The Game of Thrones theory that the Clegane brothers the Hound and the Mountain will fight to the death — colloquially known as Cleganebowl — has long been the focus of fan fervor. In an interview on Tuesday, Rory McCann himself weighed in, rather delightfully referring to it as “that Cleganebowl shite.”
“He’s not that much taller than me,” he told Australian outlet WA Today about the Mountain. “But if it kicks off I’m still gonna be the Jack Russell and he’ll be the Rottweiler. Guess I’d better start training.”
Of all the Game of Thrones fan theories, Cleganebowl is the most perplexing to outsiders. It comes with its own name, inside jokes, subreddit, fan made trailers, sound effects (airhorns) and tagline (get hype) — and it’s also absurdly simple.
The fight between the Hound and The Mountain is the extent of the theory. It doesn’t involve time travel, secret Targaryens, or elaborate decade-long conspiracies filled with intrigue and disguises.
It simply stems from the childlike wonder at seeing things — or two huge ferocious brothers, in this case — go smash.
Some fans thought the Season 7 premiere nodded to it when Sandor Clegane looked into the flames and described “a mountain shaped like an arrowhead.” His brother the Mountain, after all, wears an arrow-like helmet in his capacity as Queen Cersei’s loyal guard.
But from the Hound’s mouth himself, though the two are similar in height it would be a hell of a fight. Get hype.
Game of Thrones Season 7 is currently airing Sunday nights on HBO.
