Cersei Lannister's prophecy in Maggy the Frog predicts everything that happens to her in Game of Thronesand this makes it one of the most interesting elements of the HBO series and the books on which it is based. Cersei's prophecy was taken from George RR Martin's book A Song of Ice and Fire series, although the adaptation slightly changes his conversation with Maggy. The circumstances leading up to her encounter with Maggy are the same: a young Cersei visits the witch with a friend, hoping to learn more about her future.
While tracking down Maggy originally seems like fun for the girls, their visit to the witch turns out to be darker than they expected. When Cersei recalls her encounter in A feast for crows, it is revealed that her friend drowned shortly after Maggy told her “Worms will have your virginity. Your death is here tonight, little one.“While Cersei's life is not cut short after her time with Maggy, the witch also makes troubling predictions for her. It's no surprise that Cersei remembers Maggy's words with fearbecause they really tell you what happens in the books and show it.
Maggy the Frog Predicts Cersei Will Be Queen (and Knows How That Will Happen)
She tells Cersei that she will not become queen by marrying Rhaegar
Cersei asks Maggy the Frog three questions when she first meets her, and the first is whether she will “marry the prince.“It's clear that Cersei is interested in the Iron Throne even at a young age, but the prince she is referring to is Rhaegar Targaryen. Cersei wants to marry Rhaegar as a girl, and her father suggests that the two get married. King Aerys II Targaryen refuses this offer, but Cersei is hopeful about becoming Rhaegar's bride when she meets Maggy. Maggy the Frog knows that won't happen – and that Cersei will marry someone else to become queen.
This is probably the most uplifting part of Maggy's prophecy and yet it has a grim outcome for Cersei.
Maggy the Frog responds to his question about whether she will marry the prince by saying, “Never. You will marry the king.“She is, of course, referring to Robert Baratheon, although Cersei did not know this at the time. Robert becomes king after Robert's rebellion, and Tywin Lannister convinces him to marry Cersei to gain influence and power. Cersei's relationship with Robert is not what she imagined for her futureeven if it guarantees him a position of power. This is probably the most uplifting part of Maggy's prophecy and yet it has a grim outcome for Cersei.
The prophecy states that a younger, more beautiful queen will take Cersei's throne
Maggy the frog could be referring to Daenerys Targaryen or Margaery Tyrell
After Maggy the Frog confirms that Cersei will marry the king, Cersei clarifies: “Will I be queen, though?” The witch reaffirms this before delivering bad news for Cersei's reign: that is destined to end when another queen comes to power. This is a detail that pleases Cersei even A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones. Maggy's warning about the queen taking Cersei's place informs many of her interactions with other women. It's this:
“Yes. Queen you will be… until another, younger and more beautiful, arrives to overthrow you and take everything you love.“
It's not entirely clear who Maggy refers to in Martin's booksas Cersei's story is not complete. Cersei becomes queen when she marries Robert, and Margaery Tyrell takes that title when Joffrey and Tommen are crowned – whom she marries, although neither marriage is consummated. In the show, Margaery also becomes queen in Cersei's place, but Cersei regains the throne when her children (and Margaery) die. Daenerys Targaryen throws her to the ground Game of Thrones Season 8, so the prophecy could also refer to her.
Regardless of who the youngest queen is, Cersei seems to be nervous about any women who pose a threat to her position. Maggy the Frog's words give meaning to the way she treats Sansa Stark and Margaeryfor she believes that any one of them could be the woman she was warned about. Cersei does everything in her power to ensure they don't get the upper hand on her, but she may be looking for threats in the wrong places.
Maggy knows how many children Cersei will have and what happens to them
Your disconcerting feeling makes sense knowing how things happen
The last question Cersei asks Maggy is “Will the king and I have children?” And although her cryptic answer was intriguing to Cersei as a child, it makes a lot of sense to know how things turned out for Cersei and Robert. Maggie states: “Six and ten for him and three for you.“She differentiates between the two because Robert and Cersei never had children together. Robert is the father of 16 bastards, something that comes up throughout Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire. Meanwhile, all three of Cersei's children are actually Jaime's.
She knows that Cersei's children will be fathered by Jaime, and their golden crowns highlight that.
Maggy knows this too, since she tells Cersei, “Their crowns shall be of gold, and their shrouds shall be of gold.” The crowns part has a double meaning, as two of Cersei's children wore gold crowns during her time as king. However, given Maggy's distinction between Cersei's children and Robert's, it's more likely that she's referring to the Lannisters' golden hair. She knows that Cersei's children will be fathered by Jaime, and their golden crowns highlight that. After all, this is how Ned Stark realizes that none of Cersei's children are Baratheons.
The shrouds part is more intriguing – and worrying for Cersei – as Maggy the Frog is apparently referring to burial shrouds. Prophecy indicates that all of Cersei's children will die prematurelyand judging by Game of Thrones, this prediction will also come true. As of this writing, only Joffrey is dead in both the books and the series. However, Myrcella is traveling home on a ship from Dorne at the end of A dance with dragons, and that's precisely where she dies Game of Thrones. The winds of winter could give her a similar fate.
It is also likely that Tommen will die at some point during the next two A Song of Ice and Fire books, although he is still alive. He dies by jumping from a window of the Red Keep in Game of Thrones, and Maggy's predictions indicate that he will also meet a tragic end in Martin's novels. It's hard to see how Tommen could survive, especially with so many more mature and ruthless enemies vying for his throne.
Maggy the frog predicted Cersei's death in the books
Although this part of Cersei's prophecy is cut Game of Thrones, Maggy the Frog predicts Cersei's death in Martin's books. After talking about Cersei's children and their golden shrouds, she reveals that Cersei will meet an apparently violent end. Maggy claims this will happen after she loses everything, stating:
“And when his tears drown him, the valonqar will wrap his hands around his pale white throat and choke the life out of him.“
This prediction is especially interesting because “valonqar“means”Younger brother“in High Valyrian. Cersei is the oldest of the three Lannister siblings, so Maggy could be referring to Tyrion or Jaime. Cersei clearly believes that Tyrion will be the one to kill her, which is why she treats him so poorly in the books and on the show. Although she doesn't think Jaime would hurt her, she is convinced that Tyrion is hateful enough to do so. She may be right, as Tyrion's book arc leads him to Daenerys, who will turn him against Cersei in the end.
However, there are also theories that Jaime could be the brother Maggy is referring to. This would add an interesting twist to Cersei's prophecy, altering her expectations and those of the readers. Jaime has no reason to”suffocate life“of Cersei currently, but that could change in The winds of winter or A spring dream. If your A Song of Ice and Fire journey reflects your Game of Thrones First, Jaime will begin to redeem himself as the series nears its end. Maybe he won't regress and return to Cersei in the books, with Martin making him the one to end her.