The Night King Might Not Really Be Dead, According to New Game of Thrones Fan Theory

When audiences saw Arya Stark plunge her Valyrian steel dagger into the Night King’s stomach at the end of "The Long Night," the third episode in season 8 of Game of Thrones, it seemed a little too good to be true. Now a new fan theory is questioning whether we've really seen the last of the Night King.

“I believe the [Night] King was going to give his sword to Bran and kneel just before he was stabbed," Redditor logicman101 posted. "Azor Ahai is playing out its prophecy and preventing this, but it may not be yet over. I still believe Bran is the true [Night King].”

Bran Stark being the Night King is already a popular theory, given his role as the Three-Eyed Raven. The meeting of the two had the potential to reveal that Bran was the true Night King, but Arya killed the king before that could ever happen. The theory goes on to suggest that “in an upcoming episode we may see some alternate reality play out in one of Bran's visions, where we see the Night King kneel to pass on whatever power and magic is necessary to Bran.”

“The real Night King or the next in line Night King (Bran) will probably be defeated by some knowledge Tyrion gathered during his conversation with Bran,” according to the theory. “I believe that scene of Tyrion and Bran about to have a conversation truly foreshadowed something to come, some knowledge Tyrion [learned] from Bran to defeat him.”

Though the actor who plays Bran Stark, Isaac Hempstead Wright, has called the idea that he’s the Night King “far-fetched,” some fans aren’t buying the easy death of the undead ruler. “If this is truly the end of the wights and the White Walkers, it is a catastrophic ruin to entire story,” the Redditor says.

We’re hoping Game of Thrones continues to be unpredictable.