Leading up to the new series of Game of Thrones, starting on the 17th of July, many of us have been stocking up on as much information around the series as possible, partly by rewatching it from the beginning (yet again) and partly by consuming as many fan theories as possible. Here are some of our favourites: If you're not caught up with season 6, do NOT read ahead, major spoilers
will be found. You were warned.
Table of Contents
1. The Mad Queen
Cersei's fiery statement against the Holy Sept last season (that included literal wildfire) and a declaration that she would reign as Ruler of the Seven Kingdom's after poor Tommen's suicide fits perfectly into the theory that she will replace the Mad King in the history books as Westeros's deadliest ruler. It also perfectly follows Maggy the Frog's prediction that all of Cersei's children will die, and she will be killed by her "Valonquar", aka her little brother. Most believe that Tyrion will be the one to kill her, but as she has lost the one redeemable feature she had (her children) there is a chance her madness will lead to destruction that will turn her twin/lover Jaime against her, leading him to kill yet another mad ruler for the sake of the seven kingdoms. I say bring it on.
2. Tyrion Targaryen
There is a prophecy surrounding Game of Thrones that states there will be three heads of the dragon that will include Dany, Jon (now R+L=J is #confirmed) and Tyrion. Yep, lots of people believe Tyrion is, in fact, a Targaryen and that his mother Joanna had an affair with the Mad King Aerys Targaryen - which would explain why Tywin hated him so much, even telling him 'You're no son of mine' shortly before Tyrion shot him with an arrow while he was on the loo. This explains the close relationship that Tyrion and Dany have already formed, with her trusting him easier than anyone before him.
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3. Dragonbinder
I hate Euron
Greyjoy. His introduction into the Game of Thrones has irked me. And this theory suggesting he could hold power over a dragon angers me even more. In the books, Euron acquires a horn named Dragonbinder, which he claims can be used to control a dragon. As we're sure that he'll end up fighting Dany mainly because he seems that way inclined (he's a dick), there's a chance that he could use this powerful horn to turn one of Dany's precious dragons against her, which we're sure would devastate her.
4. What’s gonna happen with Bran?
So there are two interesting but also kind of opposing theories floating around surrounding Bran's role in the story since he's been having a storyline that has so far not played a huge part in the main show. One of these is that Bran will ultimately be to blame for introducing White Walkers to the rest of Westeros. In the episode 'The Door' Bran was marked by the Night King meaning that the White Walkers could gain access beyond any magica
l barrier he tried to hide behind (hence 'hold the door'). Since there is one giant magical barrier between Bran and Westeros aka The Wall, he will have to pass it at some point, and doing so will leave The Wall penetrable for White Walkers to traipse on through. Yet, the other theory that has been turning up is more easily understood by fans who have read the books - that Bran is actually Bran the Builder. Bran the Builder was the man who both created Winterfell and raised The Wall a good 8000 years before any of the events that we have born witness to. Many believe that due to Bran's power to see into the past and future and influence people through being a warg there is a good chance that the Bran we know and certainly have some kind of mixed feelings towards could also be the Bran of the past. As he is aware of the White Walker's presence here in the present his job may be to travel into the past and build The Wall to contain them in the future. Yet, as we know now that Bran is marked and can't pass The Wall without letting the White Walker's through too, this kind of makes the theory seem a bit pointless. So, knowing Bran and his storyline, there's a chance both theories might be true.
5. Cleganebowl
Since the beginning of
the series, everyone has been aware of the hatred between the two Clegane brothers, Sandor 'The Hound' and Gregor 'The Mountain'. While I certainly gained a soft spot for the Hound after watching him care (in his own messed up way) for the two Stark girls separately, we all grew steadily more horrified by the Mountain's actions throughout, especially when he made jelly out of Oberyn Martell's pretty head. But when Brienne beat the Hound and left him to die and the Mountain was fatally poisoned by Prince Oberyn many thought we would never get to see the showdown we always hoped for, until our hopes were raised again by their somewhat heartwarming, somewhat creepy returns to life. Maybe soon we will be treated to the Hound's sweet revenge against his newly zombified brother.
6. The Marriage of Ice and Fire
A major fan ship since the beginning of the series, there is a theory that Jon and Dany will marry and join ice and fire to protect the North. Dany and Jon are both aware that as King of the North and Queen of the Andals and the First Men separately they will need to find advantageous marriages to bolster their claims to their thrones. Together they could rule all of Westeros, and create adorable pouty babies. They may be related, but as it's been shown, that clearly isn't an issue to Targaryen's, so it's likely to happen. Either that or Jon will marry Sansa, and Dany is definitely the option that seems less messed up somehow.
7. Varys is a merman?
So some people seem to have put forward the incredible theory that Varys is a merman that is simply playing the Game of Thrones to set his fellow merpeople or 'merlings' free. A lot of people's main argument for this theory surrounds how quickly Varys travels from Dany's ship to Dorne in season six, believing that the only reasonable explanation is that he actually has a tail and not that the showrunners just wanted to keep up the show's pacing. Many even believe that Dany's dragons 
might melt the ice in the North so much that all of the Seven Kingdom's will become a giant ocean that will leave space only for merlings to survive. I say long live the merlings!