Official Crackpot Theorist Sanctuary

[Milcov]

I love the idea of Rhaegar being alive as the harpist on the Quiet Isle, it's such a bizarre yet brilliant place.

Also, can someone enlighten me on JojenPaste?

[Winter Wasnt That Bad]

Here's my crack-pot theory regarding Dany's 3 dragons. Each will have a dragon-rider eventually. Dany on Drogon (duh), Aegon on Rhaegon (named after his pops after all), and Bran will warg with Viserion, so technically won't be physically riding on top of the dragon. So the third will be riding unbeknownst to the other two, but there will be three.

They eventually will retire and start their own tavern, called the 3 Dragons Tavern of course, and will make a very tidy business serving dragon-flamed mutton chops. (this is the crack-pot part, in case it's not obvious.)

[Sand Snake No. 9]

I love the idea of Rhaegar being alive as the harpist on the Quiet Isle, it's such a bizarre yet brilliant place.

Also, can someone enlighten me on JojenPaste?

I don't know if this summary is a spoiler, but better safe than sorry. Do not open if you haven't read ADWD:

Once Bran, Meera and Jojen got to the caves of the Children of the Forest, Jojen lost all of his energy and started saying things like "it's not Bran who needs to be afraid," and otherwise acting like he was fixin' to die. Later, the CotF gave Bran a bowl of weirwood seed past laced with strands of red. Bran believed the red ripples were weirwood sap. After Bran had his first trip guided by Bloodraven, Hodor carried Bran back to the chamber he had been sharing with Jojen and Meera. Jojen and Meera were not there. Bran starts having visions again and the last thing he sees is a white haired woman using a bronze sickle to cut a prisoners throat in front of a weirwood tree.

Some readers, like me, put all these clues together and concluded that Jojen had been sacrified by the CotF and his blood mixed in the weirwood paste to initiate Bran into the higher mysteries of the greenseer.

[redriver]

I love the idea of Rhaegar being alive as the harpist on the Quiet Isle, it's such a bizarre yet brilliant place.

Also, can someone enlighten me on JojenPaste?

It's meant to be Jojen who gives the weirwood paste that Bran eats before his first weirwood dream it's red color-as in he's been sacrificed.

[Winter Wasnt That Bad]

Which is the reason for the hot springs the castle is built over, right?

Really like this theory of the dragon under Winterfell. But is there any talk at all in ASOIAF about ice dragons? It's pretty durned cold at Winterfell.

[Miriamele]

Really like this theory of the dragon under Winterfell. But is there any talk at all in ASOIAF about ice dragons? It's pretty durned cold at Winterfell.

Yes, it is said once, that something is as cold as the ice dragon's breath. And I think there was an Old Nan story about an ice dragon, I'm not sure though.

GRRM also wrote a short story about an ice dragon, he might like to explore the idea further in a novel.

[Winter Wasnt That Bad]

1. The word that Brienne said was "Sansa", and it prevented her from being hung. Brienne is alive, not undead, and truly thinks she can help unCat find her. She was given bad info that Sansa was seen with the Hound, I believe. We know it was really Arya, and that they are no longer together. But she doesn't know that. unCat made some kind of deal with Brienne. Get me Sansa before such-and-such time, and you will go free, otherwise, present yourself to us for execution. Brienne is honor-bound to obey this, so is using Jaime to track Sansa, not to trap Jaime.

2. Remember the story-line where the old child of the forest sees Arya and practically soils herself? Something about visions of blood. Arya will leave her order, and will become an uber-assassin, tracking down and killing many of her foes. Like Nymeria, she will lead a group of like-minded assassins, who will wreak holy havoc in Westeros.

[Jorge Danger]

Okay, I haven't formulated a specific crackpot theory as of yet, but there are some things I do wonder about Benjen Stark. Beginning with Lyanna's abduction. His brother Brandon rode to King's Landing to demand justice and defend the honor of his House and sister. Benjen... not so much. And then there's the murder of Rickard and Brandon. Afterwards, Aerys calls for the execution of Ned, but not Benjen. Why? Wouldn't Benjen have been considered a threat as well? Especially if Jon Arryn had actually complied, in which case Benjen would be the Lord of Winterfell and have command of its armies. And when the North rebelled alongside Robert, did Benjen ride south to join the cause (and his brother)? No. Instead, he evidently sat on his hands in Winterfell. And when the rebellion was over and Ned returned to Winterfell victorious, Benjen was packed away neatly to the Wall. Is it possible that Benjen might have been loyal to the Targaryens in some way? Perhaps he was kept at Winterfell to await Ned's judgment, which was to send him to the Wall. It just doesn't seem right that he kept himself so distanced from the affairs of his House.

Also, does anyone else wonder if there might be something inside the Wall? I think there might be, and if there is, I have an idea. Everyone talks about there being a dragon underneath Winterfell. I say: mightn't there be one inside the Wall? I remember the chapter in A Storm of Swords where Sam leads Bran through the Black Gate under the Wall. The water that drips down on Bran's face is described as being warm (it's also described as being salty, which may or may not mean anything). Even during the summer, when the wall is weeping, it should never be warm, unless something unnatural is happening to it. If Jon does live and turns out to be Azor Ahai reborn, I think it's possible that Sam discovers something at the Citadel that leads him to believe there is a dragon in the Wall. Before the grand showdown with the Others, he returns with the horn Jon gave him, which I've heard may be the true Horn of Joramun, and Jon blows it. This might fulfill another bit of prophesy by "waking the stone dragon," which would tear the Wall apart in the process (perhaps that's what they truly mean when they say the Horn of Joramun could bring the Wall down). Granted, things would have to be pretty desperate for Jon to knowingly destroy the Wall, but let's face it: things are likely to be desperate. I'm sure a thousand people have theorized this and every other possibility before me, but I'm too lazy to read all of those, so I'm throwing it out here.

[three-eyed monkey]

Okay, I haven't formulated a specific crackpot theory as of yet, but there are some things I do wonder about Benjen Stark. Beginning with...

I'm not sure about your Benjen theory. You raise some good questions but here's my take. Benjen stayed in Winterfell because, as Ned once said, 'there must always be a Stark at Winterfell.' Benjen was the youngest so he stayed. Also, at the start of AGOT when Cat informs Ned that Robert is on his way to Winterfell, Ned gets excited and says they must send a raven to castle black because Benjen will want to come. Would that be the case if he had been packed off to the wall for betraying Ned and Robert? I always got the impression Benjen volunteered for the NW. Can't remember if we were told when and why he went to the wall. But why didn't Aerys call for Benjen's head along with Neds? That's a very good question. Perhaps he didn't want to go as far as wiping out the Stark line.

I think that a dragon in the wall is a live possibility. I agree that Sam's probably got the real horn. And I think Jon or Sam will bring the wall down, probably to let the wildlings through, although come to think of it, scrambling over a mile-high pile of frozen rubble would probably take as long as filing through the gate. That blue rose prophesy where the wall shattered - I think it was a dream Jon had or something from Mel's fire?? - must have something to do with R+L=J.

[Lord Martin]

Religion and magic are closely intertwined in this world. I think magic was a gift from the Gods, the Lord of Light, The Drowned God, the Old Gods and the Storm God. Then they left the world to its own devices. Humans and other humanoid races (COTF, Giants etc...) use this magic in their times of need. Of course this was long forgotten when the Andals came and the Targaryens.

My theory is that the Maesters have been working for centuries to drive magic from the world. They study it so they can master it and make it subordinate to knowledge. As magic faded, the dragons got smaller and died, wild fire lost its heat and there were fewer and fewer wargs.

But the weakening of magic also reduced whatever barriers were holding the Others at bay. So the Others have risen. The Others are indeed the enemy of the Lord of Light and also the Old Gods, The Drowned God and the Storm God. When their ancient rivals returned, the Gods returned to the world to once again aid humans in their time of need. Hence Red Priests have become more powerful, the red candles are buring, Dragons and Wargs are back etc...

I also think blood and blood lines are important. Certain lines have certain magic in their blood. With the return of Gods, come the return of those blood powers. Starks are warging, Targs are hatching and raising dragons. I suspect there may be a few other houses with powers too. My other side theory is that Areon Damphair will raise a Kraken during one of Euron's naval battles

[Ser Leftwich]

Ned was 18 or so and in the Vale planning rebellion with others.

Benjen was a boy under 14 (he is younger than Lyanna), perhaps as young as 10, we do not know his exact age.

Open rebellion from Benjen would have been unlikely.

[Jorge Danger]

Eh, Benjen's probably just what he appears to be. But still, being the bitter man I am, I trust him about as far as I can throw him. Which is to say, not at all until I find out where the hell he is.

[Howling Mad]

1. The word that Brienne said was "Sansa", and it prevented her from being hung. Brienne is alive, not undead, and truly thinks she can help unCat find her. She was given bad info that Sansa was seen with the Hound, I believe. We know it was really Arya, and that they are no longer together. But she doesn't know that. unCat made some kind of deal with Brienne. Get me Sansa before such-and-such time, and you will go free, otherwise, present yourself to us for execution. Brienne is honor-bound to obey this, so is using Jaime to track Sansa, not to trap Jaime.

The word Brienne says is "Stannis" because Catelyn promised Brienne she would free her from her vow of service to pursue Stannis when the time came.

[Mister Rayder]

I have one of my own:

Aurane Waters is one of Davos presumed dead sons impersonating the bastard. And he took all those ships for Stannis.

Think about it, who in KL would recognise one of Davos kids, I seriously doubt they would even recognise Davos. He knew that telling the truth was a really good way to separete his head from his shoulders, so knowing the bastard was dead he stole his identity. Then he started playing the game like a boss.

[ckrichter]

All of the Stark kids (with POVs) have warged things that are important in some way shape or form to them. Jon has warged ghost. Bran has Summer, the three eyed crow (the whole reason for his quest) and the weirwoods (Gods of his father). Arya has warged Nymeria and the cat (picking her name as Cat, and her mother).

Sansa who has yet to really warg will give us a whole new level of warginess by warging a lemon cake!

[Winter Wasnt That Bad]

The word Brienne says is "Stannis" because Catelyn promised Brienne she would free her from her vow of service to pursue Stannis when the time came.

This makes more sense than my theory. I remember now the vow that Catelyn made to Brienne. Even unCat woon't break that evidently.

[Winter Wasnt That Bad]

In an effort to keep this thread going (Me likey crackpot theories), I'm creating three categories for these theories, and nominating a theory as best of its kind for that category:

Favorite Crackpot Theory - Jon Warging into Stannis (via Ghost) by MyDogisNamedDanerys. The explanation did it for me (it explains why Mel sees both Jon and Stannis in her visions as Azor Ahai). Cool one...

Most Likely to Actually Be True - the Starks' Direwolves are representative of their individual masters. Nice one, Noir Dove. Makes sense to me.

Funniest Theory - Victarion's dusky woman is actually Euron Crows Eye. Hats off to your strangeness, Bastard of God's Grace.

[Toccs]

Randyl Tarly is Azor Ahai and Samwell is Lightbringer.

The story of Randyl Tarly is pretty much the AA story. The story of a man with a dream to create the most powerful weapon heir weapon that the Realm had ever seen. He labored long and hard and poured alot of his energy into his creation as even Sam will testify.

The water is Sam's tears. The lion's heart refers to the various masters-at-arms who attempted to train Sam, all of them strong, capable and renowned warriors only to have their hearts broken and self confidence shattered by their inability to teach this kid how to even hold a sword properly. (Or at a stretch it could maybe be the bull aurochs the Warlocks slaughtered) It was only then that Randyl realized what he must do, he would have to break his wife's heart. So with a heavy heart he took his son out into the woods and threatened to brutally murder him and then lie about it afterwards unless he went into permanent exile. It worked, his wife had a very close bond with the boy and losing him like this broke her heart but it also put Sam on his path to becoming The Slayer.

When Randyl finally reunites with his son I predict it will be in the aftermath of a battle, and there amdist the fire, smoke and salt seeing the man his son has become Randyl Tarly will be reborn.

When it comes to defeating the Others what make more sense? A secret bastard with a magic sword . . . or Randyl Tarly widely acknowledged as the greatest general in Westeros and his own personal lightbringer, Grand Maester Samwell "Slayer" Tarly resident authority on the Others. I know who I'd be lining up behind.

[TeamDanyArya]

Stannis is Jon's father with Lyanna still being the baby mama. Stannis and Jon are just too similar in ADWD. That's how Mel sees them both in her fires or whatever.