Nine burning questions we have after the supersized Game of Thrones finale
Spoiler alert: If you haven’t watched it yet, don’t read on
With another season of “Game of Thrones” behind us, we’re now only six episodes away from finding out who will finally sit on the Iron Throne and, more importantly, if it will be a vaguely blue icecorpse.
(And consider this fair warning: This is the season finale wrap-up of “Game of Thrones” and there are spoilers ahead — probably everywhere else, too. Good luck.)
But now that a long winter of speculation has returned for viewers — and please let that talk of 2019 for the next season première be more vague promises from a novice three-eyed raven — questions still remain.
Here’s nine to consider while also wondering: Do zombie dragons breathe blue fire or explosive ice?
1. How will “Jonaery” take the news that they’re related?
You had to know it was coming — all those lingering glances in court, the foolish refusal of Jon to go back on his loyalty pledge to Queen Daenerys — but the wolf and the dragon of the season finale’s title finally gave into their desires en route to Westeros. Of course, while that romance was setting sail, Sam was letting Bran know about the annulled marriage between Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen and thus confirming Jon’s standing as the actual heir to the throne. This will be an awkward conversation — or not, given the troubling history of genetics of “Game of Thrones.”
2. Speaking of, can Dany conceive a child with Jon?
As Jon Snow — err, Aegon Targaryen — pointed out, maybe a desert witch isn’t the best fertility consultant when being told you’re barren. And does Jon’s standing as Dany’s nephew help or hurt his chances of fathering a child with her, given the Targaryens’ documented fondness for incest? It’s beginning to feel like this is all going to end up with two armies squaring off on a battlefield being led by two very pregnant women — since Cersei (Lena Headey) has a Lannister bun in the over. Count us in.
3. Who else is in love with Daenerys?
Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) looked pretty distraught upon realizing there was a metaphorical sock on his queen’s doorknob as he approached her chamber on the way to Westeros. Does he recognize her coupling with Jon Snow only further complicates alliances going forward? Or does he join a rather long list of men who have fallen for Daenerys while serving under her? Or perhaps, he thought he could be the successor to Dany, should children not become a factor in her royal lineage. If nothing else, he and Jorah now have a lot more to talk about when they drink.
4. When will Bran get better at this three-eyed raven business?
After a season spent brooding in Winterfell, it was nice to see Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright) turn up during the quasi-trial of Lord Baelish (Aidan Gillen) where he testified to his machinations and sealed his fate at Arya’s hand. But the ability to skip around in time has to have more useful applications in the war ahead than being the deciding witness in Westeros People’s Court. And this doesn’t even take into account Bran’s knowledge of Jon’s standing as a bastard being disproven by a returning Sam ( John Bradley), who found the information in a book. If Bran knows all and sees all, how is he being one-upped by an ex-librarian?
5. Will anyone miss Littlefinger?
After so many seasons of backroom deals, intricate plots and tireless work toward his own improbable chances at the Iron Throne, it all comes to an end for Lord Baelish, bleeding out in Winterfell, done in by Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) and the blade he handed her — originally intended by him to kill Bran. Though some might miss Gillen’s fevered Irish whisper, his search for salvation from the Knights of the Vale went nowhere, proving it takes more than a custom pin to build a house. Still, he really did bring the Starks together, and we can be thankful for that.
6. Which way is Jaime heading?
You could see it on Jaime’s (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) face when Cersei took hold of the Iron Throne at the end of season five: This was not going to end well. And now after his sister/lover nearly sicced the Mountain on him when Jaime defied her and departed to honour his vow to fight the army of the dead with Jon and Daenerys, is the Kingslayer really headed north? He seemed to be riding away on the outskirts of King’s Landing, but then he turned back once he noticed snowflakes finally falling on the south. If he turns his back on Cersei, then there is no turning back. He’d better not be leaving alone.
7. Is Yara Greyjoy alive? What about Tormund and Beric?
Theon (Alfie Allen) certainly went a long way toward getting a measure of his swagger back when he (barely) beat up one of his countrymen to inspire them to set sail for wherever Uncle Euron (Pilou Asbaek) has his sister imprisoned. Can Yara (Gemma Whelan) be saved? Or was this just more mind games from Theon’s crazy uncle who we learned is still in cahoots with Cersei?
It appeared that both of the major characters at Eastwatch — Tormund (Kristofer Hivju) and Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer) — were on the side of the wall that didn’t come down with a few brisk blasts from a zombie dragon. We’d prefer not to be wrong — seems like the Lord of Light demands a bit more of a dramatic departure for Beric. And what of Tormund’s plans for making superbabies with Brienne? (Torienne?)
8. Who will get to Winterfell first? Jon and Dany or the Night King and his army?
If this season taught us nothing else, it’s that time is flexible in “Game of Thrones.” Now that the Starks are united and waiting for Jon’s return, will he get there in time to defend their home? They had better hope the army of the dead are still marching as slowly as they seemed earlier in the season. Though they clearly don’t have those dragon-dragging chains weighing them down anymore.
9. Where did Bronn take Podrick to get a drink and do you have to know the doorman?
Sure, neither one of them really fit in among the “fancy folk” deciding the fate of civilization. But if there really is a spinoff, or potentially several, as has been rumoured, we really need to see what happens at the “Cheers” of King’s Landing.