Confirmed by GRRM Himself, This GoT Theory Reveals Unexpected Brienne Twist
It looks like Brienne had some relatives after all.
George R. R. Martin is undoubtedly one of the most popular and beloved authors working today, as his intricately plotted Game of Thrones series has proven him to be the ultimate master of literary intrigue.
And while millions of people have read and reread his books over the past two decades, there are still plenty of secrets waiting to be discovered, and it looks like a fan on Reddit has managed to unravel one of the novels' biggest mysteries: Brienne of Tarth's true parentage.
While the books and the show have stated that Brienne is the daughter of Selwyn Tarth, the head of a powerful house, fans have always doubted it, arguing that Brienne doesn't look anything like her relatives and that her insane height means that she was probably adopted by the Tarths. This question has been debated for some time, and now it looks like we finally know the character's true relatives.
A Warrior Like Her Brothers
Given how big and fearsome Brienne is in battle, fans were quick to think that she might actually be related to the famous pair of brothers — Sandor and Gregor Clegane. These two iconic characters are both enormous in size, and considering that Brienne actually fought her supposed brother Sandor on the show, it sounds like something Martin created, don't you think?
Here's how the fan on Reddit explained Brienne's origin.
'I believe Brienne is actually the long-lost Clegane sister. Ned recaps what he knows about the Cleganes, and very briefly notes that there was a sister who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. I propose that Papa Clegane, realizing the violence already blossoming in Gregor, sent her to Tarth for her own good. Brienne was adopted by the barren lord of Tarth. Since he knows her true parentage, he is not surprised when she grows up enormous,' the fan wrote.
Martin's Confirmation
Though the author himself did not confirm the fan's idea, Martin has revealed that Brienne is a descendant of the legendary Kingsguard knight Duncan the Tall, which could mean that both Sandor and Gregor could be related to him. After all, the enormous height of all three perfectly supports this theory.