‘Game of Thrones’: New Theory Prompts Survivors Share Questionable Connection

A new Game of Thrones fan theory points out a strange connection between some of the survivors from the Battle of Winterfell.

Warning! Spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 3 lie ahead!

The biggest battle in the history of Game of Thrones — and perhaps the history of Westeros — took place on Sunday’s episode, and many fans were surprised by the list of casualties. Most of the main characters survived the battle, even after staring death in the face. Almost no one saw this coming, except perhaps for Tyrion Lannister.

Tyrion has been unsure of himself recently, and with good reason. The Hand of the Queen misjudged his brother and his sister in the war effort down south, losing High Garden and finding Casterly Rock empty. He also failed to see that Cersei was lying to him in her promise to send her armies north, leading both him and Daenerys to question his famed intelligence.

In Season 8, Episode 2 before the battle, Tyrion had a dreary conversation with Jaime Lannister on the walls of the castle. “So, we’re going to die at Winterfell,” he said. “Not the death I would’ve chosen.”

However, Tyrion cheers up later on. After the war council meeting, Tyrion turns to Bran Stark and asks him about his mysterious story. He pulls up a chair and the scene cuts there, leaving us to wonder how much Bran told Tyrion.

Some fans now suggest that this conversation was important, especially given Tyrion’s later optimism. When he finds himself drinking around a hearth with his friends, he proclaims: “I think we might live.” This is far from the death prediction he issued to Jaime earlier, and some fans think it might be more than tongue-in-cheek.

At the very least, it was a true prediction. Every single character around the fire with Tyrion did survive the battle, despite looking like they were doomed more than once. While some fans chalk this up to the characters’ popularity and the writers’ fear to do away with them, others think it might be a sign that Tyrion knew they would live. Perhaps, he got a prophecy from Bran.

There is other evidence for this idea as well, though it gets progressively more speculative from here. Bran’s powers as the Three-Eyed Raven are hard to understand, and he does little to make it easier. He told the gathered leaders at Winterfell that he is “the world’s memory,” and only Tyrion asked for more detail. Maybe reaching out to this mysterious omniscient consciousness now manifesting in Bran’s body is the first step in Tyrion’s journey to rediscovering his cleverness.

Screenwriter Bryan Cogman, who wrote the script for this episode, spoke to the Huffington Post about the scene between Tyrion and Bran, shedding a little light on their exchange.

“He’s a student of history and I think him wanting to talk to Bran is about him trying to understand — understand the breadth of everything that’s happened to all of these people,” he said. “Obviously, Bran’s had a very unique experience. I think it’s just about him [Tyrion] wanting to know more. A mind needs a whetstone. I think that’s what that’s about.”

While the White Walkers appear to be beaten, it looks like Bran’s abilities and the magic of the old gods could still play a role in the wars to come.

Game of Thrones airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.