‘Game of Thrones’ Theory: Are Those in the Winterfell Crypt Not Actually Safe?

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HBO

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Season 8, Episode 2 of Game of Thrones, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”]

The second episode of Game of Thrones final season set up many characters to potentially die in the battle against the Night King and the Army of the Dead. But at least those in the crypt, including the women and children, will be safe… right?

That’s not necessarily the case, as one fan on Reddit noted that stressing the safety and security of the crypt likely means that there will be trouble down there. “The crypt is full of dead people,” they pointed out, suggesting that some of those dead (as in dead Starks) could very well become a serious threat.

Episode 2 establishes that the women and children will be safe in the crypt. However, there will also be at least a couple key characters down there as well. Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) orders Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) to join them, because it’s his mind that she needs. He’s above ground as the dead approach at the end of the episode, but he still has time to retreat to safety.

Sam (John Bradley) joins Gilly (Hannah Murray) and their son down there in a scene reminiscent of Titanic (above). (Let’s not forget that that elderly couple died.)

(HBO)

They’ll all supposedly be safe there. But considering Sam also notes that he has killed a White Walker and Tyrion’s protests that he wants to be part of the fight, they could end up in the middle of some action.

Another fan on Reddit notes that the Game of Thrones books by George R.R. Martin contain a passage from a Jon chapter that may hint at the dead rising in the crypts.

“He was wandering the empty castle, searching for his father, descending into the crypts,” the passage reads. “In the dark he’d heard the scrape of stone on stone. When he turned he saw that the vaults were opening, one after the other. As the dead kings came stumbling from their cold black graves, Jon had woken in pitch-dark, his heart hammering.”

If this theory turns out to be true, could one of them be what Arya is running from in the Season 8 trailer? That would be something that HBO would want to keep under wraps, and it would explain how dark those moments were in the preview.

Sound off with your thoughts on this theory and those in the crypt for the battle in the comments below.

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