A Song of Ice and Fire - Theories Thread - **SPOILERS** for Game of Thrones Show

[BulldogBear]

Just a quick note to muse with Shelton about Jaqen H'ghar.

I've wondered that myself though not at length because I've wondered if Syrio Forel was in fact Varys. GRRM likes to drop clues and hints but also red herring. So, Jaqen may have been there as part of some mission in the ambition of the Faceless Men. He might not have been there to kill anyone in particular but meet with Varys or perhaps deliver Euron's dragon egg. When Jaqen goes to the Citadel it doesn't seem to be to kill anyone in particular but to locate tightly kept information. So, accordingly perhaps he was not originally in KL for murder either. He may not have gone there as Jaqen but as Forel and found a recruit in the process. He also might have already been there a long time and changed to Forel as a way to get close to someone mentioned below. But after the failed coup he had to get out some way in the aftermath and couldn't do so as Syrio. So he changed his face and then leaving as a conscript for Night's Watch is the perfect cover.

So, I haven't mused about murder much but if he was there to murder somebody, it may have been Ned. Varys seems to be in charge of Faceless Men ambitions in KL and we know the last thing he wants is competent leadership. With Robert (the perfect apathetic king the FM want in charge) murdered by meddling Lannister ambitions they couldn't have an honorable man like Ned or Stannis running things. Well, then came the coup and Joffrey did the deed for him at Baelor. Just some off the cuff thoughts. Have you got any ideas on who the mark may have been if Jaqen was there for an assassination? Or was he successful? Is there some seemingly obscure death in the right time frame that we're not thinking of?

Still haven't decided which one to present to y'all in detail first. Some are very very long. I'm going to hold off a while on Azor Ahai because that's more presenting options as I have still not decided if I believe it's Ramsey or Jon (the 2 "evil" options) or if it's Theon or Jaime (the 2 "good" options). I'm leaning toward the Hound as the valonqar or Rhaegar lives. On the latter, I'm certain it's Mance though some think he's the tattered prince. There are just too many clues, parralells and forshadowing that lead to the conclusion that Rhaegar is Mance if he's still alive. Bear with me and be open minded. You'll be on the Rayder/Rhaegar train when I'm done.

Shelton again: regarding Arya at Kevan's murder. I've not read the Arya chapter so I may concede that she's not Arya after I read it. I just thought it was interesting. I HAVE heard some opinion's that think the time scale is deceptive at the end of ADWD and beginning of TWOW so she could still be both. I'll need to read up more on that. With that said, if the skinny girl is not Arya, who is she? GRRM doesn't waste many words. Why bother drawing attention to her if she's just a schmo that needs to eat more? Here's a freaky thought. Remember that I believe the Children of the Forest are plotting the downfall of mankind and have a weird alliance with Faceless Men at some point. They are often referred to just in ASOIAF as "The Children." In fact, Varys may have done just that in the epilogue to ADWD when he tells Kevan that he bore him no ill will and that he had to die "...for the realm. For the children." Just who's "realm" is Varys doing all this for? Some have even suggested that the freaky little "children" who stab Kevan are some form of COF. Not sure I believe that part and I don't wanna get into that too much as there is so much more to the COF as the real enemy theory. Why would Varys be plotting the downfall of man yet groom "Aegon" for kingship? That's covered elsewhere as well.