Here's what Arya Stark and her white horse could mean for Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones Season 8 episode 5 “The Bells” had a lot going for it. So many happenings and so many deaths in just one episode, but it ended with a scene that baffled quite a lot of users. We saw Arya make her way through the destruction in King’s Landing, and find a white horse, whom she rides out of the city. Here’s what it could mean for the show, and the series finale.

White Horses have been used as a symbol in storytelling for a long time now, for both good and bad things. However, fans are speculating that this particular bit might be pointing towards a Bible verse that talks about the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The passage says:

“And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.”

Arya and death have danced for a long time in the show, and it seems like the show is hinting that Arya will have a final battle with death in the series finale. We saw who brought death in “The Bells” — Daenerys Targaryen, and it feels like could be the second bit of foreshadowing that Arya could be responsible for Daenerys’ death, after the ‘green eyes’ clue.

It also connects to both Arya and Daenerys, as Ned Stark used to ride a white horse, and so did Daenerys, at the beginning of the show. Maybe it’s things coming together for Arya and Daenerys, both of whose fathers were murdered in King’s Landing.

Either that, our we will get our expectations subverted again. What do you guys think? Talk to us in the comments, down below!

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“You will shut many eyes forever – brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes.” So said Melisandre of Asshai when she met Arya Stark for the first time. This prophecy has played out since then, with both ‘brown eyes’ (Walder Frey) and ‘blue eyes’ (Night King) succumbing to Arya’s blade. Fans have long predicted the green eyes to signify Queen Cersei. But the equation changed with Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 5 ‘The Bells’ when another pair of green eyes became very important – Queen Daenerys Targaryen.

In an unfathomably shocking act of madness, Daenerys Targaryen torched thousands of innocent King’s Landing civilians in Game of Thrones’ penultimate episode, and as such established herself as the most devastating villain of the series ever.

Before Dany’s Mad Queen twist, Cersei was being regarded as the ‘Mad Queen’, mainly for blowing the Sept of Baelor with Wildfire in Season 6, but also for her general ruthlessness and murderous ways. The Lannister Lioness’ green eyes are quite famous and have been referenced multiple times in the books and the show.

Now, Cersei has been on Arya’s kill list since Season 2 and she even came to King’s Landing with the purpose of killing her. Melisandre’s prophecy in Season 3 also included green eyes, so many fans thought Arya will fulfil this target next. That expectation was strengthened when Arya left Winterfell on ‘unfinished business’ in episode 4.

But Sandor Clegane turned Arya back from that path and she went on to survive the burning of the city by just an inch. With Cersei now dead and Arya witnessing Daenerys’ carnage first-hand, it is all too possible that the significance of ‘green eyes’ has changed for Arya.

Interestingly, Daenerys’ eyes were not even supposed to be green. In the books, they are purple, and in keeping with the unusual physiological traits of Valyrian Dragonlords from whom Daenerys is descended. But Emilia Clarke, the actor who plays Daenerys in the show, has green eyes. Although she wore purple contacts in the unaired pilot of Game of Thrones, that idea was discarded in the main show and Clarke stuck to her natural eye colour.

If the show follows the books in terms of major plot points (and Daenerys’ death should be a major plot point) then the Arya-killing-Daenerys-because-of-prophecy scenario is unlikely, because book Daenerys does not even have green eyes. But the show has introduced many plot twists – so this is not totally implausible either.

What do you think of this theory? Will Arya fulfil the ‘green eyes’ prophecy by killing Daenerys or some completely different end awaits the ‘Queen of Ashes’? Tell us in the comments!

Fans have been waiting for the Clegane brothers to clash for so many seasons now that it would be heartbreaking if they passed that up completely. But fret not fandom. There are several hints that Cleganebowl is well and truly coming, and might actually happen Game of Thrones Season 8 episode 5. Read on!

The last time we have seen Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane and Sandor ‘The Hound’ Clegane come face to face was the Season 7 finale. Hound did not miss the opportunity to remind Mountain that the fight is still on. The Mountain didn’t respond except glowering menacingly but then he hasn’t been very talkative for some time, has he? But that scene was the first time the makers openly acknowledged and gave credence to what up till then have just been theories.

Hints galore in episode 4

The first three episodes of Season 8 had been preoccupied with the Dead. But Sandor Clegane is right back on track with episode 4. He says “there is only one thing that will make me happy” when Sansa talks to him, which is a clear indication to facing his brother. The next time we see the Hound he is striking out alone on a horse. Arya catches up with him and they share some good old warm and fuzzy insults.

Arya and Sandor leave together for King’s Landing

Sandor then again says, “I have unfinished business in King’s Landing.” He is not interested in the war; he would have left with Jon Snow’s army then. So why is he going to King’s Landing? Obviously, to face his no. 1 nemesis and elder brother Gregor.

It’s even by supported narrative logic. The Mountain protects Cersei, and it would be necessary to eliminate him before anyone gets to her. Now Arya is obviously going to King’s Landing, and both Cersei and Mountain are on her List. It makes sense for Arya and Hound to team up again to execute their revenge.

What is Cleganebowl theory?

The Cleganebowl theory goes back beyond the show, it started with the book series fans. Sandor and Gregor’s enmity begun back into their childhood, Gregor would bully his little brother endlessly and once pressed his face onto a hot brazier over a small fight about a toy.

Sandor and Gregor Clegane fight in Game of Thrones Season 1

The fire burned away one whole side of Sandor’s face, made him a complete cynic, and gave him a deep-seated fear of fire that made him defect from the Battle of Blackwater and would have done the same in Battle of Winterfell except for Arya and Beric. Hound has repeatedly said that he considers killing the Mountain to be his destiny. It was the one thing that kept him standing through all injuries and hardships. He is not the cold-hearted cynic he once was, but the hate still burns.

Right from Season 1, we are told that Sandor has vowed to kill his brother one day and by Season 7 it has almost become a destiny. Even the actors Rory McCann (Hound) and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Mountain) have been hyping about it off-screen. As Game of Thrones completes its journey in just two more episodes, Cleganebowl seems imminent.

With the Night King defeated and just two episodes till the endgame, Game of Thrones is firmly back to the question that once defined it – who will sit the Iron Throne? The major conflict is between the two queens, Daenerys and Cersei, with Jon Snow/Aegon Targaryen coming up on a wild card. But there’s still a chance for something completely unexpected to happen. We are talking about Sansa and Tyrion.

Both of them are smart, capable leaders, with a sure grasp of King’s Landing politics. Also, there has always been a crop of theories that claimed this outcome. Let’s examine the reasons why this could happen.

The War of the Roses

George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series (on which Game of Thrones is based) is a loosely adapted version of a real intergenerational war that tore through Britain in the 12th century – the War of the Roses. Even the names of the Noble families involved that war – Lancasters and Yorks – are similar to the conflicts of Game of Thrones (Lannisters, Starks).

Now, that war was ultimately resolved with a marriage between one Lancaster and one York. We know the show follows Martin’s guidelines about crucial plot points. It is possible that Martin plans to end the Ice and Fire saga with the marriage of a Lannister and a Stark. Who better from either family than Sansa and Tyrion?

Sansa and Tyrion’s renewed chemistry

Sansa and Tyrion’s first marriage was totally against their wishes. But Tyrion was the only man who never hurt Sansa even when he had every opportunity. They even developed a respectful friendship before parting at Joffrey’s wedding. Sansa too has acknowledged Tyrion’s kindness many times.

Some sparks were evident between them in the crypts during the battle of Winterfell. Tyrion remarked maybe they should have stayed married, and kissed her hand when they feared certain death.

Also, he seems to be the only man Sansa trusts beyond political equations, and that is the lot coming from the super-cynical Lady of Winterfell. Here is a relationship based on mutual respect rather than physical desire or romantic love – just what you need in a good royal couple.

Growth-centric story arcs

Sansa has grown exponentially through the seasons. She survived exceptional adversity and cruelty that can turn people insane (as it did for Theon) and came out stronger. She has been making all the right decisions for a long time even in the face of Littlefinger’s manipulations. She has a brilliant grasp of people’s characters, understands deception from a mile, and is a competent ruler who always keeps the welfare and needs of her people in mind.

Tyrion has been proved to be a competent ruler in the early seasons as well. He may have failed one too many times in advising Dany, but that is mainly because his priority always has been to avoid bloodshed and all-out war. Both Tyrion and Sansa’s outlook is genuinely pro-people, not just saviour or hero complex.

Now compare this to the other possible rulers.

Daenerys started off with a dream to break the wheel and “free the world from tyrants” but is swiftly descending to megalomania and madness. Her obsession with the throne and her tendency to burn down her detractors are not signs of a good ruler.

Cersei may be a war mastermind but no one would call her a good ruler. She has made it repeatedly clear that she does not care about the people and would not think twice about using them as human shields as she is doing at the moment.

Jon Snow is the best claimant right now, as the lawful son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. He is a war hero and loved by all, also has prophecy-backings. But he has repeatedly proven himself to be politically naive and is disinterested in being King. Significantly, the animal connected to his Stark roots (direwolf Ghost) is gone, and the animal connected to his Targaryen roots (Rhaegal) is dead. This may foreshadow his death or injury in the coming episodes.

What are the odds?

Neither Sansa nor Tyrion has the necessary bloodline to ascend the throne. But Martin’s narrative has always been openly critical of the feudal structure of Westeros, so it makes sense for him to champion the unlikely but more suitable people for the throne. Sophie Turner, Joe Dempsie, Kit Harington all have promised a totally unexpected and divisive ending for Game of Thrones. But would having Jon, Cersei, or Daenerys on the thrones really be unexpected? Thought not.

So is the time for the Imp and the Ice Queen finally come? Only two weeks until we know!