***SPOILERS OBVIOUSLY ***
We are only six episodes into the sixth season of HBO‘s Game of Thrones, and we’ve learned so much already. Perhaps some of the most incredible information we’ve learned thus far, came in the third episode entitled “Oathbreaker”. Through Bran Stark’s vision, we FINALLY got to see the long discussed battle at the Tower of Joy for ourselves. This is significant because if you are a staunch believer in the R+L=J theory, then you know that the Tower of Joy is where Lyanna Stark probably died while giving birth to her and Rhaegar Targaryen’s son, Jon Snow. It’s also where Lyanna made her brother Ned Stark, promise to raise her son as his own. This is all still speculative because the Three Eyed Raven snatched Bran away before we were able to see what was going down inside the tower. And yet, what we were able to see was still extremely important.
AT LAST, we were able to see Ned Stark’s infamous and much talked about BFF Howland Reed, who is also the father of Jojen Reed and Meera Reed who is deceased and currently traveling with Bran respectively. During the battle, we witnessed Howland saving Ned’s life when he stabbed one of Rhaegar Targaryen’s men in the neck. But, what does any of this have to do with the diabolical High Sparrow who is currently wreaking havoc in King’s Landing and getting #bitchmade Tommen to bend to his will?!
YouTuber Alt Shift X has a crazy insane fan theory that suggests that Howland Reed is in fact The High Sparrow. Before you get all up and arms, just listen. There is some evidence throughout the series and George R.R. Martin‘s saga, that suggests that instead of staying in the North after the Targaryen’s were dethroned, Howland traveled to King’s Landing and quietly rose to power through the Faith of the Seven. Think about it. The Faith of the Seven is a fairly new religious order, that began gaining traction as things in King’s Landing began to fall apart. Also, the High Sparrow is also obviously not here for the Lannisters and their bullshit. He locked Cersei up and paraded her nude through the streets. He also locked up Margaery and Loras and he now has Tommen on a leash. Howland Reed was known to be a man of action. He certainly would not be someone to sit by idly as all of Westeros went to hell, certainly not after his BFF was beheaded. He would definitely want vengeance.
So why are we convinced that HR=HS? We know very little about the High Sparrow except for that pity story he told Margery. Also, remember the whole bit the High Sparrow told Tommen about what a mother is willing to do for her children? Howland would be the last living sole to know what went down inside the Tower of Joy.) Finally, the High Sparrow basically just appeared out of thin air tearing shit up, but we know from experience that George R.R. Martin does everything with a purpose. He delights in shocking GoT fans. It makes since that he would simply hide Howland Reed in plain sight.
Still not convinced? Watch Alt Shift X’s full video explanation below.
