This 'Game of Thrones' Theory Could Answer the Show's Biggest Mystery

08/31/2017 03:56 pm EDT

A new Game of Thrones theory claims to know who the fabled "prince who was promised" really is. Throughout the series, Melisandre has prophesied about the return of Azor Ahai, a fabled hero who saved the world during the Long Night thousands of years ago. We don't know much about Azor Ahai, other than he carried a flaming sword called Lightbringer and that he may have defeated the White Walkers long ago.

Many believe that Azor Ahai would eventually return as "the prince who was promised," a person who would lead the fight against an approaching darkness. With the White Walkers building an army and preparing to invade, it seems that Azor Ahai will be needed sooner rather than later.

Melisandre pegged Stannis Baratheon as the "prince who was promised," but she was clearly wrong, given his demise back in season five. Several other characters also fit the general description, including Jon Snow, Beric Dondarrian and Sandor Clegane.

Another character has emerged as Azor Ahai's reincarnation: Daenerys Targaryen. While "prince" is a masculine word in English (and Westeros' "common tongue,") it's a gender neutral word in Valyrian. Therefore, the "prince who was promised" could actually be a princess.

What's more, a Game of Thrones fan on Reddit has come up with a pretty cool theory that ties Daenerys' recent setbacks in her war against the Lannisters to an ancient legend about Azor Ahai and his sword Lightbringer.

According to the legend, it took Azor Ahai three times to make his sword. When he made Lightbringer the first time, he tried tempering it in water, but the sword shattered. On his second attempt, he stabbed the sword into a lion's heart to temper it...but it shattered again.

It wasn't until his third try that he was able to forge Lightbringer, but it required a sacrifice. After forging the sword for 100 days, Azor Ahai stabbed the sword into his wife's heart to temper it. This time, his wife's spirit merged with the sword, causing it to transform into the legendary sword.

Curiously, Daenerys' recent struggles in Westeros mirror this story. She recently lost part of her army in a naval battle against Euron Greyjoy, and her recent invasion of Casterly Rock was a failure, largely because the castle was mostly undefended.

The naval battle against Euron could parallel Azor Ahai's first attempt to temper his sword with water, while Casterly Rock (the home of the Lannisters, whose sigil is a lion) could represent the heart of the lion.

So, if Daenerys is Azor Ahai and she needs to kill her spouse in order to fulfill the prophecy, who's the unlucky fellow? Well, Jorah Mormont has long been in love with Daenerys and is returning to her side soon. There's also her dragon Drogon, which she named after her late husband Khal Drogo. Another possibility is Jon Snow...although there didn't seem to be many sparks between the pair when they first met last week.

Like a lot of Game of Thrones theories, this one could be spot on or it could just be another fakeout. We'll have to find out if any more clues emerge in the weeks ahead.

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