Lion of the West

I agree entirely. But the thing that I would think we diverge on is that I think that the show became a mess because they followed GRRM's plotlines without enough time to flesh them out like Martin can in the books. Also GRRM is a kind of romantic person, not as in dinner out with living candles, but more in a King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table kind of romance. I don't think that he can stand having those he has judged to be bad guys as not losing in the end. Well, let's not forget that while the feudal machinery works on, many of its key pieces have been hurt and would need to be replaced. Personally I don't find much of the character choices impossible. Unlikely yes, but Westeros has been in a shake up regarding the nobles for a time so its not impossible that people unthinkable a decade ago might rise high. There are times when the traditional leadership of a country has been decimated and it has allowed new people to climb up without bringing the whole system down. To start with Cersei and Bran. Cersei has the advantage of being a born Lannister and a married Baratheon and is in the capital where she's cultivated influences and allies. Given how both Renly and Stannis, the main claimants after Robert's "children" are gone, are also gone I don't see what person has a clear claim that's so much better than the wife of a Baratheon king and the mother of two Baratheon kings? I can't recall anyone at least. As for Bran, well, he's a Stark and have that going for him while at the same time no one of importance and alive in the end would need to feel fear of retribution from King Stark. So a kind of working compromisse choice. And given how there are no Baratheons left, nor Targaryens, in the end and Bran is of the blood of House Stark and a son of Eddard Stark, how can you possible claim that blood wouldn't matter in this choice? Not really in regards to Bronn. The Tullys got the Riverland and the Tyrells the Reach despite there being Houses with far better credentials to both positions of Lord Paramount. Same with Gendry who is at least a son, even if a bastard son, of Robert Baratheon. It wouldn't be the first time that the Stormlands goes to a man born as a bastard, after all. I assume you mean "antagonist" and not "protagonist". In my heart they are the heroes but I know that's not a common perception. Indeed. The problem is of course if the rest of the realm is in a better shape and if its leadership has the will for more war and bloodshed. Could be. But when the dragons comes flying I don't think that people will try to claim those flying monsters are all smoke-and-mirrors. Yeah. But more importantly Sansa gets the North and Winterfell and for that I am ready to accept many things. I'm not sure I share you sentiment about high adventure and so but I'll leave it at that. Entirely possible. I watch ot little TV to know what's common or not in such shows. Absolutely. Yet even while they despises the Freys and threw much at them. So the Lannisters and their allies were ready to work with the Frreys and didn't turn on them, sword in hand. Yes, I recall such. It remains to see in what shape the Westerosi nobility is after the books are done. After two Targaryen invasions, Euron's rampaging across Westeros and so on, we'll have to see how much many Robert/Randyll people are actually left to urge for more wars. I have an idea that the nobility will be kind of hit hard also in the South, with much of its adult male members killed off or otherwise having had their fill of war. I recall several instances were Brienne has kicked thes shit of men; from Loras, the guys who betted on who could bed her first to the Brave Companions in, or by, the ruined castles and so on. I don't doubt she will keep smashing pigs' faces as the series progresses and beyond the last page. Indeed. We won't see a general shift in the attitudes to women. But just like Joan d'Arc has a special position so I think that Brienne can reach a special position as well. Or at least I hope she will. There needs to be energy and will to rebel. After all that's happened in the series I don't find it strange if the nobles who are left are so sick of violence and loss of friends and relatives, that they just go along with a Stark on the throne. I didn't say they were highely respected. But they are still nobles and even if many will call them upstarts. No claim would be a problem if there were people around with claims to challenge Bran, but by the looks of it, there won't be such people to cause problem. And I don't think that Bran will found a dynasty. It will just be Bran and I have no idea how long he'll last. But it should be at least generation before a new generation of cocky young warriors are ready to start execution of mass violence for some really stupid thing, that Bran can at the ealiest get deposed.

I don't find it unresaonable that she'll become an adventurer who seeks to do a "Nymeria 2.0". The idea that she will, after she finally find her family, discover that her trauma will forever have distanced her from really being part of it again sounds like a bitter ending. But that she will go on adventures unhindred and traverse the world seems like a sweeter part of the ending. Besides such a thing has been forshadowed with both the Ironmen House mentioning lands to the west, the Stark who headed west and some, I've come to understand, points in the story and backstory.

Could well be. I don't think its an impossibility. But I think that after Tommen departs the Iron Throne no man will sit on it until "Bran", which can be argued if its a "he" or an "it" I suppose, takes it. But anyway I think that Cersei will indeed make it to the last and be the one to burn in King's Landing. What I think about Aegon's plotline is that he will march into the Reach next to gather various allies, like the Hightowers and probably the Tarlys (I think that Tarly will do to the Tyrells what Bolton did to Stark, they've both got a red man on their coat of arms and I think that means something) before he turns towards the capital, and is destroyed by Danaerys. Instead of the Lannister army with the food getting destroyed, it will be Aegon that has his dreams shattered by dragon fire. I could of course be wrong and the presence of the Golden Company at King's Landing in the end hints that its Aegon who holds the city, yet somehow I think that Cersei will make it to the end, and she will never give up the throne or capital while there's life in her.

Not very lijkely. Much more likely is that Bran will be the 3E who ends the isolation and comes out to dwell among humans and use his wisdom to rebuild Westeros, and perhaps create a Westeros that's in some forms different and maybe even better than what was before.

I suppose this is one of the few times I feel that I am in a serious disagreemen with you. My credientals as a Lannister fanboy should be impeccable and I still love this endning and was totally ok with the Starks taking home the end game. I'll try to explain why that is. Although I should note that GRRM across two books are most likely going to be able to show a great many more things to make this ending possible as opposed what can be put into the available screen time for GoT. Alot of this will be speculation but I hope it won't be baseless. To start with Bran I think that the reason as to why he would work is that does have his magical powers, and I think that we will see them put into action as well as he being able to confirm that it is indeed he who wields those powers. So that's probably why he gets considered from the first go. He will be known to have done much about the Others while at the same time both being from an known and ancient noble House and also not being associated with any particular political camp will mean that no one will need to feel that the others got "their candiate" on the throne when Bran becomes king. Given the wounds and rifts left after wars and conflicts that the book depicts, a guy without clear affiliations to be it Lannister, Baratheon or Targaryen will probably be easier to swallow than an ex-member from any faction. Yes, he is affiliated with the Starks but I think that his young age and lack of involvement on the Stark side during the war will speak to his favor as well as the fact that the enemies with whom the Starks would probably have a conflict with; Frey, Bolton and Lannister (and perhaps Clegane), seems to no longer be of importance, hence that part will be moot as few people will have a reason to fear retribution from King Stark. Also I think that you ascribe to much "win" to Jon and Arya's endings. Both of them, in particular Jon, refused many paths that could have lead him to a more enjoyable life, be it as Danaerys' consort, the Lord of Winterfell or what you've got. That Jon does sacrifice his honour for the sake of the realm and picks duty over love and personal success seems very much like an incredibly admirable thing to do. I know that I've talked alot of crap about Jon but I consider myself to be a person with an open mind so I am entirely willing to take all of that back and look on Jon much more favorably. As for Arya I think that he decision to leave Westeros for the seas to the west don't seem all to happy for her. To start with Tyrion is, to my knowledge, more contempted than hated outside of the West and probably King's Landing. And yes, it does feel a bit like that he will not be a highly respected or beloved Hand of the King but it also seems to me that he is still, even though all he has done and been through, a noble known from an ancient House of previous regal standing and being descended from such means that he would be far more digestable than many others as many noble houses have been wiped out or decimated and so that shrinks the pool of possible recruits severely. As for Brienne might be considered a joke to many, but we know she's been teaching chavunists the opposite since she was introduced to the story, I don't see why she shouldn't be able to continue doing this in grand style after she takes on a white cloak. In fact I think that with a knight as valiant and skilled as Brienne King Bran would have a Lord Commander of the Kingsguard to start that organization's slow climb out the abyss they've fallen into. As someone with interests in both the medieval knighthood and the chivalry that was associated with knights, this is among the best parts of the ending for me. Also who would be the two commoners on the Small Council? Both Davos and Bronn may have been knighted in their life times but they are still nobles. And I think, or maybe its just that I imagine, but that one of the reasons to why the nobility accepts Bran and his Small Council is that after year after year of war and violence, greed and abuse of power, with one tyrant replacing another, people from noble to commoner might just be so sick of it that they don't have stomach for another round of war but just wants it all to finally end and let them live in peace again.

I'll just smile, nod and move on.

Let's just say that I disagree strongly. Stannis going to battle in a fight he can possibly win and getting defeated would be a far more dignified and suiting manner than him going out as a guy who has lost all touch with reality and effectively committ sucide-by-Others. That particular oath is not for kings to nullify.

I don't see how Jon can become a major player if Stannis isn't defeated and killed by the Boltons. If Stannis takes Winterfell and destroy House Bolton, then if the show's unifyingof Danaerys and Jon will take place, Jon will sit around at the Wall and do nothing while Stannis leads the way either against the Others or Lannisters. If Stannis is defeated however, then suddenly Jon becomes the main mover in the North and we already know that the Boltons, if Stannis is defeated, have their sights on Jon. Now it may be that Stannis and Jon can switch places through a really convoluted set of events, but that would make no sense to me and take away from the message on House Baratheon on how infighting and division leads to destruction, just as the Stark kids probably will come into a better position than either Lannister or Baratheon because they kept themselves on the same side and didn't turn on each other, despite both Baratheons and Lannisters having much better shots at becoming the top House than the Starks really had.

Sansa becoming the ruling queen of Westeros would be really, really cool and certainly an even better ending than what we got. Although I see no reason as to why the realm would fracture or why a "balance of power" as the one after Napoleon would be good or better than how it turned out in reality.

While many of the details will likely be different in the books, I think the main events and how they conspire to the end is pretty on when it comes to the show. So now the end is spoiled for us, but I can't wait to get on the journey leading us there. It sucks that the Lannisters were all killed and Danaerys went down, but it was a bittersweet ending that was beyond the traditional "and they lived happily ever after" so I am very happy with it and it has, as I've mentioned in other places as well, re-kindled my interest in Westeros and faith in GRRM.