Who Is Azor Ahai On 'Game Of Thrones'? Whoever He Is, He's Important

Game of Thrones is a series that has spawned a lot of theories, with many fans waiting for just the right details to emerge as evidence to prove this idea or that one. The prophecy of Azor Ahai has come up on the show every so often (mostly thanks to Melisandre, Azor Ahai's number one fan) but usually not by name; instead he'll be called by some epithet like The Prince That Was Promised or the Warrior of Light. Those veiled terms get to the heart of who Azor Ahai is and what he means to those who believe in him, but they're also not too revealing. Who is Azor Ahai? What happened to him?

The Prince That Was Promised is beginning to feel increasingly relevant now that contenders for the position are making themselves more plainly known. But before diving in to who might be Azor Ahai now, it's worth taking a look at who Azor Ahai actually was, and why he's significant to the world of Game of Thrones. Azor Ahai is a mythical hero credited with overcoming "The Long Night," a dark period in Westerosi history – a dark period that looks like it might be repeating any day now. Winter is coming, y'all.

The idea is that Azor Ahai will be reborn to fight the same threats he fought thousands of years ago, ushering in a new age of peace and taking a stand against the White Walkers. He's an important figure in the religion that follows R'hllor, the Lord of Light and Melisandre's chosen god, so that's why she's so zealously aboard the Warrior of Light train. The legend goes that while the world was submerged in darkness, Azor Ahai forged his flaming sword to overcome it. It was a long, difficult task that ultimately required human sacrifice to be completed; Azor Ahai had to temper the blade by driving it through the heart of his beloved wife Nissa Nissa. Her soul was the secret ingredient, so to speak, in the creation of his magical sword Lightbringer.

The prophecy that heralds his return gives readers and viewers the only hints they have about who might be Azor Ahai reborn. The prophecy claims that he will be "born amidst salt and smoke beneath a bleeding star," and that he will "wake dragons from stone." Dragons definitely seem to be important to the Azor Ahai mythos, with some thinking that Targaryen blood is a prerequisite for the position of long-awaited savior warrior. Dany's older brother Rhaegar was once a candidate and Melisandre was convinced Stannis Baratheon was as well, but since they're both gone it no longer seems likely.

The only current character who seems to fit every requirement is Daenerys Targaryen, though a lot of fans believe Jon Snow is Azor Ahai, especially because he quite literally came back to life and resurrection is kind of a big part of the whole deal. Whichever candidate you support, it definitely seems like Azor Ahai will play a role in what's to come.