George R. R. Martin’sThe Winds of Winternovel will bring back an important character connected to the Red Wedding, and their return can debunk a popular Robb Stark theory. Despite HBO’sGame of Thronesending in 2019, the originalA Song of Ice and Firebook series remains unfinished. The fifth novel,A Dance with Dragons, was published in 2011. Readers have now spent more than a decade waiting for the sixth book,The Winds of Winter, along with the seventh and final installment,A Dream of Spring.
Even though HBO’sGame of Throneshas concluded, the outcomes of many characters and storylines in the books are still unknown. This is largely due to the differences between theSong of Ice and Firebooksand the television adaptation. Certain characters and storylines from the books never made it into the show and some characters' fates were changed in the adaptation. WhileThe Winds of Winter’s delaycontinues, Martin has previously teased details and even shared excerpts from the upcoming book that give readers an idea of what to expect.
The Winds Of Winter Will Bring Back Jeyne Westerling
She Will Be In The Prologue
As perHypable, Martin shared during San Diego Comic-Con 2014 thatJeyne Westerling will return inThe Winds of Winter’s prologue. In the books, Jeyne Westerling is the woman Robb Stark falls in love with and marries, even though he was betrothed to marry one of Walder Frey’s daughters. Instead of falling for a daughter of House Westerling, Robb’s love story is with Talisa Maegyr of Volantis in the television adaptation. Talisa attends the infamous Red Wedding, where she, Robb, Catelyn Stark, and countless others are brutally betrayed and murdered.
However, in the books, Jeyne does not attend the Red Wedding and stays at Riverrun under the protection of Brynden “Blackfish” Tully, which means she does not die at the Twins alongside Robb and Catelyn. Jeyne can still be considered a major Red Wedding character, though, as her marriage to Robb is the reason the Red Wedding happens, with Walder Frey intent on punishing House Stark for breaking their promise. The love of Robb’s life is still alive, and a confirmed appearance in the prologue means her story will continue within the first pages ofThe Winds of Winter.
Jeyne Westerling’s Return Can Debunk A Robb Stark Theory
There Is A Theory That Jeyne Is Pregnant With Robb’s Child
In the show, Talisa reveals to Robb that she is pregnant shortly before the massacre begins at the Red Wedding. Talisa’s death then puts an end to any hopes of her and Robb’s child ever being born. Meanwhile, Jeyne’s survival in the books has led to one of the manyThe Winds of Wintertheories, which is that she is pregnant with Robb’s child. There is already evidence to dispute this theory, though, as it is revealed inA Feast for CrowsthatJeyne’s mother, Sybell Spicer, gave her daughter potions that prevented her from conceiving a child with Robb.
Sybell deceived Jeyne and claimed the potions would make her daughter fertile.
Jeyne’s appearance is relatively brief inA Feast for Crowsand is only a small part of the larger story being told from Jaime Lannister’s point of view. Returning in the prologue ofThe Winds of Winter, and potentially even being the prologue’s point of view character could place more focus on Jeyne and provide more insight into her character. This further insight can include explicitly debunking the theory that she is pregnant with Robb’s child as she continues to grieve his death.
Jeyne Westerling’s Return Can Clear Up Confusion
It Can Debunk The Impostor Theory
Eagle-eyed readers have previously noted that when Jaime sees Jeyne inA Feast for Crows, Martin’s description of her hips conflicts with the description from an earlier book. This hasled to speculation that the person Jaime met may not have been the real Jeyneand that it could have been someone pretending to be her. It would not be the first time something like this has happened in the books, as Jeyne Poole is forced to pretend that she is Arya Stark, so Ramsay Bolton can marry her and solidify the Boltons' claim to the North.
Ramsay marries the real Sansa Stark in HBO’sGame of Thrones.
Jeyne Westerling’s presence inThe Winds of Wintercan clear up the confusion surrounding her last appearance and put an end to the theories that Jaime saw an impostor. Any discrepancy in how Jeyne was described was likely a mistake and not a hint of a larger twist. One of the easiest ways to clarify the confusion would be if Jeyne is the point of view character inThe Winds of Winter’s prologue, as the reader can see into her mind, and know for sure that it was the real Jeyne inA Feast for Crowsand not an impostor.
Will Jeyne Westerling Die In The Winds Of Winter?
It Depends On Whether She Is The Prologue’s Point Of View Character
If Jeyne Westerling is the point of view character inThe Winds of Winter’s prologue, she is all but guaranteed to die. As seen with the Night’s Watch ranger Will inA Game of Thrones, Maester Cressen inA Clash of Kings, the Night’s Watch steward Chett inA Storm of Swords, the Citadel apprentice Pate inA Feast for Crows, and the Free Folk skinchanger Varamyr Sixskins inA Dance with Dragons, the prologue’s point of view character always dies. It is unlikely that Jeyne will break this trend inThe Winds of Winter.
1996
1998
2000
2005
A Dance with Dragons
2011
Jeyne may survive if she is not the point of view character. Another candidate forThe Winds of Winterprologue’s point of view character is Jeyne’s mother, Sybell. A chapter from her perspective can shed further light on the deal she made with Tywin Lannister and what her stance is now that the deal did not pan out as she imagined. Other candidates include Jeyne’s father and Sybil’s husband, Gawen Westerling, Edmure Tully, or Forley Prester, a knight loyal to House Lannister who is given the responsibility of escorting the Westerlings and the captive Edmure.
Jeyne does not need to be pregnant to still be an important character, and she can make choices that can hurt House Lannister and help House Stark reclaim their power.
Sybell, Gawen, Edmure, Forley, or another character could die instead, and their death could be the key to seeing Jeyne’s story continue. If Forley is the one to die, perhaps Jeyne can escape and join forces with those still loyal to House Stark. Jeyne does not need to be pregnant to still be an important character, and she can make choices that can hurt House Lannister and help House Stark reclaim their power. What happens to Jeyne Westerling is one of many unresolved storylines that will be fascinating to see whenThe Winds of Winteris finally released.
