The bells ringing in King’s Landing is a sound associated with multiple things: horror, the death of a king, the city under siege, and Daenerys Targaryen and Drogon burning Westeros’ capital to the ground. What they don’t typically mean is surrender, as per Davos Seaworth himself, though that’s what Game of Thrones season 8, episode 5 – fittingly titled “The Bells” – used them for. The sound was supposed to mark the end of Daenerys’ attack, but instead spurred her on, leading to one of the most controversial parts of Game of Thrones‘ ending.
Given the bells ringing for “horror, a dead king, a city under siege,” and, as Tyrion notes, a “wedding,” comes from Varys as far back as Game of Thrones season 2, episode 9, “Blackwater,” then it’s certainly confusing why they were used that way ahead of Daenerys destroying King’s Landing in season 8. But the idea itself – not only of Dany’s villain turn and assault, but specifically the bells – could have derived from George R.R. Martin and his plans for the books, which could be seen when The Winds of Winter releases.
What The Bells In King’s Landing Will Mean In The Winds Of Winter – Theory Explained
They Could Be Important For A Character Game Of Thrones Cut
I think it’s quite plausible that Daenerys destroying King’s Landing will happen in the books in some way; likely in The Winds of Winter, but possibly A Dream of Spring. Much like Bran Stark becoming king, it feels like too monumental a twist to not have come from what he outlined to showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. It also fits with his ethos and themes in A Song of Ice and Fire: morally gray characters; exploring the human heart in conflict with itself; the corrupting influence of destiny, prophecy, and power; the devastating force of dragons, and so on.
However, given Cersei Lannister is not quite as important in the books as she was in Game of Thrones, then it’s hard to imagine her being the final boss type villain Dany comes to defeat. Instead, it’s more likely that when Dany arrives in Westeros, there’s someone else on the Iron Throne: Aegon Targaryen, the long-thought-dead son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell, who (allegedly) was smuggled out of King’s Landing, swapped with another baby, and is now returning to Westeros to claim his birthright. That’s who Dany will probably face, and who will be her opposition if and when King’s Landing is destroyed.
Alongside Aegon is his closest advisor and father figure, Jon Connington. He was once Hand to the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen, and a best friend of Rhaegar, and it’s with him that the bells in King’s Landing could be important, and where the kernel of the idea to use them in Game of Thrones season 8 may have stemmed from. During Robert’s Rebellion, Jon fought in the Battle of the Bells, so-called for the bells that rang out at Stoney Sept to warn of the battle.
| A Song of Ice and Fire books in release order | |
|---|---|
| Title | Year |
| A Game of Thrones | 1996 |
| A Clash of Kings | 1998 |
| A Storm of Swords | 2000 |
| A Feast for Crows | 2005 |
| A Dance with Dragons | 2011 |
| The Winds of Winter | TBA |
| A Dream of Spring | TBA |
It was an important conflict in the rebellion, and a major defeat for the Targaryen loyalists. Although it was early on, the victory for Robert spurred his forces on, and proved the rebels could and would not be easily dealt with. As punishment for the loss, Aerys stripped Jon of his lands, and the former Hand went into exile across the narrow sea, where it’s widely believed by those still in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros that he died. However, he is very much still alive, and still scarred by the Battle of the Bells:
“Last night he’d dreamt of Stoney Sept again. Alone, with sword in hand, he ran from house to house, smashing down doors, racing up stairs, leaping from roof to roof, as his ears rang to the sound of distant bells. Deep bronze booms and silver chiming pounded through his skull, a maddening cacophony of noise that grew ever louder until it seemed as if his head would explode.
“Seventeen years had come and gone since the Battle of the Bells, yet the sound of bells ringing still tied a knot in his guts . Others might claim that the realm was lost when Prince Rhaegar fell to Robert’s warhammer on the Trident, but the Battle of the Trident would never have been fought if the griffin had only slain the stag there in Stoney Sept. The bells tolled for all of us that day. For Aerys and his queen, for Elia of Dorne and her little daughter, for every true man and honest woman in the Seven Kingdoms. And for my silver prince.” – Jon Connington’s POV chapter in A Dance with Dragons .
That, to me, nicely foreshadows the bells ringing again in King’s Landing. The express purpose wouldn’t necessarily be that, of course, but it’d be easy to have them start ringing for a city under siege when Daenerys attacks. Jon, hearing the bells, could be driven to madness by them (alongside the greyscale he has contracted).
Jon Connington & The Bells Can Add To Daenerys Burning King’s Landing
The Winds Of Winter Can Make Them Better
In terms of the bells specifically, that they’ll form part of Jon’s story can make them a much more effective tool than the confusing use of them in Game of Thrones. Jon is a point-of-view character in A Dance with Dragons and so, assuming this battle goes down in The Winds of Winter, we should get to see at least some of it from his perspective and gain a much greater understanding of it.
Much like the bells still haunt Jon because he blames himself for Rhaegar’s demise, they will now ring in his ears as Rhaegar’s son is killed too…
That should enhance the battle as a whole, offering a unique perspective if he’s involved in the fighting against Daenerys on the ground, while adding to the chaos of it. That’s made all the richer by the fact that Dany will probably win, too. Much like the bells still haunt Jon because he blames himself for Rhaegar’s demise, they will now ring in his ears as Rhaegar’s son is killed too, giving them much richer thematic purpose and stronger emotional resonance.
The Winds Of Winter Can Improve On Daenerys’ King’s Landing Destruction Overall
There’s A Lot Working In The Book’s Favor
As for the destruction of King’s Landing as a whole, that presumably will be better than what Game of Thrones did. I like the version in the show and think it mostly fits Daenerys’ arc, but certainly understand complaints that it was rushed and happened too suddenly. That should not be a problem for the book, which can devote a lot more time to developing Dany’s emotional state, the fury building inside her, and why she chooses to do it, especially with the POV structure of the series.
There are other factors that can make it better too: a darker Tyrion will help Daenerys’ story along, as he’ll egg her on rather than try to dissuade her. Aegon, who has been raised to be the perfect prince, will likely be a more beloved king for Dany to face than Cersei was, and with more power from Westeros armies, further establishing Dany as the outsider. And while the show did have hints and signs as to Daenerys’ nature, the books have leaned harder on her being a true “fire and blood” Targaryen.
On the whole, there’s a real opportunity in that story, which may still be controversial, but should be fascinating if indeed it does happen in The Winds of Winter. And, in contrast to Game of Thrones, the bells will add so much to that – making them a sound to look forward to.
