New dragons in Game of Thrones season 8 episode 5? Here are all the theories backing the idea
*Spoilers for season 8, episode 4*
'Game of Thrones' affinity for Easter eggs is no secret, we know every episode comes loaded with more of these than significant plot developments.
That said, fan theories pertaining to the upcoming fifth episode of season 8 suggest that there may be more dragon eggs lying around than we had known. To put it simply, a fourth dragon might pop up in episode 5!
Considering the fact that Euron Greyjoy was seen looking up at the sky in absolute shock and horror in the episode's trailer, fans have deduced that he might have spotted a new dragon in the sky. This comes after he killed Rhaegal in episode 4.
As improbable as the idea of a random new dragon soaring in the sky might seem, there's solid information provided in the original books by George R. R. Martin that would back up the prospect.
For quite a while now, a particular fan theory — source unknown — has been doing the rounds online which claims "in the fifth season, when Drogon spends almost a whole season gone, he’s actually laying eggs and is, in fact, a female."
The whole idea might seem quite improbable since, for the last nine years, we have known Daenerys Targaryen's (Emilia Clarke) children to be all male. But this is where an interesting theory from Martin's original books bears some significance.
In his books, A Song of Ice and Fire, Martin has explained how the topic of dragon sex is equal parts fluid and complicated.
“Whilst it is true that determining the sex of a living dragon is a nigh on impossible task, no other source mentions Vermax (the dragon in question) producing so much as a single egg, so it must be assumed that he was male. Septon Barth’s speculation that the dragons change sex at need, being as mutable as flame,’ is too ludicrous to consider," reads a passage from Fire & Blood, a history of the Targaryens.
In addition to that, a Game of Thrones wiki entry goes on to offer historical insight on how several legendary historians from their fantasy world believe that dragon sex can be determined by the dragon's ability to lay eggs.
The entry also explains that certain historians of their time deemed that dragons have no fixed gender but are "now one and now the other, as changeable as flame."
However, the theory also states that one of those historians — Maester Barth — "believed that dragons can change sex at need, but Maester Anson believes this to be erroneous, and states in his Truth that Barth’s statement is simply a misunderstood esoteric metaphor.”
There's also another significant observation made by a fan on Reddit: “Euron Greyjoy looks up at the sky and hears a roar and gets scared. Since he has seen the dragons for a long time, he wouldn’t be scared for just a dragon, but what if there's more dragons [sic]?”
To add to that, the very sneakily redesigned opening credits sequence shows the image of a large dragon surrounded by three smaller ones.
Eagle-eyed fans were able to spot the addition and shared it on Twitter — which made the rumors of new dragons in the upcoming episode blow up.
After that, another Reddit offered "scientific proof" that certain reptiles can reproduce without mates, through a process called parthenogenesis.
Further proof backing the appearance of new dragons in episode 5 came from Euron Greyjoy himself. Danish actor Pilou Asbaek who plays Greyjoy posted a photo on Instagram with his character's shocked expression while looking at the sky and captioned it: “Gone with the wind....!!!? Maybe.... can’t wait for episode 5....there will be light! And death.... and coffee cups... Oreos...?...you might see a dragon...or two...or none."
Fans have learned not to trust the vile, heartless Greyjoy on the show at all, but maybe — just this one time — we could believe him off-screen.
As of now, it's all just speculation of course.
To find out what really happens, tune into 'Game of Thrones' when it returns with episode 5 on Sunday, May 11, at 9 pm only on HBO.