Melisandre wore an enchanted necklace on Game of Thrones which hid her true form except on one occasion. But there are several explanations.

Melisandre served as an enigmatic figure on Game of Thrones and her magical necklace was the focus of a few mysteries. The character, played by Carice van Houten, was introduced during the show's second season and appeared in each installment that followed. Melisandre is a recurring figure in George R.R. Martin's series, A Song of Ice and Fire, and is said to have a more prominent role in forthcoming novels.

Melisandre, who was also referred to the Red Woman, was a Red Priestess of the Lord of Light. She claimed to possess magical abilities including the power of prophecy. For much of Game of Thrones, Melisandre served as an advisor to Stannis Baratheon in his quest to the Iron Throne. When Stannis died, Melisandre fled to Castle Black. After Jon Snow was killed by members of the Night's Watch, Melisandre successfully resurrected him since she believed he was "The Prince That Was Promised." She then became Jon's advisor until it was unearthed that she was the one to burn young Shireen Baratheon at the stake. The Red Woman became involved in Jon and Daenerys Targaryen's efforts in defeating the White Walkers, so she traveled to Winterfell for the big battle before accepting her own death.

Throughout Game of Thrones, Melisandre wore a large ruby necklace that glimmered when she used magic. The necklace was actually enchanted and hid her identity as an aging woman and gave her the power of youth. In season 6, Melisandre took off the necklace before going to bed. The beautiful woman instantly transformed into her true form as a frail elderly figure without the enchanted necklace. The moment, however, pointed to a plot hole from season 4 when Melisandre took a bath in the episode titled "Mockingbird." In Dragonstone, the Red Woman was shown without her necklace, yet still in her young form. The moment was explained by the actress, but viewers had a better explanation for the scene.

Not Everyone Agreed That The Necklace Moment Was A Plot Hole

The necklace was meant to hide Melisandre's age while also prolonging her life through magic. Without it, her identity as an old woman should have been revealed. Van Houten has stated that the Game of Thrones season 4 episode which featured her character without the necklace was a blunder which turned into a plot hole. The series overlooked the importance of the necklace and forgot to include it in the scene. The show wasn't immune to prop mishaps, especially in the later season, but some viewers came up with a drastically different explanation, proclaiming that it wasn't a plot hole at all.

Melisandre clearly had magical powers; some viewers thought that the glamour charm only worked on certain people. Selyse Baratheon was one of Melisandre's most devoted followers, and the theory suggested that she always saw the Red Woman's true form, even when she wore the necklace. Faith could have been a factor and since Selyse was a believer in Melisandre and her religion, the Red Priestess wouldn't have needed to wear the necklace in the season 4 scene. This would have explained why Selyse asked Melisandre if she needed potions to convince Stannis to sleep with her, as if her appearance was a factor.

Aside from Game of Thrones season 4, Melisandre continued wearing the necklace for the duration of the series. Worship of the Lord of Light was uncommon throughout Westeros which was why wearing the necklace to hide her real identity was necessary. After encouraging Arya to target the Night King during the Battle of Winterfell, Melisandre fulfilled her purpose and embraced death. She took off her necklace, leaving behind the Lord of Light's power in retaining her youth, and turned into dust.

Next: How Game of Thrones Could Have Fixed Bran Becoming King