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This Character Just Returned To ‘Game Of Thrones’ & Joined Team Targaryen

by Ani Bundel
HBO

This post contains spoilers from "Game Of Thrones" Season 7, Episode 2. 

While Daenerys was off traipsing around the countryside with Dothraki and setting huts on fire last season on Game of Thrones, Tyrion was left to cope with Meereen and the anti-Mhysa propaganda being spread by the Masters. As you may recall, he decided to fight fire with fire, using an entire religion that had glommed on to Dany to preach the word of Dragon Queen.

That entire religion was that of the Lord of the Light, those who worship R'hllor. And while the continent of Essos seems to be littered with such people, in Westeros they're rather hard to come by. As far as we know, there are only two of them, and one of them's heading north with The Hound. But now it looks like Melissandre is back and on Team Targaryen on Game of Thrones.

Last time we saw her, she was riding south, away from Winterfell, having been summarily dismissed by Jon Snow for the crimes of bad judgment and small-child burning. Tonight, we learn that she's followed the call of her people.

As fans may remember, over in Essos, the Red Priests and Priestesses have been proclaiming Dany as their "Prince That Was Promised" since Season 5. Last year, Tyrion turned it to his advantage, having them come in and preach the word of Dany to counteract the Master's anti-Mhysa propaganda.

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Meanwhile, Melisandre has been off the reservation, as it were, first going around proclaiming Stannis, and then when that didn't work out, Jon Snow as The Prince That Was Promised. Tonight, during Episode 2 of the seventh season, it looks like she'd like to throw her lot in with Team Targaryen, and proclaim Dany to be Azor A'hai Reborn. After all, High Valyrian's gender-neutral default is male, but that doesn't mean the prophecy was talking about the "prince" being a man.

What's interesting is Dany's reaction. Stannis was all too eager to be named He Who Was Foretold. Jon Snow, less so, but considering he'd just be resurrected, it was hard to argue that perhaps Melisandre's red god had some purpose for him, and considering what he saw at Hardhome, it's not a stretch to then say it was to take down the Night King.

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Dany, on the other hand, looks rather dubious. Remember, she wasn't in Volantis with Tyrion to see her named being preached, or Meereen when Kinvara came by. In fact, Dany's arrival back in Meereen, and her swift conquering of the Masters followed by her leave-taking of Essos, means she never really got a chance to see any of that in action. Though when Missandei tells her it's "prince or princess" she's definitely flattered.

Do we think Dany will bring Melisandre into her fold? Or will she take her advice and let her go? If Davos heads down with Jon Snow, Melisandre might need to roll anyway...