There’s one question that is on the lips of every Game of Thrones fans: Who will claim the Iron Throne? It’s down to the nitty-gritty on GoT, and with just two jam-packed episodes to go, fans can’t and won’t stop speculating as to who will conquer the Throne. There is Daenerys Targaryen, Cersei Lannister, Arya Stark, Jon Snow and Sansa Stark – or if you’re feeling risky Bran Stark – who are all in the running.
BUT, Game of Thrones being Game of Thrones it would be far too neat if any of those contenders claimed the throne. Below, we run down each person’s claim to the throne (in no particular order).
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Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys, who arguably has the most rightful claim to the throne, has begun a decline in the past several episodes. The Night King turned her beloved dragon into a wight, she discovered Jon Snow’s real heritage, and she lost Jorah, Rhaegal and Missandei in a matter of days, which many believe have led her descent into the “Mad Queen”.
While Daenerys has Drogon, it’s unlikely that she’ll end up sitting where her father once did.
Cersei Lannister
Like her or not, there’s no denying that Cersei Lannister has done a masterful job of playing the weak hand. She crushed allies of her enemies, acquired a massive military force and even got herself a navy. Cersei’s strategy in season eight is to sit out the conflict at Winterfell, let her enemies fight, and take on whoever wins after they’ve been bloodied. It’s why she says “good” when she’s informed that the Army of the Dead has broken through the Wall.
The problem with Cersei runs deep. The core of what strength she has stemmed from her alliance with Euron Greyjoy, who provides what seems to be her entire navy and thus her link to Essos mercenaries. Yet Euron is not a reliable allyL When his captive niece Yara tells him he’s picked the losing side, he admits that he’ll abandon Cersei if things look too dire.
It would seem almost too “neat” if Cersei were to win the throne, considering she’s sat there for all eight seasons. But there’s no denying her clever cunning and manipulation have earned her a place in line.
Sansa Stark
Jon Snow’s decision to tell the rest of his family about his true lineage could determine who wins the Iron Throne in the season eight finale of Game of Thrones. Sansa and Arya swore that they would not tell anyone Jon’s (Kit Harington) secret. But it wasn’t long before Sansa told Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) that Jon is actually a Targaryen. At first glance, it looked like Sansa was just having a hard time keeping a secret, but Game of Thrones showrunner D.B. Weiss revealed that Sansa knew exactly what she was doing when she gave Tyrion the information.
“[Sansa] knows what will happen if she gives Tyrion this information. She’s a student of Littlefinger, and she knows how information travels, and she can think many steps into the game, the way Littlefinger did,” Weiss shared.
As fans may recall, season five of Game of Thrones featured a flashback of Cersei talking to a witch. The witch told a young Cersei that there will be a “younger and more beautiful” person who takes her down and destroys her entire world. For the longest time, Cersei thought the witch was talking about Margery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer), but there is a reason to believe it was actually Sansa. After all, Cersei was the first person who taught Sansa how to be manipulative and she would never suspect that a Stark would be the one to deliver the final blow.
Sansa, at time of writing, is the top pick to “win” – whatever that means, of course.
Jon Snow
Jon has never sought glory – it was, after all, Sam who nominated him to lead the Night’s Watch and he became the King of the North by expelling Ramsey Bolton. All Jon really wants is to live up to the standards of honour set by his father Ned Stark. Making Jon ruler of the Seven Kingdoms would undoubtedly complete his heroic arc. But George R.R. Martin has promised a bittersweet ending to this story.
Jon claiming the throne would be slightly too clichéd for the epic story of GoT.
WATCH: ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8 Episode 5 Trailer.
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