In HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” Bran Stark has visions from throughout the history of Westeros, and several of those visions include a wildfire explosion within the walls of the city of King’s Landing. But to known history, that hasn’t happened, which indicates that Bran could have had a vision of the future in which Cersei burns King’s Landing with wildfire.
Let’s rewind for a second: The “Mad King” Aerys Targaryen instructed pyromancers to stash caches of wildfire throughout the underground streets in the city of King’s Landing. He wanted to “burn them all” — a phrase which, according to some theories, might also be related to Bran — and was obsessed with using a massive fire to essentially turn himself into a dragon.
But Jaime Lannister killed Aerys before the wildfire explosion occurred.
In Bran’s visions, we see Aerys screaming “burn them all!” We see the pryomancers creating the caches of wildfire. We see Jamie Lannister kill Aerys. And then we see a wildfire explosion.
In other words, the first three visions happened in the past. The fourth did not — so where did it come from?
Cersei’s history with wildfire in King’s Landing
Enter Cersei, the maniacal ex-queen who is locked in a battle for power with the High Sparrow. In “Game of Thrones” Season 6 Episode 6, Jaime Lannister tells Cersei he wants to kill the High Sparrow with his own sword. Cersei agrees that the High Sparrow must die, but instead asserts that Jaime/Cersei will have to be more subtle about their attack (i.e. not storming into his bedchamber and killing him with a sword). She also wants to display the impressive power of the Lannisters.
What if her power will be displayed through a massive explosion?
It wouldn’t be the first time Cersei used wildfire. In the books, at Tommen and Margaery’s wedding, Cersei burns a significant portion of the Tower of the Hand because she’s convinced her little brother Tyrion is hiding in the walls. She wants him dead, and uses the wildfire to smoke him out.
Theory: Cersei will use the wildfire in King’s Landing for a massive explosion
The theory is that Bran saw a vision of the future in which Cersei Lannister sets up a cache of wildfire under the Great Sept of Baelor. She somehow ignites the wildfire, which blows up the sept (and presumably the High Sparrow and his followers).
Dany will find King’s Landing amidst rubble from the explosion
It’s also possible that Cersei will go full crazy and blow up all or a significant portion of King’s Landing. There’s another vision Bran had in which it looks like King’s Landing is covered in smoke.
Additionally, in HBO’s “Game of Thrones” Season 2, Daenerys Targaryen sees a vision in the House of the Undying where she approaches the Iron Thrones amidst ash, snow and rubble. Could it be that that’s literally how she will see King’s Landing when she finally gets there?
It would also fit with Cersei’s running theme from the past two seasons. Doing something drastic with the aim of harming a perceived enemy and only realizing the far reaching consequences once it is too late. I could see Cersei watching as the Sept burns with her infamous half smirk and then suddenly realizing that the fire has spread and is heading straight for her. It would also explain the vision where you see the wildfire rushing down what looks like a hall or tunnel. That could be the wildfire spreading throughout the underground tunnels. King Aerys may have placed the wildfire pots at intervals so that one would trigger another. It could also tie in with the scene in season 6 episode 8 where the mountain kills the sparrow gruesomely and his blood goes running toward a grate placed in the stone floor. It could have been drawing attention to the underground tunnels because they will come in to play very soon. The attention in that scene seems very deliberate if you view it in that light. Just my theory at the moment. I may read something else and change my mind completely in about 5 minutes. Lol. I am so LOVING this season of GOT.
I believe Cersei will try to burn the Sept of Baelor and inadvertently end up triggering a chain reaction that will set all of Kings Landing ablaze. I think the show will use a fire at the Sept in place of the fire at the Tower of the Hand in the books.