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Beware, for this post is dark and full of spoilers for Game of ThronesSeason 1-7
Valar morghulis, friends. You've just entered Mashable's Citadel, where we are Rewatching for the Throne, dissecting Game of Thronesseason by season to prepare for the final six episodes beginning on April 14.
Here are all the best Season 1 theories, unanswered questions, predictions, unresolved plots, and forgotten details you need to remember before winter comes for the endgame in Season 8.
SEE ALSO:Every detail you missed from the new 'Game of Thrones' Season 8 photos1. What does the spiral pattern mean?
This reoccurring mystery hasn't been resolves since the very first scene of the very first episode. The White Walkers leave the dead wildlings' body parts arranged in an odd pattern, which crops up again in Episode 3, Season 3 when Mance points out that the dead horses are arranged similarly. "Always the artist," he jokes about the White Walkers.
via GIPHY
But it's not just the Walkers using this spiral pattern.
In one of Bran's visions in Season 6, a similar symbol is prominent in the shot of the Weirwood tree where the Children of the Forest created the first ever White Walker. It's there again in Season 7's Dragonstone cave paintings, presumed to be created by the Children as well. It's even the pattern that Dany arranges for Drogo's funeral pyre, which birthed the first dragons in centuries
We've never gotten a straight answer about their significance. Showrunner David Benieoff has explained that these ancient symbols were created by the Children for rituals and magic.
via GIPHY
Some speculate the Walkers use it to mock their creators, debasing their holy symbols. Or maybe the White Walkers, who began as First Men, also worship the same old gods. Others believe it more practical magical use. There's precedent for it being associated with the Isle of Faces, an important, mysterious, ancient location where the Children of the Forest and First Men made a peace pact during Westeros' prehistory (see our Season 3 analysis for more).
Generally, spirals represent cycles of repetition. That makes perfect sense four our story, which is paralleling the story of the Long Night when the White Walkers first rose thousands of years ago.
Perhaps the White Walkers see this pattern as a reminder to man of another pact they made thousands of years ago, but have since forgotten (see our Season 5 roundup). Maybe it's an indication that the White Walker return is simply part of the universe's natural cycle, and potentially even tied to Planetos' strange seasonal patterns.
2. Who sent the direwolf and her pups to the Starks?
We've seen a lot of magic since, but a direwolf showing up with five pups on the wrong side of the Wall remains weird.Like, couldn't have been a coincidence kind of wild.
And because this is Game of Thrones, everything from fate to prophecy should be kept in doubt. So we're not ready to believe it's just for the sake of divine intervention or foreshadowing (after all, the literal symbol on the Stark sigil was killed by the literal symbol of the Baratheon sigil).
But, to be fair, there was probably some magic involved.
Lady is good! Lady didn't BITE anyone!Credit: hboOur best guess is that Bloodraven, a.k.a the Three-Eyed Raven before Bran, saw what was to come in the future. He knew the Stark children (particularly Bran) would need hardcore protection and to reawaken their warging abilities through the direwolf connection -- in preparation for the Night King. As a warg himself, Bloodraven could've easily hopped into a nearby direwolf and sent her down to Winterfell.
The sadder option is that this was an early hint at how, far beyond the wall, the White Walkers were already making the world too dangerous and uninhabitable for any living creature to live.
3. Treat every word that came out of Old Nan's mouth like gospel
In Season 1 everyone makes fun of Old Nan for those whacky stories -- until nearly every one of them comes true. Here's a scene where she basically lays out everything that's happening now that the White Walkers have fully risen again in Season 8:
#BelieveWomen, because everyone would've saved themselves a lot of trouble for taking Old Nan wisdoms more seriously. Especially the ones that haven't come true yet.
So take note: there's a passage in the books about how Old Nan sees all Brandon Starks as the same person, which might foreshadows that our Bran is a time traveler who truly was all the Brandon Starks from history (including the one of legend who built the Wall and Winterfell).
Also Old Nan says, "All crows are liars." Is there another Night's Watch betrayal to come, or was that a warning to Jon Snow? Or, was it a reference to Bloodraven, who in the books is called the Three-Eyed Crow.
4. How will Nymeria return?
After Nymeria bit Joffrey's arm to defend Arya in Episode 2 (the goodestgirl), she was the first direworlf to disappear from the story. But unlike almost all the other direwolves since, she and Ghost are now the last remaining survivors.
Nymeria knows that the lone wolf dies, but the pack survivesCredit: helen sloan/hboIn her brief reunion with Arya in Season 7, it's revealed that'd she's become the leader of a badass wolf pack. But it's hard to believe that's the last we'll ever see of this powerful she-wolf.
In the books, Nymeria's deadly wolf pack is causing all sorts of mayhem in the Riverlands, and it's speculated she'll either come back to fight alongside Arya in the battle against the dead or even fight in a battle against a different conqueror, Daenerys Targaryen.
5. Did Mirri Maz Duur curse Daenerys?
After her betrayal, the witch Mirri Maz Duur says the following infamous words after Dany asks when Drogo will truly return to her:
"When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child. Then he will return, and not before."
Now, you can interpret this straightforwardly, as a really poetic way of saying, "Never." But others see it as something of a prophecy or curse. And in terms of book lore, nearly every one of her predictions has already come true except for the living child and Khal Drogo's return.
Dany made some **mistakes**Credit: helen sloan/hboDany brings this curse back up in the Season 7 finale with Jon, interpreting it as a curse that left her barren. But Jon wisely says she shouldn't believe the words of a scorned witch, leading many to speculate that they'll have a baby (whether human or dragon) next season.
But here's the twist: if the prophecy comes true, that means Khal Drogo will be returned to Dany, right? Or more probably, it means Daenerys will die and reunite with him in the afterlife. This would also align with a vision she has in the House of the Undying in Season 2 )check out our analysis here).
6. The significance of the Valyrian dagger
Wen we first watched Season 1, none of us understood why the Valyrian dagger used in the assassination attempt on Bran was so special. We still don't. But that specific dagger comes back up many times, indicating its importance to the endgame.
What fans refer to as the "Catspaw Dagger" comes from unknown origins, which is very odd for any Valyrian weapon. Baelish claims to have lost it to Tyrion in a bet, but that's total bullshit (Why would a man from a no-name family possess such a rare weapon? Also we now know Baelish was actually just scheming for a fight between the Starks and Lannisters back then).
More importantly, in Season 7 Littlefinger gives it to Bran and the all-knowing Three-Eyed-Raven asks, "Do you know who this belonged to?"
A weird question from someone who knows everything, and likely an indication that its origins and history matter (our bet is an important Targaryen).
Keep that Valyrian steel close in Season 8, AryaCredit: helen sloan/hboThat's supported by the fact that Bran (who, again, knows everything) then very pointedly gives it to Arya. Just to bring things full circle, Arya later uses it to slit Baelish's throat.
But it goes even deeper. In Season 7, we also saw an identical-looking Valyrian dagger in a book Sam was reading at the Citadel. The text around it explains how Targaryens often decorated their Valyrian weapons with dragonglass -- you know, the only thing that kills White Walkers.
In the latest Season 8 images, we see the dagger with Arya and, boy, are we glad it's in the hands of a killing machine since the White Walkers are now barreling toward Winterfell.
7. Cleganbowl HYPE
By far one of the most beloved theories in the Game of Thronesfandom, Cleganebowl refers to the epic duel predicted to happen between Sandor Clegane (the Hound) and Gregor Clegane (the Mountain).
via GIPHY
We saw our first glimpse of it in Season 1, when the Hound steps in to protect Ser Loras from the Mountain when a tourney match gets too hot. But if they do meet again in Season 8, it will be to the death. The Hound said as much in the Season 7 finale, telling his brother, "You know who's coming for you. You've always known.”
But the Hound will have his work cut out for him, and not only because he'll be stealing a name from Arya's list. It'll also be tough stuff to kill the now literally undead, unfeeling Frankenstein's monster that is Qyburn's Mountain.
8. Is Syrio still alive?
Ok at this point this one is more wish fulfillment rather than anything likely.
But the love for Arya's "dancing teacher" (a.k.a. the extremely badass First Sword of Braavos) Syrio Forel remains strong. Because many believe he escaped death back in Season 1 and is either hiding out in his home city of Braavos along with the Faceless Men or even secretly Jaqen H'ghar.
After all, when it comes toGame of Thrones, you should never trust any death that happens off screen.
We only have six episodes left for him to come back. But what do we say to the god of death?
9. What are Illyrio and Varys plotting?
When we first meet Dany and Viserys, they've been guests of Illyrio for a full year. He's also the man who gives Dany her dragon eggs. Later in the season, Arya overhears him and Varys plotting in the dungeons of the Red Keep. In Season 5, he houses known fugitive Tyrion Lannister so that Varys can bring him to Daenerys.
But... why??? Why is this rich cheese monger in Essos interested in gambling on Westerosi politics?
Illyrio is low-key one of the most influential schemers. We're not sure if he wants much more other than what he tells everyone: gold and wealth. But we do know he's part of the larger conspiracy Varys is plotting -- and that will for sure be a huge reveal in Season 8.
Our best guess is that all these schemes were to get a Targaryen back on the throne. But again, why? Well, because Varys just might be a secret Targaryen (or Blackfyre, a storied line of Targaryen bastards in Essos who have plotted multiple times to reclaim control of the throne). Check out the video above for more on that, and our theory here on the Golden Company.
Regardless, we'd do well to not forget or underestimate these pair of puppet masters, though.
10. Did Daenaerys' dragons really bring back magic?
Via GiphyAfter Dany hatched her eggs, every magical person in the Game of Thronesuniverse says their magic grew stronger: the Warlocks in Qarth, Melisandre, the other Red Priests. That's why the Warlocks try to enslave Daenerys in Season 2.
But here's the thing: The return of magic probably wasn't the causeof magic's return, but rather one of the first major effects. Daenerys didn't single handedly bring back magic. And honestly, the ritual that brought the dragons back doesn't sound any more special than other blood magic rituals (like Miri Maz Duur's or Melisandre's), all paying for life with a sacrifice.
But for more on that, check out our next roundup.
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