Game Of Thrones: 10 Most Outrageous Fan Theories You Won't Believe

8. Daario Is Benjen Stark

Jon Snow White Walker Game Of Thrones
HBO

Season 4 of Game of Thrones recast the role of Daario Naharis, the swellsword in the service of Daenerys Targaryen, with Michael Huisman replacing Ed Skrein. No big deal, this sort of thing happens fairly regularly; Mad Men must’ve been through about 20 different Bobby Drapers in its seven season run.

However, could there be a much bigger reason behind the casting change? It wasn’t to make him look more like the book character - who has a dyed blue beard among other frivolities - but his appearance is now similar to that of a family we’re all very familiar with: the Starks.

The theory is that Benjen Stark, Ned’s brother and long-time missing first ranger with the Night’s Watch, is actually disguising himself as Daario.

When sent ranging North of The Wall he discovered the threat of the White Walkers, and having heard talk of a Targaryen girl with dragons, and realised she was the realm’s best hope for a saviour. Thus he journey from beyond The Wall to find her and earn her trust, assuming a new identity in the process, and the Tyroshi custom of dyed beards makes for an easy disguise in the books, but one that wouldn’t work on TV, hence casting someone who looks plausibly like a Stark. 

Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.