Jon Snow
When it comes to who is going to be sitting on the Iron Throne and be the King or Queen of the Seven Kingdoms at the end of Game of Thrones, everyone has their own opinions.
At the end of season seven, it was confirmed that Jon Snow is in fact, not a Snow. Being the child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, Jon is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. If the show is to take the traditional line of succession, obviously it should be Jon on the throne, with tradition ultimately skipping women as they were unfit for ruling (sorry Dany).
That’s not the only reason he should be given this title. When it comes to ruling the Seven Kingdoms, it’s hard work. Previous rulers have shown us this and what is needed is a willingness to compromise but unite and bring people together in times of an enemy as evil as the Night King. Jon Snow has already proven his worth. For example, he was able to gain a truce with the Wildlings, something that has never even been attempted for years. He has shown an ability to win over those who are dead set on being your enemy and he has shown loyalty and a willingness to fight for the good of his people. And let’s not forget his popularity – he became Lord Commander after all.
Jon Snow is: selfless, willing to fight to save others; strong and ruthless when needed to be, willing to kill people if it comes down to it; and when it comes down to it all, he is probably the only kind person in the show, something Westeros needs after Cersei. Oh, and he’s part of the Starks, my favourite family, so of course I’d want him to rule.
-Lucy Lillystone
Sansa Stark
Suspiciously, the Stark sisters stand in the centre of Entertainment Weekly’s group photo of all the major characters in Thrones’ upcoming season. Not only that, but the show’s most recent trailer similarly features the two characters a lot. Of course, this could mean that they will be the ones to die, but I have a feeling that this is not the case.
Sansa’s character development in particular was too important within the series to waste. Under Cersei and Littlefinger’s wings, she grew to be a responsible, strategic and smart leader. One of the theories about the endgame that I find plausible is about Sansa and her Queen’s guard. It is said that the opening to the final season will mirror the one of the first. Because of that, Sansa might still want to become a queen, just like she dreamed back then. This might have been a set up for her fate, not necessarily on the Iron Throne as it might be destroyed, but as the Queen in the North.
Throughout the series many fighters protected Sansa: The Hound, Brienne, and finally Arya. All of them could form a very effective guard for her if they survive the Great War.
-Jagoda Waszkowiak
Cersei Lannister
Cersei Lannister - the baddest bitch in the Seven Kingdoms. Hated by many, feared by more… You probably don’t want to see the reigning Queen retain her spot on the Iron Throne, but you can’t deny that it would be an incredibly dramatic and entertaining turn of events.
Her journey to the throne so far has been one fraught with manipulation, power-play, and outright murder, so it is unquestionable that Cersei will fight until the end to hold her position. I mean, the woman managed to flip her status from shamed prisoner to the ruler of Westeros in one episode. If that doesn’t exemplify extreme political intellect and determination I don’t know what does. She may have had to outlive all of her children to hold the position that she does, but we all know that as soon as Tommen Baratheon reached his tragic end, there were no more emotional ties preventing Cersei from getting what she wants.
Out of all the potential contenders for the throne, she is also the character with the most valid ruling experience. How about the King in the North, you ask? Or Daenerys Stormborn? I would argue that Cersei’s proximity to a number of the show’s most powerful Westerosi figures, in addition to her own ruling from King’s Landing itself, sets her apart from a King of one specific region of the realm and a Queen of a different country altogether.
While the state of Westeros may admittedly be more stable under the reign of one of the other frontrunners for the position, there’s not one part of me that wouldn’t feel a sense of satisfaction seeing that sinister smirk smiling straight down the camera in the show’s final moments.
-Tom Cooney
The Night King
I know this might be an unpopular opinion, but the Night King should be sitting on the Iron Throne at the end of Game of Thrones.
Throughout its run, the series has established itself as not being afraid to let the bad guy win – at least in certain battles – so wouldn’t this be a great way to shock the audience? The Night King has been a building presence throughout the series, the looming threat. I’d almost be disappointed to see him defeated at this point. With all the different factions sprawling over Westeros, it’s hard to see any single character sitting on the Iron Throne over a united kingdom by the end of the upcoming season. The Night King, meanwhile, makes sense as, if he’s ruling, that means all our favourite characters will still be there, albeit as White Walkers. As White Walkers, they would all answer to him and the kingdom would be operating under a (vaguely) peaceful rule.
Finally, think of the visuals. Just imagine the visuals that the series could end on: The Night King sat on the Iron Throne; Viserion flying overhead; and then a close-up on ice creeping out from his hands onto the throne and covering it in a layer of frost before it cuts to black. I’d personally like to see the bad guy win this time.
-Jennifer Cooke