Catelyn Tully will be the Nissa Nissa to Someone's Azor Ahai

[Sansa of the Many Surnames]

I've seen people present this idea before, but never with the supporting details I am about to use.

Essentially, I believe 100% that Catelyn Tully Stark as born-again Lady Stoneheart is this age's Nissa Nissa, and whoever eventually mercy kills her will be Azor Ahai, drawing the Red Sword of Heroes from her withered corpse.

For one, to bring back such a major character as Catelyn has major implications that go beyond her being just a tool for revenge against the Freys and Lannisters. GRRM could have easily left her dead, with her demise still having an emotional impact on the narrative through many major characters.

So why bring her back? I believe GRRM has given her a much larger role, and he has left us hints all throughout ASoIaF.

Before I get into the details of my theory, let me quickly post a synopsis of Azor Ahai forging Lightbringer to end the Long Night. The full legend can be found at the Wiki:

Azor Ahai labors on the sword for 30 days and nights, and tempers it in water only for it to break.

He then labors 50 days and nights, captures a lion, and tempers the sword in its heart only for it to break then, too.

Finally, he labors 100 days and nights, and tempers it in the heart of his wife Nissa Nissa, whose living soul combines the steel of the sword to forge the flaming sword of legend.

I believe Catelyn Tully is the embodiment of all three requirements. Let me begin:

The Etymology of Catelyn Tully

We can all agree that GRRM is a tedious, complex writer who pays very close attention to details. From mentions of Arbor Gold and emeralds to certain descriptive words, he has quite the track record for using words and motifs that go well beyond the surface context of specific scenes, serving a greater purpose to the narrative. I believe he did this with Catelyn Tully through her very name.

First, on the surface, her name means "pure" according to Wikipedia. However, her first name is NOT pronounced "Cate-Lyn" as most would tend to say in the real world. It is more like "Cat-Elyn", so let's pick these two apart.

"Cat" is rather obvious, as that obviously invokes images of felines. Cat is also Catelyn's well-known nickname used by several major characters, including Littlefinger.

"Elyn" is where things get interesting. The name alone would be considered a variant of "Ellen" which according to Think Baby Names is of Greek origin, meaning "sun ray". Wikipedia agrees about "sun ray" but also adds "lightness". Both sources also go on to say that "Ellen" (and subsequently "Elyn") is also considered a variant of "Helen", which Wikipedia says means "torch".

Second, her last name "Tully" also has intriguing implications.

According to House of Names and Wikipedia, "Tully" is derived from "tuile" - an Irish word meaning "flood". In fact, Flood is the anglicized version of Tully, and one point both surnames were considered to be interchangeable.

So, from this section we can determine that Catelyn Tully, from her name alone, is associated with purity, felines, sun rays, light, torches, and water (through floods). Basically, cats, water, and light.

The Origins and Life of Catelyn Tully

Catelyn Tully was born in Riverrun to Lord Hoster Tully, Lord Paramount of the Riverlands, and his wife Lady Minisa Whent.

From this alone, Catelyn is instantly associated with rivers, and thus water, simply from her birth.

House Tully's sigil is a silver trout leaping on a blue and red striped field, symbolizing Riverrun's position at the joining of the blue waters of the Tumblestone and the muddy waters of the Red Fork. The Ghost of High Heart refers to Catelyn as "the lady who was a fish" based on this sigil, comparing Catelyn to a creature who lives in water.

During the course of the War of the Five Kings, Catelyn deals with two Lannisters (Lions) in captivity. She captures Tyrion Lannister in the Riverlands on the suspicion that he was behind an attempt on her son's life, and she releases Jaime Lannister from captivity at Riverrun in a deal for him to rescue her daughters.

Finally, Catelyn eventually dies at The Red Wedding at The Twins, an event orchestrated by the Freys and Tywin Lannister. Her body is dumped into the Green Fork.

From the Green Fork she rises again as Lady Stoneheart, through R'hllor's Kiss of Life from Beric Dondarrion. R'hllor is known as the Lord of Light, the Heart of Fire, and Red God. His sign is a burning heart.

Catelyn's Association with the Major Gods

When looking at Catelyn's character arc, she is associated with the four major religions we have encountered the most in ASoIaF, even if she doesn't know it.

Faith of the Seven - Catelyn is a self-described follower of the Faith and is seen praying in septs at several times in her POV chapters. She can also be associated with Mother figure, and the Crone in her second life.

The Old Gods - Marrying into House Stark, Catelyn was initially hesitant of the Northerner's beliefs. However, show grows to respect the godswood at Winterfell and her husband's time at the weirwood. She also mentions "the old gods and new" at points in the novels, meaning she at least somewhat believes the old gods have power, too. Her children also demonstrate power through the Old Gods.

R'hllor - Beric Dondarrion was initially brought back from the dead during the Wo5K by a Kiss of Life from Thoros of Myr, a Red Priest of R'hllor. Beric eventually passed this power to Catelyn when Nymeria brings her corpse to the banks of the Green Fork three days after the Red Wedding. Lady Stoneheart is a product of R'hllor.

The Drowned God - A practice of the Ironborn who adhere to this faith is to drown yourself in the ocean and then be revived, emerging harder and stronger. Catelyn spends three days dead underwater, and eventually rises again, harder as Lady Stoneheart. Although this is not saltwater, the Ironborn did have control over the Riverlands for sometime before the arrival of Aegon the Conqueror to Westeros.

This is important in that the legend of the Last Hero is associated with the Old Gods, but Azor Ahai with R'hllor. I am unsure if similar legends exist with the other two religions.

Thus, I believe that Azor Ahai is simply a messianic figure that goes beyond being associated with a single religion. He or she will be the savior of the ENTIRE world, not just followers of a single religious faction.

Summary

Catelyn Tully is Nissa Nissa, which means Azor Ahai has to be someone with an emotional connection to her. In this way, Catelyn will be combination of all three elements for the sword that kills her to be tempered into Lightbringer: water, a lion's heart (a cat), and the heart of a loved one of Azor Ahai.

From her heart of stone, Azor Ahai will draw the Red Sword of Heroes, though who this figure will be is up in the air. Potential people with emotional (both positive and negative) connections to Catelyn include: Arya Stark, Sansa Stark, Jon Snow, Brienne of Tarth, and Jaime Lannister (given his current location in relation to Lady Stoneheart).

Speculate away!

[Oafkeeper]

Cat is deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeead!

[TheLightning Lord]

it's possible, i mean she's not some zombie brought back to hang a couple of freys. her role is gonna be massive.

I think she'll be queen of the north and riverlands

[Oafkeeper]

I think she is a secret Targ and is pregnant with Theon's baby.

[The Bastard of Walton]

Injoyed the read Op, I can't say I agree that she is Nissa-Nissa, but I have a feeling she maybe carrying the magic needed to fulfil the prophecy. Berric passed it to her, she will pass it to someone who will play out the role of Nissa-Nissa, my bet now stands with Arya. Possibly Dawn or Oathkeeper being the actual Sword.

My other thinking is that both Jon & Dany are AA & ygritte & Drogo have already fulfilled the part of Nissa-Nissa, the Watch & Drogon being Lightbringer.

[John Suburbs]

Beric Dondarrion set his sword ablaze with his own resurrected blood. Can we consider the possibility that Nissa Nissa might have been a priestess of the Red God as well, and as such probably went through some sort of death-rebirth fire magic, which allowed her life to then ignite LightBringer?

If so, there are several possibilities for who may sacrifice themselves for the next magic sword:

Lady Stoneheart

Melisandre, I mean come on, she's obviously dead

Jon, assuming he comes back

Patchface

The most poetic scene would be LS sacrificing herself to Jon, but it would take a helluva a long time for her to get to the wall.

[Sansa of the Many Surnames]

Injoyed the read Op, I can't say I agree that she is Nissa-Nissa, but I have a feeling she maybe carrying the magic needed to fulfil the prophecy. Berric passed it to her, she will pass it to someone who will play out the role of Nissa-Nissa, my bet now stands with Arya. Possibly Dawn or Oathkeeper being the actual Sword.

My other thinking is that both Jon & Dany are AA & ygritte & Drogo have already fulfilled the part of Nissa-Nissa, the Watch & Drogon being Lightbringer.

I really like this idea, too. I could see more than one character fulfilling the prophecy, for sure!

Beric Dondarrion set his sword ablaze with his own resurrected blood. Can we consider the possibility that Nissa Nissa might have been a priestess of the Red God as well, and as such probably went through some sort of death-rebirth fire magic, which allowed her life to then ignite LightBringer?

If so, there are several possibilities for who may sacrifice themselves for the next magic sword:

Lady Stoneheart

Melisandre, I mean come on, she's obviously dead

Jon, assuming he comes back

Patchface

The most poetic scene would be LS sacrificing herself to Jon, but it would take a helluva a long time for her to get to the wall.

I also think this fits with the idea Bastard of Walton put forth. If all of this people could contain the necessary magic, this could mean more than one AA!

[Lord Lannister]

Wait... Raymund Frey is Azor Azai?!

[BrianBoru]

Except:

AA had to kill NN to forge LB

AAR only has to draw re-forged LB from fire

...In this dread hour a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again

No mention of Nissa Nissa.

[Minuteman]

I think Nissa Nissa may be Melissandre. Ygritte is Jon's true love and he has already mistaken Mel for Ygritte once. If Jon took a token of Ygritte before he burned her which seems likely then it would be a perfect token for a strong glamour. If Mel can get Jon to stab her through the heart while thinking that she is Ygritte then it would replicate the AA/LB tale. She probably has fire inside her so pulling the blade from her pierced heart would "draw from the fire a burning sword".

[aje12]

I'M SO ON BOARD!

The theory works even better when you construe it in a different way as well.

To fight the darkness, Azor Ahai needed to forge a hero's sword. He labored for thirty days and thirty nights until it was done. However, when he went to temper it in water, the sword broke. He was not one to give up easily, so he started over. The second time he took fifty days and fifty nights to make the sword, even better than the first. To temper it this time, he captured a lion and drove the sword into its heart, but once more the steel shattered. The third time, with a heavy heart, for he knew before hand what he must do to finish the blade, he worked for a hundred days and nights until it was finished. This time, he called for his wife, Nissa Nissa, and asked her to bare her breast. He drove his sword into her breast, her soul combining with the steel of the sword, creating Lightbringer.

Now we know how GRRM does prophecy. Things rarely turn out as we expect they would, and he uses play on words, symbolism, metaphor and literalism.

If we can consider the tale of Nissa Nissa a prophecy for the second coming of Azor Ahai, then we garner three main bits of knowledge: Lightbringer went through a cycle of 'water', 'lion', 'wife of blade's owner', before it became lightbringer.

I would like to call your attention to the most well known sword in the series, an ancient heirloom of the Starks. The sword likely named after the Stark sword that defeated the first long night. (That is mere speculation, but the theory still stands without it).

'Ice' is the frozen form of water. That fulfills the water bit of the 'forging' of lightbringer, but what about the other stages?

Well when Eddard Stark dies, the sword passes on to the Lannisters, the 'lions' of Westeros, where it is literally reforged into two Lannister blades, one being Oathkeeper, which is already in direct connection to Catelyn Stark, through the oath of Brienne and Jaime to her, and the other being suspiciously named Widows Wail (coincidence?).

Now this part has not yet come to pass, but it is strongly likely that it shall. The events of how this will come to pass, and by who's hand are unclear, but it is not too much a stretch to say that Catelyn Tully Stark Stoneheart will be killed at the hand of Oathkeeper/Ice. Well how does this relate to the Nissa Nissa prophecy? The final phase in the formation of lightbringer requires the death of the lover of the swords owner, Nissa Nissa. This part works due to the often 'thinking outside the box' interpretation that is prevalent in GRRM's prophecy. Catelyn Stark is the lover of the blade's 'true' owner, and the death of her by Oathkeeper, or 'Ice 2.0' would result in the formation of lightbringer. I don't necessarily believe the formation of lightbringer must be done at the hand of Azor Ahai.

(Also in addition think of the symbolism of Beric's 'light' being passed on to Catelyn. Its almost literal the way her light could pass into the sword.)

Combine this with the findings of the original poster and I think you've got a pretty compelling theory on your hands.

[Sansa of the Many Surnames]

I'M SO ON BOARD!

The theory works even better when you construe it in a different way as well.

Now we know how GRRM does prophecy. Things rarely turn out as we expect they would, and he uses play on words, symbolism, metaphor and literalism.

If we can consider the tale of Nissa Nissa a prophecy for the second coming of Azor Ahai, then we garner three main bits of knowledge: Lightbringer went through a cycle of 'water', 'lion', 'wife of blade's owner', before it became lightbringer.

I would like to call your attention to the most well known sword in the series, an ancient heirloom of the Starks. The sword likely named after the Stark sword that defeated the first long night. (That is mere speculation, but the theory still stands without it).

'Ice' is the frozen form of water. That fulfills the water bit of the 'forging' of lightbringer, but what about the other stages?

Well when Eddard Stark dies, the sword passes on to the Lannisters, the 'lions' of Westeros, where it is literally reforged into two Lannister blades, one being Oathkeeper, which is already in direct connection to Catelyn Stark, through the oath of Brienne and Jaime to her, and the other being suspiciously named Widows Wail (coincidence?).

Now this part has not yet come to pass, but it is strongly likely that it shall. The events of how this will come to pass, and by who's hand are unclear, but it is not too much a stretch to say that Catelyn Tully Stark Stoneheart will be killed at the hand of Oathkeeper/Ice. Well how does this relate to the Nissa Nissa prophecy? The final phase in the formation of lightbringer requires the death of the lover of the swords owner, Nissa Nissa. This part works due to the often 'thinking outside the box' interpretation that is prevalent in GRRM's prophecy. Catelyn Stark is the lover of the blade's 'true' owner, and the death of her by Oathkeeper, or 'Ice 2.0' would result in the formation of lightbringer. I don't necessarily believe the formation of lightbringer must be done at the hand of Azor Ahai.

(Also in addition think of the symbolism of Beric's 'light' being passed on to Catelyn. Its almost literal the way her light could pass into the sword.)

Combine this with the findings of the original poster and I think you've got a pretty compelling theory on your hands.

!!!!!

I'm so into this.

Do you think Ice being reforged into two swords further supports the idea that there will potentially be two AAs?

[Lady Blizzardborn]

Nissa Nissa was Azor Ahai's wife.

So when exactly is Ned coming back from the dead to forge a sword? And which water sigil person and Lannister will he be killing before taking out his undead snookums?

It took AA a very long time to forge that sword--time that Westeros does not have. If Lightbringer exists it 1) won't need reforging, or retempering, and 2) may not need to be stabbed through anybody. Maybe it's what keeps Winterfell warm. Or maybe Dawn glows red near others like elven blades glow blue when orcs are nearby.

[Dorian Martell]

Azor Ahai, Nissa Nissa and Lightbringer are an eastern legend and will not literally come to be. The closest thing that we have is Dany, the death of her husband and the birth of her dragons that literally breathe fire. Since all the theoretical sword candidates either do not exist (original ice) or do not spout flames (dawn) then we have to take the legend symbolically

[Sorcia]

Sadly, I think Gendry is Azor Ahai and Arya is Nissa Nissa. Here are my reasons:

Gendry is Azor Ahai because:

1. Gendry had the obvious Baratheon look. Ned sees Robert in his face; Brienne mistakes Gendry for Renly. Melisandre is not exact in her fire interpretations; she mistook Arya in her fires for someone else. The same can be said that Melisandre is mistaking Stanis for Gendry in her fires.

2. Azor Ahai is reborn amidst smoke and salt. In Brienne's Chapter 37, A Feast for Crows, Brienne and party approach Crossroads. Upon their approach, they encounter hanged men with salt packed in their mouths. The village around the Crossroad Inn is burned leaving a lingering smell of smoke. It's at this point Brienne encounters Gendry forging a sword. Coincidently, she immediately mistakes him for Renly. It is in this chapter that Gendry makes his first kill, thrusting a sword through Biter's head.

3. Gendry is a believer of R'llor.

4. Huge coincidence that Gendry was Tobho Mott's apprentice; the same Smith that was always forging Beric's fire swords. Gendry knows better than anyone how these fire swords were made, and his fascination with Beric's current fire sword is pretty telling of his smith skills.

Arya is Nissa Nissa because:

1. Gendrya. Come on, everyone knows they're a thing. Gendry loves her. There's a lot of Robert/Lyanna references; Maiden in the tree references, etc. I won't belabor the point.

2. Nissa Nissa is brave, and so is Arya. It's said that AA plunges a sword into Nissa's heart, and at first she screams loud enough to shatter one side of the moon, but her bravery allows her to transfer her soul into the blade. Arya spends much of the book proving how brave she is. It's foreboding the way she's always going around saying "fear cuts deeper than swords." It seems the whole point of Arya's journey is to continuously develop and highlight her bravery.

3. Nissa Nissa must be a skinchanger/warg. The description of Nissa transferring her soul into the sword can only fit the description of a skinchanger. We know through Orell and Varamyr Sixskins that skinchangers can transfer themselves into an animal or even human upon their body's death. It's feasible a powerful skin changer can do this with a sword. The only people who have shown this power so far are Bran, Jon, and Arya.