# Cleganebowl > Cleganebowl is a 2013 Game of Thrones fan theory predicting a fateful showdown between brothers Sandor 'The Hound' and Gregor 'The Mountain' Clegane, fueled by the battle cry 'GET HYPE. Cleganebowl is a fan theory turned internet meme predicting that brothers Sandor "The Hound" Clegane and Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane would eventually fight to the death in HBO's *Game of Thrones*. Originating on 4chan in March 2013, the theory spawned a fandom-wide hype movement complete with its own catchphrase ("GET HYPE"), dedicated subreddit, and years of escalating anticipation[2]. The showdown finally happened in the show's penultimate episode, "The Bells," on May 12, 2019, when both brothers fell to their deaths in dragonfire during the siege of King's Landing[1]. ## Origin The first documented mention of Cleganebowl appeared in a 4chan thread on March 20, 2013, posted by an anonymous user[5]. The theory laid out a specific scenario: in Cersei Lannister's upcoming trial by combat (from the fourth novel, *A Feast for Crows*), the reanimated Mountain would fight as Cersei's champion while the Hound, having survived his injuries, would represent the Faith of the Seven[7]. The anonymous poster's message named the concept "Cleganebowl" and linked to a YouTube video that has since been deleted[7]. Three months later, on June 21, 2013, YouTuber Benny2kk8 uploaded a video titled "Enter the Bowl," which used images and dramatic editing to lay out the Cleganebowl theory[5]. The video's over-the-top hype energy set the template for how the fandom would engage with the concept going forward. It picked up over 92,000 views within its first year[5]. The "GET HYPE" catchphrase appears to trace back to this wave of early videos[2]. - **Platform:** 4chan (theory), YouTube (hype video) - **Creator:** Anonymous 4chan user (theory originator), Benny2kk8 (early hype video) - **Date:** 2013 ## Overview Cleganebowl refers to the hypothetical (and eventually realized) duel between two brothers from George R.R. Martin's *A Song of Ice and Fire* fantasy series and its HBO adaptation *Game of Thrones*. Sandor Clegane, known as "The Hound," is a scarred, cynical warrior who despises his older brother Gregor, known as "The Mountain," an eight-foot-tall knight responsible for shoving young Sandor's face into burning coals as a child[1]. The Mountain later committed extensive war crimes, while the Hound drifted between serving the Lannisters and wandering the Riverlands as a reluctant anti-hero[3]. The meme itself is less about the plot specifics and more about the culture of anticipation surrounding the fight. Fans treated the theoretical matchup like a real sporting event, coining the name "Cleganebowl" as a portmanteau of the brothers' surname and "bowl," borrowed from American football playoff terminology[2]. The associated rallying cry "GET HYPE" became the meme's signature, shouted across Reddit threads, YouTube comments, and Twitter discussions whenever any plot development even slightly hinted at the brothers meeting again[4]. ## How It Spread The theory spread steadily through *Game of Thrones* fan communities over the following years. On April 20, 2014, *The Daily Dot* included Cleganebowl in a roundup of *Game of Thrones* conspiracy theories, introducing it to a broader audience[10]. The r/cleganebowl subreddit launched on June 11, 2014, gaining over 300 subscribers in less than a month[5]. On June 18, 2014, YouTuber Shane Ysais uploaded a video titled "CLEGANEBOWL" that treated the theory as established fact, collecting over 2,000 views quickly[5]. The fandom split into distinct camps. As *Vulture* described it, one group sincerely wanted the fight to happen, a second group pretended to be obsessed with it for the humor value, and a third group thought the whole idea misunderstood the Hound's character arc[3]. This three-way split between genuine believers, ironic participants, and skeptics gave Cleganebowl a unique energy among fan theories. Interest spiked dramatically on June 5, 2016, when *Game of Thrones* Season 6, Episode 7 ("The Broken Man") revealed that the Hound had survived his seemingly fatal wounds[6]. Actor Ian McShane had teased the return weeks earlier, telling BBC Breakfast that his character would "bring back a much loved character everybody thinks is dead"[8]. The show confirmed what book readers had long suspected based on textual clues in *A Feast for Crows*, where Brienne encounters a mysterious gravedigger at a quiet monastery who matches the Hound's description[3]. Fans erupted, reading the return as clear evidence that Cleganebowl was happening[6]. Season 7 threw more fuel on the fire. In the Dragonpit scene, the Hound confronted his zombified brother directly, telling him: "You're even f***ing uglier than I am now. You know who's coming for you. You've always known"[4]. This wasn't a fight, but it was an explicit in-show acknowledgment that the showdown was coming. By the time Season 8's promotional materials dropped, the hype had reached critical mass. An *Entertainment Weekly* cover depicted the Clegane brothers crossing swords[7]. Actor Rory McCann told the magazine: "There will be a chance of squaring up to his brother and facing those demons"[4]. The theory was no longer a theory. It was a marketing hook. ## How to Use Cleganebowl is less of a visual meme template and more of a participatory hype ritual. The typical use involves: 1. **Spotting a possible hint**: Any mention of the Clegane brothers, any scene involving either character, or any plot development that could theoretically bring them closer to fighting triggers the response. 2. **Declaring it confirmed**: Reply with variations of "CLEGANEBOWL CONFIRMED" or "IT'S HAPPENING," regardless of how tenuous the connection. 3. **Adding the catchphrase**: Close with "GET HYPE" in all caps, often accompanied by airhorn emojis or links to hype videos with dramatic music. 4. **Escalating intensity**: The more ridiculous the connection to Cleganebowl, the more enthusiastic the response. Someone mentioning "brothers" in any context? CLEGANEBOWL CONFIRMED. GET HYPE. ## Cultural Impact Cleganebowl was one of the rare fan theories that crossed over from niche fandom discussion to mainstream entertainment coverage. Major outlets including *The Verge*[2], *Vox*[1], *Vulture*[3], *Thrillist*[4], *Inverse*[7], *TIME*[8], and *TheWrap*[6] all published dedicated explainers about it. This was unusual for a fan theory that didn't involve a major plot twist (like R+L=J) but rather just "two guys should fight." The meme's structure influenced how entertainment fandoms discuss anticipated events. The "GET HYPE" format and the ironic/sincere overlap became a blueprint for other communities building excitement around predicted showdowns or crossover events[2]. Rory McCann, the actor who played the Hound, directly engaged with the fan hype in press interviews leading up to Season 8, acknowledging the Cleganebowl anticipation to *Entertainment Weekly*[4]. "The Bells" episode where Cleganebowl occurred drew 18.4 million total viewers across all platforms, making it the most-watched *Game of Thrones* episode at the time of its airing[9]. ## Fun Facts - Urban Dictionary defined Cleganebowl as "an event of undefinable hype. Hype beyond hype. The matchup of the century, of all centuries," with the example dialogue ending in "GET HYPE!"[11]. - The name "Cleganebowl" combines the brothers' surname with "bowl," the term used for major American football playoff games like the Super Bowl[2]. - The Hound's fear of fire, established in his very first scenes, came full circle when he chose to kill his brother by tackling him into dragonfire[1]. - Actor Ian McShane accidentally became part of Cleganebowl lore when he spoiled the Hound's return in a BBC interview, initially leading fans to think he was revealing Jon Snow's resurrection instead[8]. - The critical and fan response to the actual Cleganebowl was far more mixed than the years of hype suggested it would be, with "The Bells" scoring just 49% on Rotten Tomatoes[9]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Cleganebowl? Cleganebowl is a *Game of Thrones* fan theory and meme about a fight to the death between brothers Sandor "The Hound" Clegane and Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane. It became one of the fandom's biggest running jokes and hype events[2]. ### Where did Cleganebowl come from? The first documented mention appeared on a 4chan thread on March 20, 2013, where an anonymous user laid out the theory and coined the name[5]. ### What does Cleganebowl mean? The name is a portmanteau of "Clegane" (the brothers' surname) and "bowl" (from football playoff terminology), treating the hypothetical fight like a major sporting event[2]. ### How do you use Cleganebowl? Fans typically respond to any hint of the brothers meeting with "CLEGANEBOWL CONFIRMED" followed by "GET HYPE" in all caps, often regardless of how thin the evidence is[4]. ### Is Cleganebowl still popular? As of 2019, the Cleganebowl played out on screen in *Game of Thrones* Season 8, Episode 5, ending both characters' stories. The meme is now a well-known piece of *Game of Thrones* fandom history[1]. ### What happened during Cleganebowl in the show? In "The Bells" (May 12, 2019), the Hound fought the zombified Mountain inside the collapsing Red Keep. After realizing his brother was unkillable by conventional means, Sandor tackled Gregor through a wall and they both fell into the fires below, dying together[9]. ### What is "GET HYPE"? "GET HYPE" is the catchphrase associated with Cleganebowl, used to express excitement about the theory. It traces back to early hype videos from 2013 and became the standard fan response to any Cleganebowl-related content[2]. ### Why do the Clegane brothers hate each other? As children, Gregor shoved Sandor's face into burning coals for playing with one of his toys, giving Sandor permanent facial scars and a lifelong fear of fire. Gregor may have also killed their father and sister[1]. ### Did Cleganebowl happen in the books? As of the most recent published novel (*A Dance with Dragons*, 2011), the Cleganebowl has not occurred. Whether it will happen in *The Winds of Winter* or *A Dream of Spring* is unknown[3]. ### What was the original Cleganebowl theory? The original theory proposed that Gregor (reanimated as "Ser Robert Strong") would fight as Cersei's champion in a trial by combat, while Sandor (having secretly survived) would fight for the Faith of the Seven[7]. ### What is the valonqar prophecy connection? Some fans linked Cleganebowl to the "valonqar" prophecy from *A Feast for Crows*, which predicts Cersei will be killed by a "little brother." Sandor is Gregor's younger brother, making him a candidate[4]. ### When was the r/cleganebowl subreddit created? The subreddit r/cleganebowl was created on June 11, 2014, and quickly became a hub for Cleganebowl memes and hype content[5]. ### How many people watched Cleganebowl? "The Bells," the episode featuring Cleganebowl, drew 12.48 million live viewers and 18.4 million total across all platforms, making it the most-watched *Game of Thrones* episode at the time[9]. ## References 1. [The ultimate guide to 'Game of Thrones' conspiracy theories]() 2. [Game of Thrones: Was ‘Cleganebowl’ Worth the Wait?]() 3. [The Broken Man | Wiki of Westeros | Fandom]() 4. [Cleganebowl - Know Your Meme]() 5. [The Bells (Game of Thrones)]() 6. [Cleganebowl - Urban Dictionary]() 7. [The Bells (Game of Thrones) - Wikipedia]() 8. [Game of Thrones’ Cleganebowl — the Mountain vs. the Hound — explained | Vox]() 9. ['Game of Thrones' 101: All About The 'CleganeBowl' Theory - TheWrap]() 10. [Game of Thrones Cleganebowl, Explained: Will it Happen in Season 8? - Thrillist]() 11. ['Game of Thrones' Season 8 Cleganebowl: Why the 2013 Fan Theory Still Works]() 12. [A brief history of Cleganebowl, Game of Thrones’ best fan theory | The Verge]() 13. [Game of Thrones: The Hound's Return, Cleganebowl Explained | TIME]() 14. [MTV | Homepage - Shows & Schedules]() 15. [The ultimate guide to 'Game of Thrones' conspiracy theories]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/cleganebowl Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library