Sherlock
Intense speculation has been rife around Moffat and Gatiss’s show since January 2014’s dramatic revelation that super-baddie, Moriarty, is still alive.
The theory: Firstly, was he even dead in the first place? Moriarty and Sherlock are seen as intellectual equals: if Sherlock can fake his own death, what’s to say his nemesis didn’t get a piece of the action as well? Alternatively, there’s the classic ‘What if Moriarty was a twin?’ theory could have legs this time; perhaps Rich Brook, the children’s entertainer version of Moriarty was real, and killed himself so the real McCoy could live. However, what if Moriarty was actually dead? Humour me: Moriarty is dead and Mycroft merely crafted the video as an excuse to keep Sherlock in the country.
Why you should care: Whatever the outcome, it is almost definitely not what I have mentioned; Steven Moffat has a habit of coining the answer that no one could ever have imagined. Whatever the result, one thing is clear: there’s an East wind coming.
The Walking Dead
Anyone who watched episode three of season six (‘Thank You’) would not have been thanking the writers much. In a huge shock towards the end of the episode, group original Glenn, was the latest was finally brought down by a group of ravening walkers.
The theory: The most important part of Glenn dying however, is the fan theories explaining exactly why he isn’t dead. Looking at a shot-by-shot dissection of the scene, it’s obvious that Nicholas falls on top of Glenn, leading some think that the guts being pulled out of Glenn’s chest are actually Nicholas’s. Some have paused the wide shot showing the stupid amount of zombies surrounding Glenn and believe that he has in fact crawled under the dumpster behind him. Also, let us not forget that Enid is currently on the run. Will she find Glenn? Let’s hope so.
Why you should care: Someone needs to go and rescue our favourite little zombie-fighter; he’s lived through far too much to leave us now.
Game of Thrones
I know, it’s old news, but I’m still not over Jon Snow and I need to talk about it. That little brat Olly helped stab him to death, but fan theories are flying since photo of Kit Harrington on set in full costume as the late Jon Snow has emerged from the filming of the current series.
The theory: Lady Melisandre will wor her magic and resurrect our Jon. What is she doing back at Castle Black anyway if it’s not to save Snow?
The theory, part B: R+L=J’ suggests that Jon Snow is actually Rhaegar Targaryan and Lyanna Stark’s child, embodying both ‘Ice’ (the winter-crazed Starks) and ‘Fire’ (the dragon-obsessed Targaryans). To take it even further, this could make him the prophesied Azor Ahai (Google it, it’s extremely complicated).
Why you should care: In true George R. R. Martin fashion, he’s keeping fairly quiet about the whole scenario; it appears that we, like Jon, ‘know nothing’. Still, Jon Snow is the hero that we all wanted to see on the Iron Throne when it’s all over.
St. Elsewhere
What if I told you that all your beloved TV shows are taking place within the same canonical universe and in the same timeline in a super TV-land?
The theory: Over 400 TV shows exist within the head of a child, Tommy Westphall, from the show St. Elsewhere. The show finished in 1988 after a six-year run, ending with the implication that the entire how had taken place within Tommy’s head. It means that any cross-over from St. Elsewhere, including characters and props, places that show within Tommy’s mind. The logic behind this being that if character A from St. Elsewhere appears in another show (character A being a figment of Tommy’s imagination) then that show must be a part of Tommy’s imagination as well. The effects of this include shows like CSI Miami and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Why you should care: Although a problematic theory, it exercises and shows what is possible with fan theories and their influence when it comes to how we think about popular media and the relations between the things that we consume.
