Game of Thrones: Podrick's Song Meaning Revealed

The final season of Game of Thrones is in full swing, with the first two episodes of the series setting up the most important battle on the entire continent of Westeros. All of our favorite heroes have converged on Winterfell for a stand against the Night King, who has finally arrived with the Army of the Dead.

But the end of the episode featured a somber moment between a group of characters as Podrick Payne regales them by singing a song that has some major significance in the lore of "A Song of Ice and Fire," the source adaptation authored by George R.R. Martin. The song, "Jenny of Oldstones," might portend ill omens for the surviving characters on Game of Thrones.

In the books, it's often referred to as "Jenny's Song," referencing the wife of Prince Duncan Targaryen. Duncan is a fascinating character in the lore, as he was in line to take the Iron Throne from his father King Aegon Targaryen. But because Jenny was a commoner, Duncan was forced to choose between love and the crown; he chose the former, and his younger brother Jaehaerys took the throne instead.

Jenny became a member of the court upon marrying Duncan and became a popular fixture. But the story takes a tragic turn when Aegon, obsessed with bringing then-extinct dragons back to Westeros, seemingly kills most of his family at Summerhall. Considered the "summer home" for the Targaryen royalty, the historical accounts in the canon aren't exactly sure how it all happened, but they theorize that an experiment with wildfire went wrong and the entire keep went up in flames.

Aegon, Duncan, and Jenny are all presumed to have perished in this fire and Aerys Targaryen, the man who would come to be known as The Mad King, took the Iron Throne.

Regarding the books, fan theories suggest that Prince Rhaegar wrote the song. While he was a skilled warrior, Rhaegar was also proficient in other areas; he was a fan of history, a creative poet, and a gifted singer. He was said to have travel near the ruins of Summerhall, where he would camp under the stars and write songs. Rhaegar himself was born on the same day Summerhall was destroyed, so there is a strong connection there.

To make the connection even stronger, Jenny used to bring a woods witch to court with her from time to time. On one such occasion, the witch predicted that the Prince Who Was Promised would come from the line of Jaehaerys' two children, Aerys and Rhaella, who are the parents of Daenerys, Rhaegar, and Viserys.

The Prince Who Was Promised is the prophesized savior of Westeros, and Rhaegar himself thought he would be that prince — hence his dedication to many different skills, because he wanted to be amazing at everything and live up to that expectation.

But all of this could lead to a major revelation for Daenerys or Jon Snow's destiny. Daenerys is also a decedent of Aerys and Rhaella, and Rhaegar's sister; and the prophecy could be referring to the Prince or Princess Who Was Promised. While Jon is the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne as the true born son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark.

The song could be an ill omen, as its lyrics aren't exactly positive:

High in the halls of the kings who are gone
Jenny would dance with her ghosts.
The ones she had lost and the ones she had found
And the ones who had loved her the most.

The ones who'd been gone for so very long
She couldn't remember their names
They spun her around on the damp cold stone
Spun away all her sorrow and pain

And she never wanted to leave
Never wanted to leave
Never wanted to leave
Never wanted to leave
Never wanted to leave
Never wanted to leave

Given Dany and Jon's meeting in the crypt of Winterfell in last week's episode, this song is strangely on the nose. And it could mean more tragedy is waiting to befall the last of the Targaryens.

The final season of Game of Thrones continues this Sunday on HBO.

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[h/t Vanity Fair]