*This article contains SPOILERS for Game of Thrones Season 6, Episode 10*
The monsters have all been unleashed. The Queens and Kings have ascended. Winter is here.
The WHITE WOLF, the King in the North, Jon Snow is making himself at home in Winterfell. His bastardized reverse sigil, a white wolf on a grey banner, will replace his Uncle Eddard’s grey wolf on a white banner. Not only is this a direct and totally badass allusion to his direwolf, Ghost, but keeping in the tradition of reversing the family’s colors when a bastard rises to power in his father’s house. It’s like, so meant to be, right? And did you catch that UNCLE Eddard? That’s right. Not Jon’s father, but his mother Lyanna’s brother-dear, dead Uncle Ned.
Finally, the origin story of Jon Snow’s true parentage has been revealed. Now book readers can stop lording R + L= J over the peeps who “only watch the show for the dragons”- somehow both types of people are the worst. You might be wondering how the North will respond when they discover that Jon Targaryen is Lyanna and Rhaegar’s son and not Eddard’s bastard. And yes, the fact that he’s Stark blood on only his mother’s side would usually matter to the Northerners. But I think once the first wave of White Walkers hits and a marriage to Daenerys is required to save their skins, Jon will be the appointed suitor.
Next season, Jon and Sansa are going to wipe out the rest of the Freys and get control of Riverrun (if Arya doesn’t get to the Freys first), and Jon will continue working his way South to warn the others about the White Walkers. He might hit some speedbumps as far as Petyr Baelish is concerned, as that shady guy was not expecting the North to rally behind the “mother-less bastard born in the South”, especially at the behest of miniature Meryl Streep, Lady Mormont. Baelish is really seeming to struggle with this whole “underestimating strangers” thing, and it seems only to apply to bastards? But I’m sure Jon will overcome whatever obstacles Petyr hurls, especially now that Sansa has warned him that only a fool would trust Littlefinger. One big issue that might arise might be Petyr using Robert Arryn as a puppet and turning the Vale against the Starks. Whatever his strategy, Petyr is definitely going to find himself head to head with Jon next season- and lose.
As the Lord of Light’s chosen, Azor Ahai reborn (maybe), our new King in the North will get through it and meet up with Daenerys in the middle at King’s Landing, then join forces to defeat the Lannister Army. Speaking of the Lannisters….
All hail, Queen Cersei! Long may she reign! Said no one.
RIP Margaery and Loras Tyrell. RIP Lancel Lannister. RIP Maester Pycelle. RIP High Sparrow. RIP the really beautiful CGI interior of the Sept of Baelor, although I suppose we have the library of the Citadel now to replace it. Did anyone notice the sleek, twisted chandeliers of the citadel are the spinning astrolabe in the opening credits? Anyway back to the RIP’s. RIP the High Sparrow’s Sparrows. RIP Random Citizen with the most unfortunate, cinematic timing of being squished by the Sept’s giant bell. RIP basically any lord or lady that would of stood in the way of Cersei’s reign.
I think it was once Myrcella died, when Cersei realized the Witch’s prophecy over her children’s death was imminent. She knew Tommen was going to die, her heart turned to absolute stone- she saw her chance, and she took it. An extremely brutal, tragic disaster at the expense of innocents and enemies alike, executed with all the horrific pageantry only a clinically insane white person could imagine? It’s Cersei’s dream come true. She’s so happy right now. Did you see Jaime’s face? He’s terrified. He should be terrified. All of King’s Landing should be terrified. Literally, Qyburn and Gregor Clegane are the only people going to benefit from Cersei’s rise to power.
Cersei was also too busy damning Septa Unella to her new hell with the Mountain than to comfort her last son, Tommen. So RIP, Tommen. Qyburn, Cersei, and Gregor make one terrifying three headed monster, but who is Cersei kidding? Daenerys, the Unsullied, her dragons, the Dothraki, and the alliance Daenerys is going to be establishing with the Sand Snakes in Dorne next season, AND the power of Lady Olenna and House Tyrell….girl, you don’t stand a chance. Daenerys is coming for Westeros right now, and she’s hitting you first. Will Arya get the opportunity to take Cersei’s name off of her list? Or will the honor of mutilating the most notorious B in Westeros belong to Ellaria Sand? Or will it be blonde vs blonde in a- SO- FUCKING- BLONDE- showdown between Daenerys and Cersei?
I can’t wait to revel in Cersei’s anger when she find out that Tyrion is Daenerys’ Hand. She’s going to be so pissed. She still holds him responsible for killing Joffrey. UGH, get over yourself. Am I one of the only people left who still thinks Joffrey was worse than Ramsay? But AH, we’re all so proud of you, Tyrion. Totally ugly cried like a parent at their child’s graduation watching you become the man we knew you could be. You’ve finally achieved the respect, power, and status you’ve always deserved, now let’s watch you become the next dragon rider. In the books, the pure blood Targaryens have purple eyes. Tyrion has mismatched eyes in the books- one purple. Could it be that his Targaryen blood is yet another reason why Tywin hated his son so much? Could it be that Tyrion is the third dragon rider? Will he join Jon and Daenerys in the sky as one of the last mortals with Targaryen blood in his veins?
As far as Bran goes, we’ve seen how he can interact and communicate within the past this season. Annnnnnd I’ve read some articles where people assume that because Bran can influence the past, that events as we’ve seen them play out on the show will somehow be up for change. But in the words of the Three- Eyed Raven, the past is already written. The ink is dry. Time Travel Logic, people! Everything has played out exactly as it was supposed to, Bran can interact with time but he cannot influence it.
I don’t know what Meera Reed will be doing- whether it’s sitting with Bran at this Weirwood tree, or dragging him over to another Weirwood tree, or sitting with him somewhere else. Poor girl. But she’s not going to be taking him anywhere fast, so it’s likely that Bran’s storyline will mostly be carried out through warging and flashbacks. Personally, I think we’re going to watch him blossom into Brandon the Builder and learn how the wall was built. We know magic was an inherent part of its construction, we know it was built to keep the White Walkers out- a part of me is still clinging onto the theory that there’s an ice dragon hidden in the wall. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
So many things will be revealed next season- the seventh season, and likely the last season. The Song of Ice and Fire will ring across the world in a clash of-well, mostly ice and fire. It’s going to be huge. This season they stepped up to the plate, and next season- they swing. Ice spiders? We’ll see. Will Arya’s wolf Nymeria show up accompanied by her pack of hundreds? GAH, I hope so. Are there dead people in the water who will be used by the Night King as meat for his army? MAYBE. Will Daenerys find her place on the Iron Throne? Maybe. Will Jon find his place on the Iron Throne? Maybe. It all depends on which one of them is Azor Ahai.
This season we confirmed that there’s a strong possibility that Jon Snow might be Azor Ahai, but just because he was resurrected by the Lord of Light doesn’t mean that he is the Prince who was Promised. Just like how the God of death chose not to take Arya when she drank the water, even though she pronounced herself to be “no one”. The gods have a plan for them, but it just might not be the plan we assume.
In the prophecy, Azor stabs his true love Nissa Nissa through the chest, and it is her soul that fuels the fire of his sword Lightbringer. You may be asking yourself, I thought Valyrian steel was enough to kill the White Walkers? Why does the sword have to be on fire if Valyrian steel can kill a White Walker? In the book, the cold that the White Walkers are bringing with them is enough of a monster in and of itself that it needs to be cut through. The only blade that can cut through it is the fiery blade of Lightbringer. Although Benioff and Weiss promised themselves ‘No Prophecies’ when they first started penning the series, this prophecy seems almost inescapable. Coupled with the prophecy spoken over Daenerys that she will be betrayed once by gold, once by blood, and once by love, one might speculate that she will fall in love with Jon only to be stabbed through the chest so he can save all of Westeros.
I guess we have one more year to speculate. So no rush.
As the best show to ever exist, and as the new genre defying standard of television and movies, shouldn’t the entire entertainment industry just put down everything they’re doing and devote all their efforts to crafting and finishing Game of Thrones sooner? Doesn’t that seem like the most efficient use of every artist’s time? I think so.
I can’t wait until next year. I can’t wait. Even though summer is upon us now, the chill of winter will live on in our hearts. Also, when you re-watch last night’s episode, tearfully notice that the Flayed Man sigil has been rightfully replaced by the Direwolf Head in the opening credits. Valar Morghulis, everyone. Until next year.
Signed,
The Tall, Warrior-esque Redhead Woman who everyone knows would make a great reoccuring cast member next season.
P.S. I’m also willing to dye my hair to play a Targaryen in whatever prequel series you do once Game of Thrones is complete.
P.P.S. The one American on your show is Peter Dinklage and he’s become the highlight of the series. Imagine what TWO Americans with pitch perfect British accents could do.
P.P.P. S. I miss you, Stannis.