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Game of Thrones: Could Bran Really Win the Iron Throne?
After the fiery events of the penultimate episode, let's theorize how things might shake out.
This post contains spoilers for Game of Thrones. The entire show. All of it.
Since Season 1, Game of Thrones has set up Daenerys Targaryen (First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera) as the leader destined to rule the Seven Kingdoms. She had a birthright claim; as Jorah (R.I.P.) would reiterate in later seasons, she also has a good heart, making her a better pick than most to lay claim to all that royal responsibility. But after the events of the show's penultimate episode—which saw Daenerys murder thousands of innocent people in King's Landing for the sake of personal revenge, or something—all signs point to the newly christened Mad Queen being overthrown in the finale, ousted from the seat of power she has desperately sought for years.
So, if Dany isn't going to rule the Seven Kingdoms, who will?
If you believe the theories and the betting odds, the answer is . . . Bran. Yes: Professional bettors seem to believe that the Three-Eyed Raven will be the next ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, a finale that could come to pass for a handful of reasons. For one, Bran knows everything there is to know about the history of Westeros—a vital asset that could help Bran avoid making mistakes that other rulers have made in the past. He can also see into the future, though that ability is much more complicated, since he's not always sure what his mysterious visions portend. But when it comes down to choosing between a murderous, dragon-commanding tyrant and Jon Snow—a man who would probably be a great king, but whose fate has (probably!) already been sealed—Mr. "I Don't Really Want Anymore" seems like Westeros's safest, smartest alternative. At least, now that another character who famously desired nothing but the good of the realm has been incinerated.
Now, how would Bran become king when he has no obvious claim to the throne in terms of lineage or birthright? Perhaps that will come down to the decision of the Great Council, a selection of lords that has been brought together in Westeros's past to settle leadership dilemmas and determine once and for all who should rule. Bran is still Jon's cousin, after all, so perhaps that's just enough of a Targaryen link to put him next in line to rule. Of course, it would be ideal if Westeros ended up becoming a true democracy, melting down the godforsaken Iron Throne and splitting up the different regions and kingdoms. But that outcome doesn't seem likely, as the show has just one episode left to tie up loose ends. At the very least, Sansa Stark might get her way and win back the North's independence—but that's probably as far as things will go. (And while we're on this topic: Yes, it would be amazing if Sansa ruled the Seven Kingdoms. But Winterfell is her true home and, considering all she experienced in the South, why would she ever want to go back to King's Landing?) In the meantime, someone will have to steer the rest of Westeros back to normalcy now that Dany has chosen the nuclear option.
Which brings us back to another problem: Dany! If Bran is to rule, how will he—or anyone, for that matter—get Dany to step down after she so viciously took King's Landing? The damage she did with just one dragon makes the fact that she had three in the past even more chilling. Plus, Drogon destroyed all the scorpions—the dragon-killing weapons that felled Rhaegal.
For now, the answer might rest with Arya. The gifted assassin was originally on her way to King's Landing to kill Cersei, but after a back-to-reality lecture from the Hound (R.I.P.), she realized her mission was a fruitless endeavor. But Arya didn't escape Dany's fiery siege; instead, she watched the true havoc the Mad Queen wreaked on a slew of innocent people. She and Sansa never liked Dany much—but after finding out about Jon's true parentage and experiencing the horrors of Dany's attack, the Night King-slayer might be the one to go ahead and shut the queen's green eyes for good, as Melisandre prophesied.
That leaves us with Drogon, which could be where Bran comes in. Prior to this season, there have been countless theories about Bran warging into a dragon (fulfilling the old Three-Eyed Raven's prophecy that he will fly one day). He's never done that before—but if ever there were a time for him to dig deep and possess the dragon so that peace can be restored, it would be now!
Or maybe a certain Jon theory will wind up coming into play. Since the pouty Northerner is half-Targaryen, he might have a connection with Drogon that will enable him to tame the impressive creature, to a certain degree—which could come in handy during a final Targaryen-on-Targaryen battle. Either way, it seems unlikely that Dany will throw her hands up and peacefully leave the kingdom after everything she just did—so drastic steps will need to be taken in order to stop her. And if the efforts are successful, Bran very well may be the last one left to take the throne.
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Game of Thrones Transformations: Season 1 to Season 8
Left, from AF archive/Alamy; right, courtesy of HBO.
Maisie Williams's Arya has grown from spunky tomboy to deadly assassin.
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