Game of Thrones fan theory predicts return of dead characters during Battle of Winterfell

This throws a spanner in the works

Warning: this article contains spoilers. Obviously. Many viewers were disappointed by the lack of action in episode two of Game of Thrones' eighth season, but once again it felt extremely necessary to at least try to tie up a multitude of loose ends before the imminent battle against the dead. Despite the absence of any murder in this episode, there were plenty of hints that fuelled many a popular fan theory. One that has gathered a lot of traction over the past 24 hours focusses on the crypts of Winterfell, where it seems everyone not fit to fight the dead will sit tight and wait for the battle to end. As we have learned over the years, nothing goes smoothly in Game of Thrones. What seems to be a fool proof path to safety will inevitably be scuppered by a twist that nobody saw coming. That looks likely to happen again in episode three, down in the depths of the crypts. Cast your mind back to the official trailer for season eight. Arya Stark is seen running through the crypts, terrified. Remember, she's a trained killer; she doesn't scare easy. That is the Night King's shtick, after all, resurrecting people (and dragons) to fight for his army. Another small but significant piece of dialogue in the preview for episode three has convinced people that this will be the case: when Daenerys says to Jon, "the dead are already here." She could well mean the army of White Walkers marching south, but equally, that could be her dramatic way of telling Jon that everyone they thought was safe down in the crypts is currently being devoured by resurrected Starks. This means we could be set for some emotionally torturous scenes, as Jon may have to fight an undead Lyanna Stark, the woman he recently discovered was his natural mother, and the other Starks will be confronted by their (un)dead parents in a combat situation. It might sound outlandish but this is Game of Thrones. Nothing is off the table.