Why was Jaqen in Kings Landing? (Game of Thrones, ASOIAF)

Great Video Robert! I think this theory is spot on!

Yeah! Thanks!!

Just to be clear, this is far more likely than my tinfoil. And I think I like it better in some ways. But There's always tinfoil

My mind tends to do a little too much grand conspiracy. Just for context. As well as the events of the time I want to put this in the context of events that occurred long after the beheading.

Varys seems to point a lot of useful people out of Westeros to Essos. Salmy, Tyrion, Jorah, likely working on the Aegon plan as well. Varys has a very well developed talent as a mummer. He doesn't just wear a costume, he has developed personalities. Rugan seems to me as well crafted as any of Arya or Jaqen's characters. He's not fond of magic, so his skill is all artiface. He's very thorough, but I think his skill certainly league with a faceless man. My theory with him is either he's part of a long long play to kill a target, or part of a HoB&W play to control the outcome of the current situation. It's heavily foreshadowed that Yoran, Shea, and Bronn work for him. [Whenever two people seem so antagonistic toward one another it trips my "protest too much" reaction. Littlefinger's power base is kingslanding. It seems odd to me unless the two might have a competitive arrangement but ultimately may in fact be working together. Petyr/west, Illyrio/east, Varys/universal connection.]

There really isn't any good reason for Jaqen to be a cell unless he intended it. The timing seems to strongly indicate a connection to Ned Stark. While the much simpler idea that Littlefinger wanted him dead is what I believe to be more likely, I think Varys wanted to ship him quietly to Essos and have Jaqen take his place on the way to the Wall. Rorge and or Biter were to appear to kill him when Yoran let them escape and move on to their next actions in the riverlands and Jaqen would move on to his. And Ned would pull an Arsten Whitebeard. Ned seems extremely emotional and protective of Dany. I think that part of that was because he knows something about it, but also because Varys recognized he wasn't suited to kingslanding and was pressuring him to go to Essos, but he didn't want to leave his daughters behind. (Unlikely, but imagine the emotions he'd be dealing with if Dany was his daughter with Ashara, but he also had Sansa and Arya to think about).

Then Jaime and Catelyn complicated things with their bs, and then Joff went off script. Yoran had to take the people in the cells because it was arranged. It's really hard to pin down everyone's connections and missions. Do you think Arya's disguise as a boy was so good Jaqen wanted to hire her? Maybe Yoran and Jaqen talked about her focus on revenge, or Jaqen felt he owed Ned and protected Arya until she was ready to go off on her own. Maybe he actually felt Arya needed to take over a function Ned was going to have and manipulated her into going to Braavos.

At this point in the tinfoil I feel it may apply to point out she saw the red comet, and connected it to her father's sword. (More foilly) her name literally translates to Song. Aside from simply rescuing Jaqen from fire and smoke I think there's enough smoke and salt sources along the way. It's far too silly, but helping the hound (giant) deal with his inner demons and emotions might be waking a giant from stone. Now she's training in HoB&W. Black blood (fire), wight cold (ice). Arya of the HoB&W, or song of ice and fire. Ya, I know, it's pretty thin.

Imagine how Ned could be of use in either the Aegon or Dany situation.

Fantastic video and out all Jaquen H'gar videos, this one make 100% sense on why in the world a skilled assassin would be in the black cells and I think will be get that revelation in the winds of winter, either on Arya chapters or Sansa's. One of them will find out that LF was the Mastermind behind Ned's betrayal and assassination.

Wow! Never thought of LF. I imagined Tywin as a suspect for having both the means and motive. Great Job

Mind blown!

I have never been a huge fan of the Faceless men plotline but I do like this theory. I hate to admit I never thought much about why Jaqen H'ghar was in that cell. Hmm….definitely makes me think now.

Robert! I absolutely LOVE your theories! They are always so well thought out and researched, but this one has to be your best one yet!

This could even give more credence to the Syrio is Jaqen theory as well, because as a hired Faceless Assassin, this particular "No one" could have started to get close to Ned by being hired by Ned to teach his daughter, Arya, how to water dance. Even though "a man" had a contract to uphold, he could have become fond of Arya during this time, analyzing her ability and surmising that she could become a great "No one", as well as giving her a great means of hiding and protecting herself in the process. As a Faceless Man, this particular no one is still human and could have easily come to admire Ned (even though he had a job to do) and see his protection of Arya as the only redeeming act he could do after the fact. After Syrio "died", he would have had to change faces to Jaqen to continue out the order. Once Ned was beheaded by Joffrey, he could safely go on to protect Arya when she was coincidently included in the caravan to the wall,while waiting for his next assignment.

Pure genius, once again!

Why am I not one of your Patreon supporters yet? I have to rectify this right now!

People did have incentive to go to the wall at that time. The war. The fact that people were starving. Shortly after when Thorne visits King's Landing Tyrion has word put out that there is a meal a day for men willing to serve with the Night's Watch.

And perhaps little finger could have paid a faceless man as insurance, but why would he waste that as money on nothing when it was him who whispered encouragement to Joffery to execute Ned instead of send him away? And why would Jaqen proceed to allow himself to stay Yoren's captive, and get taken out of his way half way up the country if he didn't still have a target?

Good theory. And poetic justice that Littlefinger got killed by a facless man (Arya) in the end.

What a great analysis! It makes perfect sense and right in front of us, well sort of…LOL!

Omg. Great idea. It's been long since any theory has made me gasp and yell "omg why did I never see that before?"

Very well thought out & attention to detail!

Jaqen H'ghar and Arya relationship reminds me of the relationship between Thanos and the mistress Death. The dying sees Death and people like Thanos and Arya because they have a passion for killing .

Very intriguing theory. Sounds likely to be true. Thanks for the very detailed and thorough analysis, Robert.

At the risk of an unoriginal comment – Wow! I suppose we could surmise that Jaqen may even have gone on to assume Neds identity at the wall, for a time. Eventually to disappear and further ruin his good name with accusations of desertion, leaving no-one any the wiser to the true crime.

Often wondered why Jaqen was a "prisoner" and here you present the definitive open and shut case.

Good show, Mr Holmes ; )

I'm pretty sure you don't have to be rich to hire a Faceless Man, the actress who wanted Lady Crane dead clearly wasn't. As I understand it the price is set individually, you have to be willing to make a sacrifice but it has to be within your means to pay it.

Hello sweet Robert….Jaqen kills Ned after Littlefinger gives order in him to do that?MIND-BLOWING THEORY.. i have actually think that Jaqen is Syrio and he doesnt dies at all in the fight with the Meryn Trant but change his face as Jaqen..Ned ,maybe had been know that..and that why he brought Syrio to Arya as her fencing teacher ..Ned had knows that if he got killed in KL[for Cercei secrets ] that his family will be in danger and maybe killed too …and that he should to prepare one of his childrens [Arya,bcoz always she was his most lovely daughter and bcoz she looks likes in Lyanna] to join the sect of the FM,to be more intelligent,hidden and skillful and somehow to bring justice for the dead members of the Stark family..That seems logical thing..But also you got said that Littlefinger got may paid him to kill Ned on the cells and the man who we sow to decapitated is not actually Ned but someone else with his face..becoz Littlefinger knows about them..that is MIND-BLOWING..Maybe bcoz he was jealous for Ned bcoz of Catelyn?could be ..or maybe bcoz he got plotted all this lie about Lyanna ''kidnapped-raped''by Rhaegar pushing Robert to start the war,MK to fell into paranoia and killing all those innocents and continue to do the same after the war over ..for the Throne[Ultimate Power]or even and for something more special[im wonder if he does know had for the WW and the AA prophesy?].? perhaps YES…But if and this actually did happen..why Jaqen did push Arya to follow him into Bravos and to be a FM,to train her with that strange way and then he leaves her to live and to going back in Winterfell?What the purpose of this?..Also did you remember a man who called the Alchemist and who make an appearance[for first/last time] in the Valar Morgulis ep S2 and said ''Jaqen is dead''in Arya?..in the books that mysterious man killed Baelon Greyjoy after Eurons orders and Euron give in him a petrified dragon egg for his services who he throw into the sea …What happened to this man after this?..too many questions…too limited and controversial answers…Thank for the Video dude..It was BLOW-MIND ..really

So what you're saying is, finkle is einhorn??

Question: Upon what text or show canon are you basing your presumption that Varys got Gendry out of KL. Also, Waymar Royce appeared to have volunteered for the NW.

If there was peace between the wolf and the lion, little finger would have lost out. If he contracted the faceless men to kill Ned, he would have made it look like the Lannisters did it – this merely compliments your theory

Very SOLID theory, Robert. I have been giving thought to this for quite some time. Never considered LF!

Votre théorie est assez convaincante.
J'attends avec impatience de savoir ce qu'à votre avis Jaqen veut d'Arya.

WOW, Robert! You never cease to amaze me…Your channel should be called "In Deep 'Genius', Damn! Fantastic analysis…I agree with you 100%. Littlefinger needed his "chaos" to climb his slithery ladder.

Wow.. this makes a lot of sense! Good job!

Great theory!