Loras Tyrell/Theories

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 Theories may be removed if ... 
  1. Stated as questions or possibilities.
  2. More appropriate for another article.
  3. Illogical or previously disproven.
  4. Proven by canon source, and moved to main page.
  5. Speculative and lacking any evidence to support arguments.
  6. Responding to another theory (use discussion page instead).
  • This does not include responses that are also standalone theories.
  • Usage of an indented bullet does not imply the statement is a response.

Fate at Dragonstone

According to this theory, Loras Tyrell's severe injuries at the Siege of Dragonstone are not as they seem.

Potential reasons

  • To weaken Cersei Lannister's reign as Queen Regent, and the status of House Lannister more broadly.
  • To free up the Redwyne fleet to deal with the Ironborn invasion of the Shield Islands, as Loras initially argued.
  • Kevan Lannister states that Loras and his forces searched Dragonstone for dragon eggs or other priceless artifacts, but found nothing. It is possible that Loras found, if not those specific things, something else that could be used to benefit House Tyrell.

Evidence for

  • As far as the reader knows, the only evidence given as to Loras's injuries is what Aurane Waters tells Cersei Lannister, and as Aurane later quickly abandons Cersei, his loyalty to her is certainly questionable. Loras' body has not been brought back to King's Landing, but presumably is still back at Dragonstone, and only by Water's own words.
  • In A Feast for Crows, Myranda Royce tells Sansa Stark that Riverrun has been taken by the forces of the Iron Throne, and that Dragonstone will soon follow. However, Waters tells Cersei that Dragonstone was taken before Riverrun.
  • According to Waters, during the battle Loras was first hit with a quarrel in the thigh, then one through the shoulder, then had his ribs broken by a mace, but kept fighting at the front of the assault until he was hit with boiling water. This seems an excessive amount of injuries to sustain while continuing to fight in the vanguard of an intense assault, even for Loras.
  • It was the belief that Loras was out of the picture that led Cersei to begin to move against Margaery Tyrell, which set in motion the events of Cersei's own downfall. The manner in which Loras defeated Gregor in the first novel when jousting, through his wits, suggests despite his rashness he was intelligent enough to realise Cersei's plans prejudice and plans against his own family, and if commandeering Cersei's ships the protection of The Reach would have taken precedent need over an evident suicide mission. Though undermanned for a decisive assault against Dragonstone, it would have been easier to pen in the Ironborn when they weren't expecting it in the straits behind The Reach.
  • Loras's leadership during the siege resulted in the death of one thousand of the Iron Throne's soldiers. Whether they actually died or defected along with Loras, it would be a large blow to the forces of the Iron Throne and House Lannister.
  • When taking Dragonstone, Waters says that Loras offered single combat to its commander, Rolland Storm, but Storm declined. This would seem to be out of character for Storm and his belief in the Warrior. Further, Stannis only left a token force on Dragonstone, which would seem less likely to inflict such large-scale casualties on the Iron Throne's forces.
  • In A Dance with Dragons, none of Stannis Baratheon's followers mention having lost Dragonstone, which would have been a major defeat for them. Stannis receives no message to this effect, despite never giving up Dragonstone as a base of possible operations or implying to his troops back at Dragonstone that he intends so, in all the time he's in the North.
  • Kevan Lannister notes that, despite his injuries, Loras has been personally searching Dragonstone. This would seem rather difficult to do for someone who had sustained the injuries described by Waters.
  • According to The Winds of Winter, Waters has apparently established himself as a pirate chief in the Stepstones off of Dorne. If Waters and Loras were conspiring, this would allow Waters to harass the forces of House Martell, the longtime enemies of House Tyrell.

Evidence against

  • It would presumably be difficult to keep the non-capture of Dragonstone a secret for long, given how many ships pass through Blackwater Bay en route to King's Landing.
  • If the Siege of Dragonstone was a complete fabrication, it would require House Tyrell to conspire with Stannis Baratheon, something which would seem unlikely given how Stannis's claim to the throne would not benefit Margaery's desire to be Queen, which is contingent on her marriage to Tommen Baratheon and his status as King, not to mention Stannis's dislike of House Tyrell for their part in the Siege of Storm's End.