Some Predictions for GoT Season 8

Well, here we are – rapidly approaching the final season of my favorite TV show.  HBO has released some teasers and such.

So I thought I might make some predictions for what we might see in the final season of the show, and specifically, who I think will live and who will die.

There are a lot of fan theories out there, and for the most part I have done my best to ignore them, or at least ignore the crazy ones.  Frankly, that might be a lot of them.  But I do think that the show is particularly good at foreshadowing things that are going to come down the road.  And that is one reason why so many people come up with theories to predict what will happen.  Nothing is put in the show by accident, in my opinion.  So lots of these little details have meaning.  And thus it is possible to make educated guesses about things that are going to happen.

With that in mind, let’s start with the above teaser/trailer.

I think the trailer alludes to the battle that is going to take place at/in Winterfell, between the living and the dead. That seems pretty clear. The Starks on one side, the Night King on the other. But that leaves a big question mark, regarding who was left out: Bran.  I think that’s significant.  For one thing, I had previously predicted that Bran was not going to survive to the end of the show.  That’s one reason why he might be left out.  Another reason we don’t see Bran could be based on the widespread theory that Bran Stark is the Night King.  This theory is something else.  But in some strange way, it’s rather compelling, probably because it makes sense based on what we understand about the show.  For one thing, remember how I said I thought the Night King has Greensight?  Well, if Bran warged into the guy who becomes the Night King, that sure as hell would explain why the Night King has Greensight.  And that, frankly, is scary.

Another thing: why the Winterfell crypts?  There seems to be some significance to the crypts, and I am not sure what exactly.  Clearly they have some importance, else they would not be portrayed so much in the show, not to mention all the times they are mentioned in the books.  I think the most likely explanation is that there is something in the crypts that has a future role in the story.  Probably something is buried with Lyanna, as her tomb has gotten a lot of attention.  Not sure what it could be, but I do think that whatever it is, it’s in her tomb.  I don’t know what else it could be, as I don’t know what significance could be attributed to anything else down there.  The books seem to indicate that there is some story behind the “decorating” of the tombs with actual swords, that is intended to keep “vengeful spirits” from getting out.  It also occurred to me that the wildling tradition of burning the dead has not been followed by the Starks – they entomb their dead.  That could be a problem if somehow a fifth column of dead Starks gets raised by the Night King during the Battle for Winterfell.  That would be quite unfortunate.

So anyway, I predict that all three of the Starks seen in the trailer will survive the series.

I also predict that Jon will ride a dragon.  Not Drogon, but Rhaegal.  I think Jon’s close encounter with Drogon was a precursor to that.  After all, he’s really a Targaryen.

Although I sincerely hope that Ghost survives the series, I have to say I think the odds are about 50/50 that he doesn’t.  Which sucks, because I love the direwolves and I hate that so many of them have died. I don’t know if we will even see Nymeria again, much less see what happens to her.

I think that Sam, Gilly and little Sam will all survive the show.  Why?  Because in my mind, Sam is the stand-in for GRRM himself.  Sam will take over Horn Hill, now that his brother and father are dead, and once there is no further need for the Night’s Watch.

I think Ser Davos will survive the show, and will likely take on an important role (Hand of the King/Queen?) in the postwar world.

I think that Arya will try to cross at least one more name off her list – most likely, the Mountain and/or Cersei.  But she won’t succeed.  I think Cersei will die by the hand of her brother Jaime and not Arya.  And I think that Clegane Bowl will happen for absolute sure.  But I don’t know what that will mean for Arya.  Perhaps Arya kills a wounded Mountain after he and the Hound fight?  Hmmm.  No, it seems more likely that the Hound will kill his brother, especially after that encounter in the dragon pit.  So again, not sure what that means for Arya. But I bet she impersonates Littlefinger at some point.

I fully predict that Cersei’s baby will not survive.  I also predict that she and Jaime will never be reconciled.  And if they aren’t, Cersei may just see a marriage to Euron Greyjoy as the next logical step.  Ew.  Well, at least they aren’t related.

I don’t think Jaime will survive the series either.  I expect that Tyrion will be the last Lannister and that he will eventually get Casterly Rock and plant a vineyard and make his wine like he always wanted.

Bronn may survive the series, but if he doesn’t it’s because the mercenary with a mouth decides to become a hero and save someone.  Perhaps Tyrion or Jaime.

As Melisandre predicted, she will not survive the series, and neither will Varys.  Not sure how they will die, although if I had to hazard a guess, I would say Varys betrays Danaerys and she burns him.  Not sure how Melisandre dies – maybe Ser Davos or Arya kills her.

Tormund Giantsbane will probably die, as will Beric Dondarrion, probably while fighting the army of the dead.  Beric is definitely dead.  After all, he’s already dead in the books.  Tormund, I would say it’s about 80/20 that he dies.  No idea if he and Brienne ever get together.

Brienne of Tarth will survive.  She will protect Sansa (and probably Arya) to the bitter end.  Maybe she will get together with Jaime Lannister, if he survives.  If he doesn’t, then no.

The Nights Watch will fight to the end and probably be wiped out.  So long, Dolorous Ed.

Gendry will survive.  In fact, I fully expect that our favorite smithy will be legitimized and become a Lord.  I also think that perhaps with Sam’s help (all those books Sam stole from the Citadel), Gendry will figure out how to make Valyrian steel again.  Why else would they emphasize the fact that he’s a smith?

Speaking of friends of Arya with marketable skills, Hot Pie will survive as long as the army of the dead doesn’t reach the Riverlands, and thus the Inn at the Crossroads.  If they do, he is dead as dead can be.  No more direwolf cookies or yummy bread.

The Greyjoys… hmm… I would say that Yara dies, and that Theon lives, probably after he fights his uncle and kills him.  I really hope that Euron dies.  James Hetfield the psycho pirate needs to die.

So for the moment, those are my predictions.  We’ll see how close or how far off I was in about three months.

~Geoff