As Cersei Lannister famously said, “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.”
That’s not exactly true, hopefully. Otherwise, Season 8 will just be a string of deaths (which, come to think of it, wouldn’t be that far off from any other season). But it’s likely someone will sit on the Iron Throne when the final credits roll. The only question is who?
Many names have been tossed around, including unlikely contenders such as Gendry (technically the sole living heir to King Robert Baratheon). But some theories are more sound than others.
Here are the top contenders for the throne.
• Jon Snow: Were this just about any other television show in history, Jon Snow would end up ruling Westeros. He’s nearly unwaveringly virtuous, likes to stare off into the distance thinking of Important Things and would look pretty good with a crown.
Jon Snow becoming the king would be the logical conclusion of the hero’s journey, but “Game of Thrones” is all about subverting narrative norms. With that in mind, the best argument for why Jon Snow could sit in the Iron Throne is the fact that he actively doesn’t want to.
• Daenerys Targaryen: Meanwhile, the sharpest argument against Daenerys ending up on the throne is how badly she wants it. Ever since the end of Season 1, she’s had one primary goal: reclaiming the Iron Throne.
That small point aside, though, she would be a sensible queen.
For those who don’t remember, she’s the daughter of Aerys II Targaryen, a.k.a. the Mad King. Aerys was assassinated by Jaime Lannister and succeeded by Robert Baratheon, which ended a 300-ish-year rule by the Targaryens, so many believe the Targaryens still have a rightful claim to the throne. Because Daenerys (like most people) doesn’t know Jon Snow’s true heritage, she seems like the only Targaryen left to claim said throne.
• Bran Stark: Oddsmakers have Bran as the betting favorite to sit on the Iron Throne, which might raise the question, “Wait, what?”
Bran has no particular claim to the throne, and he has two living siblings who might take umbrage with the young man ruling Westeros instead of his extremely qualified sisters. But, some believe that Bran and the Night King either are or will become the same person.
• Sansa Stark: When it comes to the Starks, Sansa seems most likely to sit on the Iron Throne. Her hellish journey has taken her from wanting to be a princess to learning the cold truths of a ruthless world.
Sansa might be the strongest character on the show. It’s not like anyone’s had it easy, per se, but Sansa arguably faced the most hardship, save for maybe Theon. But Sansa somehow only grew more confident, more intelligent and more empathetic. That’s the kind of ruler this land could use.
• Cersei Lannister: No. She might have it now, at least in title, but soon she’ll be too drunk to even sit on the darn thing.
