On Friday, HBO released the synopsis for the fourth episode of Game of Thrones Season 6, titled “The Book of the Stranger.” So what is the Book of the Stranger? It’s actually an important piece of Westeros’s faith.
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The Stranger is one aspect of The Seven in the Faith of the Seven, the predominant religion of Westeros. He is the aspect of the Faith’s god that represents the unknown and death.
The Stranger is unique among the Seven in a few ways. While the other aspects of the Seven are human males or females, the Stranger is considered monstrous and does not have a defined gender (though he is referred to as male). As such, he is often depicted as a hooded figure with animalistic features.
While follows of the Faith of the Seven frequently pay tribute to the various aspects of their god, few worship or offer tribute directly to the Stranger, finding him macabre and terrifying. Still, some societal outcasts identify with the Stranger, and he is considered one face of the Many-Faced God by the Faceless Men and devotees of the House of Black and White.
The Faith’s holy text, The Seven-Pointed Star, is split into books that correspond to the aspects of the Seven. As such, the Book of the Stranger is the book corresponding to the Stranger. The episode being named after the holy book of what is essentially Westeros’s God of Death is ominous indeed.
Another interesting note is that Sandor “The Hound” Clegane’s horse was named “Stranger,” though no one was ever certain if Clegane name the horse after the Stranger. Still, there are theories that the Hound is still alive in Westeros, so you have to wonder if this is a sly hint planted by the showrunners.
Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO.
