After over a year of waiting, Game of Thrones has officially kicked off for its eighth and final season. With it, comes an endless (literally endless) number of predictions as to how the series will end and ultimately, who will be sitting on the Iron Throne. Instead of sifting through the Internet’s wild theories, we’ve rounded up the marie claire teams predictions to who will rule the Seven Kingdoms.
Below, who we think will end up ruling and what will happen to our favourite characters.
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Hannah Crawley, Digital Content Manager
If their flirting was a precursor for anything, I believe that Gendry and Arya Stark will get together making for the ultimate Baratheon and Stark reunion. Claim to the thrones aside, I’ve always wondered why producers kept Gendry’s narrative alive, so maybe this was their big plan all along. Although, now that I’m putting these thoughts down, it seems way too predictable, so who knows?
Isabelle Truman, Assistant Digital Content Manager
I think Cersei Lannister will die and that Sansa Stark will play a part in her death, which will be the ultimate revenge. Also, Jamie Lannister will maybe have the chance to save her and he won’t. Either Jon Snow or Daenerys Targaryen will die (or both!) OR Dany will go crazy like her father and Jon will have to kill her to save everyone else. Either Tyrion Lannister or Sansa Stark will sit on the Iron Throne at the end (maybe they’ll fall in love?). Bran Stark is actually the Night King and when it comes down to killing everyone, he’ll stop at the last minute because he’ll see one of the Starks and realise who he is/that he can’t kill them. Arya Stark and Gendry will get it on.
Arielle Tsoukatos, Senior Digital Beauty & Lifestyle Editor
My theory is that Tyrion Lannister will sit on the Iron Throne. He’s always the common thread between each of the narratives from season one until now – he’s also the most level headed. I think he will ultimately destroy the throne and have Sam write it down like on annals for generations to follow. The season eight trailer focuses on Arya running through the Stark’s crypt looking like she just saw a ghost (and she’s never frightened) so I think we’re going to see a Stark white walker in the mix.) We’ve also been told by Kit Harrington that no-one has guessed the ending so I’m hoping it’s going to be everything we hope it will be.
Francesca Wallace, Senior Digital Fashion Editor
I don’t think we’ll ever be able to predict the ending, but I do believe that either Jon or Dany will die and one of them will take the throne. However, when they find out they’re related, they’ll marry in order to legitimise their stakes for the throne. This way, although Dany will remain the Queen, Jon will be the true King, too. However, one of them will die (probably Dany) so Jon will eventually end up on the Iron Throne. I have a hunch that Bran Stark will turn against the family for the willing of the Night King (can’t explain this hunch, I just have it) and that Arya will play a bigger role than we expected in defeating the White Walkers. Her Faceless Men storyline seemed pretty useless to me at the time so I think they have to bring that knowledge/power back into season 8 in order for it to have been a relevant plot arch. Also, the Hound will live right until the end and hopefully Brienne of Tarth and Jamie Lannister end up together.
Grace Back, Digital News And Entertainment Editor
I’m thinking that Cersei will become the Night Queen, considering she’s so unwilling to travel North and that the Night King has the means to travel south on his dragon to meet her. I also think that the Night King is somehow a Targaryen considering he was so easily able to hop on the White Walker dragon (remember the last guy that tried to take a ride on the beasts? Yeah didn’t end well). As to who ends up on the Iron Throne – I’m hoping to see an alliance between Jon and Dany, but considering we now know they’re related I’m not too sure I can stick to this idea for much longer. OH AND ALSO, I think Arya is going to play a BIG part in the killing of either the Night King or his dragon – considering that fancy weapon she got her (rumoured) love interest Gendry to fashion her.