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Game of Thrones Season 7: Three Mighty Houses Collide

Now that we're officially in the home stretch for Game of Thrones, with creators D.B. Weiss and David Benioff stating there are only 15 more episodes left, tops, it's actually becoming just a little bit easier to speculate on where the show is headed. The chessboard was massively realigned in the final episode, with a ton of pieces swept right off the board thanks to Cersei's trick with the wild fire beneath the Sept of Baelor. And with Daenerys finally heading for Westeros, a showdown between the Mother of Dragons and King Landing's Big Bad Queen is finally imminent.

Let's take a look in our crystal ball (made of dragon glass, natch) to see where this is all headed by focusing on how three mighty (or once mighty) Houses will collide, and then take a look at a few possible scenarios.

Sophie Turner and Kit Harington. Courtesy HBO

The Starks

Now that Sansa and Jon Snow are re-united, that leaves our last two remaining Starks, Bran and Arya, out in the cold. Bran's beyond the Wall, and although he's expected to ride south, one wonders if he'll make it in time. His role in the real war with the Night's King is likely a huge one, so you'd imagine he makes it to Jon in time to aid his brother when it's time to face the White Walkers.  As for Arya, she's just scratched out one bold faced name in her Kill List—Walder Frey. Every fan aches for the chance to see her reuninted with Sansa and Jon, but there's a collective fear in the air; season 6 was surprisingly good to fans, giving us something GoT never has; clean(ish) victories for the good guys.  Will the show continue in this vein, or, will they rob us of the chance to see the Stark sisters reunited, and punish Arya, as they have ever other character who has lusted after revenge?

Emilia Clarke. Courtesy of HBO.​

The Targaryens

Now that we've seen the full Tower of Joy flashback, the fan theory that Jon Snow's true parentage is Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen is all but certain, once Dany arrives in Westeros she Jon might finally be reunited with—his aunt. This has quashed the hopes that Jon and Dany might get married (although siblings haven't really played their normal roles for each other in the seven kingdoms, now have they?) but it does offer the tempting possibility that Jon and Dany will unite in a militaristic sense, possibly giving Jon the power of Dany's dragons in the war against the Night's King. Will Jon ride one to war? It's possible, although probably not until the final season.

 Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Lena Heady. Courtesy HBO.​

The Lannisters

While the Starks have had their fair share of in-fighting, it's nothing compared to the Lannisters. Cersei tried to have her brother Tyrion killed, and her love affair with her brother Jaime, their sole source of comfort in these past few seasons of Lannister upheaval, might finally be showing some real cracks. The once proud (if tyrannical) house is about to get a major shakeup when Tyrion returns aboard Dany's ship—and with her fleet. Cersei will not only be facing Tyrion again, she's now potentially lost her only true ally in Jaime, who looked mighty disgusted with his newly minted Queen sister in the season 6 finale. She had done the very thing he killed the Mad King to prevent; ignited the wildfire beneath King's Landing and killed innocent people to get the Iron Throne. If a Lannister always repays his debts, what debt does Jaime owe to his soul, and how might that affect his dear sister?

The Night's King is coming. Courtesy HBO.​

Looking ahead…

  • The White Walkers are heading towards Westeros, but in order to do that they need to get over, or through, the Wall. With magic riven into the Wall to keep the dead from passing, the only way they'll cross is by destroying the wall. Sounds like a great, terrifying way to end season 7, no?
  • George R. R. Martin might be giving fans a huge primer into how seasons 7 and 8 will play out, thanks to the potential release of his sixth "Ice and Fire" novel. Yet if the book doesn't hit the shelves in time, we've still got all that's happened up to now to help us sort it out.
  • Where art thou, Euron Greyjoy? The mean uncle from the Iron Islands is out on the sea with his fleet—what role might he play in the coming war? 
  • When push comes to shove, who will Jaime Lannister defend (if it comes to this); his sister or Brienne of Tarth? And speaking of Brienne—might she finally cast a warm glance back at Tormund? THE INTERNET SANCTIFIES THIS UNION.
  • Could it be possible that the Lannisters, Starks, Targaryens and assorted Houses band together to the fight the Night's King? Might it be the only way to win that war?
  • Finally—Tyrion rides a dragon into battle. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bryan Abrams

Bryan Abrams is the Editor-in-chief of The Credits. He's run the site since its launch in 2012. He lives in New York.

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