As to Dany and her quest for the iron throne …it’ll probably be melted by dragon fire. So not much to sit on at the end.
The Hound will kill the Mountain. Maybe saving Arya who tries but can’t quite manage that task.
Cersei…hmmm…will get it from Jamie. That will just bring everything full circle. It may be predictable in some ways but very satisfying.
Varys and Bronn are toast. Especially Bronn. Tyrion will take care of him. He’s become way too dangerous. Tyrion may take Varys out also. It is business after all.
Hate it but I think Jaime and Brienne had their fling and are done.
Sansa is left taking care of the cleanup.
Not sure Jon’s “purpose” to keep living. Maybe to rule.
This article does a good job of describing why good revolutionary leaders (which is what Daenerys has been) so often make lousy leaders after the revolution.
“A woman whose iron will and ruthlessness allowed her to rise to power on Essos, and to eventually win most of Westeros to her cause, she’s clearly an effective revolutionary. But that same will to power makes her unwilling to share it, and that same ruthlessness makes her willing to go to extreme lengths to punish her enemies. Any innocents who get hurt along the way are just collateral damage.”
I think the vision she had back in season 2 (?) of walking through the destroyed throne room, and walking through a door to join Kal Drogo and her infant child will come true. She will burn the Red Keep, despite Tyrion’s advice not to, only to discover that Ceirce had filled it with women and children, who have been killed. At that point Ceirce can point to her as a Mad Traitor to the realm and the citizens will turn on Dany. Dany will either be killed or commit suicide.
Jaime (or someone else) will kill Ceirce.
Jon may have a claim to the throne, but has never wanted it. If he survives he’ll return to Winterfell, or to the other side of what’s left of the wall to live among the wildlings. That was where he sent Ghost, and it is the only place he was ever happy.
I hope that in the end the survivors really will “break the wheel” and create some form of representational government. Maybe Tyrion and Sansa will be elected to rule as the head of the government.
That said, that is probably too happy an ending, and I haven’t been correct about any predictions yet.
I’m frustrated that no one listens to Sansa, who is by far the smartest, most strategic character in the show. It was very telling that in spite of all Dany, Brienne, Lyenne Mormont and Arya did to defeat the night king (and without Dany and Arya none of them would have survived), it’s Jon Snow who gets all the glory. Honestly, he is dumb as a stump and doesn’t even want to be king. I’m more annoyed with him than with anyone else and after his callous dismissal of poor Ghost, not sure I even care what happens to him.
I’m just disappointed in the way the show is going… I’m not enjoying this season very much, but I’m trying to lower my expectations and hope that the end will make sense.
Arya’s list - just the Mountain and Circe now. She officially took the Hound off her list in the books (and unofficially did so on the show when she doesn’t kill him even when he asks her to). I was wondering what happened to Illyn Payne and read online that his character disappeared because the actor died (I’m not sure how accurate that reason is since there are 2 Darios, 2 Tommens, 2 Myrcellas, and 3 Mountains).
The actor who played Illyn Payne died after season 1 or 2. They had a dedication to him before the credits in the last episode of that season. I remember hearing that he had cancer, and he was a musician and kept touring until just before his death.
ETA - Wait, whaaaaat? I just read that’s he’s still alive. Dammit, I remember seeing that tribute on the show!
So weird. I had read that’s why he isn’t on the show and she dropped him from her list. He’s still on her list in the books, and I can’t imagine her ever taking him off of it.
People getting so worked up about the supposed mistreatment of a CGI fantasy animal. Sometimes symbolism is important in helping to develop a character’s arc.
David Peterson, who created the Dothraki and Valyrian languages for the show, will be speaking at our local library! (The day before the last episode.)
Dany thinks of herself as a messiah-like figure. This never ends well.
In the last episode many characters behaved in unbearably stupid ways, but the worst of all is Tyrion mouthing bland platitudes about how he believes in Dany. If this were life, I’d say it’s an example of how some very smart and sarcastic people fall in love, actual or ideological, and suddenly forget to use their brains. As it is, I suspect that’s just sloppy script writing.
Arya is planning to explore the lands west of Westeros when she finishes her list. But I have a bet that she’s now carrying a Baratheon baby (strong seed and the king’s blood the red woman always spoke of/wanted). Maybe Jon came back to life to protect Arya and her son as well — the unborn baby is the “prince that was promised” by the Lord of Light??
Personally I am pleased with the character developments. While I agree the style/script quality has decreased, I am pleased with the how Dany, GW & M have changed since coming to this new place.
There could also be a pregnant Brienne. Not to mention numerous pregnant serving girls. Gilly is already pregnant. The whole North could be pregnant- repopulate!