Interesting...
Words by Jadie Troy-Pryde
It hasn't even started filming yet, but the Game of Thrones season 8 theories are coming thick and fast. There is loads of proof that Bran Stark is the Night King! Cersei's death will be poetic justice at its best! And there's a very plausible theory about the Game of Thrones ending and what the White Walkers are actually up to (it will actually blow your mind).
But there's one person that we've all forgotten about who essentially holds the key to winning the war against the wights and the fight against the last remaining Lannister - and it's Melisandre. The Red Priestess fled Westeros to return to Volantis, one of the free cities of Essos, early on this season. Before her departure, she told Varys: 'I will return, dear Spider, one last time. I have to die in this strange country, just like you.'
Vague with a sprinkling of sinister. What exactly is she up to? We're in two minds about Melisandre - she did single handedly bring Jon Snow back from the dead, but then again she also sentenced a ten-year-old to burn at the stake. Hmm.
However, it does seem as if this time she's backing Daenerys. Just like the Ser Davos, she's jumped from the Stannis ship to rally behind the Mother of Dragons, and her reason for returning to Volantis could hold the key to winning the wars.
In case you missed it, she worships the Lord of Light, but the ins and outs of the religion of R'hllor are murky. The largest Red Temple is in Volantis, and back in season six Tyrion met another Red Priestess, Kinvara. She made it clear that she was Team Daenerys, believing her to be the Princess That Was Promised, and considering Kinvara has a huge following it's great news because she's probably been racking up followers for Dany left, right and centre. If Melisandre, who is now also Team Dany, teams up with Kinvara then the Mother of Dragons has already got a tonne of supporters to help with the war.
Combine that with the (rumoured) support from The Golden Company, and Jon and Dany will be laughing their way to victory.
Until they find out they're related.