There’s An Important Azor Ahai Easter Egg In The New ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 7 Images

The first official images from Game of Thrones season seven were released yesterday. On initial glance, they don’t appear to show anything we didn’t already know — Littlefinger is still creeping on Sansa, Tormund is still giving Brienne the “hey, girl,” treatment, etc. — but look closer, and you’ll find some easter eggs. For instance, Jaime appears to be in possession of Widow’s Wail, the sword given to Joffrey on his wedding day, and Daenerys is, for the first time, hanging out in the former Targaryen stomping ground of Dragonstone.

But the most interesting “upon further inspection…” comes from the piece of paper Gilly is reading. It’s extremely hard to make out what it says, which of course means an eagle-eyed fan translated it within hours. It says:

It is also written that there are annals in Asshai of such a darkness, and of a hero who fought against it with a red sword. His deeds are said to have been performed before the rise of Valyria, in the earliest age when Old Ghis was first forming its empire. This legend has spread west from Asshai, and the followers of R’hllor claim that this hero was named Azor Ahai, and prophesy his return. In the Jade Compendium, Colloquo Votar recounts a curious legend from Yi Ti, which states that the sun hid its face from the earth for a lifetime, ashamed at something none could discover, and that disaster was averted only by the deeds of a woman with a monkey’s tail. (Via)

That block is lifted, almost word for word, from George R.R. Martin’s companion book, The World of Ice & Fire, which details the history of Westeros. The only difference: Gilly’s sheet says “Lord of Light” instead of “R’hllor,” because that’s how he (she) is referred to as on the show.

“Azor Ahai” also hasn’t been mentioned on the series, although the hero’s prophecy has. “There will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world,” it reads. “In this dread hour, a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him.” Basically, Melisandre and her ilk believe Azor will live again as the Prince Who Was Promised, and he’ll save the world from, for instance, frozen zombies.

Might Azor already be reborn as Jon Snow Or maybe Daenerys Or Tyrion Will Gilly and Sam put the pieces together How many times a day does Sam say “Gilly…” like Will Forte So many questions, so few episodes left.

To learn more about Azor Ahai, check out our explainer.