I admit I have two modes when it comes to Game of Thrones: complaining about it and endless speculating/theorizing. So it’s been a stressful month I thought I’d have a little fun with a Who’s Gonna Get the Throne list and my percentage chances for each of the big ones.
Obviously spoilers for the show and the books up to this point and a lot of speculation about both. Disclaimer these are just my opinions and thoughts on some of the theories so if I seem to be mocking one you truly believe in I don’t mean to be but like I said I just want to have some fun 🙂
Gendry- 1% (if I’m being kind)
This was actually the one that lead me to doing this. Apparently he’s a lot more popular than I would have thought. People either seem to think he might be the last man standing King or get Arya.
I think he’s a redshirt for the White Walkers but hey, sure… he could be king 😉
Sansa Stark- 10%
If I were a citizen of Westeros I may choose the Nights King over show Sansa but I suppose she’s got a chance. Its better than speculating about what guy the shows going to hook her up with last minute.
Apparently the idea that Dany and Jon will helpfully reproduce and then drop dead means she could be left raising their child in a lot of theories. This character is way different from her book character but I don’t think either one is going to be Queen (unless it involves Aegon somehow but that’s been completely cut from the show.)
Cersei Lannister keeps it- 25%
Well this one kind of pains me because as much as I love Lena Headey I think they kept Cersei too long or at least too long in power that everyone else had to bow down to. It was a big problem for me last season. Again I think maybe if they aren’t completely off book here she’s taking some of Aegon’s possible book stuff?
So either they take care of the threat that’s been building all this time with enough time left to circle back and take out Cersei or Winter wins and everyone but her dies? Or she makes a deal with the Night King? I mean I don’t know. I don’t think there’s a shot in hell for (never-going to happen) book Cersei but they could decide to go with the darker ending here.
Davos- 35%
Davos is one I’ve seen time to time as a dark horse in show and books really. Got to be honest I’ve never seen why the character is popular in the show (though I do like the actor) and in the books I mostly like him due to the much different stuff with Stannis and the storyline in the North.
I think he lives in both and has important roles to whoever does get the throne but I really doubt him being King.
Bran- 40%
There’s some pretty good book arguments for him being either a.) the hero or b.) the villain. I lean more toward A but the show really hasn’t invested anything into Bran whose story has been outright skipped over at times. He’s basically an emotionless drone at this point. Some people say he’s a tree but I think trees have more emotion.
Right now I’d lean more toward villain of the piece in the show. Perhaps even if he doesn’t entirely mean it.
Dany- 75%
I love speculating about this stuff and I respect everyone’s theories but I’m a little surprised by the sheer number of people who think, who seem to want the entire purpose of the Mother of Dragons to be to spawn with golden boy and conveniently die so that someone else (usually Tyrion can be the kids regent.)
Most of my love for this character is from the book at this point but if she’s going to go I bloody well want her to go out big Drogon in the final fight dying to save the realm. Going out with the magic that she helped usher back.
I’ll take a Hollywood happy ending for her and Jon. But Dany dying in childbirth is probably going to lead to a shattered television and unfortunately I think the show is definitely working Jon’s claim above hers.
Tyrion- 80%
The most prevailing theory seems to be that he serves as Regent for Jon and Dany’s baby after they helpfully die. I admit I’ve heard some interesting possible spoilers about Tyrion that I don’t really buy.
He’s a favorite of the audience and the show runners and you can never really count him out. The character usually does land on his feet and at least as far as we’ve seen his time in King’s Landing as Hand was probably the best governance so there’s that at least I can plausibly see him being good at ruling.
Jon Snow- 90%
Well, we know he’s got the best claim. Not to mention he’s the brooding hero who doesn’t want it, the guy everyone loves including his Aunt (at least until she hears the truth I hope.) And I’m betting if they do go with King Jon he takes it not because he wants to (oh, no not pure-hearted Jon!) but because he’s forced into it by acclaim or people’s only hope.
I have a million caveats for Jon/Jon & Dany being a book thing that I must admit mainly hinge on how Martin does the resurrection. But I think the show does a happy ending for the happy couple.
So who do I think really gets the throne?
No, not him. Well… maybe it could be fun 🙂
Everyone Important!
I think it’s going to be King Jon with Dany by his side. But I think if the Iron Throne isn’t destroyed they’ll be working toward you know, ‘breaking that wheel.’ So Jon will be King but Tyrion, the sisters, Davos and any other survivors will be on his council working toward some sort of new system.
I don’t think it’s ever going to be called democracy in books or show but that’s the general idea. I think the current way disastrous failing and a new start is what Martin’s working toward and it’s a good and simple way for the show to meet the same end.
But like I said it’s all just fun speculation for the next couple of months!
I’m so excited for the return of the show! I just hope they won’t disappoint.
To be fair I don’t envy them or Martin the ending because you know no matter what some people are going to be upset about it 🙂 I’m sure it will be a fun six episodes though!
Of course, there will be people upset by the end whatever it may be. Trying to satisfy 100% of people is impossible and delusional to strive for.
I think book Sansa has a relatively bright future but show Sansa- I have no idea. Same w/ Gendry possibly. I really like book Davos but yeah not as a king (although he might be the best one???).
I do think show Bran will be WAY different than book Bran because the show doesn’t have time to do all the crap the books are gonna apparently do. And yeah show Bran isn’t exactly setting the world on fire.
I could live with a Dany/ Jon HEA. On the show- in the books I think it’ll be more complicated (and that’s fine actually). And you’re probably right about how it’ll end. I really want the book ending though- the show ending I’m more interested in seeing what they do with the Walkers/ the North and all that. I’ll be honest, just seeing Jon/Arya/ Sansa together in Winterfell in the trailer has been a treat. 🙂
I think Bran and the North plot overall is just too vastly different to really use them to say what the book might do. That’s one of the reasons I’m hoping the show really goes its on way (much as it may annoy me) instead of trying to squeeze characters into book endings that don’t make sense anymore. Which is where I think the whole Sansa must be married thing is coming from for some people 🙂
But yeah I’m just hoping they do some justice to the Arya/Jon reunion and don’t have her like fucking with Dany to try and protect him or something 🙂 Should be a fun six though!
I totally agree- PLEASE don’t go there with Arya vs Dany. Ugh that would be horrible. And the fact that there are only SIX left- that just blows my mind.
I think it will be Jon, with Cersei making a mistake and underestimating something that gets her killed. But I’m looking forward to the next season, even if the quality has dipped a lot since the books were over taken.
I do have this vision of Cersei trying to negotiate a surrender from a very confused Nights King 🙂
It makes so much sense for Jon Snow to end up on the throne but I would LOVE a surprise ending. Davos on the throne would make me so, so happy!
Davos would definitely be one of the better options for Westeros. As good as Tyrion was at being hand I sometimes forget he did some truly awful things (in the books) but those two would probably be better at actually ruling!
Cool and fun theories! Love this! I’m rooting for Jon Snow but I’d be perfectly OK if Dany got it too! 🙂
My money’s definitely on one of them or both!
It’s astonishing someone as dumb as Sansa is alive and with my luck when it comes to this series she is definitely making it all the way to the end :/
Oh she’s definitely making it to the end 🙁 My guess is someone I love will have to die to save her self-righteous butt one more time before the end!
Yes, the girl who got back Winterfell is “dumb,” brought justice to the Starks and avenged their deaths by killing Littlefinger and Ramsay Bolton, but is somehow dumb. The misogyny is real here, I see.
I’ll always defend Cat and Sansa in the books as two of Martin’s best characters but I think the execution on the show has been well for me disappointing. To be honest I feel the same way about Arya, Brienne, Dorne, Jaime and the entire Northern storyline after the Red Wedding which was I thought some of Martin’s truly best writing.
Considering how much I love ASOIAF and the acting and production values of the show is so excellent it’s been somewhat hard for me to reconcile and engage 😉 I also did not want or expect a word for word adaptation but there are definitely better voices than mine in how the changes to the characters (especially the female characters) have stacked up.
I know I have unpopular opinions on the matter which I why I leave most of them unsaid. But I do think Game of Thrones is a show that deeply would have benefited from more voices in the writer’s room than overwhelmingly white men only four episodes total will have been written by women by the end or barring that I wish Martin had continued to write for the show. Ah, Game of Thrones always so much to write and discuss but lunch break is winding down and my boss definitely doesn’t want to hear it as en excuse for lateness 🙂 Have a good one!
Sansa’s storyline in the books, well at least where we last saw her with the Hardying suitor, is so different from the shows storyline. I like how both the Stark sisters in the books have names (cat and Alayne = Catelyn) that gives a nod to their mother. I have to disagree with the execution of Cat in the show, I like how she was portrayed, but I do see where you’re coming from because they did remove Lady Stoneheart (although I think Arya’s storyline was merged with hers) and for the most part, I’m happy with Arya’s storyline although last season was confusing. I hear Nikolai was unhappy with where Jaime was last season because in the books he left Cersei ages ago which is annoying, they’ve dumbed down Jaime in the show, but I can’t wait for Winds of Winter to release so we can finally see the conclusion to where Brienne led Jaime to save Pod. Now, that’s a cliffhanger…
D & D have butchered the writing. I agree. It’s far too colloquial, nobles don’t speak like that! Martin is quite wordy so I can see how it was a bit of a problem… but, really? They couldn’t have found a balance? *sigh* Daenerys’s change is the worst one… but I believe they’ve created a feminist figure and put her up on a pedestal so when the final season comes, and Daenerys does whatever shocking thing she is going to do, it’ll deliver a lot of shock value. But that’s rather cheap. I do 100% believe that that’s why they’ve done this. But they are aware that Daenerys is far more complex than that, I do think. Daenerys in the books is far more vulnerable even if she is an incompetent ruler. Really, the best adaptation of a female character on the show is Cersei and that’s because Lena Headey found a way to make Cersei even better on the show than in the books.
Enjoy!
Yeah Jaime, my third favorite book character, I think no Stoneheart and changes to Cersei did not benefit poor Jaime in the least. He’s had some really good single scenes with Olenna, Edmure, Myracella and his split second reaction to Tommen’s death but every time I’ve been like he’s getting it this is it he’s gonna break away from his sister and nope never seems to snap out of it until actual army of the dead time.
Which does make me wonder what she tells people about the Mountain? Cause Oberyn killed him pretty publicly I thought.
I am definitely worried about whatever she’s supposed to do at the end and where that’s going. And it didn’t sound like Emilia was overhyping anything either. I’m prepped Dany’s going to do something iffy.
Great selection of Jaime’s best scenes, and, oo yes, I didn’t put that together until now, no Stoneheart = Jaime stays with Cersei.
I suspect she might have been able to convince the public that the spear was poisoned and Qyburn was able to extract the poison and heal him… but I think the story she spun to the Martell’s in the books was different *I think*
I kinda hope she does, there’s been breadcrumbs laid out, it’s just a matter of whether they’re going to capitalise on it. I think someone even said that she might sacrifice her child for her dragons. Who knows? That would be something else’s
She sends the Martell’s someone’s head in the books and says it was the Mountain. I don’t think Doran bought it though 🙂 Just makes me sad thinking about Oberyn now!
Else*
I honestly have no idea what to expect for the final series. I think I need to quickly binge-watch it all over again just to remind myself of everything that has happened haha. That photo of Joffrey just reminded me of how much I hated that kid too haha, thank God it won’t be him.
I definitely had a love/hate relationship with Joff. The actor was great though! To bad the Night’s King can’t raise him to screw with Cersei!
I’m pretty much at the point now where i already forgot who did what till this point 😀
I’d love Jon Snow or Tyrion win the throne!
“I think it’s going to be King Jon with Dany by his side” Hmmm…I don’t think so. Considering how much they hyped her up, she will either be on the throne or dead….I really don’t see a middle ground for her, especially to council someone. One idea that occurred to me was that no one would be on the throne, but that can’t be possible because, well, you need someone to rule. I’m going with Jon or Tyrion (I like your theory of Jon and Dany having a baby, but dying, thus leaving Tyrion to take care of it)
Yeah the Jon and Dany have a baby and die theory is definitely not mine. I’d actually be pretty upset if she died giving birth and Tyrion raised it. (Never understood why it wouldn’t be his sisters or Missandei and Grey Worm?) I think no throne is on the right track but maybe more so for the book. I still think it’s going to King Jon and Dany in the show. We shall see soon enough 🙂
hehe I relate to your two modes when it comes to GOT 😉 (though I’d probably have to add fangirling 😉 ) I have a friend who seriously believes Gendry will end up on the throne (and has believed that from the beginning) and I so don’t want that to happen!! hehehe I love that you put davos ahead of cersei and sansa- I agree with that 😉 Seems like he could be the dark horse (better than Gendry anyway 😉 ) I’ve got to be honest, I genuinely like the idea of Bran being the villain tbh. And yeah I don’t just want Dany to die and leave the throne to her future child- though personally I’d prefer if it ended up being Jon on the throne (not sure how likely either of them are at this point though 😉 ) Love this post!
I just don’t see Gendry happening also isn’t he basically a show creation at this point? Like a lot of Edric I know but otherwise… I don’t think the show or the books is going to go that way. And I think (I hope) Martin has gotten enough crap with the endless round of mothers dying in childbirth that he’s not going to go that way with the Mother of Dragons but who knows?
Honestly right now I’m mostly excited that Jaime’s beard is back 😉
Yeah I really agree with you. I definitely don’t think they’re going to have him running for miles beyond the wall to save the day 😉 oh yeah that would totally suck. I honestly don’t think it’s going in that direction. Hehehe
I don’t think the hedge Knight theory will apply on the show for Sansa, Lady Ashford didn’t marry Prince Valarr Targaryen. Personally, I’d rather see her ruling the north alone and if she is going to marry a character for both love and politics, I can see it being Gendry.
I don’t see Cersei surviving or remaining Queen though I’d like to see it because it would just be insane. But I hope they keep her until the last episode, GoT wouldn’t be what it is without Cersei, she’s the ultimate villain.
Emilia mentioned that her last scene had her worried about the public’s perception of her as it left a bitter taste in her mouth as to what Daenerys really is… I think she’s going to do something absolutely crazy and will make her severely unlikeable. Not sure what it is, but I can’t wait! If she really is to follow Henry VII trajectory, I can see it being something to do with kids like the missing princes in the tower… it might be her sacrificing her child for another dragon (another theory I’ve seen floating around), either way, the only crazy thing I can see her doing would be sacrificing/killing someone.
I think I know the Tyrion theory you’re referring to, is it the one from frikidoctor? I’m 50/50 on that. He definitely made some kind of deal with Cersei. And not one that’ll please Dany I believe. I don’t like Book Tyrion, easily one of the more morally grey characters in the books, the show has whitewashed him. But I’d definitely like show Tyrion to survive, although I can see Varys is disillusioned by Dany and Tyrion looks like he might follow suit…
I remember checking the Game of Thrones twitter pics of the cast, the promo pics of each character, and Jon got the most likes, so I can imagine him being a fan favourite for the throne. He seems to be unanimously well-loved. But, I’d rather have Sansa rule. She’s her mother’s daughter and the only one who seems to know how to rule. The rest are terrible.
Yep, that’s the theory. I’m 50/50 to it makes more sense for book Tyrion. Tyrion’s “deal” is interesting to since I can’t see any kind of deal happening with her in the books (though he could make a deal with FAegon) it will be interesting to see how Jaime plays into it since I’m hoping he’s well and truly done with her.
An Emilia’s comments are interesting as well because right now I’m for a happy ending for Dany/Jon (not me but I think that’s what they’re going for) but Jon doesn’t seem the type to be okay with her going over the edge. Unless he doesn’t know? Or unless I’m totally wrong on his fate and he’s dead? I’m glad there haven’t been any obvious leaks this year it’s so much more fun to speculate 🙂
Hmm. Yes, that makes sense. I forgot about the FAegon angle. I can see that happening. Which makes me wonder if D & D have merged Cersei’s story with FAegon instead? I can see that happening. If Jaime isn’t the valonqar, I think those of us who have read the books, will riot.
It would be nice to have a fairytale ending, tbh, but I just can’t imagine it happening. He might not be okay with her going over the edge, but it will have to be because she’s done something completely heinous and barbaric. Otherwise, he’s pretty understanding, Jon doesn’t seem to hate anyone, tbh, he really is quite lovely. I hope he’s alive and there to see what Dany’s done, just so we could see Dany’s reaction to Jon’s reaction of whatever she’s going to do. It’s fun, for sure, but I need those spoilers… just in case something happens before the show releases.
I’m thinking they had to have merged the character with Faegon right? There’s just too much against her in the books and she’s too on the edge already for her to be a real power when Dany comes. Not to mention Tyrion’s book attitude to her is so different. He’d have to chill by like 10,000 degrees. And I definitely don’t see book Jaime knocking her up but who knows? (Actually that one better not happen!)
It seems that FAegon was able to gather more support and given that he is coming from across the seas, it makes sense that he would have support from the Golden Company. Yes, right on the money, which means by Winds of Winter will Cersei be dead? Sad, she’s a total bitch, but I’m going to miss her. She and Joffrey were something else…
Damn damn damn… Tyrion where we last see him in the books is with FAegon as well, isn’t he? I think in that case Tyrion may betray Dany, then? But for different reasons. Cersei is fairly promiscuous, I could see that happening, but I don’t think it’s likely. I will be surprised if she doesn’t have a miscarriage, that was the only aspect of the Season 7 leaks that was omitted from the show. You’re right, Book Jaime would not knock her up, for sure. But I understand why they didn’t include the FAegon storyline, it would have been too much to pack in, same with the Dorne storyline, newer characters will be more difficult to introduce. Euron is more easy to fit in, so that makes sense. It’s a shame about FAegon though, his storyline does resemble Perkin Warbeck’s who was thought to be one of the missing princes in the tower.
I don’t remember where Tyrion is exactly in the books but I’m pretty sure he was still plotting Cersei’s death the last time we saw him 🙂 So I think something pretty big would have to happen for him (or her honestly) to be like yeah, let’s make nice and not kill each other!
Looved reading this thank you