Brace yourselves, Game of Thrones theories are coming.
With April 14th fast approaching, fans of Games of Thrones are in full froth mode: breaking out their replica iron thrones, dusting off their platinum wigs, and brandishing their overpriced novelty swords. Why? We don’t know, holding a sword while wearing the moon-like locks of Daenerys makes me feel powerful and pretty at the same time. At any rate, the time has come for the internet to buzz with anticipation and theories about how the show will end.
I’ve got twenty bucks on every cast member, so I’m either going to be very rich, or only moderately rich. Because we’ve had confirmation that many major characters will die this season. It very well could come in the teased climactic final showdown with the Night King and his armies, a sequence the cast has dubbed “The Long Night” because of its required 11 weeks of night shoots to complete, or during some interconnected plot of assassination and scandal.
With so many plots and subplots spinning around inside the Game of Thrones universe, it’s hard to sort through it all to figure out exactly what will happen. We know, because we attempted it in preparation for this article. This is all the more difficult because the show moved well past the books in terms of plot. The show, at this point, is a strange alternate universe from the one depicted inside the Song of Ice and Fire books.
Nonetheless, we turned to our fellow Fictionphiles on Facebook, and asked for their best, weirdest, or most feasible attempts to spoil the end of this titanic series.
WARNING: These Game of Thrones theories are for the final season, so they definitely spoil everything you’ve seen so far… and maybe some stuff you haven’t seen yet.
1) Jon Snow’s Winter Wonderland
The Theory
Why We Like It
While there’s no shortage of post-apocalyptic shows out there, there are none that feature the last son of a fallen king and the most popular beasts of fantasy turned evil popsicle.
If this had been the premise from the start, we’d have still watched that show.
Though, we’d be really hurting for some other characters, especially all the powerful and alluring ones that Game of Thrones offered us. It’s a cool concept for another show.
Is It Likely?
We highly doubt Jon will be alone in the world, especially if everything else is dead. That would mean humanity has won and the Night King didn’t manage to spread his dominion over the whole of Westeros. We don’t think The Battle of Winterfell (the one we see in the trailer) will be the last battle in the series.
How that will play out, we don’t know, but we don’t think the battle between the army of the dead and the combined might of the Vale, Unsullied, and the forces of The King in the North has enough mass to spread out over the huge continent and consume everything. It may be a mutual defeat with both sides regrouping for another battle.
But since we know the Battle of Winterfell is episode 3 of 6 and each one is about an hour and a twenty minutes long, we don’t see the Night King being the final boss.
Feasibility Score: 3/10
2) A Fairytale of Thrones
The Theory
Why We Like It
Wouldn’t it be great if everything just kind of worked out? In this ending, we get the best of everything.
Our favorite equally damaged characters tying the knot to unite the houses of fire and ice, Tyrian doing the job he’s the best at, Sansa gaining the power and authority she rightfully deserves after gaining her independence, and Arya playing swords better than all the other boys in Winterfell.
It’s just a great idyllic vision of a future we could have if only we believe. Clap, clap… Clap if you believe!
Is It Likely?
Probably one of the most feasible endings, but it still doesn’t cut it with us. It’s too sweet. There’s too much happiness and… justice going on.
While the showrunners could give us all an ending that will tickle that tiny fancy in all of us that begs for everything to be okay after such a slog through plots of murder and mayhem, we just don’t see it happening.
Tonally, it’s not great for the show that has become synonymous with the equivalent of your parents saying they’ll get you a puppy and then they get you a plush pug from the thrift store with an eye missing and some of its stuffing removed from its tiny knitted behind. Once Jon realizes that he slept with his aunt, we doubt a marriage could follow (we hope).
Feasibility Score: 5/10
3) Sorry, The Prince(ess) Who Was Promised Is In Another Castle!
The Theory
Why We Like It
It’s a trope as old as time: one day, the chosen one will come and wipe out all of the bad things that make our lives miserable.
It’s a time-tested and fantasy-novelist approved ending that could make for an interesting sequel series where we see more interesting locations, and explore more cultures in-depth.
Like we had a chance to see with the Dothraki.
Is It Likely?
There are a couple of problems we see with this Game of Thrones theory. First of all, the books and show established that Daenerys is barren. “These are the only children I will ever have,” she said of her dragons.
Even if, by some miracle, she does end up having a child with Jon Snow, there’s a high chance it will be born with some serious problems. Targaryen madness seems to run in the family, and so it’s just as likely that this child would scorch the earth instead of saving it.
The second problem we have with this is that we’re already seeing a “prophesied hero” story play out. The books contain a lot of evidence to support not one, not two, but three living incarnations of Azor Ahai, “The Prince Who Was Promised.” Add another layer to the tale? Too superfluous.
Feasibility Score: 4/10
4) Fade To White
The Theory
Why We Like It
Simple, clean, effective. We’ve heard the phrase “Winter is Coming” no less than a hundred times during the show (on and off air).
If we don’t get a bleak, barren, ice covered wasteland that returns all to nothingness after listening to Ned Stark and the rest of the freaking world go on and on about it… We might be a little disappointed.
In a show that has revealed in death, destruction, and intrigue, there’s something poetic about watching it all disappear, leaving everything ready to be born anew in perfect white.
Is It Likely?
George R.R. Martin told us way back when the show started that it would have a “bittersweet” ending.
There’s no sweetness in this Game of Thrones theory, it’s all bitter. It doesn’t tie up any loose ends, it doesn’t serve a purpose narratively, and it won’t make the fans happy. Especially when there’s a prequel on the horizon.
The showrunners would be remiss to turn off their audience at the last second. Besides, if time travel enters a story, then failure isn’t an option for the heroes. Bran has already demonstrated his ability to screw with the space-time continuum.
Feasibility Score: 2/10
5) The Heartbreaker
The Theory
Why We Like It
The dark tone of the show has always served as a constant reminder of our mortality, no matter what walk of life we choose to live.
In Game of Thrones, we watch the lives of peasants and kings alike get shifted, upended, and taken away at the drop of a hat.
This theory chooses which characters will die, not simply throwing a huge death blanket over the whole cast. And for a number of reasons, we agree with the assertions here.
Is It Likely?
The best Game of Thrones theory yet in terms of actual working parts. If you’ve been following all the fan theory sites or watching potentially spoiler-ific videos on YouTube, then you’ll know that both Daenerys and Jon are prime contenders for being Azor Ahai. Digging deeper into the lore, we know that the legend speaks of a sacrifice for love, and the forging of Lightbringer, a sword Stannis essentially tried to create by sacrificing his daughter to the Lord of Fire.
It’s entirely possible that one or both of them will have to die in order to forge Lightbringer (whether it’s an actual sword or some kind of metaphor) and defeat the Night King. Cersei transformed into more of a traditional villain in the past couple of seasons, so we highly expect her slaying. We expect The Hound, Jaime Lannister, and Arya to be a part of the “Suicide Squad.”
Mostly because we have to have Cleganebowl, Arya has to cross off all the people on her list, Jamie has to fulfill the prophecy of killing his sister… unless of course Arya does it first, or does it while wearing Jamie’s face. Double weird. Sansa might also have beef with Daenerys that gets her killed. We’ll have to wait and see.
Feasibility Score: 8/10
6) Bran’s Excellent Adventure
The Theory
Why We Like It
We’re a big fan of “the hero is the villain” plots, and boy would this be a doozy.
We mentioned before that if time travel is ever involved, things get more convoluted. But we love convoluted, and we think a lot of other people do too.
It’s where drama comes from, and let’s face it, if Bran is able to go back in time and become his own great-to-the-hundredth grandfather, that would be one of the most epic twists in all of television history.
Is It Likely?
While unlikely, this Game of Thrones theory is entirely within the realm of possibility for the tone and spectacle of this show.
Bran had very little impact on the last season, and now we have to wonder if perhaps he’s chilling out because he knows what’s about to happen, knows it’s unavoidable, and chooses to wait it out because there’s nothing he can do to change his own fate.
The magic and mysticism side of Game of Thrones is fascinating, and we can’t wait to see more of it in season 8.
Feasibility Score: 7/10
7) The Ol’ Ruby Slipper Treatment
The Theory
Why We Like It
Could it be that the whole thing was a nightmare?
A horrible half-truth that Bran’s subconscious cooked up after his fall from the window in the very first episode? If so, perhaps the events as we saw them will play out differently. We see a certain solace in this theory.
A quiet hope that maybe, just maybe, all those lives weren’t actually lost. And the horrors of Westeros are not nearly as grand as they seemed.
Is It Likely?
We love a good “it was all a dream” sequence, but if this Game of Thrones theory were to come to fruition, it would be one of the longest con jobs in television history.
There would be so many fans with pitchforks frothing at the mouth and feeling cheated out of their time. While the dream ending in cinema is always a shock to the system, it’s not the right one to end Game of Thrones with.
Still, we wouldn’t put it past ol’ Georgie to give everyone the big middle finger one last time.
Feasibility Score: 5/10
8) Everyone Dies Except They Don’t
The Theory
Why We Like It
Finally, a Game of Thrones theory that shows Tyrion some love.
He’s been a fan favorite from the beginning, but severely ignored when it comes to roles for the end of the series. Jorah is another character that gets overlooked, and I’d love to see him don that gold armor.
Finally, Bran destroying the Night King is interesting because we haven’t seen Bran do much of anything for a while. Here’s hoping we get a beam war in GoT.
Is It Likely?
Tyrion is beloved by fans, but he still doesn’t have the clout necessary to become king unless a whole score of people die before him. We don’t see Arya being beheld or controlled by anyone ever again.
She’s grown and gained independence throughout the series, and we doubt she’d give that up for anything.
Daenerys has shown some signs of that madness seeping into her psyche, but she has a few people around her that would bring her back down to earth if that happened; namely Jon, Tyrion, and Missandei.
Feasibility Score: 5/10
9) Extreme Domestic Violence
The Theory
Why We Like It
In the final moments of the show, it would be incredibly interesting and tense if the final confrontation was between Jon’s northern forces and Daenerys.
This Game of Thrones theory fits well with the tone of the show.
It could prove to be a better, more fitting ending than simply defeating the Night King and Cersei.
Is It Likely?
Jon will find out his lineage. It’s a done deal. But we very much doubt Jon will ask to sit on the Iron Throne. He didn’t even want to be King in the North, let alone King of Westeros. Jon has lived his entire life believing himself to be nothing. He was a bastard, and he will always be a bastard despite his true noble lineage.
This isn’t because he’s down on himself. It’s because he has taken Tyrion’s advice from season one and worn his status as armor.
If he instills a sense of lowered self-importance upon himself, he is less likely to become distracted by it. Or allow it to be something his enemies can use against him. We don’t know how Jon will react to the revelation of his lineage. But we’re fairly certain power is the last thing on his mind. And he would gladly let Daenerys have the Iron Throne (assuming it’s there after the final credits roll).
Feasibility Score: 5/10
10) Revenue Is Coming
The Theory
Why We Like It
Who doesn’t like a good Marvel reference, aye? Aye?
That Tony kid from the Avengers; remember him? He’s called the Iron Man! Everyone loves Iron Man!
He’s smart, rich, witty, has a hot fiance, and a serious ego. What more could we want from a protagonist in Game of Thrones?
Is It Likely?
Tony’s last name is STARK. How much more obvious can you get? Thousands and thousands of years ago in the MCU, earth… Or some alternate universe of earth… We’ll say Earth 428… Was populated by these people who killed each other to sit on a seat of iron blades. That was until the aliens came, killed his parents, and destroyed their kingdom.
Now, he’s out for revenge.
Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow’s heir melted down the iron throne to fashion a massive suit of iron armor. He had the court alchemists and magicians infuse it with the power of ice and fire. Now, he rides through the air on the back of a steel-winged dragon punching alien battleships out of the sky. The tales of his deeds will be lost. Until his ancestor finds historical records of the event. Then, the prologue for Iron Man 16 will fade to black.
Feasibility Score: Banana/Banana
Conclusion: Game of Thrones Theories
In conclusion, we don’t really know exactly how the show will end.
But we’d love to hear your Game of Thrones theories. Leave yours in the comments below.
And let us know, which one of these theories seems most likely to come true and why?
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