‘Game of Thrones’ Season 7: Who will win the Iron Throne?
“The Great War is here.”
So declares Jon Snow (Kit Harington) in the seventh — and penultimate — season of “Game of Thrones.”
As HBO’s epic juggernaut closes in on its endgame, we still have no idea who, exactly, is poised to win the Iron Throne. But preview trailers have led us to believe that the coming episodes will heavily focus on three key contenders — Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey), now ruling from King’s Landing; Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), the so-called Mother of Dragons; and Snow, the newly minted King in the North.
Let’s set the stage for Season 7 by assessing the strengths and weaknesses of our primary players:
Cersei Lannister
When we last saw her: Cersei ascended to the Iron Throne following an explosive coup in which she wiped out most of her local enemies, including Queen Margaery, in one fell swoop. Unfortunately, the bloodbath led to the stunning suicide of her last living child — callow King Tommen.
Why we should bet on her: Cunningly ruthless, Cersei is a survivor and master schemer who has proven that she can prevail when the odds are stacked against her. She’s backed by a formidable army and has a strong ally in her incestuous lover, Jaime (Nikolaj CosterWaldau).
Why we shouldn’t: She could be toast. In terms of sheer military might, Cersei is greatly outmanned by Dany’s forces, which include three dragons that have grown to the size of 747s. Also, Cersei created a long line of vengeful enemies. And how long can she really count on Jaime’s loyalty?
Daenerys Targaryen
When we last saw her: After subduing every rival in her path, the dragon mama set sail, with a massive fleet, across the Narrow Sea toward Westeros, hoping to claim the throne that once belonged to her father. She is accompanied by Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), the newly promoted Hand of the Queen. Also in her arsenal: That trio of firebreathing behemoths.
Why we should bet on her: In addition to the Unsullied and her Dothraki troops, Dany has the allegiance of the Greyjoys, the Dornish navy and the Tyrells (who have a huge grudge against the Lannisters). That’s an incredible amount of firepower — and did we mention those massive dragons?
Why we shouldn’t: She’s in unfamiliar territory — out on the open sea — and the Dothraki are known to be fearful of the water. Also, Dany has often exhibited a divisive leadership style. It could prove extremely challenging to keep all her disparate allies on the same page. Does the savvy Tyrion have enough clout to persuade her to be more of a diplomat?
Jon Snow
When we last saw him: The brooding warrior conquered sadistic Ramsay Bolton in the horrific Battle of the Bastards to reclaim the Stark family home of Winterfell. He was elected King of the North with his half-sister, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), at his side.
Why we should bet on him: Out of all the contenders, Jon is the most battle-tested, having defeated the Wildlings, wrangled with White Walkers and prevailed in the aforementioned bastards’ throw-down. Also, thanks to a major late-season revelation about his parentage (that he doesn’t yet know), Jon could possess more power than previously believed.
Why we shouldn’t: Jon is a stubborn, chip-on-the shoulder kind of leader, who often lets his emotions get the best of him. And his impulsive decisions can lead to tactical blunders.