An Unexpected 'LOTR'/'Game of Thrones' Connection

How's this for a crazy crossover: Thanks to a very, very diligent Redditor, we now have pretty solid proof of a cool easter egg in HBO's Game of Thrones series. Unlike that one time producers used a fake George W. Bush head on a stake during the first season, this is actually an easter egg that HBO will be OK with: Apparently, Gandalf's sword from Lord of The Rings can be found in Game of Thrones , specifically on the Iron Throne. Internet uproar, COMMENCE.

Redditor NoMoreHodoring pointed out it out: When Joffrey (ugghhh) is sitting on the Iron Throne, the ultimate representation of total power over the Seven Kingdoms, you can see that one of the swords is Glamdring — a.k.a., Gandalf's sword from Lord of the Rings! Say WHAAA — ?!

Is this a shout-out to the nerds who are watching it, or an opportunity to draw a legit comparison? There's been a ton of conversation that compares J. R. R. Tolkien's world to George R. R. Martin's. While the two fantasy realms are indeed different, with different characters possessing different intentions and desires, the audience is largely the same, Martin has expressed his admiration for Tolkien's work. On top of that, this is the sort of audience that engages in this sort of Internet conversation. Check out the picture proof:

Looks like the it's definitely the sword, right? On the ASOIAF subreddit, folks seemed to agree, with comments ranging from:

"Having visited the set during the first season filming, I got a very close look at a protoype of the Throne in a half-completed state that was in their prop room, and I believe you are exactly right that they collected weapon molds from all sorts of sources. [...] I specifically recall that several of the swords had marks indicating that they had originated from Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven."

And —

"Definitely looks exactly like Glamdring. Good find."

As well as —

"I wonder if there's a lightsaber somewhere."

(We can only hope). And perhaps most appropriately —

"Hodor."

So, it seems like it's a shoutout to the folks who watch the show, as well as just some fun for the folks who work on the show. Also, it's something to get excited about until winter comes on April 6, with season four's premiere...

Image: HBO/Reddit