It’s already been more than a week since the latest series of Game of Thrones finished – and what a series it was!
With the final series potentially not on our screens until 2019, there’s a lot of time left before we find out what happens at the end of the story. But that hasn’t stopped me thinking endlessly about my predictions for the plot and reading a ton of fan theories about what comes next. PSA: If you want a lot of theories, BuzzFeed is your friend.
Here are a few things I’d like to see happen in the final series. They aren’t spoilers, as who knows what will happen, but there are a few fan theories described in detail so don’t read on if you want to avoid that kind of thing.
Theon Greyjoy is redeemed
Arguably, of all the characters, Theon has had one of the most dramatic character arcs. He began the show as the cocky ward of Winterfell, play-fighting and shagging as many girls as possible. But when Ned died and he was sent back to the Iron Islands to get his family on-side, he made a colossal error: he tried to prove himself to his birth family by leading a horde of Iron Men to capture Winterfell.
While they were successful, Theon just wasn’t tough enough to hold their respect and his apparent killing of Bran and Rickon Stark meant he burned his bridges with the north men who had taken him in. Captured by Ramsey Bolton and subjected to some horrific torture, in what is possibly still one of the show’s most upsetting scenes, Theon becomes Reek, a broken, traumatised slave to the Boltons. He is only set on the path to redemption when he rescues Sansa.
But there’s still a long way to go before Theon completes his redemption arc. His conversation with Jon Snow in the last episode and his subsequent battle with a stubborn Iron Man showed what he has to do. To be redeemed, Theon has to go home to the Iron Islands and rescue his sister, helping her to kill their uncle Euron.
Sam’s loyalty is tested
Brave and clever Samwell Tarly has always been loyal to Jon, but when he learns that his best friend has bent the knee to Daenerys and she killed his father and brother, he might find himself tested.
Sam has never been close to his father, who was always disgusted by his oldest son and sent him off to join the Night’s Watch rather than let him follow in his footsteps. Despite that, he has a soft heart and will no doubt be upset to hear what happened to his family.
Ultimately he’ll support Jon and by extension Daenerys, but she’ll have to work to earn his trust.
Daenerys will fall pregnant
Despite the fact she believes herself incapable of having children, thanks to the curse that led to the death of her baby and husband in series one, the hints have been stacking up that Daenerys will have a child.
In the last episode, Jon Snow basically told her she was ridiculous for believing the word of a witch and then slept with her.
With Jon now confirmed as a Targaryen and the real heir to the throne in Westeros, the two of them need something to solidify their bond and prevent them becoming rivals. That just might be a baby.
While I’ve read theories that state Jon will end up killing Daenerys to keep the throne, or prevent her going on a rampage, or she will die giving birth, I’d like to see them marry and rule together. As a couple, they balance out each other’s worst impulses and weaknesses and would be a great team.
Perhaps it’s a bit twee for Game of Thrones, where everyone dies and nothing good ever happens, but I can keep my fingers crossed!
Bran is revealed as the Night King
One of the more shocking theories I came across online has Bran Stark pegged as the Night King. There are more details here, but basically the theory goes that Bran wargs into the body of the man who became the Night King to try and prevent it happening but he gets stuck. This is foreshadowed when the Night King appeared to see Bran during one of his visions and marked him by touch.
This is the kind of theory that gets me excited, but the biggest problem I have with it is, if Bran realises the truth, why doesn’t he just sacrifice himself before he becomes the Night King? Then all the whitewalkers and their wights will cease to exist. It’s a bit anti-climactic so something will have to prevent it happening, and not just Bran’s increasing aloofness.
There are so many theories flying around that I could go on, but these are a few of my favourites. What do you think will happen in the final series of Game of Thrones, I’d love to discuss it!