Fans think this 'Game of Thrones' theory teased back in season 3 may come true

HBO / Helen Sloan

Warning: Spoilers ahead for all of "Game of Thrones," including speculation of future events. 

"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." 

Those sobering words were spoken in the third season of "Game of Thrones" by Ramsay Bolton, and it felt like he was breaking the fourth wall, warning viewers not to hope for the fantasy outcome they may desperately want. 

Just three episodes later, Ramsay's father Roose Bolton played a key role in the massacre of Rob and Catelyn Stark — along with the bulk of the Northern Army — at the Red Wedding. 

From then on, fans had little reason to believe the Starks would ever get the vengeance they deserve. 

But book readers are holding out hope, mainly in the form of an epic theory which outlines evidence that there's a huge underground conspiracy among the remaining Northern lords. The theory is known as "The Grand Northern Conspiracy," and many have good reason to believe we'll see it come to fruition in season six. 

Here's the short version: The surviving leaders of the North are still loyal to the Starks, and have a plan to overthrow the Boltons, take back the North, and name Jon Snow as their king.

HBO / Helen Sloan

The Evidence

For show-only folks, we're going to have to turn to some text-based evidence for the basis of this theory. The starting point happens in "A Storm of Swords," when Robb is discussing his heir. More specifically, his lack thereof.

In both the show and books, Robb has a wife but no son in line to become the King in the North should anything happen to him. He believes Bran and Rickon have been murdered by Theon Greyjoy and presumes Arya is dead.

That leaves Sansa — but when Robb is still alive she's married to Tyrion Lannister. The last thing Robb wants is a Lannister in Winterfell. There are no more Stark children left fit to inherit Winterfell and the North, as far as Robb knows.

But he did have another brother, one who has Stark blood: Jon Snow.

In a tense conversation with his mother, Catelyn, Robb insists that naming Jon his heir is the best plan. When Catelyn points out that Jon is sworn to never hold lands (part of the Night's Watch vow), Robb says he can be released from his vows as a special decree.

When Catelyn also argues that Jon's bastard-status means he has no rights in the family, Robb says it would be easy enough to legitimize Jon as a Stark and give him the rights along with the title of heir. 

Robb then holds a council meeting right before the Red Wedding, asking his lords to sign his proclamation naming an heir. We're never told for certain it names Jon — but all signs say it likely did.

So what happened to that letter?

No one really knows. Here's where the speculation comes in.

HBO / Helen Sloan

The North Remembers

The theory is based on the hope that Robb's letter was somehow placed in the hands of a trustworthy Stark loyalist. Though many of the Stark bannermen and lords were massacred at the Red Wedding, along with their King himself, some survived. 

Now there are lords in the North merely pretending to live peacefully under the Boltons rule, while truly they are biding their time to rebel and name Jon their king.

(By the way, this entire theory breakdown written by Redditor/blogger Yeade is long enough to fill a 44-page PDF. So forgive us for glossing over the finer points. We highly encourage you to peruse the write-up in its entirety.)

One of the focal points of the theory is a man named Wyman Manderly, the Lord of White Harbor. His son Wendel was killed during the Red Wedding, and book readers believe Wyman is a central part of a larger conspiracy to unseat the Bolton's and exact revenge on the Freys.

"The north remembers, and the mummer's farce is almost done," Wyman says in the books, hinting that he and fellow lords have only been pretending to be loyal to the Stark-traitors. There is also evidence he killed several Freys and baked them into a pie before serving it at a feast with the Boltons — but that's a long story in of itself. 

It is also likely that Catelyn Stark — who is zombified in the books to become an undead Lady Stoneheart — is a rallying point for these lords. So far there's no hint that Stoneheart will be in the show, but the rest of the Grand Northern Conspiracy has made several appearances.

HBO / Helen Sloan

The Show's Portrayal

Starting in season five of "Game of Thrones," several hints were dropped about the potential for a real Northern conspiracy. Sansa Stark arrived back in Winterfell and was greeted by a woman saying "the North remembers." That same woman was later flayed alive by Ramsay for promising to help Sansa escape if need be. 

We also got a nod to the Stark loyalists when Stannis Baratheon offered Winterfell to Jon Snow. Stannis needed Jon's help rallying the North to his cause, and thought naming Jon a Stark might help. Jon, ever the Night's Watch loyalist, refused the offer. But during their conversation, Stannis showed Jon a note he had received:

HBO / Helen Sloan"Bear Island knows no king but the King in the North, whose name is Stark."

This show-moment was a nod to the book characters, specifically 10-year-old Lyanna Mormont who did in fact reject Stannis as her king. While it may seem like an endearing notion coming from a child, perhaps Lyanna knows more than a grown man gives her credit for. Her house is among those who could know about the plan to name Jon both a Stark and King.

Then there are casting rumors for season six. One character description was listed as such:

He is a fat nobleman in his 60’s. He has distinctive rugged features, a Northern accent, and a distinguished air. Our source says he has a stirring speech during which he unexpectedly shifts political allegiances.

The casting didn't list an official name, but this sounds an awful lot like Wyman Manderly. The show has even provided precedent for Manderly to appear.

In the brutal Red Wedding scene from season three, there was a brief shot of several men eating dinner. Wyman's son, Wendel, was present. You can identify him from the merman on his coat — the Manderly's house sigil. 

Though he went unnamed in the episode, and Wyman hasn't been heard from yet, some book readers take this as a sign that the showrunners have been planning the Grand Northern Conspiracy reveal for a long time.

HBO / Helen Sloan

Season Six Revelations

If you're a fan of the show, and have made it this far in our post, you of course know that Jon Snow was left for dead in the season five finale. That hiccup would make this entire theory null and void. But fans deep in the throes of "Game of Thrones" have been speculating for a long about the fate of Jon — and almost no one believes he's actually staying dead. 

In fact, one set leak from season six filming has fans even more hyped about the Grand Northern Conspiracy. 

Kit Harington (the actor who plays Jon) was seen filming a battle scene, and he was wearing Stark armor.

The battle is rumored to be an epic clash between Ramsay Bolton and the Northern lords led by Jon Snow (or Stark?). If all goes according to plan, Jon will be resurrected by Melisandre, take up his Stark name, and lead a revolt against the Boltons. 

The newest trailers for season six have given us a glimpse of this fight, and it definitely looks like the North is rising against their Bolton overlords. Take a look:

HBO / Helen SloanSeveral of the banners show sigils of known houses, like the Mormonts, Hornwoods, and Umbers. The shields in the foreground of this shot are definitely from Bolton — you can see them again in this snippet from the trailer:

HBO / Helen SloanIs that the coolest thing you've ever heard? (Other than "Cleganebowl"?) We thought so. 

Get hype, because season six premieres on April 24, and with any luck we're finally going to see some vengeance for the Starks.  

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