Most of the Game of Thrones theories we come across are so outrageous that we have to roll our eyes and laugh at the sheer mental leap it would take to be plausible based on how the show has gone thus far.

But then there comes along a theory so bulletproof, so logical, so steadfast…that we kinda have to believe it must be true.

One such theory: Littlefinger is still alive. (A four-letter word is appropriate right now.)

Yep, that slippery son of a gun might’ve fooled us all. Stay with us: The theory, which has gained loads of traction on YouTube and Reddit, posits that Littlefinger (portrayed by Aidan Gillen on the HBO show) faked his own death, and that he’s actually hiding out (or, worse: secretly helping Cersei undo the progress of everyone else on the show who is trying to stop the Army of the Dead).

The evidence: Lord Petyr Baelish, aka “Littlefinger,” says his great-grandfather was originally from Braavos, aka the home of the Faceless Men and where Arya goes to be trained by Jaqen H’ghar to be the assassin she now is, aka “no one.” Perhaps Littlefinger is a descendant of the Faceless Men himself, or perhaps he has enough connections with the Faceless Men to pay one off to take his place and “die” at Winterfell at the hands of the Stark siblings, while the real Littlefinger is off in hiding?

He’s also the slimiest character of them all. He brought about the War of the Five Kings by convincing Lysa to kill her husband, Jon Arryn, then hand of the king to Robert Baratheon. He also betrayed Ned Stark (which caused him to be beheaded), attempted to kill Bran Stark, killed Catelyn Stark’s sister, Lysa, and…yeah, he’s basically responsible for everything bad that’s happened on the show since day one.

But through all of those crimes, he’s magically managed to stay alive and not get caught (until Bran used his three-eyed raven skills to time travel and confirm all of Littlefinger’s horrifying deeds). So, could he get away with faking his own death too? Seems likely.

Season seven, episode five also sheds light on the “Littlefinger as a Faceless Man” theory. In one scene, highlighted in this YouTube video by Neo, a woman whispers “your time is up” to Littlefinger during a secret meeting at Winterfell, then hands him what appears to be a coin…the coin of Braavos, perhaps? If she traded places with Littlefinger, the real Lord Baelish is still alive and well, while this mysterious woman is the one whose throat was actually slit by Arya.

Also, late last year, we learned that the season seven scripts revealed that Sansa was fooled by Baelish all along. It’s not until the season seven finale that Sansa truly realizes Littlefinger’s betrayal, when Lord Baelish tells Sansa that Arya wants to steal her title as Lady of Winterfell. Sansa knows this is a lie; Arya never wanted to be a lady. Her little sister always wanted to be a knight. The realization that Littlefinger is purposefully driving a rift between the Stark family sets in then. “Littlefinger spreads his hands. Well? There it is. Sansa nods. There it is,” the script reads.

And do you really think someone as cunning as Littlefinger got tricked by a trio of teenage Starks? Sorry guys, but don’t say we didn’t warn you.

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