Jump to content

Hound to Second Sons Theory [Book Spoilers]


mjc5156

Recommended Posts

I've been reading this forum for a few years now, figured it was about time to finally make my first post. I've seen a few posts about the possibility of Sandor Clegane living beyond his book expiration date (if you in fact believe that he is dead, but this is another topic for another post) and wanted to throw my theory out there.



Instead of suffering a mortal wound in one of the upcoming episodes to which Arya responds with the gift of mercy, I think it's a feasible modification to keep him alive to aid Arya in her travels to Bravos. He mentions to Arya (I believe s4e01) that he intends to make for Bravos and join up with the Second Sons. He stays alive and assists Arya in getting to Bravos at which point they split up. Arya will not want to leave Bravos as she has the coin from Jacquen and will not agree to join up with a company of sell swords instead. The Hound will continue on to meet up with and join the Second Sons both as a form of work to keep him alive and as a mechanism for vengeance by fighting for the opposite side of the Lannisters, and in turn the Mountain.



The Hound becoming a Second Son could serve a couple purposes in the show. First, since Barristan the Bold was identified by Jorah almost immediately and thus no retaliation from Barristan telling Dany that Jorah has been spying on her for Varys, the Hound can replace Barristan as the one to reveal Jorah's spying to Dany.



This would also serve to replace some of Strong Belwas’s role – first when Belwas smashes in the teeth of Ghael (the envoy from Astapor). Due to his similarly massive size and strength, Sandor can also replace Strong Belwas by eating the poisoned locusts intended for Dany. Once Dany leaves he can remain in Mereen with Ser Barristan, setting up a potential meeting between the Hound and Tyrion down the road.



We’ve seen multiple instances on the show of D&D replacing actions of a minor character with a major character that we have already been introduced to (e.g., Gendry replacing Edric Storm) and this change could serve as a similar mechanism since we have no Strong Belwas (L) in the show.



What are everyone’s thoughts?


Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Arya leaves for Bravos in the last few episodes of the season then there will not be time for him to make it to Mereen for the Jorah reveal as that is likely to come at the end of this season as well, apart from that I quite like the idea, mostly because I don't want the hound to lose screen time.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would like the hound to live on longer than he appears to in the books but the problem I have with this is , most people mix up gregor and Sandor


He knows the brotherhood without banners accused him of being involved with killing the "Targaryen babes" as soon as he finds out the second sons


are fighting with Daenerys Targaryen he will avoid her like the plague.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting ideas, but I have to wonder........if Dany's firebreathing lizards might put a damper on The Hound's willingness to serve with the Second Sons, ever, LOL

Yeah... I have a feeling the Hound would take one look at fire breathing dragons and say "Fuck that cunt, I'm going home."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So we have seen in the previews for this upcoming episode



Preview Spoiler


Arya stick Sandor with Needle in the gut....



In my opinion, it is still possible for the remainder of Sandor's jurney to be able to mirror what happened in the book fairly closely, maybe Arya's doesn't kill him out of lack of will instead as an act of hate, leaving him to escape across the narrow sea to encounter



Book/Season 4 Spoiler


Tyrion as he flees from the scene of his dead pops. He could follow Tyrion to Pentos and down to the battle waiting outside of Mereen, giving us plenty more

HoundTime in the show, as he is very popular. I don't think he can ever meet up with Dany as a friend though, the Targeryen's aren't going to be fond of House Clegane, for obvious reasons.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah... I have a feeling the Hound would take one look at fire breathing dragons and say "Fuck that cunt, I'm going home."

With the choices of firegods and fire breathing dragons, I'm starting to worry that Sandor might just fight for the Others. LOL, and just kidding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With the choices of firegods and fire breathing dragons, I'm starting to worry that Sandor might just fight for the Others. LOL, and just kidding.

Well if Arya had anything to say about it, she'd make him work with Bran and crew - which would definitely put him in cooler climates. The White Walkers are another matter altogether and I don't think anyone wants what they're offering with "Winter is Coming" and all... a nice toasty fire might be preferred. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So at this point there are two ways Sandor's storyline could continue: he does not 'die' at all (which I find possible but unlikely, given how significant a deviation from the books it), or that the show creates a new death for him (akin to Rakharo's new death in the Red Waste). The Hound joining the Second Sons would be interesting, given that he could join Daenerys. I'm not sure I see it happening because a) it is a significant deviation like I said above and b)It seems like Daenerys would already be fairly prejudiced against House Clegane, but I could definitely see the appeal and thought process behind it.



Thinking of potential new 'deaths' for Sandor, I can't help remembering that Sandor is currently journeying to ransom Arya to Lysa Arryn in the Eyrie. Though he definitely won't be making this transaction, to get to the Eyrie he would have to travel through the Mountains of the Moon. My personal theory is that Sandor and Arya travel through the Mountains of the Moon, and meet with Shagga and his Stone Crows or some other clan chief and clan. I'm pretty sure a fair portion of the show-only audience still recall the unique, comical mountain clans from Seasons 1 and 2. I don't think, at this point, re-introducing them would be particularly difficult. Sandor is unable or unwilling to negotiate with them and wins the fight against them but is wounded. Arya leaves him to 'die', as before, and the story continues on as normal. Arya could easily travel to some Vale town (perhaps Gulltown, even) to get on a ship to Braavos, and Sandor could plausibly make his way to the Quiet Isle from the Vale. It would be a fairly good opportunity to bring back some well-liked characters (I'm sure more than a few people wouldn't be adverse to seeing Shagga again), and stay consistent with the storyline.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Snador did travel with Arya across the Narrow Sea, then continue on to the Second Sons, it would be a nice tie-together factor of Westeros/Essos and minimize multiple roles down into one to prevent having to cast more people with an already tight-ish budget. Personally, I don't see it happening because of the reasons mentioned above (fear of fire, Dany will in no way be positively predisposed towards a Clegane, etc.). That doesn't mean its impossible, and IMO it might be better than following book canon. After the "Hound" dies, we just have the gravedigger and nothing else. So far in the book material he doesn't do anything and we just have theories as to when he'll go off to rescue Sansa or what have you. If they were going to follow book canon (and assuming gravedigger=Sandor), it would be probably be a 'waste' of budget to follow around the guy with a suspicious identity for awhile with no plot direction. IMO they'll either completely deviate his story/mix it with another/or the OP's Second Sons theory or they will kill him off for good. They can't really just have him sort of hang around, not when there are other people to cast and spend money on, etc. So I wouldn't necessarily mind you sellsword idea as it gives him screentime and ties the different continents together, but I also wouldn't mind or be surprised if they give him another purpose


Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would like the Hound to stay on-screen. I don't know how they can do that though but this doesn't sound like a bad idea. The only problem is the timing as the 'Jorah was a spy' reveal will happen pretty much when Arya sets sail for Braavos imo.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

I feel it was mentioned as a reminder to the audience about mercenary companies across the Narrow Sea, following this scene was Davos mentioning the Golden Company. Also acts as a way to have Arya mention that she wants to go to Braavos.

Same. Bryan Cogman mentioned that he threw in Olenna's little anecdote about her Targaryen betrothed to remind the audience about the absolute power the Targaryens once held in Westeros. I expect that the writers were trying to do something similar with the mention of Braavos and the mercenary companies. Because the storylines are so disparate, I think the writers will do whatever they can to draw connections where possible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...