The Mysterious Rugen

[Jaqen H'gar]

I am fairly new to the series. I started a few months ago, but I am almost done with a feast for crows, and I am eagerly awaiting ADWD.

I don't have the patience to search through ALL of the threads to see if this has been talked about before, so if it has, please let me know.

*Spoiler Alert*

Obviously I have thousands of questions, but one that I have been pondering recently is about the mysterious Rugen. For any that don't remember, he is a gaoler in the black cells who disappears at the same time as Tyrion and Varys, although as far as we know, Tyrion never had any contact with him.

We know little about this man, except that he gained his appointment during the reign of the mad king.

My theory is that he has been working with Varys, and they fled together, but one of the juiciest things I think just might be true is this. Rugen . . . is Rhaegar Targaryen!

Somewhat out there, I know, but I can't think of anything to disprove my theory. We know a person wearing Rhaegar's armor was killed by Robert on the trident, but we keep hearing about what an amazing warrior Rhaegar was, and even though Robert was extremely strong, I don't really see Robert beating him. Also, although once again we are unsure, Varys seems to still be loyal to the targaryens, since in book one we see him plotting with illyrio about reinstalling Dany in westeros.

Also, Rugen kind of sounds like a contraction of Rhaegar Targaryen doesn't it.

I am eager to hear everyone's thoughts.

 

[Koopa]

Isn't Rugen just one of the guises of Varys?
I think he appears as 'Rugen' once before eddard and once before Tyrion.

Should Rhaegar still be alive, i can't see him staying still whilst Robert sits the throne.
I'm pretty sure Robert made sure of his kill.

 

[Culhwch]

Yeah, I thought Rugen was just Varys in disguise too.

 

[C Of K]

Welcome, Jaqen H'gar
A man could fit in very well with theories like this.

Rugen? Rhaegar? Now that would be a trick.
I can't recall, was there ever anything written about them losing Rhaegar's body?
I mean, it could have floated down the Trident, never to be seen again...
I doubt that happened, though. If Rhaegar is Rugen, then Robert must have
smashed some poor man's face in really good to make it unrecognisable.

I'm ruling out faceless men in this case. They're much to efficient at killing
to try and bump off Robert Baratheon by meeting him in open battle dressed
as his nemesis.

Jaqen, were you drawn to ASOIAF by the HBO series?

 

[TK-421]

Rheagar alive? Not a chance in seven hells.

 

[Syphon of Oor-Tael]

Welcome, Jaqen H'gar
A man could fit in very well with theories like this.

Rugen? Rhaegar? Now that would be a trick.
I can't recall, was there ever anything written about them losing Rhaegar's body?
I mean, it could have floated down the Trident, never to be seen again...
I doubt that happened, though. If Rhaegar is Rugen, then Robert must have
smashed some poor man's face in really good to make it unrecognisable.

I'm ruling out faceless men in this case. They're much to efficient at killing
to try and bump off Robert Baratheon by meeting him in open battle dressed
as his nemesis.

Jaqen, were you drawn to ASOIAF by the HBO series?

A Faceless Man hired to pose as Rhaegar while the real Rhaegar goes off to play "Come into my castle" with the real Lyanna, while the Lyanna in the Tower of Joy was also a Faceless Man. It would also explain why the Seven Kingdoms are so deep in debt. Rhaegar hiring two Faceless Men would be expensive as heck!

How's THAT for a conspiracy theory?

 

[Boaz]

Rugen is the six fingered man. It is known.

 

[Bazza]

It's been a while since I've read that book, I'm behind on my re-reads and I only have one week left! But I always thought he was Rugen as well. It is very likely that Varys used the name Rugen in homage to Rhaegar Targaryen.

Or. He was a no name gaoler whom Littlefinger killed off to make the story of his being paid off by the Tyrells more convincing? Didn't they find a pouch of Highgarden coins in his chambers?

 

[Jaqen H'gar]

I was actually studying abroad in Denmark, and one of my teachers told me about it, and when i looked it up that night I found out about the show, but I have been hooked ever since.

 

[Tansy]

Jaime assumes the gaoler is Varys as he disappears the same time and it explains Varys free access to the 3rd level black cells, there were some old highgarden gold hidden under his overflowing chamber pot which I assumed Varys had left there as either a clue to who had murdered Joff, or to throw suspicion on the gaoler for Tyrion's escape and not himself or Jaime.

 

[Boaz]

I'll beat Ursa to the punch...

I was actually studying abroad in Denmark,

I studied a few in Taiwan, one in England, and many in the US, but never in Denmark. It's all that cheese.