5 insane Game of Thrones theories that may come true in The Winds of Winter
By John Fallon
Image: Game of Thrones/HBO
Roose Bolt-On
This is one of my favorite theories because it’s so insane I want nothing more than to believe it. Roose Bolton, Lord of the Dreadfort and head of House Bolton, is famous for his belief in the healing power of leaches. But is it just a disgusting habit, or is there more to it? This theory posits there is.
The history of the Boltons is shrouded in mystery. It is known there were tensions between Winterfell and the Dreadfort for a long time, including unsuccessful rebellions. The Boltons have always been known for flaying their enemies going as far back the Long Night. It has even been suggested that the legendary Night’s King was a Bolton.
The Boltons are said to have flayed the skins of several Stark lords and hung them in the Dreadfort. According to rumor, some Bolton lords even wore the flayed skins of their enemies. This sounds vaguely familiar to what the Faceless Men do to disguise themselves. As theorist u/maj312 explains it, “They use the cured skin of other people’s faces, and magically fuse these masks to their faces with their own blood. They assume that person’s identity, and no one’s the wiser.”
As the theory goes, the Boltons use the same magic, with the creature calling himself Roose Bolton only wearing the face of the man we know and who will eventually wear the face of his child so he can continue to rule his great house for the length of his immortal life. If you think about it, his personality matches. Roose is remorseless and implacable, cold and cunning. His voice is mysteriously small and soft; he rarely raises it, forcing those who listen to do so intently.
It’s possible his icy personality and calculating nature are the result of centuries of practice. A description of Roose Bolton from A Dance with Dragons says his own face is “a pale grey mask, with two chips of dirty ice where his eyes should be.” This theorist also suggests that Roose may soon take over Ramsay’s skin. After all, they have the same eyes:
"…The Bolton line began when the Night’s King and an Other had a half human child. That child grew to an adult, but then ceased to age. How could this strange creature continue its existence while living in the world of men? It must pretend. It must be cautious. It must look to live and die and give birth to heirs, like men do. And when it has lived fifty or sixty years, not long enough for it’s unlined face and dark hair to draw too much attention, it flays a son with pale, pale eyes, and assumes his identity."
A Song of Ice and Fire fans have always been excellent at coming up with interesting and creative theories. Are they all likely to come true? That’s not really the point. They are extremely entertaining, and one can only imagine theories The Winds of Winter will inspire when it finally comes out.
Next. Five believable Game of Thrones theories that may come true in The Winds of Winter. dark
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels