GOT Plot Twists I’d Actually Kinda Dig
Warning: A partially informed fan comes up with semi-crack theories
Theon is the Prince Who Was Promised
What can I say, I’m caught up on the “born again amidst salt and smoke” line (Iron Islands, anyone?). It would also be an interesting twist on Theon’s arc, which has been partially to do with him not feeling like he was ever treated like the prince he was/could have been. People complain about him sticking around for so long and committing such heinous things in the earlier seasons, but Theon reminds me a lot of Jamie: people who have done terrible things in the name of family but whose true desires have everything to do with their identity, how they are seen and known. It would be tragic, poetic, unexpected for Theon to be the Prince Who Was Promised. (Because the R + L = J theory is already enough of a twist for a certain character, methinks, and they were way too heavy-handed with Dany and the whole “this can be translated as ‘the princess who was promised’”). “Who would be Theon’s Nyssa Nyssa? Perhaps Yara, but we don’t even know how much of the legend is literal. And it’s not like Melisandre hasn’t been wrong before. It’d also be hecka ironic for a person of the Drowned God faith to be christened, so to speak, by a fire god. (Unless--crack theory intensifies--they’ve been the same god all this time).
R’hllor Connected W/ Dragons And/or Children of the Forest
Part of me thinks R’hllor has something to do with a dragon--like, some ancient dragon or whatever. Maybe he’s chillin like Smaug in some cave. Maybe the whole world is just iris of R’hllor’s eye (eh, like that Old Nan story from the 2nd episode). I mean, there’s even a weird (ok, maybe super hazy) connection with some of the Targaryen names: Rhaegar, R’hllor, etc. And wouldn’t it tie everything in, in a weird cosmic way? R’hllor has some connection with the Children of the Forest, which would explain why their symbols are so similar to the Targaryen sigil--they both represent dragons (or, knowing GRRM, the tentacles of some Cthulnic monster that vaguely resembles a dragon).
Still speaking of the gods...
R’hollor is evil and the Azor Ahai is Bad News
I mean, it would upend the traditional fantasy narrative, just like GRRM ordered.
Game of Thrones Was About Love This Whole Time
I take no credit for this theory; it all goes to Bridge4 (who does excellent, excellent deconstructions over on his YouTube channel. Bonus: his happiness will make you happy).
Less a theory than an observation, but it’ s worth checking out Bridge’s video. But I don’t think we should expect GOT to be brutal for brutality’s sake (and if it goes that direction in the show, I believe the books will have GRRM’S far more human though equally ruthless touch).