Stark vs. Stark vs. Stark

[Shadow Cat 75]

I am going to go out on a limb and say at the Winds of Winter the stage will be set for a three way war each side led in someway by a Stark. Now I recall that before the last book was called “A Dream of Spring” it was originally called “A time for Wolves”. Which means to me that the Starks will play a major role in the books.

First Faction

The way I see this happening is as follows. First Jon Snow or Stark since Robb named him his heir is brought back to life. He wildlings then declare him King Beyond the Wall since they only follow the strong. I also believe that Stannis will be mortally wounded at the battle of Winterfell and will name Jon his heir if his daughter was killed at the wall. So by the end of the Winds of Winter Jon is in Winterfell with Lightbringer, the combined armies of the North, what remains of the Watch, Wildlings, Stannis’s Knights and likely even the Giants. I do believe R+L=J but I believe Jon would want to be a Stark not a Targaryen. I also believe he is likely to marry Val, with Rickon as his heir bringing the wildlings closer to him.

Second Faction

Now for the second faction in the three-sided war, I believe that by the end of Winds Sansa will have killed or managed to get Little Finger Killed. With the Death of Little Finger, I believe the next move will be for her to marry (Fake) Aegon at Kings Landing. I see that as likely since Aegon has four possible options for marriage. First is Dany but she is on the other side of the world and once they get word of her “death” in Slaver Bay Aegon will likely marry. Second is his cousin Arianne of Dorne, but he will likely already have Dornish support so what would he gain by that marriage other than reinforcing the bound with Dorne. Third is Margaery but she is married to Tommen at the moment but he could easily be killed, it would bring the Reach to his side but it could weaken his bond with Dorne and Margaery has been married three times already. That leaves Sansa, she would be seen as heir to Winterfell and the North, have strong ties to the Riverlands and the Vale. A marriage to her would be a great benefit to Aegon and her marriage to Tyrion can easily be put aside. So if Sansa marries Aegon and Aegon declares Jon to be a pretender you have a war between Jon and Sansa.

Third Faction

Now here is where I go totally crackpot, I believe that the third side of the war will be Arya joining with the Others as their Queen. Now it has been hinted that the Night’s King is alive and may be King of the Others, his Queen was killed when he was removed from the wall. Now he will need a Queen and Arya has royal blood from the Starks. I see her leaving the faceless men going over with Stannis’ sell swords to East Watch right when it falls. If she learns that all her family including Jon has been killed she may sell her soul to the Night’s King for revenge. This would be a neat twist in my view turning a fan favorite into the instrument that reveals the nature of the Others and it would be a twist in classic revenge stories where a man sells his soul for revenge.

So we have a three sided war between Jon and the North, Sansa and the South and Arya with the Others.

The Wild card as always is Dany and her Dragons.

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

I just can't see the Starks going against each other. Other people may try to pit them against each other but I don't see any of them actively/willingly fighting each other. They're not the Targaryens.

Also, you needed the "Time For Wolves" thing to figure out that the "Starks will play a major role in the books"? Hasn't that already been heavily implied based on ... like everything?

[Mladen]

I just can't see the Starks going against each other. Other people may try to pit them against each other but I don't see any of them actively/willingly fighting each other. They're not the Targaryens.

Or Lannisters... People really need to pay attention to the big details, like differentiating families and IDK, characters' desires...

So, never gonna happen.

[TerrorVoid]

1) I doubt Stannis will die so easily. He seems to be playing one of the biggest roles in all that prophetic thing.

2) Jon (or any other Stark) has no reason to fight Targ king ("It were the dragons we bowed to" © Big Jon)

3) I don't see them possibly go against each other.

I think all this just lacks reasoning. They just have no reasons to fight, while having tons of reasons to stay tougether.

[QuickReviveGuy]

If anything Sansa marrying Aegon would bring peace. The North will calm with a Stark on the Throne with a Targ. I don't see Arya doing much but assassinating people (Hopefully Walder Frey). The Starks won't fight against each other . They'd help each other.

[El Guapo]

A Dance With Wolves would be awesome, though sadly I can't see George doing it.

[Salafi Stannis]

I choose Stark.

[Lord Lannister]

Eh, I could see the character arcs ending up in opposite sides. An easy enough scenario, suppose Tyrion wasn't alienated with his family, got Sansa pregnant with a son, and reigned as Lord Protector of Winterfell, Jon very well could end up against his sister. A scenario like this would be more meaningful with the planned five year gap though giving that son enough time to have a face, for Sansa to grow to love him and have a conflict of interest.

With the Starks though, it wouldn't happen over personal differences. For as much as Arya and Sansa quarreled I couldn't see either of them actively pursuing the other out of a sense of vengeance. I could see them ending up on different sides as a tragic twist of fate. Perhaps Jon aligns with Stannis, Sansa the (f)Targaryens and Arya doing her FM anti-dragon thing. They wouldn't hate each other but they would be adversaries.

[lady jellybean]

Jon would NEVER fight against arya. EVER! I would be devasted if they did.

[Petyr Patter]

I think I spotted an animal incident of foreshadowing in Clash of Kings regarding a Stark on Stark conflict, between the Rickon (who will arrive back at Winterfell first) and Bran (the rightful heir). Check out this link for more information: http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/103504-bran-will-be-lord-of-winterfell/

However, I don't think it will be a war or even a battle. Rather, a confrontation in Winterfell, perhaps some loud shouting, perhaps some shoving, until whoever is there recognizes Bran as the rightful Lord.

[FranklynFowler]

Bran's more likely to join the others than Arya, who knows what Bloodraven has in store for him

[Theon {HUNGRY WOLF} Stark]

If you think there is even "a snowball's chance in hell" for Starks to go against each other you haven't been paying attention. Starks are not Targs/Lannisters/Greyjoys.

[Blazfemur]

the only believable stark on stark war i could see, is if jon gets legitimized, vs, a petyr-controlled sansa. only because they never really got into how decent of a relationshipt hey had or didnt have. sansa was still a "Lady" at that point, so she saw jon as a lower individual. in jons head, he never saw her change, so shes still that person.

Jon vs Sansa could be worked. since sansa is in fact, the elder remaining inheritant to winterfell (bran and rickon are "dead")

[Nyrhex]

“The Greatjon has sons and daughters both. In the north the children of a man’s body still come before his uncles, ser.” - Jon Snow, ADWD.

I can buy a Rickon-Jon war. Even a Sansa-Jon war. If Jon is Lyanna's son from Rhaegar, even if legitimate and had he not given up any right or claim by taking the NW's oath, he still comes after either of them in line for Winterfell. This changes the family dynamics between the three.

Arya is a different story. Her story is all about revenge, and the moment she gets it there is nothing to keep her alive. She isn'y going to have a spin-off of her wacky adventures as a Faceless Woman. And there is little reason to think that she is just going to start a normal life somehow.

[~~~~~~~~~~~~~]

I am going to go out on a limb and say at the Winds of Winter the stage will be set for a three way war each side led in someway by a Stark. Now I recall that before the last book was called “A Dream of Spring” it was originally called “A time for Wolves”. Which means to me that the Starks will play a major role in the books.

First Faction

The way I see this happening is as follows. First Jon Snow or Stark since Robb named him his heir is brought back to life. He wildlings then declare him King Beyond the Wall since they only follow the strong. I also believe that Stannis will be mortally wounded at the battle of Winterfell and will name Jon his heir if his daughter was killed at the wall. So by the end of the Winds of Winter Jon is in Winterfell with Lightbringer, the combined armies of the North, what remains of the Watch, Wildlings, Stannis’s Knights and likely even the Giants. I do believe R+L=J but I believe Jon would want to be a Stark not a Targaryen. I also believe he is likely to marry Val, with Rickon as his heir bringing the wildlings closer to him.

Second Faction

Now for the second faction in the three-sided war, I believe that by the end of Winds Sansa will have killed or managed to get Little Finger Killed. With the Death of Little Finger, I believe the next move will be for her to marry (Fake) Aegon at Kings Landing. I see that as likely since Aegon has four possible options for marriage. First is Dany but she is on the other side of the world and once they get word of her “death” in Slaver Bay Aegon will likely marry. Second is his cousin Arianne of Dorne, but he will likely already have Dornish support so what would he gain by that marriage other than reinforcing the bound with Dorne. Third is Margaery but she is married to Tommen at the moment but he could easily be killed, it would bring the Reach to his side but it could weaken his bond with Dorne and Margaery has been married three times already. That leaves Sansa, she would be seen as heir to Winterfell and the North, have strong ties to the Riverlands and the Vale. A marriage to her would be a great benefit to Aegon and her marriage to Tyrion can easily be put aside. So if Sansa marries Aegon and Aegon declares Jon to be a pretender you have a war between Jon and Sansa.

Third Faction

Now here is where I go totally crackpot, I believe that the third side of the war will be Arya joining with the Others as their Queen. Now it has been hinted that the Night’s King is alive and may be King of the Others, his Queen was killed when he was removed from the wall. Now he will need a Queen and Arya has royal blood from the Starks. I see her leaving the faceless men going over with Stannis’ sell swords to East Watch right when it falls. If she learns that all her family including Jon has been killed she may sell her soul to the Night’s King for revenge. This would be a neat twist in my view turning a fan favorite into the instrument that reveals the nature of the Others and it would be a twist in classic revenge stories where a man sells his soul for revenge.

So we have a three sided war between Jon and the North, Sansa and the South and Arya with the Others.

The Wild card as always is Dany and her Dragons.

Once a pack always a pack. The lone wolf dies but the pack survives? I don't see the Starks fighting each other unless they are completely unaware that they're doing it.

[Red Wedding Cake]

These novels thrive on making characters do things we wouldn't expect them to do and then rationalizing why they do it. Also, I don't think GRRM can pass up another succession conflict.

If you think there is even "a snowball's chance in hell" for Starks to go against each other you haven't been paying attention. Starks are not Targs/Lannisters/Greyjoys.

Targaryens, Lannisters, Greyjoys, Martells, Arryn, and Baratheon. At this point the Starks might as well join the intra-familial squabbling for Winterfell once the Boltons are out. They can do it for honor if it's more believable, or as figureheads of the people that support them.

[Pod The Impaler]

I am going to go out on a limb and say at the Winds of Winter the stage will be set for a three way war each side led in someway by a Stark. Now I recall that before the last book was called “A Dream of Spring” it was originally called “A time for Wolves”. Which means to me that the Starks will play a major role in the books.

First Faction

The way I see this happening is as follows. First Jon Snow or Stark since Robb named him his heir is brought back to life. He wildlings then declare him King Beyond the Wall since they only follow the strong. I also believe that Stannis will be mortally wounded at the battle of Winterfell and will name Jon his heir if his daughter was killed at the wall. So by the end of the Winds of Winter Jon is in Winterfell with Lightbringer, the combined armies of the North, what remains of the Watch, Wildlings, Stannis’s Knights and likely even the Giants. I do believe R+L=J but I believe Jon would want to be a Stark not a Targaryen. I also believe he is likely to marry Val, with Rickon as his heir bringing the wildlings closer to him.

Second Faction

Now for the second faction in the three-sided war, I believe that by the end of Winds Sansa will have killed or managed to get Little Finger Killed. With the Death of Little Finger, I believe the next move will be for her to marry (Fake) Aegon at Kings Landing. I see that as likely since Aegon has four possible options for marriage. First is Dany but she is on the other side of the world and once they get word of her “death” in Slaver Bay Aegon will likely marry. Second is his cousin Arianne of Dorne, but he will likely already have Dornish support so what would he gain by that marriage other than reinforcing the bound with Dorne. Third is Margaery but she is married to Tommen at the moment but he could easily be killed, it would bring the Reach to his side but it could weaken his bond with Dorne and Margaery has been married three times already. That leaves Sansa, she would be seen as heir to Winterfell and the North, have strong ties to the Riverlands and the Vale. A marriage to her would be a great benefit to Aegon and her marriage to Tyrion can easily be put aside. So if Sansa marries Aegon and Aegon declares Jon to be a pretender you have a war between Jon and Sansa.

Third Faction

Now here is where I go totally crackpot, I believe that the third side of the war will be Arya joining with the Others as their Queen. Now it has been hinted that the Night’s King is alive and may be King of the Others, his Queen was killed when he was removed from the wall. Now he will need a Queen and Arya has royal blood from the Starks. I see her leaving the faceless men going over with Stannis’ sell swords to East Watch right when it falls. If she learns that all her family including Jon has been killed she may sell her soul to the Night’s King for revenge. This would be a neat twist in my view turning a fan favorite into the instrument that reveals the nature of the Others and it would be a twist in classic revenge stories where a man sells his soul for revenge.

So we have a three sided war between Jon and the North, Sansa and the South and Arya with the Others.

The Wild card as always is Dany and her Dragons.

I don't see them going against each other so easily, either, but if you are going to split things into these factions, here's something to consider:

I would say the Arya-led faction sounds more likely to align with Daenerys and her dragons.

Yes, the FM are a death cult, but they are also implied to be the original enemies of slavery. Plus, Arya is not guaranteed to be doing their bidding, and I think she'd be more naturally ready to align with a leader like Dany.

Arya and Jon would not naturally go against each other, ever, but who says they will even be aware of such an conflict taking place between them until after they've already chosen their sides ?

Bran might be one to play the role of peacemaker / pack-unifier, from afar.

Just food for thought.

[Mithras]

I think a Rickon/Bran and Arya/Bran conflicts are likely.

Shaggy and Summer fought over a dying horse with broken leg for the right to feed first. Summer beat Shaggy. He fed and when he was finished, he allowed Shaggy to eat and licked his wounds. The dying horse with the broken leg represented the newly sacked Winterfell. I think some people might crown Rickon and do some shit in his name but Bran will return to claim his birthright.

About Arya/Bran conflict:

Bran is trying to reach Arya in her wolf dreams. His only purpose can be to summon her back to safety and give up this vendetta, as Bran likely forgave Theon for what he did. This might build some tension between Arya and Bran. There is a scene where Arya was on a boat in a dangerous river and the boat was hit by a tree which was first likened to a kraken by Arya. As a result of the impact, Arya went down to one knee with pain. This gesture is like bending knee to a king and I think it foreshadows Arya finally bowing to the command of her Lord/king (Bran).

Crackpot: Bran (one of the Old Gods) will use Theon (who will be blinded by the Weeper) as his messenger with a raven eprched at his shoulder. Blind Theon will go to Braavos to fetch Arya back.

[Darksnider05]

I think a Rickon/Bran and Arya/Bran conflicts are likely.

Shaggy and Summer fought over a dying horse with broken leg for the right to feed first. Summer beat Shaggy. He fed and when he was finished, he allowed Shaggy to eat and licked his wounds. The dying horse with the broken leg represented the newly sacked Winterfell. I think some people might crown Rickon and do some shit in his name but Bran will return to claim his birthright.

About Arya/Bran conflict:

Bran is trying to reach Arya in her wolf dreams. His only purpose can be to summon her back to safety and give up this vendetta, as Bran likely forgave Theon for what he did. This might build some tension between Arya and Bran. There is a scene where Arya was on a boat in a dangerous river and the boat was hit by a tree which was first likened to a kraken by Arya. As a result of the impact, Arya went down to one knee with pain. This gesture is like bending knee to a king and I think it foreshadows Arya finally bowing to the command of her Lord/king (Bran).

Crackpot: Bran (one of the Old Gods) will use Theon (who will be blinded by the Weeper) as his messenger with a raven eprched at his shoulder. Blind Theon will go to Braavos to fetch Arya back.

Summon her back to safety what safety I see this bandied about randomly all the time. What exactly is Arya coming back to other than possible death or being turned into a slave in all but name. Please explain how Arya coming back to the North doesn't involve more fighting and somehow makes her safe?

What exactly do her brothers have that could keep her safe and or free.

[Mithras]

Summon her back to safety what safety I see this bandied about randomly all the time. What exactly is Arya coming back to other than possible death or being turned into a slave in all but name. Please explain how Arya coming back to the North doesn't involve more fighting and somehow makes her safe?

What exactly do her brothers have that could keep her safe and or free.

For a start, Bran can send Arya to join Rickon until the shitstorm at the Wall and in Winterfell is over. Then, when the Boltons are done, she can return to Winterfell with Rickon.

That would be better for Bran than risking Arya losing her identity completely and turning into a killing machine without self control.