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Samwell “Sam” Tarly is likely going to play a big role in Game of Thrones this season. When we last saw him, he was arriving at The Citadel and about to embark on a journey of research that others only dream about. He could play a key role in the future of Jon Snow and, in fact, the future of all mankind. Here are some of the top theories and predictions about Sam for Season 7.
Samwell Tarly: Plot Recap
First, a quick recap on Sam. He’s the oldest son of of Lord Randyll Tarly, one of the most powerful noble families in the Reach and sworn to House Tyrell. He could have been a powerful lord, but his dad was concerned that he couldn’t handle the military aspects. So he threatened to kill Sam if he didn’t join the Night’s Watch.
Sam, feeling betrayed by his old gods The Seven, takes an oath to the Watch before a heart tree, turning to the Old Gods instead. He later tells the Night’s Watch that a book he read said that only a touch by the White Walkers can revive the dead.
In Season 2, he joins a Great Ranging and spends time at Craster’s Keep. Sam decides to rescue Gilly, one of Craster’s wives, and save her unborn child. We find out that Craster is leaving newborn boys for the White Walkers. Sam sees the White Walkers with their armed wights in person.
In Season 3, Gilly gives birth to a boy, who will ultimately be given to the White Walkers. When Night’s Watch traitors kill Craster and Jeor Mormont, Sam helps Gilly and her baby escape. While defending Gilly from a White Walker, he spears it with dragonglass, causing it shatter. He’s learned a weakness of the White Walkers. He takes Gilly back to Castle Black
In Season 4, Gilly survives a Mole’s Town massacre by the wildlings. They grow closer. In Season 5, Sam mentions to Stannis that he has been researching how dragonglass kills White Walkers, but is still trying to figure it out. After Jon returns from Hardhome, Sam asks if he can go to Oldtown to study and replace Aemon as Master of the Watch. He thinks this is his best way to help the cause. Sam leaves. In Season 6, Sam and Gilly finally make it to the Citadel.
Prediction 1: Sam Might Be a ‘Game of Thrones’ Narrator?
The last time we saw him, Samwell and Gilly visited his parents and had a terrible reunion. Before they left, he took the family’s Valyrian sword, Heartsbane, with him. After this, they arrive at the Citadel and he saw the most amazing library known to mankind. Alert fans realized that the chandelier hanging in the library had a sphere that looks just like the mechanical sun on the Game of Thrones opening credits. And in fact, was the same: it’s called an astrolabe.
This led to a theory that Game of Thrones is being “narrated” by Sam. He’s writing the story down and changing the map that we see in the opening credits as he writes.
Here are some more details about that theory.
An astrolabe shows up in the title credits of Game of Thrones. It’s that thing we see right at the start which seems to represent the sun, and has markings that depict battle scenes. In the season 6 finale, when Sam finally gets into the library at the Citadel, he we see what appears to be this exact same object dangling from the roof in the middle of the library.
Here is what Sam saw in the library:
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Some think that this is a first sign that Game of Thrones may ultimately be Sam’s retelling of the events of Westeros. This would explain the opening credits using the same astrolabe that Sam finds in the Citadel. Giving further credence to this idea is that the glasses that the Maester in the Citadel uses are very similar to what the viewer “sees through” when he’s viewing the map during the opening credits.
Here are the glasses the Maester uses:
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And here is what we see through to view the map in the opening credits:
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Which we then peer through, to see the map:
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Prediction #2: Sam Will Discover the Key to the White Walkers’ Defeat
Sam was the first to discover the power of dragonglass against the White Walkers.
He has had an interest in researching White Walkers for a long time. Now he’s at the Citadel, and it’s very likely that he’s going to make a discovery that could change the course of the battle entirely.