HBO
We’re a few weeks removed from the season seven finale of Game of Thrones but the fate of the characters are still fresh in our mind. Will the Night King and his army of dead men take over Westeros? Has Jaime turned his back on Cersei forever? Will Jon and Dany shrug off their incestuous love making and chalk it up to a happy accident? And what’s with Melisandre telling Varys: “I will return, dear Spider, one last time. I have to die in this strange country, just like you.”
Spoilers.
We know the HBO adaptation of Game of Thrones has become increasingly disconnected from the books, but we can always depend on simple story beats from showrunners David and Dan that seem to have been clearly outlined ahead of time (Hodor’s “hold the door reveal, etc). In one of the final episodes of season 7, we see Melisandre telling Varys she’s going to Volantis, before returning to “die in Westeros” along with him. Volantis, as it’s described in the books, holds The Fiery Hand, an army of one thousand warriors, no more, no less (ever), that are tasked with protecting the Lord of Light’s temples.
Since, as this theory explains (reinforced by the books), that many red priests and priestesses believe Dany and or Jon/Aegon/Jaegon (I’m going to work to make “Jaegon” happen) to be the Prince that was Promised, it makes total sense for the Lord of Light’s army to head to Westeros as a helping Fiery Hand against the army of the dead.
Here’s Reddit’s Dr_Tibbles to explain in greater detail:
Is Melisandre going to Volantis to get the Fiery Hand? She told Varys last episode that she is heading to Volantis and also that she is going to die in Westeros. So she is obviously planning on returning from Volantis and I’m guessing it will be to bring a small army back with her. From one of Tyrion’s chapters in ADWD he travels to Volantis and sees the temple of R’hllor that is guarded by the Fiery Hand. We’re told that the Fiery Hand are the slave soldiers for R’hllor and number 1,000 never more never less. Melisandre, and other red priests, believe that Dany (and/or Jon) is the PTWP. I’m guessing the Temple of R’hllor would be ok with lending their soldiers to the PTWP. They could be used as a surprise addition at a very fortunate moment (like Aragorn with the army of the dead in Return of the King), especially after the huge blows she’s taken these last couple of episodes.
I know that D&D haven’t introduced anything about Volantis being the major city for R’hllor, let alone anything about the Fiery Hand. But I don’t think it would be very hard to give a brief introduction before they show up since show only fans are already familiar with faith militants and Volantis has been mentioned a few times in the show already.
So, even with the Lannister armies likely not helping out at the wall, the Lord of Light’s army, at the behest of Melisandre, could at least provide some backup to those fighting in the cold north. Will a thousand-strong army be enough? If they can resurrect each other and wield flaming swords, then maybe. But it also seems like this is a band-aid on a gaping wound.
Unless, raw power is not how you fight an undead army with a blue flame-spewing dragon. The dead men will rise again, so an army of warriors that can be reincarnated from the dead might be exactly what the realm of men need in order to survive.
