The world of Game of Thrones is dense and full of terrors. But it's also full of Easter eggs! George R.R. Martin has hidden so many subtle clues in the A Song of Ice and Fire books that he is afraid some fans have already figured out the secret ending and, like the books, the HBO show is also peppered with plenty of Game of Thrones hidden features and Easter eggs that are inspired by Martin's books and other sources.
Did you notice that Gandalf's sword is in the Iron Throne? How about that Jon Snow's best buds at the Wall have the same names as Frodo's pals in The Lord of the Rings? There are also initials carved on a wall that hint at Jon Snow's real parents, several references to Monty Python, nods to H.P. Lovecraft and Dragonslayer, and many, many more, if you are willing to keep your eyes peeled.
How many Game of Thrones dragon, er, Easter eggs did you catch while watching the show? Which one surprised you more than the Red Wedding? Vote up your favorite hidden message and help us decide which is the one Easter egg to sit the Iron Throne and rule the Seven Kingdoms!
21 Game of Thrones Easter Eggs Hidden Throughout the Series,
Lena Headey Hinted at Oberyn Martell's Demise Two Months Before It Happened
Game of Thrones fans know by now that Oberyn Martell, played by Pedro Pascal, suffered a crushing defeat - literally - at the hands of the Mountain. But two months before we screamed "nooooooo!" at our screens, Lena Headey posted the above photo on her Instagram, which spells it out.
Littlefinger Predicts All the Major Deaths in Season Four in One Sentence
If things don't work out for Littlefinger in Westeros, he could make a go of it as a fortune teller. While trying to console Robin Arryn after his mom got dropped like a bad habit out the Moon Door, Littlefinger says, "People die at their dinner tables, they die in their beds, they die squatting over their chamber pots. Everyone dies, sooner or later." In that one sentence he predicted the deaths of King Joffrey, Shae and Tywin Lannister. You've got our attention, Littlefinger!
The Winterfell Castle from the Pilot Is Also Castle Anthrax from Monty Python
There's a lot of love for Monty Python on Game of Thrones. Scotland's Doune Castle was used to represent Winterfell in the pilot episode, and the same castle was also used as Castle Anthrax from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
The Opening Credits Show You Where the Episode Will Be Taking Place
People usually fast-forward through the opening credits of any show, and the Game of Thrones opener is particularly long. But the next time you watch the animated opening featuring the different kingdoms of Westeros and Essos, pay attention to which areas are featured. The locations visited in each opening sequence vary depending on where the characters are heading in that particular episode.
Daario Insults a Champion with a Monty Python Line
In one episode, Daario defends Daenerys from a Meereenese champion by cutting off his head. Before he does this, he hurls a few insults in the fictional language of Old Ghiscari. According to the Game of Thrones linguist, he is saying the following lines, originally spoken by Monty Python's French Knight: "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."
The Drowned God Is a Reference to the Cthulhu Mythos
George R.R. Martin is apparently a fan of H.P. Lovecraft's work, especially the Cthulhu mythos. Theon Greyjoy's people, the Ironborn, worship a resurrected figure called the Drowned God. Their prayers during religious rituals begin with "what is dead may never die," which echoes the prayer in Lovecraft's work, "that is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die." Cthulhu is also a squid-like monster, and the symbol of House Greyjoy is the Kraken, which is itself a squid-like monster.
The Initials on a Wall Supposedly Reveal Jon Snow's True Parents
Some Game of Thrones fans believe that Ned Stark is too much a man of honor to have fathered Jon Snow out of wedlock. There is a theory that Jon Snow's real parents are Rhaegar Targaryean and Ned Stark's sister Lyanna - otherwise known as the R+L = J Theory. Although incredibly widespread, this theory does not appear in George R.R. Martin's books... yet. If you look closely at the picture above, you can see the letters "R" and "L" clearly carved to the left of Snow. That can't be random, can it?
Gandalf's Sword Is in the Iron Throne
The Iron Throne is supposed to be made up of hundreds of swords hammered together for months while being welded by dragon fire. If you look closely you can see the handle of Gandalf's sword, Glamdring, from The Lord of the Rings. We're sure whoever did that meant it as an homage to J.R.R. Tolkien and not to suggest that Gandalf was defeated and his sword made into a throne.
Coldplay Drummer Will Champion Keeps the Beat at the Red Wedding
Will Champion, best known as the drummer in Coldplay, appears on Game of Thrones in the infamous "Red Wedding" episode as - wait for it - a percussionist.
Jon Snow's Best Friends at the Wall Have the Same Names as Frodo's Pals
In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo's hobbit pals were Sam and Pip. In Game of Thrones, Jon Snow's best friends at the Wall are Sam and Pyp.