Entertainment

The Internet's Best 'Game Of Thrones' Theories About How Season 8 Will ACTUALLY End

by Tolly Wright
courtesy of HBO

When everyone's favorite HBO fantasy returns in 2019 for its eighth and final season, it's anybody's guess who will end the series sitting on the Iron Throne. While the cast and crew are keeping their lips tightly shut, there are plenty of great fan theories on how Game of Thrones Season 8 ends floating around the internet.

Armed with clues gleaned from close-reads of George R. R. Martin's original book series, understated moments from the television show, and a big dollop of imagination, these fans think they have proposed answers to who will die, what powers will be revealed, and who will become the leader of Westeros — and how. In some cases more than one theory could be correct, but sometimes a passionate internet user has an idea that's so far out of left field, yet genius, that if it's true, all the other popular theories would be blown to pieces.

As Eddard Stark would say if he had a premium cable subscription: In the game of guessing about Game of Thrones, you guess right or you guess wrong — there is no middle ground. These theories just happen to be the ones that seem most likely to win it all. Needless to say, spoilers up through Season 7 (and possibly Season 8, if they prove true) are ahead.

1

Daenyres' Ascension To The Throne Was Already Foretold

This is a pretty common theory. Viewers who remember the prophecy a young Cersei received in a Season 5 flashback may believe that everything the witch foretold has already happened. After all, Cersei married a king (Robert Baratheon) and not a prince (Rhaegar Targaryen), the king had 20 children while she had three (all with her twin brother Jaime Lannister), and all three of her children died before her. Yet, there's also the last point, that a "more beautiful, younger queen" would take her place. While she believed that referred to her son's wife Margaery Tyrell, there's another young, beautiful queen who wants the spot, and she also happens to have some dragons. Read more about the theory here.

2

Jaime Will Kill Cersei

HBO

OK, so not to harp too long on this prophesy, but the TV show left out an important part of the witch's prediction in the original book series. In the book, the Cersei learns that she will be murdered by “the valonqar,” which, according to Nerdist, is high Valyrian for "little brother." Though Westeros' current queen assumed this referred to Tyrion, her twin brother Jaime was technically born second. Also, as Nerdist points out, Jaime has killed a tyrant monarch before (the Mad King), so what's stopping him from doing it again? Other than incestuous love, that is.

3

Jon Snow Will Win The Game Of Thrones

As one of the few characters who has strived to be an honorable leader throughout the series, it would seem like the show might be leading to an ending where a true hero finally takes charge of the seven kingdoms. It certainly helps that he's secretly been Aegon Targaryen, the son of deceased Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, this whole time, meaning he has a claim to the throne through birthright — an even stronger one than his aunt Daenerys (because sexism).

Since Jon is a good dude and he knows he couldn't fight the Night King without Dany and her dragons, he'd likely abdicate to her, but if she died in the battles to come? He's looking like a good contender. As NME points out, there's also plenty of people who think he might be Azor Ahai, the prince who was promised, because he was literally reborn after he died. In case you've forgotten your Azor Ahai mythology, here's Bustle primer on the subject — it's a doozy.

4

Jon & Daenerys Will Rule together

Sure they're technically aunt and nephew, but they don't know it yet. Also, they've already hooked up on the show, so why not make their relationship official (except, you know, it's gross)? Book readers know the Targaryens have a long history of incestuous relationships, and at least their connection is (slightly) less creepy than brother-and-sister. Time listed 10 reasons why they might just work as a couple — including perhaps the most obvious reason supporting that they'd rule together: He could be the "Ice" and she the "Fire" (Dany) of the book series' title A Song of Ice and Fire. Or if they both end up dead, maybe their baby will be the future ruler. Is it weird that this theory is the closest fans get to happily ever after?

5

Daenerys Might Die & Jon Might Be The One To Kill Her

There are all sorts of reasons to suspect that Dany won't ever sit on the Iron Throne. Reddit user Try_Another_No believes Dany might have seen a vision of her own death in the House of the Undying. In the prophetic vision, she saw herself passing through Castle Black, entering a snow blizzard and then reuniting with her dead husband Khal Drogo and their stillborn baby. She's pretty determined to fight the White Walkers, which might mean her doom and in death she would be with Kahl and the baby.

Also, as Mashable pointed out, if Jon is Azor Ahai, part of the legend is that the mythical figure forged his magical sword, Lightbringer, by plunging it into his wife's chest and killing her. Now that those two are pretty cozy, this could mean bad things for Dany.

6

Brandon Stark Will Time-Travel To Stop The Night King

Ever since it was revealed that Brandon can change the past (Hold the door, Hodor!), it seems to some fans like its just a matter of time before the most magical Stark sibling used his Three-Eyed Raven abilities to warg into a person from the past and change the Westeros present. As Screen Rant explained, there's even a theory out there that Bran is actually every Brandon Stark through history because of his ability.

There's even a passage from the book that supports this idea — Old Nan can't recall in her stories which Brandon was which, possibly because they're all the same. If this is the case maybe he'll warg into The Wall's original builder and Stark ancestor, Brandon the Builder to fortify the seven kingdoms against the attack, or save the day in some other way.

7

Actually, Bran Is The Night King.

Sorry, Bran fans. Some people thing this whole mess is his fault. As Nerdist contributor Dan Casey explains in the above video, there is a theory out there that Bran, in attempting to stop the war, goes back to when the first White Walkers were created in order to stop everything from unfolding. Unfortunately, however, if he stayed in the Night King's body for too long, he could lose himself and just become the killing machine. As TheWrap points out, he also might have turned the Mad King mad by warging into Aerys Targaryen, but we don't want to blame Bran for everything just yet.

8

Arya Might Use Littlefinger's Face To Do Some Political Manuevering

Now that Littlefinger is dead and gone, Arya can use his face to make some political moves. As, Nerdist points out, Littlefinger might still hold some influence in King's Landing and Cersei could use some friends. With Sansa's newfound political skills and Arya's talent for stealing people's identity, the two sisters could do some real damage. Who knows, maybe Arya could even cross off the last couple of names on her kill list as well.

9

Gendry Could Be The Legitimate Child Of Cersei & Robert Baratheon — & Thus The Rightful Heir To The Throne

This one seems a bit far-fetched, but hold on. A good primer for this explanation can be seen above in the video from RedTeamReview. Here's a brief overview: Remember back in Season 1 when Cersei has a conversation with Caitlyn Stark about the first child, "a black haired beauty" who died as baby? Well, Cersei mentioned that she never visited his body in the crips after his death, and in the next scene, we're introduced to Gendry.

While this wouldn't alone be enough — after all, Robert had over 20 children and they all had dark hair — Gendry also said something suspicious about his mother. He told Arya all he could remember of his mom was that she "had yellow hair." There's some other points, but they get into book territory.

10

Tyrion Could Also Be A Targaryen & Have A Claim To The Throne

So we know Tyrion was the son of Joanna Lannister and she died during childbirth, but could there be more to Tywin hating his youngest child? As IGN points out, the dragons didn't tear him apart when he came face-to-face with one in Season 6 — the Targaryens always have a good relationship with dragons. Tywin also has been known to say, "You're no son of mine." In the books it's also made clear that Aerys Targaryen, aka the Mad King, always lusted after Joanna and the relationship between Aerys and Tywin was pretty bleak. If he was Tyrion's father, then that would make him Daenerys' older half-brother.

Fans will have to wait to see what actually happens, but these Season 8 ending theories give you plenty to ponder in the meantime.