These 'Game Of Thrones' Prophecy Theories Are Chilling

Like many other fantastical tales, Game of Thrones deals in certain classic tropes of the genre. It has its sword-wielding heroes and wicked queens, epic journeys and inexplicable magic. And, perhaps most importantly, its long and storied history has contained more than a few major prophecies that could come back to haunt the current crop of characters jockeying for the throne. These visions offer intriguing glimpses of what's to come, or they form the misguided foundation upon which some characters make all their decisions. And there are a few Game of Thrones prophecy theories that could predict the show's future.

There are several royals throughout Westerosi history — including Daenerys' late brother Rhaegar and Queen Cersei herself — who were so obsessed with certain prophecies that it could have led them to their doom. None of the prophecies are guaranteed truths and many of them have multiple possible solutions that make figuring them out harder to do, but they become important because of the weight given to them by the characters. These prophecies could come into play later in the series or they could simply be misdirection, but either way they're definitely fun to try and puzzle out. And if they do become important, then they could change everything. For example...

The Three Heads Of The Dragon

One of the most talked about prophecies concerns the vision Daenerys had in the House of the Undying, in which she saw her deceased brother Rhaegar remark that "the dragon has three heads." That seemed especially significant because Dany possessed three dragons, so many fans began to theorize that the eventual conquer of Westeros would be three-pronged: Dany and two other people would ride in on her dragons to take over and then go on to rule. But since Dany is almost definitely one rider, who are the other two?

The most popular guesses are Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. That's partially because both Jon and Tyrion are suspected to also have Targaryen ancestry. Jon was long-believed to be the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark, which the show confirmed in Season 6, and it was known that Mad King Aerys was obsessed with Tyrion's mother Joanna, which led some to speculate that he may have raped her. If Tyrion was the result of that, then it would be one more reason why Tywin unfairly despised him — and it could mean he's another head of the dragon.

Azor Ahai, The Prince That Was Promised

Some people think Azor Ahai and the Prince That Was Promised are two different prophecies, but they're similar enough that they very well could be one and the same. They both speak of a long-awaited hero who will return just in time to save the world from a massive threat, such as the growing White Walker army. There are certain key traits that indicate the arrival of Azor Ahai, too, which help when trying to figure out just who this prophecy might be about.

Azor Ahai is said to have the blood of the dragon. They will be born under a bleeding star and amidst salt and smoke. They will be able to wake dragons from stone, and they will possess a flaming sword called Lightbringer. They also might have to sacrifice a loved one just like the original Azor Ahai did when he forged Lightbringer by killing his wife Nissa Nissa.

While there are many potential guesses, there are two clear frontrunners in Jon and Dany. They both favor some pretty special weapons (Jon's sword and Dany's dragons, which she technically woke from stone) and have both dealt with the loss of their beloved (Ygritte and Khal Drogo). Dany was born beneath a red comet amidst smoke and salt at Dragonstone, and Jon's birth shared similar, but less explicit, imagery. They both check off more than a few of the important boxes, making it possible either could be the legendary hero.

Maggy The Frog

When she was a young girl, an old witch told Cersei a prophecy about her future that has slowly but surely come true: that she would marry a king and have three children, all of whom would die. Maggy also assured Cersei that she would indeed be queen, "for a time." Then another queen, younger and more beautiful, would come to "cast you down and take all you hold dear." But Maggy the Frog Witch was far from done: she also told Cersei how she would die, though the show left out that little detail.

In the book, Maggy finished the prophecy by saying, "And when your tears have drowned you, the Valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you." That leaves two important figures still to come in Cersei's life: the younger queen and the Valonqar. While Cersei looked at Margaery with suspicion for being a younger, threatening queen, fans have guessed that anyone from Sansa to Dany could be the woman in question. With Dany sailing into Westeros at the end of Season 6, she's looking ever more likely.

As for the Valonqar, that part of the riddle could have a hauntingly simple explanation. As reddit user dremling points out, Valonqar means little brother in Valyrian. Cersei assumed that meant Tyrion, but the fact that Jaime was born just after her also puts him in the running. After every messed up thing they've been through together, Jaime ending Cersei's life would be one more shocking twist.

The vague phrasing in prophecies opens them up to all manner of interpretation, so they might come true in more surprising ways than any fans could predict. But no matter the outcome, their impact on the story could be major.