{"id":4579,"date":"2019-04-12T12:25:20","date_gmt":"2019-04-12T16:25:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/?p=4579"},"modified":"2019-04-14T08:58:43","modified_gmt":"2019-04-14T12:58:43","slug":"our-predictions-for-the-final-season-of-game-of-thrones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/?p=4579","title":{"rendered":"Our Predictions for the Final Season of ‘Game of Thrones’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The wait is finally over; after eight years, seven seasons, and scores of grisly deaths, <\/span>Game of Thrones <\/span><\/i>will kick off its eighth and final season this weekend. George R.R. Martin has famously said that the ending of <\/span>A Song of Ice and Fire<\/span><\/i> will be bittersweet, so while we expect the series to come to a hopeful conclusion overall, we\u2019re braced for some hard losses and painful deaths along the way. Just as we did last season, we\u2019ve decided to post all of our various theories and predictions in advance of the premiere, mostly so that we\u2019ll have bragging rights later if we\u2019re correct about anything. <\/span><\/p>\n

As always, please note that none of us have been keeping up with any possible spoiler leaks online, and while two of us have read the books, the show is well beyond what George R.R. Martin has written at this point. There will be some light book spoilers down below, but at this point, they\u2019re mostly things we\u2019ve all assumed by now anyway. However, if we\u2019re right about some of these, they could turn out to be <\/span>major <\/span><\/i>show spoilers, so proceed with caution.<\/span><\/p>\n

If any of the below turn out to be true, it is pure happenstance. We have no advance knowledge of the show, and made these predictions entirely on our own.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Iron Throne<\/span><\/h2>\n
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The Iron Throne. Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

Let\u2019s go ahead and get the dragon-sized elephant in the room out of the way: we believe that when all the dust and ash have settled, Jon Snow will be the one seated on the Iron Throne. After all, the series is titled <\/span>A Song of Ice and Fire, <\/span><\/i>and we\u2019re pretty certain that has always meant Jon, who is half-Stark (ice) and half-Targaryen (fire).<\/span><\/p>\n

While we know Daenerys has been gunning for the throne this entire time and seems like the strongest current contender, this is precisely why we feel like she can\u2019t <\/span>possibly <\/span><\/i>succeed. Since when has this show allowed characters to actually get what they want? Although we\u2019re certain that Dany will still spend the majority of season eight working to achieve her goal (as she has for the entirety of the series), we believe that she\u2019ll ultimately be thwarted — either by a change of heart, a noble sacrifice, or an untimely demise. We find the second option most likely, and won\u2019t be surprised if Dany goes down in a literal blaze of glory, having finally found something (or some<\/span>one<\/span><\/i>) she cares about more than power. <\/span><\/p>\n

As for the other contenders for the throne, none seem very likely to win it. There\u2019s no <\/span>way <\/span><\/i>Cersei makes it out of season eight alive, and while Jaime may have ever-so-slightly better odds of survival, we don\u2019t see kingship in his future. And although we kind of love the idea of Queen Sansa, we think she\u2019s far more likely to remain the Lady of Winterfell than permanently relocate to King\u2019s Landing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our dark horse candidate for the throne, though, is\u2026 no one. King\u2019s Landing is burned to cinders, and the throne along with it. Westeros is split up into independent city-states, ushering in a new, monarch-less age. For this to happen, there would have to be a total bloodbath, with Jon, Dany, and the vast majority of the Starks and Lannisters wiped completely off the board. We don\u2019t <\/span>think <\/span><\/i>this will happen\u2026 but knowing this show, we\u2019re also not going to totally rule it out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dragons<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Viserion and the Night King. Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

Sarah and Teija are in pretty solid agreement that all three dragons have to be dead by the end of the show for there to be a lasting peace in Westeros and a ruler on the Iron Throne who does not feel like they\u2019re using the brute force of \u201cI have a dragon\u201d to hold the seat of power. <\/span><\/p>\n

Lauren, on the other hand, feels that dragons returning to Westeros has been such an integral element of this show that it doesn\u2019t make sense to kill them all off. While she agrees that the ultimate ruler of a truly peaceful Westeros can\u2019t control a dragon, she believes there\u2019s a way to cut the ties between humans and dragons (probably by killing off Dany) and still keep at least <\/span>one <\/span><\/i>dragon alive, somewhere, roaming wild and free. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, we\u2019re all in agreement that Dany will likely lose Rhaegal to Ice!Viserion (and then possibly use Drogon to burn his corpse to keep him from becoming a second wight, although having to contend against <\/span>two <\/span><\/i>ice dragons would certainly skyrocket the stakes for our heroes in the final battle), and then out of fear of losing her remaining dragon child — or perhaps a belated moral guilt for bending the dragons to her will despite her stated opposition to slavery — she will set him free. Ultimately, though, we believe it will be Drogon\u2019s choice to return and save the day, Tolkien Eagle-ing his way into the darkest moments of the final battle to usher in an unlikely victory for the living. <\/span><\/p>\n

Where we differ is that Sarah and Teija believe he will go down in a final epic dragon fight, taking Viserion with him, while Lauren thinks there\u2019s a strong possibility that a victorious Drogon will fly off following the battle, keeping dragons alive, but out of reach. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, before the final Dragon Reckoning occurs, we would <\/span>really <\/span><\/i>like to see Jon ride a dragon. Just once.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington). Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

As the only person who has never seemed to care a lick about ruling Westeros, it seems fitting that the person to wind up winning that particular lottery will be the one guy who never wanted to play in the first place. At the end of season seven, the show confirmed the popular fan theory that Jon is actually the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, who married in secret (thus legitimizing his claim to the throne) before they both died, leaving Ned Stark to raise his sister\u2019s son as his own. In addition to his blood claim to the throne, Jon has proven himself to be a strong and principled ruler, a loyal friend, and the type of leader that people will happily follow. <\/span><\/p>\n

Dany, on the other hand, has been in hot pursuit of the Iron Throne since the beginning of this show. While there\u2019s a chance she might be able to claim it briefly, as Cersei has done, her rule can\u2019t possibly last long — giving characters the main thing they want on any sort of a lasting basis goes against the basic fiber of <\/span>Game of Thrones<\/span><\/i>. Somehow, she\u2019s going to have to make way for Jon to take his place as the leader of Westeros, enabling them both to complete their arcs — Jon must finally embrace his royal lineage and become the king he was always meant to be, while Dany will have to turn away from hers in order to hold on to her humanity, which we\u2019ve seen being gradually eroded away the more power she amasses. <\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve already discussed the possibility that Dany goes out in a blaze of fiery glory, but another possibility for her demise is that she dies in childbirth. We last saw Jon and Dany canoodling at the end of season seven (intercut with the reveal that she\u2019s actually his aunt, which\u2026 awkward timing, <\/span>Game of Thrones<\/span><\/i>). It would be sadly fitting, considering Jon\u2019s mother died giving birth to him, if Dany dies giving birth to his child. And while we don\u2019t <\/span>love <\/span><\/i>the idea of a powerful female character dying in this fashion to provide symmetry for a man\u2019s arc\u2026 we also don\u2019t put it past the <\/span>Game of Thrones <\/span><\/i>team to go this route. <\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, although the show has only included the first half of this <\/span>prophecy<\/span><\/a>, in the books, after Drogo dies, the witch tells Dany, \u201c<\/span>When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child. Then he will return, and not before.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

One possible way to fulfill this prophecy would be to have the first half of the predictions be metaphorical — perhaps a dragon soaring from the west to the east, blazing so brightly that it lights up the sky; or the army of the dead freezing a sea solid, thus making it \u201cdry\u201d; or a mountain getting blasted to smithereens by dragon fire, so that the ashes blow like leaves — and to have the second half be literal, with a twist. Perhaps Dany does bear a living child, but she herself dies, showing that the prophecy is not actually about Drogo returning to <\/span>her<\/span><\/i>, but about her going to join <\/span>him<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa). Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

Of course, we\u2019ve heard absolutely zilch about Jason Momoa returning to <\/span>Game of Thrones <\/span><\/i>for the final season (although he <\/span>was <\/span><\/i>in Belfast <\/span>hanging out with the showrunners and sporting a very Drogo-esque beard<\/span><\/a> during filming), so it\u2019s also possible nothing will come from that particular prophecy at all. <\/span><\/p>\n

Another interesting prophecy, though, is the one pertaining to <\/span>Azor Ahai<\/span><\/a>, the legendary hero that is predicted to be reborn as a champion that will save the world from darkness. This prophecy states, \u201c<\/span>There will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. In this dread hour a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him<\/span><\/i>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jon Snow being the second coming of Azor Ahai has been a popular fan theory for years, but while most people assume that Lightbringer is a literal sword, what if it\u2019s actually a metaphor for… a <\/span>baby<\/span><\/i>? <\/span><\/p>\n

Hear us out. The \u201cday after a long summer\u201d is clearly the arrival of \u201cwinter,\u201d which we\u2019ve been told is coming since the very beginning of the show. The \u201ccold breath of darkness\u201d obviously refers to the Night King and his army of the undead. The meaning of \u201cstars bleed\u201d is a little less clear, but may possibly refer to Cersei\u2019s slaughter of the Faith Militant (who mark themselves by bloody stars carved into their foreheads) at the end of season six. This all seems pretty straightforward, and can work no matter how you interpret the second half of the prophecy. <\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s where things get interesting. What if the warrior drawing \u201cfrom the fire a burning sword\u201d is actually Jon delivering his and Dany\u2019s baby? Dany, who is constantly referring to herself as a dragon who cannot be killed by fire, may herself<\/span> be<\/span><\/i> the fire. And then the rest of the prophecy is just Jon holding up his baby like Rafiki presenting Simba at Pride Rock. Plus, part of the story of Azor Ahai involves him having to kill his wife in order to create Lightbringer, and if Dany dies giving birth to Baby Lightbringer, that can <\/span>technically<\/span><\/i> be traced back to Jon, since he\u2019s the one who would have gotten her pregnant in the first place. <\/span><\/p>\n

Taking the prophecy imagery one step further (and we realize we are <\/span>deep<\/span><\/i> down the rabbit hole now, but bear with us), what if Dany actually passes her fire immunity to her baby and burns to death, leaving behind a very upset (and thus, red), yet very fireproof baby, in the midst of a blazing fire? Jon retrieving his baby from a fire would leave no doubt about what the prophecy is referring to, and would also provide some preeeeetty sweet imagery. Plus it would mirror Daenerys going into the fire and emerging with her dragon \u201cchildren\u201d back in season one. <\/span><\/p>\n

Will any of this happen? We\u2019re not sure, although we <\/span>really <\/span><\/i>like the idea of Lightbringer being a person and not a sword, because literal prophecies are no fun. But no matter how it all shakes out, we\u2019re pretty set on Jon landing on the throne, most likely with a Stark\/Targaryen heir (preferably a girl? named Lyanna?) set to follow in his footsteps, and Dany dying brilliantly and tragically.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before Dany departs into the great beyond, though, she\u2019s got to have at least one more mic-drop \u201c<\/span>Dracarys\u201d <\/span><\/i>moment, and another opportunity to save the day with her dragons.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cersei and Jaime Lannister<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) and Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

When Cersei was a child, she visited a witch who <\/span>prophesied<\/span><\/a>, \u201ct<\/span>he valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Valonqar\u2019<\/span><\/i> means \u2018little brother\u2019 in High Valyrian, which Cersei has always assumed referred to Tyrion, but we\u2019ve been sure for years it\u2019s actually talking about Jaime, the younger twin. The only thing we haven\u2019t been sure of over the years (although we\u2019ve had a lot of theories) has been what, exactly, would get under Jaime\u2019s skin <\/span>so much <\/span><\/i>that it would finally push him over the edge. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Going into season eight, we\u2019re pretty sure it will have something to do with the fact that he is on the side of the living while Cersei is on the side of\u2026 well, herself. It seems highly likely that she will promise to send Lannister forces to the Battle of Winterfell, only to renege on the agreement in order to let everyone else kill each other. Throwing all of humanity to the wolves in a desire to rule over the bloody pieces seems like a very Cersei thing to do. <\/span><\/p>\n

But while we have no doubt that Jaime will be horrified at Cersei\u2019s callous ability to turn her back on the living, we\u2019re not sure that even this degree of heartless political maneuvering will be quite enough to provoke Jaime to commit sororicide. Jaime has always known that Cersei doesn\u2019t care about the rest of the world, but he\u2019s always been sure she at least cared about <\/span>him<\/span><\/i>. In order to cross that final, homicidal line, he\u2019s got to feel a sense of personal betrayal so severe that it allows him to finally see her for the monster she is. Our guess is that he will discover that Cersei lied about her pregnancy (and will likely lie about a miscarriage as well, since she\u2019ll eventually have to find some way to explain why she\u2019s not getting any bigger), and that this lie, in combination with her vast crimes against humanity, will be enough for Jaime to finally add \u201cQueenslayer\u201d to his list of unfortunate nicknames.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As for Jaime himself, we\u2019re not entirely sure what his fate will be following the death of Cersei. We think there are pretty good odds that he\u2019ll be the one to bring the armies of King\u2019s Landing to the final battle, so we think he\u2019ll outlive Cersei by at least a little bit, but beyond that, we\u2019re not sure. He may perish heroically in battle, he may be surprised to find himself on the pointy end of a perceived ally\u2019s sword (Brienne?), he may throw himself from a window once all the dust settles. (Between Jaime shoving Bran from a window in the pilot, and Tommen jumping from a window in season six, odds seem high that at least <\/span>one <\/span><\/i>of these two has got to go out via window.) <\/span><\/p>\n

Without his sister, Jaime is a bit of a wild card, but even if he makes it through the Battle of Winterfell unscathed, it seems doubtful that Jaime will last much longer than that. It\u2019s just a matter of when, and how. <\/span><\/p>\n

One thing is for sure, though: whenever this ultimate sibling showdown occurs between Jaime and Cersei, we\u2019ll probably get a gorgeous and haunting new version of \u2018The Rains of Castamere\u2019 to go with it.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Starks<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Sansa (Sophie Turner), Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright), and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams). Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

We are of the firm belief that we have run out of Expendable Starks. Let us keep the four we have. House Stark has suffered enough and it\u2019s time to leave them alone. Full stop.<\/span><\/p>\n

sigh<\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n

We wish we could leave it at that, but this show has taught us better than to think we can keep characters around just because we <\/span>like <\/span><\/i>them. So let\u2019s look at this practically. Of the three remaining Starks who are not Jon, the one we would hate to lose the <\/span>least <\/span><\/i>is Bran. However, we suspect Bran isn\u2019t going anywhere. He\u2019s the Three-Eyed Raven, so he\u2019ll probably just hang out communing with his weirwood tree at Winterfell indefinitely. Or maybe he could go live in the Eyrie. After all, a bird needs a roost. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Arya, on the other hand, feels like she may be in trouble. We <\/span>love <\/span><\/i>Arya, but don\u2019t really see an obvious path forward for her in a peaceful Westeros. Maybe<\/span> she could go join the Faceless Men, maybe she could go marry Gendry and repopulate House Baratheon (although Arya Stark settling down to play house and crank out babies seems about as likely as Theon Greyjoy landing on the Iron Throne), or maybe she could just roam the countryside like a feral cat and occasionally pop in to visit her siblings\u2026 but none of that feels truly satisfying for Arya. <\/span><\/p>\n

She\u2019s still got a few <\/span>names left to cross off her list<\/span><\/a>, but after that, we\u2019re not sure where Arya winds up. If she dies, it\u2019s got to be a meaningful death. Maybe she sacrifices herself for one of her siblings or Gendry, maybe she dies taking out the final name on her list (Melisandre? The Mountain?), or maybe she just disappears after the final battle and we are left to wonder whether she died, or is just wearing a new face. <\/span><\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s Sansa, who deserves a nap and a cookie more than anyone else on this show. <\/span><\/p>\n

We don\u2019t think it\u2019s wishful thinking to say that we think Sansa is making it out of season eight alive and thriving. Girlfriend has been through <\/span>so much<\/span><\/i>, that it just doesn\u2019t make any sense to kill her at this point. Sarah and Teija believe Sansa will end the series ruling over Winterfell, while Lauren thinks there\u2019s a sort of poetic justice in giving her Casterly Rock, after all the Lannisters have done to her (after all, she <\/span>is <\/span><\/i>technically still married to Tyrion). <\/span><\/p>\n

Wherever Sansa winds up, though, we are all in agreement that it <\/span>must <\/span><\/i>be Sansa\u2019s choice. No one will be marrying her off or telling her where to go — wherever she lands, and whoever she lands with (if anyone), will all be choices she makes for herself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tyrion Lannister<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage). Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

We are <\/span>pretty <\/span><\/i>sure Tyrion is safe. Not just because we don\u2019t think we can bear it if he dies, but also because we think his siblings are definite goners, so he\u2019ll be the only Lannister left. And we really do think that the four Houses represented by the sigils in the show\u2019s logo — Stark, Lannister, Targaryen, and Baratheon — will be the four left still standing (or at least crawling) at the end. <\/span><\/p>\n

Assuming Tyrion makes it through the final battle, we expect he\u2019ll stay on as Hand to the King, transferring his allegiance from Dany to Jon (and, by extension, Dany\u2019s child). That, of course, leaves Casterly Rock without a steward, so we see two possible options for the Lannister holding.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first, and most obvious, is for him to give it to Sansa. She\u2019s legally his wife, and by golly, she has <\/span>earned <\/span><\/i>that holding. Whether or not she\u2019d actually go rule it would be up to her to decide, but if she opts to stay in Winterfell, she can always appoint her own steward to manage the Rock for her. <\/span><\/p>\n

The less likely, but by far the most amusing option, would be for Tyrion to give it to Bronn. A Lannister always pays his debts, indeed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Greyjoys<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Euron (Pilou Asb\u00e6k), Yara (Gemma Whelan), and Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen). Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

Despite making it this far, we\u2019re pretty sure House Greyjoy is getting wiped off the map. Euron cannot possibly be long for this world (we\u2019re a little shocked he\u2019s still around, honestly), and if Yara isn\u2019t already dead, she likely will be soon.<\/span><\/p>\n

The only player from House Greyjoy that we think still has anything interesting left to do is Theon, who has been saying for <\/span>years <\/span><\/i>that he made the wrong choice when he sided with his family against Robb Stark, and that if he had it to do over again, he\u2019d do things differently. <\/span><\/p>\n

We believe season eight will give Theon the second chance he\u2019s been yearning for. He never did deliver the Greyjoy troops he promised Robb, but if he\u2019s able to overthrow Euron and reclaim leadership of the Ironborn, he may still be able to finally make good on his promise by showing up to fight for House Stark. Ultimately, we anticipate Theon will die for Jon, fighting for him the way he never did for Robb, and completing one of the most symmetrical character arcs in the series. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Gendry<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Gendry (Joe Dempsie). Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

We love Gendry a lot, but we honestly don\u2019t see much of a reason why they brought him back at this point, unless it\u2019s to keep House Baratheon alive. Which means Gendry lives, as he can\u2019t exactly propagate his House all on his own, and with all that the show has to accomplish this season, we doubt it\u2019ll be spending any time finding Gendry a wife to impregnate. Most likely, Gendry makes it through the final battle, perhaps a little worse for wear, but still breathing, leaving the door open for the new ruler of Westeros to legitimize him and for House Baratheon to rise again. <\/span><\/p>\n

It would be nice to see Gendry forge a friendship with Jon, mirroring the friendship of Robert and Ned. He can go back to Dragonstone (since, as we said above, we don\u2019t think Dany will be using it anymore), reboot his House, and be the Baratheon Westeros needs, if not necessarily the one they deserve.<\/span><\/p>\n

Samwell Tarly<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Gilly (Hannah Murray) and Samwell Tarly (John Bradley). Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

We expect the body count to be high this season, but we think Sam is safe, as is Little Sam. This show has killed off plenty of kind-hearted loveable characters and small children, but those tend to be the sorts of plot devices designed to ratchet up the stakes, and they\u2019re already pretty darn high. Now that we\u2019re in the final act, we expect this season to be all about paying off long-running arcs and providing resolution, and Sam\u2019s death wouldn\u2019t accomplish any of that. <\/span><\/p>\n

Gilly, on the other hand, we\u2019re unsure about. She doesn\u2019t seem to serve much of a purpose in the overall story, but she is The Thing Sam Cares About Most, so either the show will keep her around to give Sam a well-earned happy ending, or will kill her off in order to motivate Sam to do something brave and reckless because of his pain. We, obviously, would go with Option A, but we\u2019re not the ones in charge here, and could really see this going either way. <\/span><\/p>\n

In any case, once the dust settles, Sam seems destined to be Jon\u2019s maester. Sure, he got kicked out of maester school, but Jon seems likely to embrace a court of misfits, and we don\u2019t see a little thing like Sam not <\/span>technically <\/span><\/i>being a maester standing in the way of Jon appointing him to the position anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Night King<\/span><\/h2>\n
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The Night King (Vladimir ‘Furdo’ Furdik). Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

There\u2019s been a lot of speculation among the fandom about the true identity of the Night King, the frosty, undead leader of the White Walker army. Many subscribe to the theory that the Night King is <\/span>actually Bran Stark<\/span><\/a>, who will warg back in time to try to stop the White Walker invasion before it starts, and somehow get stuck in the process. <\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s certainly some canon evidence supporting this theory — after all, we learned in season six that Hodor was more or less <\/span>created <\/span><\/i>by a future version of Bran warging back into his younger self. And Jojen Reed did warn Bran in season four to be careful with his warging, lest he become trapped in a different body. So warging back in time is definitely possible, and finding oneself unable to escape after warging is also possible. <\/span><\/p>\n

Despite all that, we\u2019re still not fully sold on the Bran-is-the-Night-King theory. While it would be kind of cool, we really don\u2019t see Bran — who, as the Three-Eyed Raven, has the knowledge of everything that has ever happened throughout history downloaded into his brain, even if he hasn\u2019t had the chance to parse it all yet — taking that sort of risk without being pretty certain it will work. Maybe season eight will convince us otherwise, but for now, while we wouldn\u2019t rule out that Bran will warg into <\/span>something <\/span><\/i>before the show ends, we don\u2019t think it\u2019ll be the Night King.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, while we don\u2019t think that the Night King is <\/span>Bran <\/span><\/i>Stark, we wouldn\u2019t rule out him still being <\/span>a <\/span><\/i>Stark (possibly Bran the Builder, who has been name-dropped multiple times throughout the series?). The show has long hinted at a connection between the Night King and the Starks, and there would be a sort of beautiful symmetry in the main villain of the series turning out to be part of the same family we\u2019ve been rooting for all along. Plus the Stark family motto is \u201cWinter is Coming,\u201d which, you know, feels relevant. <\/span><\/p>\n

No matter what the true identity of the Night King turns out to be (if it\u2019s even revealed at all), we\u2019re certain that the White Walkers will be soundly defeated this season, and their leader along with them. So if he <\/span>is <\/span><\/i>a Stark, he\u2019s about to be a dead Stark.<\/span><\/p>\n

Direwolves<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Ghost the direwolf. Photo credit: HBO<\/p><\/div>\n

Technically, there are two direwolves left: Jon\u2019s wolf Ghost, and Arya\u2019s wolf Nymeria. However, Arya encountered Nymeria briefly in season seven, and that scene seemed to function as a final farewell between the two of them, as Nymeria has found a new pack and is no longer bound to Arya. While we do have a strong suspicion that there\u2019s going to be a Tolkien Eagle moment in the final battle, we think it\u2019s more likely that it\u2019ll be Drogon returning to fight than Nymeria and her wolves showing up. (Although it would be kind of cool to have <\/span>both <\/span><\/i>of them return, showing that the Armies of the Living are made up of more than just humans.) <\/span><\/p>\n

Most likely, though, is that we\u2019ve seen the last of Nymeria. Which leaves us with Ghost, who we <\/span>refuse <\/span><\/i>to believe will be anything less than okay by the end of the season. We have already lost far too many direwolves, and we are putting our collective foot down. No. More. Dead. Direwolves. <\/span><\/p>\n

We do expect to see Ghost fight hard for Jon, but while he may get wounded, he <\/span>must<\/span><\/i> live. There\u2019s simply no other option.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who Wins and Who Dies?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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‘Game of Thrones’ season eight cast photo. Photo credit: EW<\/p><\/div>\n

While we\u2019ve already touched on some of our more complex theories about who will be left still standing at the end of the series and who won\u2019t, here\u2019s a rundown of our predictions for the fate of every significant character left in season eight. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jon Snow <\/span><\/h3>\n

Alive, seated on the Iron Throne, probably a dad.<\/span><\/p>\n

Daenerys Targaryen \u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead, either a noble self-sacrifice in battle, or in childbirth. Finally the mom of an actual human. Possibly reunited with Drogo in death.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sansa Stark <\/span><\/h3>\n

Alive and thriving in a place of her choosing. <\/span><\/p>\n

Arya Stark <\/span><\/h3>\n

Undecided. Most likely Stark to die, but we still give slightly better odds to her surviving. No idea where she\u2019ll end up, but we\u2019re sure she will NOT be settling down in one place to live as a noble. <\/span><\/p>\n

Bran Stark <\/span><\/h3>\n

Alive. Bird. Weird. Probably stays at Winterfell, but we won\u2019t rule out making a nest for himself up in the Eyrie. <\/span><\/p>\n

Cersei Lannister <\/span><\/h3>\n

Super dead. Killed by Jaime, probably choked to death with his golden hand, fulfilling the <\/span>valonqar<\/span><\/i> prophecy. Other possibility: Jaime shoves her out a window. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jaime Lannister <\/span><\/h3>\n

Likely dead, method uncertain. If Cersei doesn\u2019t die via window, Jaime probably will. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tyrion Lannister <\/span><\/h3>\n

Alive. Hand of the King. Still pays his debts. <\/span><\/p>\n

Brienne of Tarth <\/span><\/h3>\n

Undecided. Sarah expects Brienne to be one of this season\u2019s most gutting deaths, but Teija and Lauren are both of the belief that Brienne will survive until the end, and will live out the rest of her days serving Sansa. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jorah Mormont <\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead. So dead. How is he not <\/span>already <\/span><\/i>dead? Greyscale is supposed to be fatal, and yet Jorah managed to cure himself through\u2026 exfoliation and moisturization? If all it takes to cure greyscale is a rigorous skincare regimen, how on earth did Stannis not discover that while searching <\/span>all of Westeros <\/span><\/i>for a cure for Shireen? Why are there forbidden cities of exiled stone people when they could all just be slapping some aloe on their dry areas and peeling them off like a moderate sunburn? None of this makes a bit of sense. <\/span><\/p>\n

Anyway, Jorah\u2019s definitely dying this season. <\/span><\/p>\n

Lyanna Mormont <\/span><\/h3>\n

ALIVE. If this Jon-on-the-Iron-Throne thing doesn\u2019t work out, give it to her. <\/span><\/p>\n

Theon Greyjoy <\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead. A heroic, sacrificial death protecting a Stark, probably Jon, thus enabling him to finally keep his promise to Robb. <\/span><\/p>\n

Euron Greyjoy <\/span><\/h3>\n

DEAD. Suuuuuuuuper dead. By Theon\u2019s hand, most likely, in his efforts to rescue his sister. Please let this happen early in the season, as Euron is insufferable. <\/span><\/p>\n

Yara Greyjoy <\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead. She may already <\/span>be<\/span><\/i> dead. If she\u2019s still alive and Theon manages to rescue her, she\u2019ll likely die in battle. <\/span><\/p>\n

Samwell Tarly <\/span><\/h3>\n

ALIVE. Rogue maester of King\u2019s Landing. Still the best Tarly. <\/span><\/p>\n

Gilly <\/span><\/h3>\n

Undecided, but probably alive, along with Little Sam. <\/span><\/p>\n

Varys <\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead. The death of Varys has been heavily <\/span>foreshadowed<\/span><\/a>, and he may in fact already know some of the particulars of his death, having received a prophecy from R\u2019hllor as a child that he\u2019s never told anyone. Varys has always been an intriguing, mysterious character, but while we don\u2019t know a lot about him, we do know he hates magic, so we wouldn\u2019t be surprised if there was something mystical about his inevitable demise. <\/span><\/p>\n

Davos Seaworth <\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead, alas, though he is one of our most beloved characters. If he must go, we still like <\/span>our theory<\/span><\/a> that he dies taking out Melisandre. <\/span><\/p>\n

Melisandre <\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead. Not only has she already told Varys that she will die when she returns to Westeros, but she\u2019s on Arya\u2019s list, as well as in Davos\u2019 crosshairs. We\u2019re not exactly sure which of them will land the killing blow, or if it\u2019ll be someone else entirely, but we\u2019re convinced that there\u2019s no way Melisandre makes it out of this season alive. <\/span><\/p>\n

Sandor \u201cThe Hound\u201d Clegane <\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead. The chances of Cleganebowl happening seem to diminish with each season, but we still place the best odds on the brothers taking each other out somehow. However, they\u2019re both still on Arya\u2019s list (even though she left the Hound alive the last time she saw him, she clearly <\/span>assumed <\/span><\/i>he was going to die), so there\u2019s a possibility they\u2019ll be thwarted before Cleganebowl even gets a chance to start. <\/span><\/p>\n

Gregor \u201cThe Mountain\u201d Clegane <\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead. For real this time. See above re: The Hound. <\/span><\/p>\n

Missandei <\/span><\/h3>\n

Alive. Happy and free. <\/span><\/p>\n

Grey Worm <\/span><\/h3>\n

Undecided. Sarah thinks there\u2019s a chance he might be on the chopping block, but after all the carnage of the past seven seasons, it would be lovely to get to see the Unsullied warrior finally allowed to pursue a peaceful life far away from the horrors of battle. He and Missandei could settle down in roles they choose for themselves, making their own decisions for the first time in their lives. They\u2019ve earned it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Or, he could die in battle, a tragic hero who gave his life before ever getting a chance to live it. <\/span><\/p>\n

Tormund Giantsbane \u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Probably dead. We see a <\/span>veeeery<\/span><\/i> slim chance that Tormund survives to lead the Wildlings, but more likely than not, he\u2019s one of the Battle of Winterfell\u2019s biggest and most heartbreaking casualties. <\/span><\/p>\n

Gendry <\/span><\/h3>\n

Alive, and legitimized as a Baratheon by whoever takes the throne. Gotta go make more Baratheons. <\/span><\/p>\n

Bronn <\/span><\/h3>\n

Undecided. We\u2019re not sure if it makes more storytelling sense to kill Bronn in battle, or keep him alive to continue heckling everyone around him indefinitely. While we lean a little more toward the former, it would be <\/span>so<\/span><\/i> great to see Bronn finally get his castle. <\/span><\/p>\n

Beric Dondarrion \u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead. He\u2019s on Arya\u2019s list, and we don\u2019t see him being able to cheat death this time. <\/span><\/p>\n

Brynden \u201cThe Blackfish\u201d Tully <\/span><\/h3>\n

We. Never. Saw. A. Body. <\/span><\/p>\n

Daario Naharis <\/span><\/h3>\n

Undecided. Last we saw Daario, he was being left behind in Meereen to help keep the peace at the end of season six. If he stays put, he should be fine. If he shows up to fight for Dany, he\u2019s probably toast. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jaqen H\u2019ghar <\/span><\/h3>\n

Alive. Who knows if he\u2019ll even show up this season\u2026 but then again, how will we know that he <\/span>didn\u2019t <\/span><\/i>show up? <\/span><\/p>\n

The Night King <\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead. Killed either by Jon using Longclaw, his Valyrian steel sword, or by Dany\/Drogon using dragonfire. <\/span><\/p>\n

Drogon <\/span><\/h3>\n

Undecided. Sarah and Teija say dead, Lauren says alive but no longer tethered to humanity. <\/span><\/p>\n

Rhaegal <\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead. Killed by Ice!Viserion. Possibly turned into a second wight, thus placing the possibility of victory even further out of reach (but making it seem that much sweeter when it comes). Also possible that he gets charbroiled by Drogon before the Night King can turn him into a wight. <\/span><\/p>\n

Ice!Viserion <\/span><\/h3>\n

Dead. Killed by Drogon. <\/span><\/p>\n

Ghost<\/span><\/h3>\n

ALIVE. STOP. KILLING. DIREWOLVES.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nymeria<\/span><\/h3>\n

ALSO ALIVE. Probably out roaming the forest somewhere.<\/span><\/p>\n

(Update: 4\/12\/19 1:43pm CST) Podrick Payne<\/span><\/h3>\n

Oops, we forgot about Podrick. So sorry, Pod, it was completely unintentional. Alas, Podrick is most likely also dead, and it’s going to be heartbreaking, because we really like him.<\/p>\n

(Update: 4\/14\/19 7:58am CST) Qyburn<\/span><\/h3>\n

Argh, we forgot Qyburn too! Well, Qyburn is also dead. No way Cersei’s mad scientist is getting out of this show alive.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How about you? What are your predictions for the final season of <\/span>Game of Thrones<\/span><\/i>? Did any of our arguments sway you, or do you think we\u2019re dead wrong about everything? Let us know in the comments! <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The wait is finally over; after eight years, seven seasons, and scores of grisly deaths, Game of Thrones will kick off its eighth and final season this weekend. George R.R. Martin has famously said that the ending of A Song of Ice and Fire will be bittersweet, so while we expect the series to come […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4581,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Winter is almost here. Before the premiere on Sunday, here are our predictions for the final season of #GameofThrones","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[170,8],"tags":[671,670,675,15,668,16,672,669,674,673],"class_list":["post-4579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","category-television","tag-cersei-lannister","tag-daenerys-targaryen","tag-dragons","tag-game-of-thrones","tag-got","tag-hbo","tag-jaime-lannister","tag-jon-snow","tag-the-night-king","tag-tyrion-lannister"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.avengingforce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/complete-list-of-game-of-thrones-season-8-prop-bets-and-odds.jpg?fit=1024%2C576","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4Vfwz-1bR","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4579"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4579\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4590,"href":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4579\/revisions\/4590"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.avengingforce.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}