The world of Game of Thrones is full of compelling, unsolved mysteries, and there are several that I hope George RR Martin answers. martins A Song of Ice and Fire series of books and complementary texts such as Fire and Blood and The World of Ice and Fire offer dense worldbuilding, and while they are often considered “low magic” fantasy, there is a sense of mysticism and great intrigue that comes from the way the author spreads mysteries and clues. While I love the ambiguities of Martin’s world, there are also some questions I’m dying to know the answers to.
Now, we can talk about things like R+L=J or the Pink Letter forever, but there are also less prevalent mysteries that don’t necessarily need to be answered for the plot to happen. Some concern events around A Song of Ice and Fire and its characters, while others, which are less likely to be answered, relate to the tradition in Fire and Blood. The history of House Targaryen in Westeros alone leaves countless questions unanswered, and while I love some of the answers provided by Dragon Houseit doesn’t satisfy the same desire to see what George RR Martin thinks.
10
What happened to Ashara Dayne?
What exactly led to Ashara’s death?
Ashara Dayne was the sister of Ser Arthur Dayne during Robert’s Rebellion, and history states that she took her own life after the war ended. Ashara is a character we learn about in the books through other characters who share their opinions about her, and there are those who believe that she may have been Jon Snow’s mother. This theory was largely disproved by the TV series that confirmed R+L=J, but it’s still worth noting, as even Catelyn Stark wonders about the possibility of this in A Game of Thrones.
As for what exactly led to Ashara Dayne’s suicide, the details are murky. There is reason to believe that Ashara was “dishonored” at some point before her death and that she was pregnant at some point during the war.but there is not enough information to make clear statements about any of them. This is a mystery that seems important for Martin to clear up, especially as it relates to Ned Stark’s past.
9
Where is Tysha?
Tyrion’s first love is somewhere
One of the biggest differences about Tyrion Lannister in the books is that, in A Storm of Swordshe discovers that the woman he was married to is still alive. For fans of the show, this is the girl he found assaulted by thugs, who Tywin said was planted by Jaime to fall in love with him. Well, it turns out she wasn’t planted and actually fell in love with Tyrion. She was also not killed and is still alive somewhere in the world.
Tyrion spends a portion of A dance with dragons thinking about her, hoping he finds her as he travels through Essos. Some theorized about The Sailor’s Wife, a prostitute in Braavos who only sleeps with those who marry her. She also has a daughter named Lanna (Lannister?), who has golden hair and is the right age to be Tyrion’s daughter. It’s an exciting idea, and I’m not sure I’d want Tyrion to reunite with her, but I’m curious to know for sure if it’s really her.
8
What happened in the Summerhall tragedy?
What killed Dunk and Egg?
During the reign of the Targaryen dynasty, Summerhall was a castle used as a summer castle and one of the royal family’s secondary strongholds after the Red Keep and Dragonstone. In 259 AD, about 30 years before the events of A Song of Ice and Fire, a mysterious fire broke out in the castle, causing the death of King Aegon V TargaryenSer Duncan the Tall, Prince Duncan Targaryen and more.
Given that this event killed off some of the most beloved characters in George R.R. Martin’s world, I hope he explains it in future Dunk & Egg novels. Or, at least, maybe the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms show will provide a speculative answer. Apparently, Aegon V tried to bring dragons back, and Barristan Selmy inferred that dark magic might be involved. Maybe it was simply an experiment gone wrong, but I’d like to know for sure.
7
What happened in Hardhome? (Before ADWD)
Hardhome was destroyed without explanation
TV fans will remember Hardhome as the site of one of the best battles in the Game of Thrones franchise, but there’s more lore about the location that the show leaves out. Long before the events of A Song of Ice and FireHardhome was on its way to becoming the first proper city north of the Wall. About six centuries before the books, the city was destroyed abruptly under vague circumstances.
The townspeople were killed or taken as slaves, mysterious screams were heard coming from the caves, and all that was left were burned bones and trees.
According to tradition, the town’s houses were randomly set on fire to such an extent that the Night’s Watch were able to see glimpses of the top of the Wall, miles away, believing that the sun was rising in the north. The townspeople were killed or taken as slaves, mysterious screams were heard coming from the caves, and all that was left were burned bones and trees. It is unknown whether this was caused by some natural event, mystical creatures, White Walkers, dragons, or something else entirely.
6
Where did Aerea Targaryen go with Balerion?
Aerea stole the world’s biggest dragon in over a year
It’s hard to beat the mystique of dragons, and one of my favorite mysteries is directly linked to Balerion, the Black Terror. During the reign of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, a princess named Aerea claimed Balerion without anyone’s permission and disappeared with him for over a year. She eventually returned to King’s Landing seriously ill, with horrible creatures living inside her body, causing smoke to come out of her mouth.
It’s one of the most horrific deaths in Martin’s world, and that’s saying something. Although the septon who accompanied her believed that Balerion had taken her to the ruins of Valyria, there must be more to the story than that. She was gone for an entire year, somehow surviving with the biggest dragon in the world. Valyria couldn’t have been her only stop, but the fact that Balerion took her there raises fascinating questions about the autonomy of dragons.
5
What has Howland Reed been doing?
Howland Reed was in the Tower of Joy
Howland Reed is one of those characters that exists on the periphery of A Song of Ice and Fire. He definitely has information we want to hear, which is probably why George RR Martin hasn’t brought him directly into the story yet. His castle, Greywater Watch, is known for moving, and while there is a practical reason for this, it still feels mystical in the sense that armies and ravens can’t find it. Not to mention, he sends Jojen Reed to help Bran discover his greensight powers.
Perhaps the most important thing we want to know relates to Howland Reed’s presence in the Tower of Joy. After Ned Stark’s death, he is the only person alive from the mysterious event, which means he is probably aware of Jon Snow’s parentage. I’d like to see him return and give some answers, but I’d also like to know what else he’s been up to all this time, maybe something related to the Others or the Children of the Forest.
4
Who are the others? (and what they want)
What really happened to the children of the forest?
The biggest issue in A Song of Ice and Fire it certainly belongs to the central plot, but strangely, it doesn’t feel like an actively discussed topic. The Others are the first antagonist introduced in A Game of Thrones and without a doubt the biggest disappointment in Game of Thrones TV series. There must be something different about how they will be treated in George R.R. Martin’s booksmaking it a more valuable arc for the series.
We know that the First Men and the Children of the Forest defeated the Others in the first Long Night, thousands of years before the events of A Song of Ice and Fire. THE the biggest issue regarding them seems to be their relationship with the childrenas there is probably more there than we know from the legends. Game of Thrones showed the Children incidentally creating the Others, but I’d be interested in seeing that mythology expanded.
3
Where did Daenerys’ dragon eggs come from?
Who is (Dany’s) real mother of dragons?
The mystery of Dany’s dragon eggs is something irrelevant to the series, but I would honestly like to know. Illyrio Mopatis claims they came from Asshai, an area I would like to know more about in general. This has led many to believe that Elissa Farman, the woman who stole dragon eggs during the reign of Jaehaerys I, stole the eggs who would eventually become Drogon, Viserion and Rhaegal.
I certainly subscribe to Elissa Farman’s theory, as I like the idea that Corlys Velaryon saw her ship in Asshai. This is a very compelling clue, combining different eras of history in Westeros to reveal an answer. I would be pleased if this was the last information we got about the origin of these eggs, but I would be curious to know for sure.
2
What was in the letter Aegon received from Dorne?
Aegon the Conqueror abruptly ended a war due to a single mysterious letter Aegon the Conqueror read this letter, flew away from the scene, and then returned, announcing peace with Dorne.
In Aegon’s conquest of Westeros, the only region he failed to control was Dorne, which resisted the Targaryen dynasty for nearly two centuries. Aegon’s sister and wife, Rhaenys, was killed by a Dornish scorpion bolt while on the dragon’s back, resulting in a two-year period known as the Wrath of the Dragon, where Aegon set fire to Dorne on the dragon’s back. Shortly afterwards, Princess Deria Martell brought Aegon the skull of the dragon Meraxes, as well as a letter.
Aegon the Conqueror read this letter, flew away from the scene, and then returned, announcing peace with Dorne. The contents of this letter are not revealed to the reader, but it must have been incredibly powerful in making Aegon announce immediate peace. with his enemies and explains nothing about it.
1
What happened to Blackfyre?
Targaryen ancient swords are missing
Blackfyre was the ancestral Valyrian steel sword of Aegon the Conqueror, passed down to various Targaryen kings over the centuries. In 182 AC, Aegon IV legitimized his bastard son, Daemon, who formed a house of cadets called House Blackfyre. Aegon IV also granted the family sword to Daemon, despite having a legitimate son, Daeron II Targaryen. This eventually resulted in a succession conflict called the First Blackfyre Rebellion.
Daemon Blackfyre died in battle and his half-brother Aegor Rivers recovered the blade, bringing it to Essos when he started the Golden Company. The blade has not been seen since. Likewise, the Valyrian steel sword Dark Sister was supposedly taken beyond the Wall by Brynden Rivers decades later. Game of Thrones didn’t provide any answers, so I hope George RR Martin does.