'Game Of Thrones' Theory About Sam Makes Our Heads Explode But Makes So Much Sense

Though Game of Thrones returns in only a few days time, the books, including the long awaited The Winds of Winter, have no end in sight. Because of this, many fans are now turning to the show to find answers to questions that the books might have once answered.

Most people remember last season's finale for the scene in the Sept, or for the reveal of Jon Snow's mother. But for some fans, there was a far bigger twist to the story no one saw coming.

When Sam and Gilly arrived at the Cidatel, there was a question of whether they would be let in. Though Gilly was denied entry into the inner library because of her gender, Sam was eventually allowed to go inside. But what he saw stopped some viewers dead in their tracks.

See that shot at the 20-second mark as the astrolabe goes by? Look familiar? It should. Fans of the show have seen that shot at least 60 times so far -- once for every episode, in the opening credit sequence.

Does that mean the opening credits are set in the Citadel library?

More evidence can be found in the opening credit sequence that the answer is yes. At the 12-second mark, as the shot slowly focus in on King's Landing, a pair of glasses slowly flicks across the map, magnifying the image.

There they are, worn by one of the Maesters who runs the place.

But what does it mean? Is this just the production taking their visual choices from six years prior and using them to inform design decisions? Or is this a sign that the story of A Song of Ice and Fire is one told by the Maesters or. more importantly, one told by Sam?

For years, book readers assumed that Tyrion was George R.R. Martin's avatar character, just for the love and care that the character has been given on the page. But what if this theory is wrong? What if Martin sees himself as a Sam? Someone who would survive the Long Night when everyone else died, to make sure their legends lived on?

For Sam, whose father derides him as a coward, to be the one who survives the coming war and live on when everyone else is gone would be a bittersweet ending indeed.

Game of Thrones Season 7 debuts July 16, 2017, at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.