13 Things That Will Definitely Maybe Happen In "Game Of Thrones" Season 6

For the night is dark and full of spoilers.

1. Jon Snow WILL come back from the dead.

HBO

There's no point beating around the weirwood tree. We can talk all we want about who will or won't ride dragons, or whether Gendry will ever get off his fucking boat, but the first thing anyone wants to know about Season 6 is whether or not our curly-haired Lord Commander is coming back from his icy grave.

In short, of course he is. I mean, the fact that he's been photographed on set was a bit of a giveaway, but even before that there can't have been many who genuinely thought he was gone for good.

This isn't like when we lost Ned or Robb. Jon's family were (and are) great characters in their own right, but looking back it's now pretty clear that every shitty thing that's happened to a member of the Stark family has been to give Jon a reason to do whatever he's going to do over the final few seasons.

As has been said many times, it's a song of ice and fire. Other characters may come and go, but Jon and Dany aren't going anywhere just yet. And, yeah. There are photos of him on set, so...

Likelihood: 10/10

2. R + L = J will finally be confirmed.

HBO

Now we've established that everyone's favourite bastard is coming back, we can get back to banging on about Jon Snow's parentage. For the uninitiated, R + L = J is the widely accepted theory that rather than being Ned's bastard, Jon Snow is actually the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. You can read about it in full here.

Before Season 5 got a bit stabby, there were strong signs that we were heading towards a confirmation of Thrones' best-known theory. From Littlefinger's knowing look to Sansa in the crypts of Winterfell to this less-than-coincidental conversation crasher at Castle Black, it's pretty clear where we're headed:

HBO / Via imgur.com

Since the last season ended, however, we've had confirmation that a new filming location in Spain will be used as the Tower of Joy – Jon Snow's birthplace, assuming R + L = J is true. And it is. This almost certainly means we'll see flashbacks to his birth (more on that later), and one of the most talked-about fan theories in history will be a theory no longer.

But it's what happens next that's the really exciting part. How will Jon take the news? How will his enemies react? Will he ride around on a dragon looking like a total baller? We have no idea. But by the end of Season 6 we'll be a step closer to finding out.

Likelihood: 9/10

3. Bran and Rickon will reappear (having both gone through puberty).

HBO

Next up, two people who are definitely Ned's kids – Bran and Rickon. The last time we saw Bran he was on the receiving end of a sick burn from a very old man in a tree. ("You're going to help me walk again?" "You will never walk again.")

Though he didn't appear at all in Season 5, it's no secret that he's back in Season 6, and he's going to be a big player. Isaac Hempstead Wright, who plays Bran, has suggested to Entertainment Weekly that his character will return having learnt a variety of very useful skills from Bloodraven (the aforementioned very old man in a tree), in a similar manner to how Luke Skywalker learns the ways of the Force from Yoda, with almost all of it taking place off camera.

The reason this could be so important for the show (and books) is that one of these skills is Greensight, the ability to perceive future, past, or distant events in dreams. Events such as Jon Snow's birth at the Tower of Joy, for example.

instagram.com

As for Bran's younger brother, Rickon (Art Parkinson), we haven't seen him since the end of Season 3, when Bran sent him and Osha (Natalia Tena) off to the Last Hearth, home of House Umber, to stay safe. There were many who thought Rickon was such a minor character that the showrunners would be forced to forget about him, but the above photo certainly seems to suggest that's not the case.

The photo of Parkinson and Tena was taken in a Belfast restaurant in August 2015, right in the middle of filming for Season 6. It certainly seems like both Stark boys are back in town. Just try to ignore the fact that they've doubled in size.

Likelihood: 9.5/10 (until we see Parkinson in character I'm reluctant to go any higher)

4. At least some of the Stark children will be reunited. Honest.

Adam Whitehead

From Arya turning up at the Red Wedding just as her family were slaughtered to Bran being just yards from Jon at Craster's Keep but deciding not to say anything, the Stark children almost-but-not-quite reuniting has become a longstanding joke for fans of the show.

But with only three seasons remaining (it's looking likely that Season 8 will be the final season, although this hasn't been confirmed), surely this has to happen soon? For now let's assume that Arya will stay in Braavos whether or not her sight returns and that Bran is still learning to be a Jedi in a tree north of the Wall. That leaves Jon, Sansa, and Rickon.

Earlier we mentioned that photos of Kit Harington on set had been leaked. In these photos he appears to be wearing his Stark clothes, as opposed to his Night's Watch getup. Many have suggested this means Jon is out of his emo phase and on his way to Winterfell to win back his home from the Boltons and find his family.

HBO

We already know Sansa is running around in the woods with Theon somewhere not a million miles from Winterfell, and if Jon is going to take on the Boltons he'll certainly rally House Stark's bannermen, including House Umber. House Umber being where Rickon and Osha were headed at the end of Season 3. This would potentially put three Stark children in the same place at the same time.

Dare we dream? Well, it's looking very likely, but how many times have we said that over the years?

Likelihood: 7/10

5. Ramsay Bolton will (eventually) get his comeuppance.

HBO

Over the last few seasons the now-legitimised bastard Ramsay Bolton has blossomed into the kind of villain Joffrey could only have dreamt of becoming. As Joffrey showed, however, in Westeros villains rarely stay on top for too long.

If Jon Snow really is on his way south to take on the Boltons, you'd almost certainly put your money on the guy who can't even be stopped by death to come out on top.

We keep being told "the North remembers", so the chances are Ramsay and co will find themselves massively outnumbered. From there you can only see two outcomes; Ramsay's head on a spike outside a Stark-held Winterfell, or the Boltons disappearing south before Jon can get to them.

Likelihood: 6/10 (he's great to watch, so killing him off feels unlikely)

6. Dany will stop pissing about and finally head to Westeros.

HBO

In the Season 5 finale Daenerys and an injured Drogon were stranded miles from anywhere, in the Dothraki Sea. And just as you were starting to feel like they were already kind of fucked, along came the biggest khalasar you've ever seen in your life. Shit.

As they circled her on their horses things didn't look good for the last (confirmed) Targaryen, and this teaser trailer from HBO suggests the Dothraki aren't best pleased to see her:

youtube.com

But this wouldn't be the first time she's had to convince a Dothraki tribe that she's worthy of the title Khaleesi, and let's not forget she's got a big-ass dragon not too far away that has form when it comes to saving her skin.

Drogon's size alone may be enough to convince the khalasar to step in line and do Dany's bidding. At which point she'll have the biggest army she's had in a long time, and that dream of heading to Westeros and climbing the Iron Throne may once again become her priority.

This season feels a little too soon for this to happen, but if she could convince the Dothraki to follow her, and reunite her motley crew of Daario, Jorah, Missandei, Grey Worm, and Tyrion, it's not out of the realms of possibility that Season 6 could end with her finally heading west.

Besides, she's got a new nephew to meet...

Likelihood: 2/10 (eventually, but not yet)

7. The White Walkers will reach the Wall.

HBO

Like Dany heading to Westeros, this one is clearly more of a case of "when" rather than "if". It's becoming ever clearer that everything that's happened south of the Wall in the first five seasons will pale into insignificance once the Night's King and his undead friends make it into the Seven Kingdoms. As Jon tells us in the latest teaser trailer:

"The long night is coming. And the dead come with it."

The last time we saw the White Walkers was at Hardhome, and anyone who's up on their Westerosi geography (and that's everyone, right?) will know that isn't at all far from the Wall. In fact, Hardhome is only around three times farther away from the Wall than Craster's Keep. This would be more than doable for Jon and his brothers, let alone the walking dead, who presumably don't have to worry about running out of breath or stopping for toilet breaks.

Again, it would be a big surprise if they turned up at Castle Black early in Season 6, but wouldn't thousands upon thousands of White Walkers scaling the wall be the perfect final shot for the season finale...

Likelihood: 5/10 (feels like it has to happen eventually, but maybe Season 6 is too soon)

8. The Hound will follow Jon's lead and come back to life.

HBO

Or, more accurately, it'll turn out he didn't actually die in the first place.

This theory – known to book readers as the Gravedigger theory – claims that after Arya left the Hound to die on a cliff face, he was found and nursed back to health by a brother of the Faith of the Seven. After R + L = J, it's probably the most widely believed (and genuinely plausible) fan theory, and you can judge the evidence for yourself by watching this video.

Yes, it's possible that the theory is wrong. And just because this may be the case in the books, there's no guarantee that the showrunners will follow suit. So is there any real evidence?

Andreas Rentz / Getty Images

Quite possibly.

Last year we told you that British actor Ian McShane (above) had been cast in Season 6. At the time we could only guess as to what his role would be, but since then he's given away one or two minor clues. In November he told Pop Goes the News: "I am responsible for bringing somebody back that you think you’re never going to see again. I’ll leave it at that."

Anyone who's read the books may initially think of a certain Lady Stoneheart, but that seems unlikely as if she was going to appear it should have happened a long time ago, while the timing is just right for the Gravedigger theory.

Add to that some unconfirmed reports of Hound actor Rory McCann being spotted in Belfast over the summer and it's enough to get us more than a little bit excited.

Likelihood: 6/10 (definitely just a theory for now, but a compelling one)

9. Cleganebowl WILL happen.

HBO

HBO

So, it's pretty clear that Qyburn's new toy (above, left), who appeared in the Season 5 finale, is a reanimated Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane, who was very nearly killed after his duel with Oberyn in Season 4.

For the sake of argument we'll also assume that the previous theory (the whole Sandor-Clegane-being-alive thing) is more than just a theory. This gives us two sort-of-alive Clegane brothers who don't much like each other. You can probably see where this is going.

HBO / Via imgur.com

One thing we know for sure about Season 6 is that Cersei is about to stand trial for her involvement in the death of King Robert. The Cleganebowl theory suggests she will opt for a trial by combat, choosing Ser Robert Strong (Gregor Clegane) to be her champion. While on the other side the Faith Militant will choose Sandor Clegane to stand for them, which he'll be happy to do considering his newfound belief in the Seven.

Put simply, Cleaganebowl is the most anticipated plotline in the Thrones universe. Brother versus brother. Monk versus zombie. Hound versus Mountain.

Get hype.

Likelihood: 3/10 (it would all be a little too convenient, and feels more like fan fiction than something that would actually happen)

10. Someone other than Dany will ride a dragon.

HBO

Drogon turning up in the fighting pit to save the day before flying away with Daenerys on his back was one of the biggest game-changers the show has seen in its almost six-year history. Fuck walking – from here on in Dany can fly, and she can fuck you up while she's doing it.

Drogon's siblings, Viserion and Rheagal, are currently locked up in the catacombs under Meereen after their mother started to have health and safety concerns. The Targaryen prophecy states that "the dragon has three heads", which Martin himself has explained means there will be three dragon riders. Dany is one. So who will ride the other two dragons?

HBO

If you're sold on Jon Snow being a Targaryen – and you should be – then it's a safe bet that at some point we'll see him sharing the skies with his aunt Daenerys, probably riding Rhaegal (who was named after Jon's biological father, Rhaegar). So that just leaves us with one as yet unnamed dragon rider.

And to be honest, your guess is as good as ours. Tyrion is obviously a frontrunner – Dany, Jon, and Tyrion have always felt like the show's leading characters. But for this very reason it would all feel a little too tidy. Nothing is tidy in Game of Thrones. Another possibility is Bran, depending on how you want to take Bloodraven's "you will never walk again, but you will fly" quip. Who knows, maybe Bran could warg into Viserion rather than physically ride him.

But, GRRM being GRRM, it's just as likely that it's someone we haven't considered. Wouldn't it be a lovely tale of social mobility if one-time slave Missandei ended up saving Westeros from atop a flying dragon? Let us know who your money's on in the comments.

Likelihood: 2/10 (Dany has only JUST learnt to ride Drogon – Season 6 feels too early for others to follow suit, whoever they are)

11. Sean Bean will return to our screens.

HBO

Don't worry, this isn't another resurrection. But it is a real possibility.

Thanks to Bran's newfound ability to see events that happened long ago, we already know we're being treated to at least two moments in the life of young Ned Stark. Earlier this year we told you that 13-year-old English actor Sebastian Croft had been cast as young Ned, and that he'd be filming scenes alongside a young Robert Baratheon and Brandon Stark (Ned's older brother).

The second Ned flashback (that we're currently aware of) is potentially much more exciting. Earlier we briefly mentioned that the Tower of Joy was going to appear in one of Bran's flashbacks. Seventeen years before the events of the show, during Robert's rebellion, the story goes that Lyanna Stark fell pregnant by Rhaegar Targaryen. To keep the unborn child safe, Rhaegar sent Lyanna to the Tower of Joy in Dorne and instructed three of his Kingsguard to protect her.

Matt Trommer / Getty Images

At this point along came Ned, aided by some loyal Stark bannermen, to rescue his sister. To cut a very, very long story short... It all kicked off, Ned defeated the Kingsguard, found Lyanna dying during childbirth, took the baby, and made a promise to his sister that he'll protect him.

Phew.

So this means Sean Bean has to come back, right? Well, not necessarily. Tower of Joy Ned is meant to be 17 years younger than Game of Thrones Ned. Yes, this could probably be achieved through makeup or CGI, but it could be that the showrunners decide it's simpler just to recast the role with someone who's the right age.

Likelihood: 3/10 (there have been no confirmed sightings of Bean on set, but it would be incredible if it does happen)

12. Gendry will finally make it to land.

HBO

When Gendry floated away from Dragonstone in the final episode of Season 3, none of us could have imagined what would happen next. Or more to the point, what wouldn't happen next.

Nearly three years later and King Robert's bastard is nowhere to be seen. The relatively minor character has turned out to be the show's biggest running joke, sailing away on the SS Abandoned Plotlines. But there's a serious point to be made – would the writers of the show really spend time developing a character for three seasons just to pretend like he never existed?

Personally, I don't think so. OK, so he's probably not going to ride a dragon. It's unlikely he'll be a contender for the Iron Throne. But surely, surely the showrunners will once again acknowledge his existence before winter turns to spring and Game of Thrones comes to an end. RIGHT?

Likelihood: 1/10 (if it does happen it really will break the internet)

13. And finally, Hodor will learn a new word.

HBO

Lol, nope.

Likelihood: Hodor