The next big threat after the Others

[Mordor]

Let's say hypotethical GRR Martin or a author decides to continue with other spin-off stories of Westeros and Essos. After the Others are defeated, who or what should be the new big threat? A human warlord or king? Barbarians? 

[daccu65]

I think that the most "realistic" threat would be the same political maneuvering and fighting that is currently taking place, as of the end of ADWD.  Please keep in mind that the term "realistic", in a world with dragons, ice-zombies and greenseer's is somewhat realitive.

Let's say, for arguments sake that as of the end of ADWD, all parties involved are suddenly aware of the Others and the threat they pose to everyone.  Okay, everyone can probably agree to put aside the petty differences and fight the threat.  Lets say that after many entertaining chapters of valiant conflict, the humans prove victorious and the Others are either crushed and/or driven even further into the far north.  Now what? 

Does Dany get the Iron throne, or will Tommen remain on it?  Will there be a war to decide this?

Do the Boltons remain in Winterfell or does Rickon wind up in control? 

Will the Ironborn peacefully leave the lands they have seized, or will forces from the Reach and North have to force them out? 

Do the Lannisters remain in control at Riverrun, or will some other Riverland house decide that the Lannisters shouldn't control both the Westerlands and the Riverlands? 

Was the existing political structure in the Seven Kingdoms adequate, or does something need to change? 

Nothing unifies a people more than an outside threat; but when that threat is gone, how long will it take for the old feuds and grudges to re-emerge?  Should the others be defeated, the real challenge is going to be dealing with the same conflicts that were already present.

 

[PCK]

The next big threat to me is finding something as good to read.

[Mordor]

What about the Dothraki? If a ambitious khal rose upon their ranks as their new Djenghis Khan. 

[StarkofWinterfell]

2 hours ago, Mordor said:

What about the Dothraki? If a ambitious khal rose upon their ranks as their new Djenghis Khan. 

Once ASOIAF finishes, that will be it. The story will be concluded.

You'll still have the Dunk and Egg stories but I don't think GRRM has any plans to continue with ASOIAF after he finishes it.

[Ser Creighton]

19 minutes ago, StarkofWinterfell said:

Once ASOIAF finishes, that will be it. The story will be concluded.

You'll still have the Dunk and Egg stories but I don't think GRRM has any plans to continue with ASOIAF after he finishes it.

And Fire and Blood.

[The Sword of the Evening]

Fire and Blood (The GRRMarillon)

Dunk & Egg stories (The She Wolves of Winterfell, etc., I think he said he had ideas for 10 more??)

I could see movies being made  regarding things like the original Dance w/Dragons, Robert's Rebellion, maybe some of the really historic stuff.

 

[Victarion Chainbreaker]

Starvation.

[Puppy Stark]

Maybe after the eternal winter, they're next threat will be the eternal summer. The Day King will come and threaten them with fire scorpions and burning undead. And there will be a big prophsized Battle for the Dusk too.

[house of dayne]

i think the obvious number one threat to westeros in the post others future would be the aggrandizement of braavos into an empire...

[Scorpion92]

If the story ends the way I see it ending, then the next biggest threat after Long Night will be trying to keep corruption out of new system and realm. I see a much improved Westeros by the end of the series in terms of its government, political structure, economy, education, safety, navy, religion, etc.

All will depend on competent people in the government solving these problems on everyday basis without corruption. Given how devastated and fucked up state Westeros is gonna end up after Long Night, there is NO WAY there WILL NOT be people best suited for each sphere.

[Poupsi]

The pale mare

[Curled Finger]

6 hours ago, Mordor said:

What about the Dothraki? If a ambitious khal rose upon their ranks as their new Djenghis Khan. 

I've been pondering precisely what Dany will leave in the wake of her campaign on Westeros.    There has already been war for 2 - 3 years, leaving the harvests severely compromised for all people.  So, in her infinite wisdom, Dany decides to import another 100,000 mostly foreign warriors and soldiers to further rape the land in the name of conquest.    Yes, I realize Dany's conquest is vital and prejudice and integration is a constant sub theme throughout the tale.   Still I cannot help but think 60,000 Dothraki screamers will NOT do a great deal to further peace and prosperity.   In fairness to the Dothraki, how is this a good move for them or their culture?    It's time for the Wildlings, remnants of the true 1st Men, to join their culture to the North to remind the civilized North of their brutal warrior nature.   I see this as a win/win in that region.  That logic falls so flat when applied to the integration of freed slaves to smallfolk, unsullied to knights and all enforcers of the laws of Westeros and sell swords to pretty much every lord in the realm.   I am hoping that Dany can control her forces and that they have some understanding of feudal life in contrast to their former lives in Essos.   Dany or whomever actually takes the Iron Throne or rule of the land at the end of the Others will have their work cut out for them.    Let's hope all the dragons remain alive and strong to enforce a peaceful Targaryan rule because the people of Westeros are all schemers and the Essosi invaders won't make that any less prevalent.       

[StarkofWinterfell]

Did the LOTR continue on after Return of the King? No so I don't think we'll get much stories of after the final book.

All of the books we may get will be either from before the series or during.

[Hol Horse]

Aliens.

[Alys Karstark]

Tormund's Member

[Lord Vance II]

6 hours ago, Puppy Stark said:

The Day King will come and threaten them with fire scorpions and burning undead. And there will be a big prophsized Battle for the Dusk too.

Charlie Day to the rescue. 

Day Man...AAAHHHHH! Fighter of the Nightman! AAAHHHH! Champion of the sun...AAAHHH! You're a master of karate and friendship for everyone. 

3 hours ago, Curled Finger said:

ve been pondering precisely what Dany will leave in the wake of her campaign on Westeros.

Dany has nothing to offer Westeros but fire and blood. She's the absolute last thing they need right now, I fear for Westeros if she brings everyone she potentially could. And there's no way she can let the Dothraki stay, what is she going to do, just let them roam around the Reach? Maybe put them to work repairing all the stone houses they tore down. 

 

5 hours ago, house of dayne said:

i think the obvious number one threat to westeros in the post others future would be the aggrandizement of braavos into an empire...

This would be cool but I've just never bought into the Braavosi conquest idea. They have a good thing going already, plus it would be enormously expensive since they don't really have a military outside the navy. You would need a massive land army to take Westeros. 

[Durran Durrandon]

17 hours ago, PCK said:

The next big threat to me is finding something as good to read.

Indeed, his is a present danger.

[Durran Durrandon]

I can't imagine that there will be follow ups. I think George will be done with epic threats, and happy to work on the Dunk and Egg stories and his other projects.

That said, while I expect it will be resolved within the plot of the current story, the Red Priests represent an existential threat as dangerous as the Others. Their stated goal is to bring an Endless Summer, so we can joke all we want about the Day King, but that is actually what AAR is to the Red Priests. I don't know if this will be dealt with directly, maybe the Red Priests help to defeat the Others and then magic goes out of the world and the seasons are restored, so with no mojo left the plans for Endless Summer will need to be scrapped with a wimper, not a bang. However, should that not be the case, should magic still be in play, and should the Red Priests still be a force to be reckoned with at the end of the story, then they are the next big threat.

 

[Quillon]

I want the same old politics after the end and as much as I love the books, part of me wants it to end; and when it does and the state of the world set in stone, there would be much bigger chance of licensed non-canon media about aSoIaF, especially video games, more specifically RPGs. more clearly an RPG series developed by CD Projeck Red. What their Witcher games are to Andrzejs Sapkowski's witcher books is very much alike with what the tv show is to aSoIaF series. Now aSoIaF lacks awesome RPGs and The Witcher lacks big budget series : D In case anyone doesn't know about Witcher, go read it, you'll love it as much as aSoIaF, they are very much alike in case of world, tone of the world. politics, great characters, realism in fantasy etc tho witcher is more fantastical as in there is more magic.

For the replacement threat of White Walkers, Dark Runners from east/south-east of Essos is a no brainer : p After that there would be Red Swimmers from the Sunset Sea.