The Craziest Movie and TV Fan Theories

Lots of Star Wars fans are discussing this strange new fan theory that Rey, the hero of The Force Awakens, is not the long-lost daughter of Luke Skywalker as expected, but is actually the granddaughter of evil Emperor Palpatine. It includes "evidence" like Rey using the same lightsaber attack as Palpatine, having Dark Side-like powers (like reading Kylo Ren's mind), and...the fact that no one in the film hints at or suspects that she's related to Luke.

Fan theories like this used to exist only in the minds of hardcore enthusiasts, who could share them just with a fan club. With the internet, from Reddit to YouTube, anyone can broadcast their ideas to the world, giving everyone -- including filmmakers -- the chance to weigh in.

If Rey secretly being evil surprises you, check out these other crazy fan theories.

Ferris Bueller is a Figment of Cameron's Imagination

What if Cameron is actually the hero of Ferris Bueller's Day Off? He has a boring, unfulfilling life, with few friends and strict parents. One day, he becomes so ill and feverish that he invents someone who embodies all the charm and confidence he lacks: Ferris Bueller. In this wacky theory from a MetaFilter user, Cameron has a crush on Sloane and uses his alter ego to pursue her. He really does go on adventures around Chicago, but he's alone the whole time. "It isn't until he destroys the front of the car in a fugue state does he finally get a grip and decide to confront his father," reads the theory. Eventually he imagines a nearly impossible escape for Ferris and a happy ending for Sloane. If this sounds like Fight Club, the creator of the trailer above agrees.

Westeros Will be Saved by a Cat

The YouTuber Alt Shift X creates cool videos with all kinds of theories and explanations of Game of Thrones, drawing on the books to help solve some of the series' ongoing mysteries. For this hypothesis, he stretches himself to the limit. What if Azor Ahai, "The Prince That Was Promised," who will save the Seven Kingdoms from the White Walkers is...Tommen's pet cat, Ser Pounce? Mr. X may be kidding, but he devotes more than seven minutes to finding clues that match the prophecy. We never saw Ser Pounce in the previous season, and with Tommen and Margaery dead, his fate is unknown. But maybe he'll strap on a sword next year and surprise us all.

Gilligan's Island Represents the Seven Deadly Sins

Lots of sitcoms have familiar character types: Rich snob, nerdy scientist, dumb hottie. But Gilligan's Island's seven leads seem to match the classic list of vices pretty well. Thurston Howell is Greed, of course, and it's easy to identify Ginger as Lust. The arrogant Professor represents Pride. Lazy Mrs. Howell, who married rich and never had to work, personifies Sloth. Mary Ann is jealous of all the attention Ginger gets, so she's Envy. The final two are a little harder. If the portly Skipper symbolizes Gluttony, that leaves meek little Gilligan as Anger. If the Skipper is anger -- he yells at Gilligan and whacks him with his hat -- that makes skinny Gilligan Gluttony. One version of this theory is that the Skipper is both Anger and Gluttony, and all the Deadly Sins live on the island of their master...which makes Gilligan Satan.

Black Widow Wants Captain America's Sperm

...but not in the way that you're thinking. At the beginning and the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Natasha Romanoff encourages Steve Rogers to let go of his crush on Peggy Carter and get back into the dating scene. She particularly thinks he'd be a good match for Sharon, who's really a SHIELD agent and Peggy's grand-niece. A fan theory from Reddit explains this not as sisterly affection or even actual love, but a secret mission: If Captain America has a child, SHIELD can analyze its DNA and recreate the serum that gave Rogers his super-strength in the first place. Rogers would never willingly provide DNA for such an experiment (he distrusts the government, as we saw in Civil War), and Romanoff cares about him too much to trick him or seduce him. So she guides him towards a trusted agent who can keep an eye on him and his kids, forever. We'll check in on this theory in 2018, when The Avengers: Infinity War comes out.

Jack is a Time Traveler Whose Mission is to Save Rose

Fans have noticed some anachronisms in Leonard DiCaprio's character: Though the film takes place in 1912, he says he fished in Lake Wissota, a man-made lake that wouldn't be built until 1917. He also promises Rose he'll take her on the roller coaster at the Santa Monica Pier, which wouldn't have that ride until 1916. Historians claim his rucksack and hairstyle are both from eras later than 1912. The theory is that Rose, depressed by her engagement to a man she doesn't love, would have committed suicide during the voyage. If the ship had delayed even for a few minutes to rescue her (or search for her body), the collision with the iceberg would never have happened...and in our timeline, it must happen. Or maybe it's not about the ship sinking but or Rose surviving, which brings in another James Cameron movie: What if adventurous, strong-willed Rose is the grandmother of Sarah Connor?

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is Dead

What if Will Smith's character died in that fight with a gang in West Philadelphia? This theory supposes that the "rare" cab that picked Smith up was either God or an angel. Bel-Air sure seems like heaven: A big house, friends, family, money. And he only sees his parents on special occasions...because that's when they're visiting his grave.

Have you got a fan theory about a TV show or movie? Put it in the comments.