This Terrifying New Night King Theory Has 'Game of Thrones' Fans in an Uproar

Ever since Game of Thrones had its last premiere this past Sunday, fans have been absolutely poring over every single screengrab of the episode to spot clues for the ending. And some fans are absolutely convinced that they've figured out a huge plot point: Namely, that the Night King is a Targaryen. Uh oh. 

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(Image credit: HBO)

Spoiler alert for the Game of Thrones premiere: Ever since Game of Thrones had its last premiere this past Sunday (me: takes a moment, cries a little, comes back), fans have been absolutely poring over every single screengrab of the episode to spot clues for the ending. And some fans are absolutely convinced that they've figured out a huge plot point: Namely, that the Night King is a Targaryen. Uh oh.

So, the reason why this new theory is relevant, beyond giving us more insight into the blue-eyed creep that is season 8's Big Bad, is that it's believed that Jon/Aegon and Dany have claims to the throne because they are Targaryens. Thus, the Night King would also have a claim to the throne, and presumably a really good one, considering he's much, much older than Jon or Dany. Also, only Targaryens can ride dragons, and there's footage the Night King riding the reanimated dragon Viserion. Gulp. 

D. B. Weiss, one of the creators, did hint at the Night King's motives not being purely evil and that their motives might stem from a huge grudge, which kind of fits in with the theory of the Night King being a former Targaryen that's coming back to reclaim what he believes to be his:

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Other fans were quick to point out that we did in fact see the human person who was turned into the Night King centuries before the events of the show, and he did not have the trademark silver hair of a Targaryen—plus, he was created before any of the houses existed. However, that doesn't mean that the human doesn't have the same lineage as what became the Targaryens, just that it was before that recorded history. 

Here's some of the best fan reactions:

Annnnnd now I'm terrified.

I swear, if the Night King ends up on the Iron Throne, I'm just going to stop watching right now. (No, I won't. Who am I kidding? But I AM going to be upset.)

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Katherine J. Igoe
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.