GoT | Gendry: True Heir to the Throne

There’s understandably been a lot of hype as to how the Game of Thrones series is going to come to a close. Will Jon take the throne? Will Daenerys? How and when will they find out about their kinship? While all these questions are relevant and laden with deeply tormented possibility, my fascination lies with Gendry, the “bastard” child to Robert Baratheon that I believe to be the true heir to the throne. If you’re a little confused, let me shed some light on the matter.

In season one, we see an intimate moment between Cersei Lannister and Catelyn Stark. A conversation arises about their children after Bran’s fall from the tower that left him crippled. Cersei reveals that she once gave birth to a “black-haired beauty” with Robert Baratheon, but that the infant died soon after being born. Fast forward 18 years (give or take), and we see Ned Stark track down who he believed to be just another of Robert’s bastards, Gendry. Gendry is soon dismissed from the capital to be a member of the Night’s Watch in the north which spares him from the massacre on all of Robert’s illegitimate children. It’s during this journey that he meets Arya Stark and they become close friends.

Now, let me blow your mind. Cersei was not shy about her feelings towards Robert. She loathed the man, and likely felt that the best way to get back at him for loving another woman (the deceased Lyanna Stark) was to make sure his seed never inherited the throne. It is entirely possible - and well within Cersei’s capacity - that she gave birth to a “black-haired beauty” that didn’t, in fact, die but, rather, was sent away to live out his days in destitution, never to know his true right to the throne.

Grand Maester Pycelle (left) and Varys (right)

Let’s say, for argument’s sake, that this theory has some footing in reality. That child would presumably be between the age of 17-20 at the time Cersei shared that moment with Catelyn Stark. And if she did send the child away in infancy, who would she have relied upon to help her complete such a task? She would need to convince the maester to lie about the child’s death to Robert which, considering Grand Maester Pycelle was wrapped around Cersei’s little finger, would not have been an issue. Although Cersei told Catelyn that Robert “beat his hands bloody” when he found out his firstborn son had died, it’s plausible that Grand Maester Pycelle acquired another deceased infant to take the place of the living heir to make the lie all the more convincing. As to who would actually relocate the boy to the drudges of King’s Landing, I can’t think of anyone better suited to the task than Varys, the capital’s handyman for all the dirty to-dos. But why would he accept such an assignment? Well, why wouldn’t he? It would just make for one more juicy tidbit in his arsenal should he ever need to cash in his chips to save his own skin or, more importantly, the kingdom’s.

Let’s move to the part where all the pieces come together. How old is Gendry? Roughly 17-20 years old when we first see him on the show. All he really remembers about his mother’s physical attributes is that she had “yellow hair,” which, coincidentally (or not), is Cersei’s hair color. During the massacre of Robert’s bastards in King’s Landing, Gendry just barely escapes under the guise of being sent to the Night’s Watch. He tells Arya in the show that his “apprentice got sick of [him],” leading to his dismissal to the wall. In the book A Song of Ice and Fire, we find out that this move was actually orchestrated entirely by Varys. But what benefit could there be in saving Gendry from the slaughter? Unless Varys knew that Gendry’s true lineage was one that needed protecting as it could one day lead to the salvation of the kingdom.

To stoke the flames of fanfiction even further, I believe it’s very possible that Gendry and Arya will end up together as romantic interests. Why, you ask? Well the first time we see Gendry in Game of Thrones is when he is meeting Ned Stark. If we look at the etymology of Gendry’s name, we find that it derives from the French “gendre,” which roughly translates in English to “son-in-law.” So, in the episode “Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things,” Ned is literally being introduced to his son-in-law. Besides that, Arya and Gendry share a unique connection - one that is not bound by arranged marriage or forced admiration. They both have incredibly strong character arcs and develop independent of one another, making their soon-to-be reunion in Winterfell one that will surely be a tender one.

If this theory comes into fruition and Gendry is the true heir to the throne, he will (hopefully) rule alongside his wife, Arya, as the First of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see if Melisandre was right - that there really is “power in a King’s blood.”