10 unsolved Game of Thrones mysteries we still think about

Many Game of Thrones fans were disappointed with how the show ended its eighth and final season. They had their reasons. Daenerys Targaryen transformed from Mhysa into the Mad Queen. Jon Snow’s secret identity had little bearing on the overall story, and several plot points were left hanging.

Game of Thrones built up a lot of mysteries in its initial seasons, many of which were left unsolved by the time the show ended. It’s true that ambiguity sometimes helps stories. Some things are best left to the imagination…but others aren’t, including several on this show.

Fans had to bid the show adieu with a lot of questions left unanswered. Here are some of the biggest, presented in no particular order:

10. Melisandre and her ageless necklace

Melisandre was a complex character. She was a Red Priestess of the Lord of the Light, an ancient sorceress who maintained the illusion of youth by use of the vibrant ruby necklace she wore at all times. At the end of the show, she takes it off and walks away, letting her frail old body succumb to old age. (She’s briefly seen taking a bath without the necklace in season 4, which we can chalk up to a whoopsie on the part of the crew.)

Melisandre earned the wrath of fans for burning Shireen Baratheon alive and won back their love by bringing Jon Snow back to life. In the end, we never learned much about how her magic worked, what her purpose was in the story, and why none of her prophecies really panned out.

9. Why was Rhaegar and Lyanna’s marriage kept a secret? Also, how?

One does stupid things for love. But ending their bloodline? A bit too much. When Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark eloped and married in secret, the prince had already annulled his previous marriage with Elia Martell, with whom he had two kids. This gave legitimacy to their marriage and Jon Snow’s parentage. The marriage was annulled by the High Septon and recorded in the Citadel, which was discovered much later by Gilly, of all people.

But why would Rhaegar go through all that trouble to legalize his marriage to Lyanna only to keep it a secret? Sure, people would have talked. Also, Lyanna was betrothed to Robert Baratheon. But Rhaegar was the Crown Prince of Westeros, son of the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. He could have asserted his authority on both the Baratheons and Starks, but instead chose to fight and die in the Rebellion without ever coming clean, leaving his bride to die in childbirth and his unborn son to be labeled a bastard.

Also, how come no one else stumbled upon the annulment if it was recorded in the books at the Citadel? Or did they know but kept it under wraps since Robert was the king by then?

We’ll never know.