Another day, another unrealistic Game of Thrones theory that we're going to believe anyway.
As we all know, Ned Stark was executed all the way back in the first season of the show – it was pretty final and clear-cut (no pun intended).
However, a new theory suggests that he may in fact have been alive this whole time. No, don't run! Hear us out on this one.
This theory is more closely aligned with the books, and while we saw Ned's head on a spike in the show, in the original text the beheading scene is played out from Arya's point-of-view, where she notes that her father looks different, as does Sansa.
The theory goes that the Ned we see on the execution platform is not him but actually Faceless Man Jaqen H'ghar wearing Ned's face.
While the Faceless Men are said to only wear the faces of the dead, this idea is proved wrong in season five when Arya pulls of Jaqen's face and sees her own.
Anyway, the idea of Ned being alive could be plausible, as he may have come across Jaqen in the cells below the Red Keep when he was captured, and it's possible the Faceless Man was paid off by Varys to be arrested on purpose – let's be honest, badass assassins would not end up locked away.
Syrio Forel – the swordsman who trained Arya in the first season – then enters, the theory suggesting that he did not die at the hands of Ser Meryn Trant and went down to save Ned while wearing Jaqen's face... basically, he has been the Jaqen we see this whole time.
This is backed up by the idea that Jaqen and Arya are close, and when the Faceless Man tells her: "There is only one God, and A Girl knows his name," it echoes Syrio telling Arya: "There is only one God and his name is Death."
There is also a second theory, suggesting that Ned warged into a bird when he was executed – explaining where Bran gets the ability – and that he is still alive as a bird... yeah, we prefer the first theory.
While it's sort of plausible, it doesn't explain why noble Ned didn't try to stop all the terrible stuff that's happened since – ie, the Red Wedding, the Boltons taking over the North and so forth.
Still, it would be satisfying to see Sean Bean again in the show. At least until he's killed off a second time.
Game of Thrones returns to HBO on Sunday, 16 July and Monday, 17 July on Sky Atlantic in the UK.
