aquintus

Even then, that's still only 5 total members. That's not even enough people to functionally run a keep, much less be an entire military organization (or penal colony, or whatever). The idea that the NW would continue to exist after the Others are defeated is just dumb.

I personally believe that Jon went beyond the Wall to live with the Wildlings. The implications of the alternative, that he is still going to function as a member of the Night's Watch, is just too dumb for me to believe. The entire purpose of the Night's Watch, its sole reason to exist, is to man the Wall in defense against the Others (it later was corrupted into manning the Wall against the Wildlings). That function is no longer possible since 1) the Wall has a giant gaping hole in it, and 2) the Others no longer exist (and the Wildlings are now friends with the people south of the Wall). On top of that, the NW was already depleted in terms of membership to the point of near collapse even before the Others rampaged through. At the end of episode 6, as far as the audience knows, Jon is the ONLY member of the NW left (even Sam no longer keeps his vows). The idea that Jon would live out the rest of his days completely alone at Castle Black defending the realm against absolutely nothing is stupid to the point of being insulting.

One of the main themes of the books is that power resides where people believe that it resides. For some lords, Jon being the legitimate heir would benefit them, and they'll say that he is the legitimate heir. For other lords, Jon being legitimate wouldn't benefit them, and they'll say that he's not the heir. If the number of lords (and more importantly, their armies) wanting Jon to be legitmate outnumber the number that want him to be illigitimate, then he's legitimate. That's essentially how medieval laws (and modern law really) works - might makes right.

I think Bran is king makes sense if GRMM actually told D&D that Bran ends up as King as in King of the North (he is the oldest living son of Ned Stark, and Robb Stark's heir afterall). Bran as King of the 7 (or 6, I guess) Kingdoms really doesn't make any sense.

On top of that, it just logically makes no sense. The entire point of the NW is to man the Wall in order to guard against the Others. Over time, its purpose has been perverted towards being manning the Wall against the Wildlings. The books, like the show, are pushing towards an ending where 1) the Wall is either completely destroyed or greatly damaged, 2) the Others are defeated and no longer a threat, 3) the Wildlings are no longer considered an enemy. All of those things would defeat the purpose of the NW existing at all anymore. On top of that, the NW as an order is in a rapid decline where there are very few Night Watchmen remaining. Even if the Wall still stood, and there were still enemies to fight, the NW is basically right on the verge of dissolving as of the end of the 5th book.

You and I have completely different interpretations, then. She was never happy with Jon as King in the North, which was why she was constantly questioning his decision, hiding important information from him, and challenging him in front of the Northern Lords. The show also constantly went out of their way to show shots of her brooding or looking on jelously as Jon is acting as King. Unlike Dany going crazy, Sansa's desire to be Queen was strongly established for a while.

I never said that she craved the Iron throne. She wanted the Northern throne. She was always noticeably jelous that Jon was King in the North. She actively worked to undermine his authority. And at the end, she unilaterally decided that the North would be independent (despite Bran Stark being King) just so she could finally be Queen. Edit: The point is that Dany's main character motivation - to be queen - is suddenly painted as the most evil thing ever at the end, while Sansa' main character motivation - also to be queen - is glossed over and treated as fine, despite Sansa actively working against the good guy alliance that Jon and Dany had built.

I love how Sansa has basically the same motivations at the end as Dany, with both desperately coveting a throne, but the story turns Dany into an evil Hitler-eque monster while Sansa is presented as justified (despite actively working against Jon).

It's especially weak since 1) the story is based on medieval history where aunt-nephew marriages were fairly common and accepted, especially amongst the nobility, and 2) even in a Song of Ice and Fire itself, there was an entire plotline where Alys Karstarks' uncle was trying to force her to marry him so he could take over Karhold.

The more I think about it, the more I think that the Dany going crazy storyline could have easily worked (or at least worked better) if they had just resisted the urge to set up the fanservice Jon + Dany romance. It could be set up where Dany has been told for years that the Targaryens would be treated like heroic saviours by the people of Westeros - first by Viserys, then by Jorah, Barristan, Tyrion, Varys, etc. Then, when she finally gets to Westeros, she's treated like the savage conqueror. Even her allies, the North, etc. treat her warily and reluctantly. She uses the same tactics that she had been using against against the cartoonish slavers now against the Westorsi Lords, but instead of cheers, she's met with disgust. Finally, becoming increasingly isolated and resentful, she finds out the heroic leader of the Northmen, someone who is especially standoffish and suspicious of her, Jon, actually has a better claim than her for the throne. And her main advisors, who have been talking her up for years, start to drift towards him. I think it would at least be understandable (though obviously not justifiable) when she eventually snaps. A bonus is that post-resurrection Jon would be forced to actually do things and lead in that storyline instead of being a useless sadsack. The plot that we got, however, with Jon being her number 1 superfan (even if he is slightly grossed out currently about banging her) just doesn't set up her turn at all. With the leader of the supposed opposing faction being firmly on her side, her lashing out the way that she did just doesn't make sense.

Apparently everyone in the show is evil at this point. Except for Jon, and the only reason Jon isn't evil is because he's apparently too dumb to walk and chew at the same time.

Of course he's dead. You can't bring someone who isn't dead back to life.