The latest Game of Thrones trailer reveals a confrontation between Tyrion and a new Red Priestess of R’hllor in the throne room of Meereen. Meanwhile, Season 6 cast leaks have confirmed that Thoros of Myr will return. Throw Melisandre in the mix and you have three different priests and priestesses who follow the red god, each with a different vision of the religion’s future savior, Azor Ahai reborn. So what’s going on with this crazy religion invading Westeros and sparking populist uprisings in Essos?
What Or Who Is R’hllor?
R’hllor—Lord of Light, God of Flame and Shadow, Heart of Fire, red god—is a god in opposition to The Great Other, who stands for darkness and death. Melisandre describes them as “a god of light and love and joy and a god of darkness, evil and fear, eternally at war.” Unlike the dominant religion of Westeros, with its seven gods and goddesses (all aspects of a single god), followers of R’hllor believe in an ongoing, dualistic war.
What Do Red Priests And Priestesses Want?
Since most of our experience with followers of the Lord of Light involve Melisandre, it’s reasonable to conclude that every follower of the Lord of Light is a blood-thirsty careerist willing to birth black magic beasts to give their hand-picked saviors an edge.
Yet, many of the Red Priests and Priestesses encountered in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series are less hell-bent on world domination. One example from Game of Thrones is Thoros of Myr, who follows the Brotherhood Without Banners and repeatedly resurrects Beric Dondarrion (an unlikely candidate for Azor Ahai), but otherwise has the demeanor of a stoner Robin Hood.
What unites Red Priests and Red Priestesses is not so much their attitude, but their dedication to heroic saviors, discovered through interpretation of prophecy.
Who Is Their Savior?
“There will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. 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.”
- A Clash of Kings
Followers of the Lord of Light believe that thousands of years ago Azor Ahai defeated the White Walkers during The Long Night (a devastating winter and the last time White Walkers were seen). All it took was a legendary sword, Lightbringer, tempered in the heart’s blood of Azor Ahai’s wife.
Azor Ahai will return, likely as The Prince That Was Promised, a prophetic figure wielding a sword of fire and appearing “ amidst salt and smoke.” It was exactly this prophecy Melisandre was hoping to fulfill with her chintzy beach ceremony for Stannis:
Among followers of the Lord of Light there’s constant disagreement over the true identity of Azor Ahai. Melisandre once believed the savior would be Stannis, though it seems likely she’ll soon back Jon Snow in Game of Thrones Season 6. Many in Essos, including the High Priest of the Red Temple in Volantis, Benerro, believe Daenerys to be Azor Ahai returned.
What Role Will Followers Of The Lord Of Light Play In ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 6?
Probably a significant one.
Melisandre is almost certain to be instrumental in the resurrection of Jon Snow. Meanwhile, leaks from the set have confirmed that a Red Priestess will be stirring up a lot of trouble in Tyrion’s Meereen.
Though unlikely, the return of Thoros of Myr could mean the entrance of a powerful new faction lead by the resurrected Catelyn Stark, who returns as Lady Stoneheart to wreak vengeance across Westeros.
Finally, Arya’s adventures in A Dance with Dragons introduced us to Ezzelyno, a drunkard Red Priest who conducts weddings in a Braavos tavern. Could he somehow touch Arya on her quest to become Faceless?
Season 6 will see the followers of the Lord of Light go from Melisandre’s fanatical Stannis contingent to widespread political influence affecting many of our favorite characters. You better get used to R’hllor now, because when the Long Winter returns the vengeful fire god may be our own little redoubt from the advancing cold death of the White Walkers.
