convince at least a contingent, if not the entire Lannister Army to join him in going North.The combined armies go north and fight the army of the dead, defeating it but at great cost. However, the Night King and his dragon are not there. Why?They flew south and destroy King’s Landing, trading his army of 100,000 for the 1,000,000 in King’s Landing, including Cersei. They foreshadowed it too much in the last episode.Euron and the Golden Company arrive at King’s Landing to a trap, where they are also killed and join the Night’s King army.Dany finds out she’s pregnant.Bran and Sam keep Jon’s parentage a secret after Dany and Jon declare they are getting married, or they at least tell Jon who doesn’t have a chance to tell Dany before the end.Jamie ends up killing Cersei to fulfill the prophecy in the last battle. He survives to become the 1000th Lord Commander and restore the wall and honor to the Night’s Watch.Bronn survives and gets the Twins when it’s all over, as Tyrion is good to his word to double what he was promised (one castle).The Hound survives and stays with Tyrion, who retires as Hand of the Queen and goes back to Casterly Rock as its Lord. He changes the Lannister’s wealth from gold to wine, as he opens his vinyard there and becomes rich by supplying the Seven Kingdoms.Cleganbowl never happens because they hate us.Gendry survives and is legitamized by Jon/Dany.Bittersweat ending is that Dany gives birth to a child, maybe even twins, but dies in childbirth or shortly after. Jon becomes King of the Seven Kingdoms, but loses another love of his life and raises his children/child.In the battles, all the dragons die. However, in some last scene it’s discovered that they laid eggs before the last battle."
Again, this is not based on any concrete spoilers — it’s just speculation. (Actually, it contradicts some things we know happen, but that shouldn’t stand in the way of a good time.) Personally, I love the idea of the Night King faking out Jon Snow and company by hightailing it King’s Landing. That would be terrific — Daenerys and Sansa and Arya and everyone fight hard against the army of the dead at Winterfell, think they’ve won, everybody high fives, and meanwhile an even bigger zombie army rises in the south. Twist!
For good measure, thetripleb updated the post with further predictions after it went viral:
"Sam is writing the story and the last scene is him putting the book away after telling the story to someone, maybe his grandkids, and he’ll be played by George R.R. Martin.Jon declares there are no more bastards, foreshadowed by the conversation with Mel and Davos on Dragonstone.Gendry helps re-forge Valarian Steel or works Dragonglass into weapons to help win the war. He is made legit by Jon and ends up getting Storm’s End.Arya is going to use that Valarian Dagger to save someone important from a White Walker. Perhaps Sansa or Gendry.Jorah is either going to die, or die.Sweet Robin somehow becomes a great fighter.The Citadel is overrun by White Walkers and Sam ends up being the Grand Maester after it’s all over.The oath of not taking a wife or kids is done away with by Jon for Kingsguard / maesters / whoever."
“Jorah is either going to die, or die.” Poor Jorah. But also: yeah, probably.
What do you guys think of all this? And if you have your own theories, feel free to sound off.
Next: Maisie Williams is taking combat training for season 8, surprising no one
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