The Hints That Reveal Margaery's True Intentions on Game of Thrones

Back in the premiere of season four, Margaery is preparing to wed Joffrey. Her grandmother, Lady Olenna, is determined to find the perfect necklace for the occasion but dismisses every option. Margaery suggests, "Perhaps I should just let Joffrey choose it for me . . . end up with a string of dead sparrow heads around my neck."

The moment is up to interpretation. Margaery is no doubt referring to Joffrey's sadistic streak and his psychopathic tendency to harm animals. On a more subtle level, though, it's possible the showrunners already knew plenty about Margaery's story arc with the High Sparrow. Perhaps they dropped this subtle breadcrumb to remind us that Margaery is always playing a game and always aware of the bigger picture. Perhaps we'll get a Sparrow bloodbath after all.

Let us not forget that Margaery very recently has a pretty telling conversation with Loras, whom the Sparrows have also imprisoned. This conversation in particular proves Margaery is thinking about the grander scheme, the greater plan. "They want me to help you," she says. "They want me to help tear you down. That's why he's letting me see you; I know it is. And if either of us give in to what they want, then they win."

It's clear: Margaery knows the High Sparrow's game, and she doesn't want to let him win. She seems to understand, in this moment, that her brother is incapable of conspiring. It's in Loras's cell that Margaery presumably decides to play a game of her own.

After seeing that state Loras is in, Margaery does a complete about-face. She kind of leads Tommen along in a conversation, not really saying the High Sparrow is good or bad, just "different" from what they thought. She says everyone needs to atone for their sins, sooner or later, one way or another. "The gods have a plan for us all," she tells Tommen.

Now, it's true these words are more or less in the context of Margaery's brother, Loras. But given the vague, ominous way she discusses the topic at large, it's hard not to see how she could be referring to the High Sparrow as well.

Now, let's really think about this situation. Margaery has orchestrated a situation where she gets to return to Tommen's side. She does not have to do a walk of atonement. She's in a position to "help" her brother, Loras, atone for his sins. She's even saved the Tyrell army from causing certain irrevocable harm. If they had truly intervened, the Tyrells would be a huge target for the Sparrows going forward.

It goes even deeper than that, though. Margaery is disassembling the Lannisters bit by bit. For opposing the Sparrows (and thereby the crown), Jaime loses his coveted position as a member of the King's Guard. Cersei's plan — along with whatever true intentions were behind it — has been completely undermined. Margaery's bond with Tommen is stronger than ever, and she's effectively pulled him just a little bit further away from Cersei.

Following the union of the High Sparrow and the crown, Olenna is completely baffled by Margaery's sudden change of heart. She asserts that her granddaughter must stop this nonsense at once, but Margaery stuffs a note in her hand and insists this is what she wants. She tells Olenna to leave.

The small note is merely a drawing of a rose, but it means quite a lot. It's the sigil of House Tyrell. It must be Margaery's subtle way of intimating where her true allegiance lies.

We may not know what Margaery's plan is, but she definitely has one. And it's only a matter of time before it rises to the surface.