10 ‘Game Of Thrones’ Theories To Know Before Season 8

“Game of Thrones” may not be returning for its final season until April 14, but there are a ton of theories for fans to digest prior to the show’s final episodes.

Naturally, everyone wants to guess how the show is going to come to an end and what will happen as the wars of Westeros come to a close. While some theories seem possibly a little far-fetched, others could very well be proven true when the series airs its final six episodes. Here are 10 big theories to pay attention to before the final season.

Jon Wins Control Of The Iron Throne

The teaser trailer for Season 8 of “Game of Thrones,” which featured Jon (Kit Harington), Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Arya (Maisie Williams) in the crypts of Winterfell has many fans feeling that there was a huge hint about who will survive and who won’t.

In the teaser, all three are confronted by their own statues that are erected for their deaths. However, while Sansa and Arya appear young in their depictions, Jon looks like an older man in his. Many have seized on this, indicating that the Stark sisters will perish while Jon will survive—and his survival would make him the most likely candidate for the Iron Throne as the legitimate Targaryen heir.

Cleganebowl Will Happen

Fans have been waiting years for Sandor (Rory McCann) and Gregor (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson) Clegane to finally battle one another one final time, and Björnsson himself seemed to confirm that it would happen in Season 8 during an Instagram Q&A session back in 2018.

Bran Is The Night King

Fans have been convinced for a while that Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) would be revealed as the Night King, though the actor himself doesn’t really buy that as a possibility, comparing the differences between his character and the Night King in an interview with Vulture back in 2017.

“I think it’s less that they’re the same person and more that they’re two of the ancient beings of Westeros,” he said at the time. “...Perhaps we can think of it as these are two characters with a huge amount of power, but one is a Frankenstein’s monster who is driven by nothing but hatred and violence. Then there’s Bran, who uses his powers for good.”

Of course, since he was absent in the teaser about the Starks, the theory has since begun gaining steam once more.

Daenerys Will Become Pregnant With Jon’s Baby

While this is technically a theory, Season 7 saw a lot of support that would suggest Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) will learn that her dragons actually aren’t the only children she’ll ever have. The season saw a lot of discussion about who would inherit the throne from her after her death since she believes she is barren, as well as Jon telling her that Mirri Maz Duur probably wasn’t the best source for information about her fertility. It seemed like plenty of setup for a pregnancy reveal—and with the pair’s hookup in the finale, it seems pretty certain the baby will be Jon’s.

Tyrion Is Really A Targaryen

Based on descriptions of Tyrion’s look from George R.R. Martin’s books, as well as the fact that he was able to interact with Dany’s dragons on the show, some fans believe Tyrion will be revealed as a second secret Targaryen in Season 8.

Arya Kills Cersei (as Jaime)

Cersei’s (Lena Headey) death has been foreshadowed via her prophecy from Maggie the Frog as a kid, which stated she’d be killed by her “little” brother, which many believe will be Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). While it’s very possible he could return to King’s Landing to kill his sister, many believe that his return will instead come in a different way.

Arya (Maisie Williams) still has Cersei’s name at the top of her kill list-and not letting her complete the job would be anti-climactic. Many believe that after Jaime rides North, Arya will execute him. Then, she will take his face and ride South. When she gets close to Cersei, disguised as her brother/lover, it’s believed she will commit the murder.

Nymeria Will Return

After Arya was reunited with her direwolf Nymeria, many wondered why the scene was included in Season 7, especially since the wolf didn’t follow her former owner to Winterfell. It would seem strange to bring her back solely for a throwaway scene, so fans think the wolf and her new pack will come back in Season 8 to help in the battle against the dead.

Sam Has Been Narrating The Tale This Whole Time

Not only do fans think that Sam (John Bradley) will be revealed to have been narrating this complicated story of Westeros the whole time, but a popular theory about this also indicates that the show will end with an older Sam closing the book and putting it away—only he won’t be the same actor. That theory suggests that George R.R. Martin himself will be the narrator.

Cersei’s Pregnancy Comes With A Twist

While it seems certain that Cersei is, in fact, pregnant (though many believe the baby will die due to her prophecy), there is also a theory that, despite their love for one another and the fact that she and Jaime did have sex, that he isn’t the father of her child this time around. Because of their other secret dealings, there are some theories that Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk) is the man who impregnated her.

Tyrion Will Betray Dany

Though he is the Hand of the Queen to Daenerys, there is a sad theory out there that he may wind up betraying his Queen. In addition, the theory claims he will be tried for treason as well, meaning he gets caught in the process.

"Game of Thrones" Season 8 premieres on HBO on Sunday, April 14 at 9 p.m. EST.