The scene in which Samwell and Gilly are reading in the "Game of Thrones" season 7 premiere is full of secret details. I already wrote about the huge clue inside Sam's forbidden book, now it's time to analyze the page Gilly is reading in the same scene. Brace yourselves, "GOT" fans, because the page speaks of Azor Ahai.
What the page is about
If you look carefully at the picture above you can read an exciting report about Azor Ahai's legend. As several fans noted, the book in Gilly's hands has text seemingly taken from Elio M. García, Linda Antonsson and George R.R.
Martin's "The World of Ice and Fire". The page reads, "There are annals in Asshai of such a darkness, and of a hero who fought against it with a red sword."
According to the page, the legend has spread out from Asshai by the Shadow, "and the followers of the Lord Of Light claim that this hero was named Azor Ahai, and prophesy his return". From the picture you can also notice that another legend is mentioned, a legend from Yi Ti (a region in Essos located east of Qarth and bordered by the Jade Sea). According to this one, "the sun hid its face from the earth for a lifetime [...] and that disaster was averted only by the deeds of a woman with a monkey's tail." Despite the cryptic content, this legend is clearly about the Long Night.
Who is Azor Ahai?
If you're not familiar with this legendary hero, you should be: this clue indicates that his return may actually happen relatively soon.
The stories of this figure, also known as "The Prince That Was Promised", are told all over the Known World, with variations stemming from different regions, from Westeros to as far away as the Shadow Lands of Asshai.
Thousands of years ago, during the Long Night, Azor Ahai rose up to fight against the Others, wielding a flaming sword called Lightbringer. According to the prophecy, he will be born again as "The Prince That Was Promised". The legends tell that Azor Ahai tried two times to forge his sword and failed. He succeeded when he tempered the blade in the heart of his wife, Nissa Nissa.
Moreover, according to what the red priestess Melisandre said, "when the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone."
Things are getting serious
The Lord of Light's followers think Azor Ahai is the savior of the humankind, the hero who will be reborn again as a champion sent by R'hllor. The fact that the premiere included this reference to the legendary figure means that it could be meaningful. The simple fact that the hero is mentioned in the first episode of season 7 is huge. A while ago, the showrunners told the community that the show "is coming to an end" and we're pretty sure now that Azor Ahai is going to play a role in the last part of the storyline.
The reincarnation of Azor Ahai
There are a lot of theories about who could possibly be the new Azor Ahai. Many fans believe that Jon Snow will become Azor Ahai reborn, while others believe that Daenerys Targaryen is the most plausible candidate for that role.
According to a recent but already popular theory, the legendary hero could also be Jaime Lannister, the man with the golden hand.
Are you ready for the next episode of the show?
Don't forget: the second episode of "Game of Thrones" will air on Sunday, July 23, on HBO. The next episode's title is "Stormborn" and this is its official description: "Daenerys receives an unexpected visitor. Jon faces a revolt. Tyrion Lannister plans the conquest of Westeros."
