Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for the book Fire & Blood, which House of Dragon is based on.House of the Dragon has inspired many fan theories, with varying degrees of support within the show. These ideas range from completely plausible, like the Maester Conspiracy, to shockingly outlandish, like the idea that Daemon (Matt Smith) becomes the Night King. While many will undoubtedly be disproven as the series continues, House of the Dragon still has the chance to make some of these fan theories canon, and one strange theory has the support of the cast. After her Season 2 introduction, fans had many thoughts on Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin). Some believed she was only a vision, which seemed to be disproved in Season 2 when another character mentions her name. But others have suggested that Alys Rivers is not as new to the franchise as she seems.
With her witch-like abilities, Alys shares similarities with Game of Thrones’ Melisandre (Carice Van Houten), inspiring the belief that they could be one and the same. Though separated by several generations, these two shows already share several connections, especially after Season 2 includes a vision of Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and the White Walkers. House of the Dragon seems determined to highlight as many links to its predecessor as it can, which only increases the likelihood that House of the Dragon will explore the idea that Melisandre and Alys are the same person. Admittedly, this theory requires a lot of speculation, but with the stars of House of the Dragon expressing interest in the idea, those who are rooting for it can only be encouraged.
How Could ‘House of the Dragon’s Alys Rivers and ‘Game of Thrones’ Melisandre Be Connected?
At first glance, this is a difficult theory to justify. Alys and Melisandre are separated by more than 100 years, and they look nothing alike. However, there are more similarities between these two than they seem. In House of the Dragon, Alys is seen using her powers on Daemon, but her introduction to the series is especially creepy as she predicts Daemon’s death. From that moment on, there is a clear connection between her and Melisandre because few characters in the franchise have prophetic abilities. Throughout Game of Thrones, Melisandre serves the Lord of Light, having visions in fire as she guides Stannis (Stephen Dillane). Though Alys seems to keep a lower profile, both have a way of knowing things they shouldn’t and practice some form of dark magic. In George R. R. Martin‘s Fire & Blood, there is an incident where a messenger from Alys mysteriously dies miles away from the witch with the imprint of a woman’s fingers on his throat, which sounds eerily like Melisandre’s shadow baby murder of Renly (Gethin Anthony).
Clearly, there are similarities between the two characters, but this theory hinges on one in particular: that both characters look younger than they are. Game of Thrones established that Melisandre is ancient, hiding her elderly appearance with magic – and therefore, she could look like anything she wants. Meanwhile, Alys’ origins are unknown; however, Fire & Blood‘s unreliable narrators agree that she appears unnaturally young. Implying that these women are the same person certainly requires a lot of speculation; however, with Melisandre’s mysterious past and Alys’ uncertain ending, it’s not impossible.
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‘House of the Dragon’s Cast Likes the Theory That Alys Rivers and Melisandre Are the Same
Image via HBO
Recently, the cast of the series discussed some of House of the Dragon‘s most popular fan theories with EW. The group, which included Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Matt Smith, Tom Glynn-Carney, Steve Toussaint, Ewan Mitchell, and Fabien Frankel, met many of the proposed theories with skepticism, even rejecting the long-held theory that Rhaenyra and Alicent have romantic feelings for each other. However, they are all quick to throw their support behind the theory that Alys is Melisandre. Glynn-Carney called the idea “cool,” and Toussaint acknowledged the similarities between the characters. In the end, the cast unanimously agreed on the theory.
The fact that the cast likes the theory doesn’t mean it is necessarily true, as they have little control over the story. However, the cast considering this theory as a possibility isn’t a bad sign for those who like the idea. After all, at this point, they know more about what will be going on in Season 3 than anyone else, and their reaction could, at the very least, suggest that the next installment of House of the Dragon won’t explicitly contradict the theory, leaving it open to further speculation. It will be some time before fans see any more content that could add to or destroy this theory, but in the meantime, there is still hope.
The “Alys Rivers Is Melisandre” Theory Is Imperfect
Image via HBO
While even the House of the Dragon cast is in favor of this Game of Thrones connection, it is imperfect. For one thing, Melisandre’s magic is tied to the Lord of Light as she is a priestess of the foreign religion, while Alys’ does not seem to be connected to any religion. There is also the issue that Melisandre claims to be born in Asshai, which is not only far from Westeros but also begs the question of why Alys would be at Harrenhal. Though her origins are somewhat mysterious, Alys is rumored to be a bastard of the Strong family, which would defy the Melisandre theory if it were confirmed. Their pasts seem to make it impossible for them to be the same person, but there are many years of Melisandre’s life that are a mystery, and everything about Alys is conjecture, except what House of the Dragon has shown.
Of course, with little information about either’s origins confirmed, it’s difficult to argue. Even if they are not the same person, another theory has suggested the reason for their similarities could be that Melisandre is Alys’ child, which would still connect the prequel to Game of Thrones, though the evidence is equally limited. But, since Melisandre’s true age is uncertain, Alys could still be connected to the witch somehow given their similarities. If this theory is to become more convincing, House of the Dragon needs to provide more information on Alys. While, for now, this fan theory is largely speculation, if it were true, a connection between Alys Rivers and Melisandre would create an interesting tie-in to the original show.
All episodes of House of the Dragon are available to stream on HBO Max in the U.S.
House of the Dragon
Release Date
August 21, 2022
Network
HBO
Showrunner
George R.R. Martin
Directors
Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel
Writers
Gabe Fonseca
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Fabien Frankel
Ser Criston Cole