Warning: Spoilers for everything Game of Thrones to follow, as well as theories for the future of the series.
Last night’s episode of Game of Thrones “The Door” was quite an event, to say the least. We had giant revelations that span back to Season 1, powerful setups for new storylines, and a tragic end to lovable companion with a lot of heart. But what does all of this mean for the rest of Season 6 and even beyond?
Well, a lot of things. We have Bran on his way back to the wall with Meera, Yara and Theon on their way to meet Dany in Meereen, Dany herself on her way home with a new Dothraki army, Jon and Sansa gathering an army to take back Winterfell, war brewing in King’s Landing, and then whatever the hell is going to happen to Sam and Gilly. There’s so many things happening at once, that it can be tough to keep it all together. So let’s break it down into pieces, and talk about a few big things that feel primed to happen.
Bran Will Make it Back to the Wall… Maybe With an Old Friend
I think we can all agree that at some point, be it next episode or the end of the season and beyond, Bran will make it back to the Wall and then maybe make his way to Jon and Sansa in Winterfell. But the big question following last night’s episode is the immediate fate of Bran and Meera as they flee from Bloodraven’s tree hut. Hodor was surely able to hold the door long enough for their escape, but the White Walkers and their army could still be after them. Will they be able to outrun them on their own, or will a certain Benjen Stark come to their rescue?
Benjen Stark, if you reasonably don’t remember, is the brother of Ned Stark (Bran’s uncle). He was the one who placed the twinkle of the Night’s Watch into Jon Snow’s eyes back in season 1. Early in the show he went beyond the wall on a scouting mission, never to return. His death was never confirmed, and he hasn’t even been mentioned since Jon’s early goals of finding him that never panned out. In the books, it’s widely believed that the character Cold Hands (a rider in Night’s Watch clothing that resembles a White Walker) is Benjen Stark, so it’s not a huge jump to think something similar to his might happen. Maybe Benjen simply shows up to help Bran sans mystical Cold Hands abilities.
Yara and Theon Will Meet Dany and Sail Back to Westeros
After the Kingsmoot last night on Pyke, it’s clear that Euron Grejoy wants the Iron Throne for himself, and sees Dany and her dragons as nothing more than a means to an end. Knowing this, Yara and Theon set sail with Pyke’s best ships to (we assume) Mereen while Euron was distracted with his coronation.
Why did they do this? Quite simply, Yara and Theon are going to exact Euron’s plan before he gets the chance to. What will likely follow is a reunion of Dany to Meereen with her new Dothraki friends, and an appearance by Yara and Theon soon after. What all of this could be ultimately building towards is Dany’s return to Westeros to take back the throne. All of the chips seem to be in place, and this season (or perhaps next) could be where the final game of thrones finally begins.
That being said, there is also Euron’s response to all of this to consider. He’s building “the greatest fleet the world has seen,” and it could be complete by the time Danny, Yara, Theon, and Tyrion make their way to Westeros. Will Euron decimate most of Danny’s forces before they even make it to shore? We’re likely entering Season 7 territory here, so let’s leave it at that.
Bran Will Seek Answers at the Tower of Joy
Whether or not Bran will take refuge back at The Wall or somewhere else entirely, it’s clear that Bloodraven has given him the abilities to travel through time at his own volition, and he’s going to use them. It’s becoming more likely that Bran will eventually be able to travel back to the Tower of Joy and follow his father into the tower.
Now, if you’ve ever poked your head out into the world of Game of Thrones theories, then I’m sure you’ve heard the near-confirmed theory of R + L = J. This theory states that Jon Snow is not the son of Ned Stark at all, but instead the child of Rhaegar Targaryn and Lyanna Stark (Ned’s sister). We know from the story of the Tower of Joy that Ned was there to rescue his sister from the tower. During episode 3, we hear screaming from the tower that is presumably Lyanna. Could the screaming be a result of a certain birth taking place?
This could be where we finally learn that Jon is a Targaryen, and thus the rightful king of Westeros. Bran will follow his father into the tower, witness his aunt Lyanna make Ned promise to keep Jon safe and not reveal his origin, and watch as she dies of childbirth. The question remains though, when will Jon himself learn who he really is?
Brienne Could Take a Trip Down to the Vale… and See The Face of a Ghost
This one is definitely more “out there,” but there’s a prevailing theory in the Game of Thrones community that Sandor “The Hound” Clegane is still alive, and lives as a servant of the faith as a gravedigger. We never got a clear answer regarding his death, and episode 4 from last week even addresses this as the Waith is questioning Arya at the House of Black and White. In the books, this theory is more clearly hinted at being true as Brienne and Podrick encounter the gravedigger, and the reader is given clear hints that he’s truly The Hound.
So how does this relate to the show? In last night’s episode, Sansa sends Brienne on a mission to seek her uncle’s army in the Vale for Jon’s aid in the battle to come at Winterfell. The idea here is that, on her way to the Vale, Brienne encounters a reborn Hound digging graves in the Riverlands. There’s no concrete evidence that this has to happen, except that the books feature a similar encounter.
That being said, there is also the theory of “Cleganebowl,” which states that Cersei’s trial by combat will be a battle between the two Clegane brothers: The Mountain reborn as Robert Strong, and The Hound reborn as a servant of the gods. This theory seems very likely and would be an excellent treat for fans, so I’m not sure how the theory above would really match up with all of this.
Arya Will Soon Leave The Faceless Men and Return to Westeros
Arya has had one of the most tragic and longest journeys thus far in Game of Thrones. And after years of being a prisoner in tow of stronger men, Arya has finally learned the discipline and maturity she needs to exact the revenge she has sought for so long. She has become an assassin of the Faceless Men, but that doesn’t mean she’ll be there forever.
We see in this episode that Arya is hesitant to kill the woman she has been contracted with, as she strikes Arya as a good person who doesn’t deserve to die. Regardless, Jaqen tells her not to ask questions and to fulfill the contract. This could be Arya’s final breaking point with Jaqen and the Faceless Men, and this season could see her leaving (or fleeing, depending on how her contract turns out) Braavos. It’s then assumed that she would sail back to Westeros with a new identity and her trusty list of targets.
What do you think of Game of Thrones Season 6 so far? Do you think these predictions will happen?
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