IT’S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN.
Only 3 more sleeps til the very. last. season. SOB. So at the end of this era, I’m going on the record with a few thoughts on possible outcomes.
Things I feel are a very strong possibility: Regarding Cersei, two candidates for her demise are often floated: either Arya gets to cross her off the List at last, or the valonqar (“little brother”) gets to kill her as per Maggy the Frog’s prophecy. I say why choose? I want to see Arya kill Cersei, either wearing Jaime or Tommen’s face. Best of both worlds! (P.S. It’s irrelevant if Cersei is or isn’t pregnant. Presumably she’d be offed before it becomes an issue, pun always intended.)
Another theory I hear a lot of: the notion that Bran “is” the Night King, based on time travel of some kind yadda yadda. I don’t buy it for a number of reasons, but I definitely DO like the idea of him warging into either the Night King or Viserion or both.
I’m also going to stan for NO ONE ruling via the Iron Throne. And not in a Faceless Men kind of way, I mean let’s put an end to this kind of monarchy altogether. Didn’t Dany say, in another context, that she was going to break the wheel? After everything they’ve all been through, how anticlimactic and frankly pointless would it be to just return to Targaryen succession? I want fair leaders in independent regions. (Only in a less boring way than I’m making it sound.)
Things I’m into but who knows: The Iron Throne does have a purpose, despite the above, though: How about we make good use of those swords, a good number of which must be Valyrian steel? Gendry breaks it down with his smithery skills (preferably shirtless again, forgive me) and they use them to fight the common enemy of the White Walkers.
Similarly, there’s the question of the tombs in Winterfell. HELL YES, I love the idea of Starks of generations past being revived, and hey, why couldn’t there be “good” White Walkers? We’ve already seen it with Coldhands Benjen. Could Melisandre make it happen? Could we see Ned again? (I’m not getting into the plausibility re: states of decomposition. IT’S MAGIC Y’ALL.)
You can see I’m a HUGE sucker for rewarding foreshadowing, for outcomes that (imaginatively) use the things that have been in front of us all along.
Pet theories that are probably unlikely but I’m into them anyway, as in basically, this is how I’D write it. (Shhh I know I know.) Here’s where rewatching pays off: Think way back to season one, after Bran had been pushed from the window. Cersei comes to visit Catelyn, who is sitting watch with him, and relates a story of her firstborn with Robert, a “blackhaired beauty” that didn’t survive. I initially thought she was bullshitting to appear empathetic, but then, later that season, she and Robert discuss it privately.
So, what if that blackhaired beauty didn’t actually die as a newborn, but Cersei had him relinquished and lied to Robert, not wanting his offspring at all, and what if that beauty is in fact Gendry? This would make him a trueborn Baratheon and the legitimate heir to the Throne - which, yeah, see above re: putting an end to it all anyway, but I’d love to see what the writers could do with that development.
Hopeless romantic moment: I also gotta say, it would be pretty goddamned heartwarming if Sansa and Tyrion ended up together after all, seeing and appreciating one another with fresh eyes. I could see that being deeply healthy and happy.
Side note: I also think Theon has come so far in his redemption journey that he deserves some peace and comfort (and that means he’s probably a goner).
Things they just BETTER NOT: Please, please, please let’s not have a Jon and Dany baby be the thing that ties it all up in a little bow. I can’t imagine anything more cliched and tired and annoying. Just NO. I also hate the notion that Tyrion is also a Secret Targaryen. MEH. Yes, I get the explanation, I just don’t like it. He’s an outstanding hero all on his own, we don’t need a copycat storyline from Jon (where it IS a truly satisfying reveal - I literally stood and cheered when our suspicions were finally confirmed).
Finally, and most important of all, I want all of our survivors to receive quality trauma-informed therapy.
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If you’re in the Portland area, consider joining Fan Fare and Pairings Portland Wine Shop for viewing parties! I’ll be providing a thematic dessert for each evening.