This post won’t have a lot of new material. The first part summarizes what I’ve already covered. Links to the complete posts are below, if you feel so inclined. After that will be a few things I either missed or didn’t originally cover as much as I would have liked.
Big Picture Predictions
House Targaryen
House Stark
House Lannister
Other Notable Characters
Summary
Who Lives
- Daenerys Targaryen
- Sansa Stark
- Bran Stark
- Tyrion Lannister
- Jaime Lannister
- Missandei
- Grey Worm
- Samwell Tarly
- Gilly
- Ghost
- Lyanna Mormont
- Ser Davos
- Bronn
- Daario Naharis
- Dolorous Edd
- Jaqen H’ghar
Who Dies
- Jon Snow
- Arya Stark
- Cersei Lannister
- Brienne
- Varys
- Melisandre
- Theon Greyjoy
- Yara Greyjoy
- Euron Greyjoy
- The Hound
- The Mountain
- Jorah Mormont
- Tormund Giantsbane
- Beric Dondarrion
- Ellaria Sand
- Podrick Payne
- Qyburn
- Gendry
- Syrio Forel (already dead)
Big Picture
Daenerys and her allies defeat the White Walkers by the end of episode three, though they will surely sustain heavy losses. At the end of the series, Daenerys sits on the Iron Throne (if there’s a throne to sit on – either way, she’s in charge), Queen of the Six Kingdoms. She grants the North their independence, with Sansa as Queen of the North. Tyrion remains as Hand of the Queen. Bran is not revealed as the Night King, nor as Bran the Builder. Tyrion is not found to be a secret Targaryen.
Euron continues to be overrated, never living up to his full potential as a villain. Gilly continues to be useless. Lyanna Mormont continues to be one of the best things about the show. Syrio Forel died in season 1 and he’s not coming back.
(Some of the) Major Moments
- Jon kills (or whatever the correct terminology is) the Night King, ending the White Walker threat
- Jon meets his destiny as a true Targaryen and rides Rhaegal into battle
- Bran finds a weirwood tree to call home, fully embracing his new identity as the Three-Eyed Raven, but not before warging into Viserion during the battle against the White Walkers
- Cersei is pregnant but is killed by Jaime before she gives birth
- The Hound defeats The Mountain in the much-anticipated Cleganebowl
- Sam returns home to Horn Hill with Gilly and baby Sam, where he begins to record the Song of Ice and Fire
Things I Missed
I’m sure I’m still missing something – quite likely many somethings. But in reviewing my previous posts, here is what I’ve come up with for big (or big-ish) things that I forgot, overlooked, or have since thought of/realized/read about for the first time, etc.
The Night King
Okay, so I didn’t *technically* miss this one, but I haven’t dedicated a single space to him like I have so many other characters. Though that’s mostly because his main plot lines are so tied into those of other characters. But there are still a few pieces out there to cover. A big one is his identity. If Bran is not the Night King, then who is? I don’t think it actually matters, and I hope we don’t find out. I’d argue it makes him more terrifying if he’s just some nameless force of darkness.
Another big question surrounding the Night King is what his larger goal is. Does he simply want to engulf the world in ice and death? Or is there a bigger purpose behind his actions? Similar to not learning his identity, it’s scarier if he just wants destruction for destruction’s sake. But it might make him a more compelling character if he does have a deeper purpose.
With that in mind, I would strongly recommend reading this interview EW put out with Vladimir Furdik, who portrays the Night King. There’s one part in particular to note:
What can we expect from him in the final season?
People will see he has a target he wants to kill, and you will find out who that is. There’s also that moment [in “Hardhome”] when Jon Snow was on the boat and the Night King looked at him and raised his arms — there’s a similar and even stronger moment between Jon and the Night King this time.
And that leads to:
Has the Night King has been allowing Jon Snow to live?
This leads back to the question of his larger purpose. He’s had more than one opportunity to take out Jon, but hasn’t really jumped at any of them yet. Could it be nothing more than arrogance? A preying just playing with its prey before dealing that final blow? Or does he have something more sinister in mind that requires Jon to be alive for some time more?
Is it possible that Valaryian steel and/or dragon glass can’t kill Night King?
I’ve seen this theory floating around online, and I think it’s worth thinking about. After all, he is the biggest bad of the big bad. Why not make it more difficult to take him out? It would further his mystique if it took something even stronger than Valaryian steel or dragon glass. But on the flip side, there are only six episodes left, with potentially fewer than that with the Night King and the battle against the dead. Is there enough time to set this up? If it’s some sort of new magic or something similar, can that story properly be serviced?
Some think that there is something hidden in the Winterfell crypts that could aid in the fight (maybe Lightbringer?). If that – or similar – is the case, I’m okay with it. Winterfell is going to feature heavily in the season, so characters wouldn’t have to make a special journey just to find a magical MacGuffin.
Nymeria?
Lest we forget, glorious Ghost is not the only living direwolf. Arya last saw Nymeria in season 7, though the reunion was short-lived. Given the way that scene went, I’d say we’ve seen the last of Nymeria. Now, you could argue Nymeria’s appearance could be a sort of Chekhov’s gun situation, but I think the show runners just wanted one more scene between Arya and her direwolf.
Dragons
They’re all goners. It’s sad to say, but I can’t really see it going any other way. Viserion is already part of the Night King’s army. And if the dead are defeated, that has to include Viserion. As for Drogon and Rhaegal? I don’t see a place for them in the new “broken wheel” era of Westeros. While they are living creatures that Daenerys truly loves and cares for, ultimately they are weapons. Great, powerful, destructive weapons. Daenerys isn’t going to use fear to rule, and if her dragons survive, there will always be an element of fear to her reign, even if it’s unintentional.
Now, of course that doesn’t mean I think Daenerys is going to kill the dragons herself. I just think that mindset allows the dragons to die while still fitting into the complex jigsaw puzzle of this final season. I think one, likely Rhaegal, will die in the Battle of Winterfell – or at least in some fight with the Night King’s Army. Drogon will live only to perish in the final battle against Cersei.
And that should about wrap it up. I’m sure there is still plenty I’ve overlooked. But that’s just the way it is with a show as deep and complex as Thrones. There’s too much for one person to cover. But I think I covered at least (most of) the biggest and most important characters and plot lines. Now all that’s left to do is sit back and enjoy watching it all unfold.
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