Winter may have come but things are heating up in Westeros.
With only two episodes left in the final season of Game of Thrones, the battle for the Iron Throne has intensified. The eight-season long journey has seen more than its fair shares of ups and downs, and while fans hope for a happy resolution to war and the reign of peace across the land that outcome has never been a given. As it stands, there are is no clear indication of who, if anyone, will emerge victorious from the battle to come and will sit on the Iron Throne. As we prepare ourselves for the final battle, we examine the likelihood of who will emerge as queen, or king, when the final episode has aired.
Daenerys: The obvious choice; the series has largely been about her efforts to return to Westeros to reclaim the throne stolen from her family by Robert Baratheon. She certainly seems poised for victory but things haven’t always gone according to Dany’s plans. As it stands, she’s down two dragons, two trusted advisors, and at least half of her army. Add to that her impetuousness and unwillingness to listen to solid advice, and her ground might not be as firm as fans might hope. Still, given everything she’s accomplished and everything she’s sacrificed to get to where she is, it’s not hard to imagine that she will soon restore her family to glory.
Odds: Likely
Jon Snow: Now that the show is confirmed what we’ve all suspected for years, that Jon Snow is actually a Targaryan and has a better claim than Daenerys does to the Iron Throne, he feels poised for the upset victory of a lifetime. Never mind that he doesn’t want it; as was pointed out by Viserys, a leader doesn’t have to want to lead to be good at leading. Jon has certainly proven his aptitude at both warfare and inspiring loyalty, both of which are great qualities for a monarch to have. If Westeros were a just world, Jon Snow would be a shoe in. We know, however, that Westeros is not a just world. Still, could this be the wheel breaking, as Dany once said? Could Jon Snow’s ascension be the world righting all the wrongs that has plagued it? His kingship could be exactly what Westeros needs.
Odds: Fairly Likely
Cersei: She’s evil, she’s cruel, she’s vicious, and she’s cunning. Cersei won’t go down easily, and the odds that she has some tricks up her sleeve that will ensure she remains in place are roughly 100%. Dragons and claims be damned, in a certain respect history means nothing. It’s who holds the power now that matters. Her relentless pursuit of victory and power at all costs means that there’s a very real possibility that she won’t win the final war and remain in place on the Iron Throne. We’d certainly love to see her get her just desserts, but how often has that happened in Game of Thrones, really? Don’t count her out.
Odds: Pretty Good
Arya: Wouldn’t that be nice? She did, after all, deliver humanity from the greatest evil it has ever known and will certainly have no problem earning the favor of the masses. And there’s no doubt that she’s cunning and strong, at least as much so as Cersei. But, as she’s stated numerous times, that’s not the life for her. She’d much prefer wondering the countryside and righting the wrongs she can with her knife to a life spent inside the walls of a castle. Even if she was the last woman standing when the dust settles, she’s more likely to relinquish her claim in order to get back to doing what she does best: murdering people in fantastically satisfying ways.
Odds: Poor
Jaime: The Kingkiller’s arc would have a nice conclusion if he were to become The King. As likely as he is to be the one who brings Cersei’s reign to an end, there’s a chance he will make the claim to the Iron Throne himself. But will he? Jaime is battle hardened and world weary. He’s seen and been through too much to make him want to willingly ascend and rule the lands. He’d be a fine king, for sure, especially given the growth he’s undergone as a character, but he is still a Bad Guy, as he pointed out last week. He knows enough to know that his worst instincts would probably return if he were king.
Odds: Poor
Sansa: No doubt, this “little bird” has become the baddest in all the lands. Throughout all the horrors she’s seen and been subjected to, she has emerged as one of the strongest, wisest, and most capable leaders in all the Seven Kingdoms. She could, without question, rule Westeros better than almost anyone. But she’s also happy to be home. She has no love for the capital and no desire to ever leave the halls of Winterfell ever again. If anything, she’s more likely to secede and become Queen of the North than have anything to do with the rest of these assholes ever again.
Odds: Very Poor
Gendry: From bastard blacksmith to official Lord, Gendry has had quite the journey. Could his taste of power bestowed by Daenerys last episode inspire a thirst for more? Might he seek to reclaim the Iron Throne for House Baratheon? He’d make a fine king, no doubt, but he’s too young and too inexperienced to mount a claim of his own. He’ll probably just retire to Storm’s End and work on restoring the Baratheon name there as best he can, giving fealty to Dany for the honor…assuming she manages to win, that is.
Odds: Very Poor
No One: There’s a very real chance they’re all going to die. How Game of Thrones would that be? For a series that has spent its entire existence bucking traditions and smashing expectations, killing everyone and leaving the Iron Throne empty is a possibility to great to ignore? Could that be what Dany meant by “smashing the wheel,” even if unintentionally? Could the war be so great that there’s no kingdom left to rule? There’d be a kind of justice to that outcome, like two kids arguing over a toy so hard it breaks and no one gets it. It might just be that the Seven Kingdoms is soon to become just seven kingdoms, without a central rule.
Odds: Unknown
