Predict a bittersweet ending.

[UnmaskedLurker]

The real question for me is whether the ending is bittersweet merely due to the sacrifices and death necessary to win the war--but for the survivors, everything is more or less resolved favorably (e.g., Winterfell back in arms of Starks, kingdom put back together under a unified leader--perhaps Jon, who reluctantly agrees to be the "compromise" candidate after leading and winning the war). OR is the story bittersweet because much is left in shambles and unresolved--and while the immediate danger is beat back (sweet) no one is left in particularly good shape with the kingdom in shambles and everything burned to the ground and no clear way forward in sight (bitter).

So predicting specifically what will be bittersweet is way too hard. More interesting is to try to figure out what type of bittersweet does GRRM mean.

[PrettyPig]

Sweet: Order will be restored, but at great personal cost to many.

Bitter: Houses Stark and Targaryen, and the ancient magics that accompany their houses, will cease to exist, and their names will continue only in legend, lore, and song.

[SeanF]

The real question for me is whether the ending is bittersweet merely due to the sacrifices and death necessary to win the war--but for the survivors, everything is more or less resolved favorably (e.g., Winterfell back in arms of Starks, kingdom put back together under a unified leader--perhaps Jon, who reluctantly agrees to be the "compromise" candidate after leading and winning the war). OR is the story bittersweet because much is left in shambles and unresolved--and while the immediate danger is beat back (sweet) no one is left in particularly good shape with the kingdom in shambles and everything burned to the ground and no clear way forward in sight (bitter).

So predicting specifically what will be bittersweet is way too hard. More interesting is to try to figure out what type of bittersweet does GRRM mean.

If GRRM follows his intention of using LOTR as his model, then there will be elements of both.

On the one hand, at the overall level, lots of people have been killed in the fight against Sauron; the Elves are leaving Middle Earth, non-human races are gradually doomed to die out. But, Sauron has been utterly destroyed.

At the more personal level, Frodo was completely broken by his experiences. He's leaving his friends for ever, and Aragorn and Arwen didn't get a happy ending together.

[B-rad]

Ok here is my super complex theory on how the series will end bittersweet.

The main guideline I use as sort of a backbone for my theory, and the guideline is GRRM's tendency to favor the rejects of this world. The rejects consist of Jon who lived as nothing more then a living representation of the most honorable man in the world's mistake, Dany who lived started out as a slave living to make her brother more powerful, Ser Barristan who is considered one of the greatest warriors in the world but is very old and has spent his life serving terrible kings, Tyrion a dwarf who shouldn't even be alive, Robin Arryn who is a sickly little boy who should be dead already like Tyrion, Theon Greyjoy, who's suppose to be a fearless hard man but has spent most of his life with truly good people while being told he's nothing more then a prisoner, Jaime who became a reject by losing his hand, Loras who is a shining knight but is also homosexual, and Brienne who is woman that is very unattractive but a fierce warrior and manny more. Shinning characters like Rob Stark, Raegar Targaryen, and Kal Drogo were killed off because they weren't rejects they were the ones who were suppose to beat the odds and defeat their enemies but they didn't. So I believe that the ultimate plan is to have the rejects win.

Jon turns out not to be Raegar and Lyannas son (no white hair, no dreams of dragons, and Aemon Targaryan never even considered Jon to be a Targaryan: if Jon was Aemon would've figured it out blind or not) but instead Jon is the son of Brandon Stark and Ashara Dayne, this way there can be the irony of Rob being more handsome and fearsome then Jon when Brandon was considered more handsome and fearsome then Ned, also it would allow Jon to as George Martin said become the new sword of the morning and AA ( not the prince that was promised they're separate things and Jon is not a targaryan). And why Ned wouldn't tell anyone would be to save the honor of his older brother and the woman he loved. That being said though I do still believe Raegar and Lyanna had a child but instead of Ned raising him/ her it would be Howland Reed in the secretive swamps where Robert would have no idea the Targaryan exists (Ned couldn't of raised him/ her because he/ her would have white hair and people would know he/ her was a Targaryan. So once Jon is saved from his wounds from whatever way ( most likely the sacrifice of sweet Shireen by the red woman) a small force of white walkers attack the wall with the person saving them being none other then Benjen Stark. Not long after individuals from house Dayne come to tell Jon the truth about his parent while giving him the sword of the morning because of his bravery he displayed with the raid on the wall and how he has become Lord commander of the nights watch. Jon knowing they need more help on the wall names Benjen Lord Commander while he goes and finds whoever he can to help fight the incoming white rider and the hell that follows them (hell being winter and white riders white walkers). Meanwhile Stannis has defeated the Boltons down south and has increased his forces with the Northeners. While traveling south he runs into Gendry who he immediately recognizes as Roberts bastard who he names his son and legitimizes to help strengthen his claim. In the Riverlands Blackfish and Cat reach out to Littlefinger to send troops from the Vale to help them takeover the Riverlands for the Tully's (not Edmure though he's an idiot). While this is happening Cat has Jamie travel to the Vale in secret to get Sansa and the has orders Brienne to go to Braavos to save Arya (who she heard was in Braavos from Little Finger because he has been keeping track of Arya but didn't tell anyone in case Sansa dies Arya would be the second choice or the Lysa Arryn).

Theon was kept alive by Stannis because he revealed that Bran and Rickon are alive and he swore fealty to Stannis and that he would get the iron born to serve him. The on ends up unexpectedly regain his health and become strong. When Asha has left with Ironborn from the North and from the Iron islands to attack the Reach while Euron remains at Pyke. While Aeron Greyjoy returns to Pyke with a giant kraken to fight Euron. Euron and what soldiers are left on the Iron islands but is unsuccessful. Then Theon arrives right on time with his strength somewhat regained and his archery skills sharpened once again. He defeats the kraken by shooting right in the eye. The iron born name Theon King of the iron islands for this and Euron escapes.

Stannis begins his conquest of the Riverlands while Blackfish begins his as well and the Freys get their comeback by being caught in the crossfire, and with the Lannister forces being pulled out in case Aegon's conquest becomes a bigger deal then people first thought leaving the Freys almost helpless and getting what they deserve. In the Vale as time progresses in the books I believe the lords of the Vale are sort of going to be like the Victorians, appearing dignified and proper but doing creepy things when no one is looking, like Lord Royce molesting little Robin after getting drunk at Sansa and Harry's wedding and Little Finger having Sansa become the Lady of the Vale by her being married to Harry the heir then having Sansa kill him. Lord Royce then hoping Robin doesn't tell the whole world he's a creep makes a deal with Little Finger to have Robin killed in exchange for support. But Robin runs to Sansa who has become like a mother to him and Sansa defies Littlefinger and runs off with little Robin after Baelish attempts to rape Sansa in his rage at her defiance. Littlefinger and soldiers try looking for Sansa and Robin but when they find them, Jaime is there to save them and help prove he is becoming a true knight by defending the weak, and he reminds Littlefinger that he is just a little man like Brandon Stark had reminded him, then Jaime kills him.

Rickon has also been retrieved by Davos and Davis was able to convince them that the Skagosi should fight for Stannis. Davos also raises Rickon a little bit so he becomes more like his father Ned.

In Kingslanding Cersei has her trial by combat where the person who decides to fight Ser Robert the strong is the Hound (who has been revived in a similar manner as his brother). The two brothers kill each other in the battle with Robert winning but the hound revealing the Knight is not a human which causes the lockup of Cersei and the takeover of the Tyrells. Down south Aegon is proving to be like the man he was named after and is conquering Westeros rather nicely with the Martells allying with him and manny Stormland lords also supporting him. When he reaches Kingslanding the Faith militant and Tyrells practically hand him the crown. But this is where things get real trippy. When Aegon meets Cersei while Mercylla and Tommen are there in the throne room, Aegon orders both of the children to be killed right in front of Cersei showing that Aegon was the brother Maggy the Frog had prophesied, (making sense because it was prophesied in Valyrian and Aegon is Valyrain, and Argon is a younger brother). This of course destroys Cersei and shocks about everyone including the know it all Varys and Aegon orders Cersei to be locked away. While Cersei rots away in her cell with the thought of her children dead on the ground and the remorse she feels for all of the horror she has done, making her even think she should've listened to Ned Stark, she looks up one last time at the most beautiful Queen she has ever seen who then takes off her face to reveal she is Arya the Queen of assassins who then swiftly ends Cersei's life (which fullfills the prophecy of Cersei being defeated by a younger and more beatiful Queen). While Arya's in town she also kills Ilyn Payne, Ser Maryn Trant and Qyburn (her actual target because of how he was pissing the God of Death off by bringing people back to life).

After Arya kills Qyburn she returns to Braavos to receive her new target, Lady Stoneheart (I know the assassins aren't allowed to kill people they know but I don't think they know Lady Stoneheart is Cat, instead all they know is that their is some undead bitch causing a lot of trouble that needs to be taken care of by Arya) before she leaves though Brienne finds Arya and tells her to come with her but she doesn't and instead of Brienne forcing her she pledges her fealty to Dany and tells Arya her mother and siblings are alive in the Riverlands. Since Arya is going to the Riverlands anyway she might as well visit her once again only to learn her target is her mother. She then with tears in her eyes kills her mother and leaves to continue being an assassin and finish her list.

To the East Tyrion has proven that he is a Targaryan (with their being a lot of evidence for this including how he was considered almost white haired in the beginning of the series and how the timing works for Areys to have slept with Joanna causing Tyrion to be born and he being the punishment on Joanna for cheating on Tywin because of Geroge Martin's history of having his series feel like a Greek tragedy and he would be Areys revenge on Tywin by Tyrion being the one to kill Tywin, and it would be super ironic because it would mean Jaime killed Tyrion's father and Tyrion killed Jamie's father). Tyrion is also the true dragon Moqorro had predicted.

In addition I believe Moqqorro will revive Quentyn. How? By using the silent woman Eyron gave to Vicatarion who is actually a Blackfyre (no one else would know but Euron because his whole crew and the woman are mute) Moqorro would sacrifice the girl to revive Quentyn who is the mummer dragon Dany foresaw. Why would Wuron give this woman to Victarion? So a new dragon can rise in the east and and tear apart Westeros while he completes his other plans. Why I think Quentyn will be revived? Martin at this point had only had very important characters be a POV except for people with epilogues, prologuew, or just characters with one chapter so I belived Quentyn isn't done. Other evidence, Bran had a dream about three shadows, one with the face of a hound, one with armor like the sun, and one who was huge and headless. It can be easily deduced that the first one is the Hound, the second one can be seen as Martell because of the Sun representing their house, and the third one is obviously the mountain. So what would these three individuals have in common? Well Sandor and Gregor are brothers but a Martell being included doesn't really make sense, unless shadow means undead. This would make sense because we already know that Ser Robert is pretty much just a revived Ser Gregor, the only way the Hound can come back is if he somehow became undead (which could be done by Thoros of Myr who probably isn't that far away), and of Quentyn was revived then he would be the shining shadow. As a result of his resurrection he would also become more handsome as Bran described this shadow, more fearsome, and he would now officially have dragon's blood allowing him to have a claim on the throne but I will get to that later.

Now here's where things get real tricky, the forgings of Lightbringer are the representations of the three heads of the dragon, the dragon of the West (Tyrion) being the first forge which was destroyed by water which I believe means Tyrion will be killed by Marwyn who will turn out to be the son of Bloodraven and Shiera Seastar (evidence: Bloodraven and Shiera are the only two other individuals who are commonly thought of as having magic powers, the timing works, and while Marwyn doesn't seem to look like his father with huge hands and a fat belly, those are descriptions that match his grandfather Aegon the unworthy). Marwyn would represent water by his surname being being inherited from his father which would be Rivers, also almost all of Tyrion's close to death encounters have involved water, (his father saying how he wanted to throw him into the ocean, his near death at the battle of Blackwater, and him nearly drowning before he was saved by Jon Connington).

How this happens? Tyrion rules over the Eastern Essos empire in Braavos who has allied with Dany. While Tyrion is in Braavos, Dany eventually comes to see how things are going. She learns Quentyn lives and has left with Viserion, Victarion and his fleet (dumb Victarion is instructed by Moqorro to serve Quentyn), and Quentyn's plan is to rule over Dorne like has father had told him to do but I'll get back to this later. Meanwhile in Braavos Brien finds Dany and falls in love with who she is and pledges her service to her (because house Targaryan is the only house of the big four she has not served yet and because she's a loyalty whore) right after finding Arya and telling her about her family in Riverun. Dany leaves Tyrion in charge only half trusting him, so she can conquer the Yi Ti empire that the Dothraki were prophesied to conquer (because it was a Mongol (who are commonly associated with the Yi Ti), belief that they would unite China which in this series are the Yi Ti). While this is happening Euron has become the champion of the Asshai who are determined to save the world by burning it to the ground (GRRM did say their wasn't a strict a good or bad side so I think the Asshai will be defeated by the Dany, also it Jorah had said in the first book how the Dothraki believed the end of the world would come from Asshai).

Now the Marwyn conspiracy. When Marwyn was born he was never able to see his father because he was sent to the wall by the Targaryens. Vowing revenge for this Marwyn conspires with the faceless men who have always wanted to put an end to the Targaryen dynasty because a long time ago they were slaves to old Valyria. So Marwyn becomes archmaester and has the maesters conspire with their lords such as Rickard Stark to marry with southern families to overthrow the Targaryens. While this is occuring the faceless men are killing off other Targaryen suitors (how else would Areys and his family be the last of the Targaryens plus it mentioned in the books how the other Targaryen's mysteriously died). And once Robert wins Marwyn and the faceless men are successful and they have their revenge. They don't even finish off Damy and Viserion because they have become nothing but beggars. Now however new Targaryens are rising such as Aegon, Dany, and Tyrion. So Marwyn decides he will raise a Red dragon of his own that matches his teeth to defeat the remaining Targaryens starting with Tyrion in Braavos. They get the egg from Euron who used it to pay an assassin to kill Balon, and Marwyn has the dragon raised by the faceless men in Braavos.

Once the dragon is at its max power, Marwyn will arrive, like he had told Sam when he said he was going to advice Dany (really his plan is to kill her), but when he arrives at Braavos and discover she is not there but the dragon riding Tyrion Targaryen is, he rides the dragon to battle Tyrion (who is riding Raegal). This will be Tyrion's final battle against magic with his first one being against Stannis who was using magic to try and become king. Tyrion will defeat Marwyn but Marwyn also kills Tyrion. Thus having the first forging of the sword destroyed by water, and having a bitter sweet ending for our beloved dwarf.

The next forging of the sword was driven into the heart of a lion which caused it to shatter. The second forging represents the dragon of the south (Aegon). Aegon has married Arianne and stolen the Iron throne and he has also married Margery because of a history of poligamy with Targaryans. Quentyn has returned and is a threat to Aregon, he now actually has dragon blood from the Blackfyre woman giving him a strong claim on the throne because people are still not convinced that Aegon should be the king. Quentyn also has a dragon that he rides which gives evidence that he's now a dragon (even if he's a mummer dragon)and Voctarion's fleet of Iron born also are serving him. Quentyn's return causes civil war in Dorne and throughout the South of Westeros. An unlikely strong ally of Quentyn though is Jaime who has delivered Sansa to Lady Stoneheart and has taken over house Lannister (because it's his duty and because he was un knighted by Aegon). A bloody civil war occurs in the south with Arianne eventually killing Margery (because bitches be cray) Quentyn dies and Viserion flees to the North. And Jaime kills Aegon and takes the iron throne.

Another piece of evidence on why this war may occur is because of Oberyn. Oberyn had the wish getting revenge on Tywin and the Mountain and he got revenge on both but it cost him his life. I believe Doran is going to suffer a similar fate because what he wanted was for his daughter to marry a Targ and for Quentyn to fullfill his duty. He gets both but it causes his kingdom to be torn apart by civil war and for his children to fight bitterly for power.

This war would also be the cyvasse game between Illyrio and Varys, Varys supporting Aegon and Illyrio supporting Quentyn. Both individuals in the end lose though and Varys will may very well kill himself once he sees the horros Aegon commits while also watching his plan fall apart. Illyrio will most likely just support Dany after Quentyn is killed and mummer dragon is gone.

The third and final forging of the sword caused AA's (Raegar who Is reborn as his buddy's nephew Jon) love to die (Lyanna). The result is the third sword representing the dragon of the North (Lyanna and Raegar's son/ daughter who has been hiding with Howland Reed). If your wondering why their isn't a dragon of the East it's because all dragons came from the east originally. Stannis with his adopted son Gendry after defeating the Boltons goes to the Cragnomen to see if they would support him but instead he finds out Howland Reed has been raising the true heir to the throne. The Reed's give their support to Stannis only if he agrees to put Raegar's child on the throne (or marry Gendry who has been made a Baratheon). Stannis only wanted to be king because he felt like he had to to save the world but he comes to an agreement with Howland and begins his campaign in the Riverlands. Stannis eventually meets with Blackfish and they are about ready to fight each other when Jon comes in and tell them they need to go North to fight the White Walkers (fulfilling the Royne prophecy of a mystery hero who convinces the Old man of the river: Blackfish and the crab king: Stannis to fight to make peace and go North to save the world.

Dany defeats the Yi Ti empire (also fights them because they have slavery) and who's left of the Empire allies with her. Euron then gives Dany a proper proposal saying they would burn the world together and in response Dany gathers all of her forces to fight the Asshai (including the Yi Ti which would also fulfill the Yi Ti prophecy of the world being saved by a woman with a monkey's tail the woman being Dany and the monkey's tail being he Yi Ti who are commonly associated with a monkey tail. She comes up victorious and Ser Barristan and Brien live but Jorah saves Dany by giving his life and he dies in her arms. Euron also rides an Asshai dragon against Dany and Drogon but is ultimately defeated. This would be the fire story line of the song of ice and fire but instead of ice fighting fire that everyone thought would happen fire fought fire. Dany then creates a new Valyrian empire that spans over all of Essos and Dany never returns to Weteros but proves she was the Princess that was promised by bringing peace to the continent.

In the North Jon and leads all of the heroes against the white walkers and from the farther North Bran has warged into an Ice dragon and is leading the children south to fight the White walker army. During the fighting Viserion flies in and Raegor's son/ daughter fullfills their destiny as a Targaryan and rides Viserion to melt the wall and causing boiling water to pour on the enemy. Jon then goes to negotiate with the Night king who (this may be stretch) turns out to be Waymor Royce (the night's watch member from the prologue who was turned into a wight). They do not come to terms of peace but Jon has an epic fight with him using Dawn. All of the soldiers of man begin their fight with the white walkers again and Jon ends up slaying the Night's King and saving the world.

Conclusion: After the war in the North Stannis takes Storms end and rules the Stormlands which is what he really wanted all along and has Gendry be his heir and he marries either Sansa or Arya to fulfill Roberts wish of having his house join Ned's. Arianne rules Dorne like she always wanted after Doran dies after watching his home torn apart by war, and the Sand Snakes that are left alive also help restore Dorne. The Reach has been torn apart by iron born and dragons and is ruled by Loras who is the only surviving member of the Tyrells. The Iron islands are ruled by Theon and he finds a bastard son of his that he raises as his heir. Jaime steps down from the iron throne and rules the Westerlands like his father wanted and takes a proper wife (who knows who). Blackfish rules the Riverlands because all the Freys are dead along with Edmure. The Vale is ruled by Robin Arryn who like Littlefinger had said proves to rise up from being a sickly little boy to becoming a strong man who continues on the Arryn name. Rickon becomes lord of Winterfell and is raised by Davos and Osha to become a good man like his father. The children allow Bran to walk again and he gets to live his dream of being a knight and he becomes a member of the kinsguard/ dragon rider. If Raegar's child turns out to be a boy he sits on the iron throne and marries either Sansa, or Val and begins a Stark/ Targaryen dynasty while Jon declares himself king in the North which would consist of the North, lands beyond the wall (the wall is gone now though), the Riverlands, the Vale and the iron islands. If Raegar's child turns out to be a girl then she will most likely marry Jon and they will rule all of the seven kingdoms together with Sam being the Grand Maester and Benjen would be the hand of the King (there would no longer be a night's watch).

So this is my bitter sweet ending. Bitter because of the deaths of beloved characters like Jorah and Tyrion, but sweet with the Starks having power in the end and the return of the Targaryen dynasty.

And finally to clarify what Moqorro said, the old dragon is Aemon, the young dragon is Raegar's child, the true dragon is Tyrion and the false dragon is Quentyn/ the Blackfyre daughter, the dragon of light is Dany, and the dragon of Darkness is Aegon.

Please give me feed back on my theory and what you guys think.

I'm also going to continue editing this post as I learn and theorize other aspects of what is to come.

[Mithras]

Sweet: Order will be restored, but at great personal cost to many.

I think this is the bitter part. I think the Realm will be united under King Jon, a title he does not want but will have to take to do his foremost duty, i.e. to protect the Realm of Men. However, the Realm will be bankrupt and devastated. Jon will have no joy in this duty. He might suffer droughts, plagues etc. that once hit Aerys I and be blamed for everything that might go bad.

Bitter: Houses Stark and Targaryen, and the ancient magics that accompany their houses, will cease to exist, and their names will continue only in legend, lore, and song.

After TWOIAF, I call this ending sweet. Magic should go. Dragons should be extinct.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

I'll be too old to read... but my grandchildren will read it for me.

[jon rhaegar stark]

I'll be too old to read... but my grandchildren will read it for me.

well i hope i will be alive and have my senses to hear when my grandchildren read it to me

[OmnomnomPomelo]

Melisandre becomes the Nissa Nissa of Jon Snow. In the final fight between the Night's Watch and the Others Coldhands leads an attack, but cut down by Jon. Coldhands reveales he's Benjen, and this will "wake the dragon". Bloodraven (since the warg power of Bran is stronger than his) traps Bran into warging an undead- or icedragon and/or the giants who rest in the earth (thus Bran becomes the Horn of Winter) to attack the Night's Watch. The Others aren't evil, they are the embodyings of the old gods and want their bloodsacrifices and stuffs, thus Jon decides to be an Other with what he satisfies the old gods. Bran turns against Bloodraven turning him to be totally part of the weirwood, and a red leaf grows on the weirwood of Raventree.

Stannis wins battles against Roose, but the war is not one-sided. There are tunnels under the North and the Others/wights used them to pass the Wall, thus Stannis dies against them. Then Davos and Rickon arrive with the Skags and their obsidian weapons and save the day, defeating the Others and Boltons. Rickon hangs the alive Lords and Ladies to the weirwood of Winterfell by their entrails and becomes a "second coming" of Theon Stark the Hungry Wolf. Among the Lords only Roose survives by using someone's skin as a cape in what he travels to Essos to found a sellsword company and plan his return to the North. Mance wrote the "bastard letter" and made an "alliance" with Ramsay, but the wights appear in Winterfell from the tunnels and while fight them Ramsay tries to kill Mance, but fails, and then Mance starts to flay him alive. Then he'll hand over to Rickon who gives him to Theon for future torture as payback, but Theon simply cuts Ramsay's throat.

Sansa tells the truth about herself and Littlefinger's actions to Yohn Royce and make a plan to get rid of Littlefinger. For example they took Lyn Corbray into the plan, who kidnaps and brings Sweetrobin back up into the Eyrie. When Yohn gets into the Eyrie, Lyn pushed Robert out of the Moon's Door, thus Littlefinger can marry "Alayne" to Harry. Every Lords gather to the wedding, but it turns to be the execution of Littlefinger, showing that Robert is not dead and Lyn is not in prison. Then Sansa sends Littlefinger's head to King's Landing with a letter about the actions he did, for example work with Olenna to kill Joffrey. Then the army of the Vale gather under Sansa Stark's flag, flow into the Riverlands where the houses join them against the Freys and crown Sansa the Queen of the Riverlands. She claims the North coz Ned' "last" living child and the Westerlands coz Tyrion's wife who is innocent in killing Joffrey, and Sansa makes the cursed Harrenhal her seat. Then meet with Aegon who wanna make alliance with her, and they fall in love with each other, but Aegon suddenly dies. Rickon returns and Sansa can't claim the North. A member of house Lannister (like Daven) takes over Casterly-Rock. So the curse of Harrenhal more and more engulfs Sansa.

Arya gets a mission as a Faceless Man to travel to Westeros and kill a "dragon", let's say Aegon. After finishing the job, the wolfblood takes over her and decides to finish her death list. Thus she becomes a betrayal to the Faceless Men and hunt her till they kill her.

The defenders of Storm's End have Edric Storm inside. They are ready to swear featly to Aegon if he legitimizes Edric and gives him the Stormlands. Thus the Stormlords join Aegon against the Reach. Aegon wants to fight and lead the attack in the Reach, but Jon Connington is more cautious so Aegon orders him to stay in Storm's End. After Aegon's leaving Arianne arrives to Storm's End, and tries to win Jon for herself, but they got a message about Dany arrived to Sunspear and Dragonstone.

Euron sacks Highgarden and kills Willas. Then the Golden Company and Stormlords come from East, and the Redwyne fleet wants to close the Mander. So during the fight against Aegon, Euron decides to leave until he can. Aegon takes over Highgarden and give lands to the Golden Company's leaders, like Harry Strickland. Olenna talks with Aegon, then makes Garlan to swear featly to Aegon and name himself the Lord of Highgarden giving a shit about Mace. Thus the Tyrell on the side both of Aegon and Tommen. Aegon wants to attack King's Landing, but Dany arrived, so he hesitates.

Meereen wins the war. Skahaz and the Green Grace are the leaders of the Sons of the Harpy. Either Daario finds this out in the enemy camp where he was held captive and wanna kill Skahaz but he has to face Skahaz and some Brazen Beasts, or Skahaz wanna backstab Barristan with himself+6 Brazen Beasts (which makes Barry feel like he fights against the Seven), but either way both Daario/Barry and Skahaz die. Drogon burns a part of the Dothraki Sea, thus Dany leads khal Jhaqo to Slaver's Bay. The Dothraki destroy the Ghiscars and the dragons destroy the pyramids. Victarion will stay alive after blowing the Valyrian horn, and Tyrion becomes dragonrider. Dany will learn about the dragons, Asshai and pophecies from Marwyn and Moqorro. At the end they arrive to Sunspear, Dorne, but before meet with Aurane Waters who swears featly to Dany and invade Dragonstone and the Blackwater Bay. If Barry is alive then he dies now in a duel against JonConn which decides the fate of Storm's End coz Dany wants to hold it. Dany goes to the Reach to meet Aegon, Aegon becomes the 3rd dragonrider and they wanna subdue Oldtown, but Leyton Hightower comes down from the Hightower to kill the dragons with weirwood, he can damage one of them but dies and Oldtown surrenders. Then they meet Gerold Dayne who's pillaging the Reach, and they goes to High Hermitage (or Starfall) to treat the damaged dragon and we will know more about the Daynes.

Tyrion goes to Casterly-Rock on dragonback and meets his cousin Daven. Tyrions says he doesn't care about Casterly-Rock, he wanna be on the winner's side and be close to the ultimate winner and an army would help him, thus he makes Daven the heir of Casterly-Rock and Daven gathers the western army for him in exchange, and he plans to seize Riverrun as a dowry for his wife Sansa. But Tyrion himself goes to the Wall and participate in the war against the Others, where his dragon dies.

In King's Landing both Myrcella and Tommen die. Nymeria becomes a "friend" of both Cersei and Margaery and turns them more against each other. So before both queens won their trials, but in the chaos made after Tommen's death Robert Strong's helmet will go down showing he's Gregor Clegane,which makes more chaos. Cersei starts to lose her mind and sets King's Landing on fire just when Dany attacks with Drogon. Jaime, seeing how desperate and pathetic Cersei became, kills her thus become the valonqar. Then he sits onto the Iron Throne and realizes how he fucked up everything and says his last words somethig like: "I shouldn't have stand up from there when Ned Stark broke the gates" and fire engulfs him. Also before he killed Brienne and Cat let him live and leave.

Dany is pregnant for months when arrives near to Dorne, so after burning King's Landing she goes to Dragonstone when gives birth to a boy and a girl, but dies during childbirth. She had affairs with more men at this time (Daario, Victarion, Gerold Dayne) so nobody knows who's the father. Thus Dany died, Aegon (who turned out to be a Blackfyre) died, Tyrion's dragon died, King's Landing is burned with a lot of people too. The remaining army of the Reach is big enough to take over power, but there will be a 3 way war between the Reach, the Westerlands and Dorne. Euron takes over a living dragon, but then killed by the bare hands of Victarion, who dies too when the earth starts trembling and Pyke falls into the sea.

[ambi76]

... ruled by Loras who is the only surviving member of the Tyrells.

I too have this horror-vision sometimes (GRRM is an absolute fucker). Poor Loras will need to have a brazillion kids in the end to make the rose bloom again. Ugh. ("There is no need for a third son to wed and breed." No need you say? *GRRMTrollface*)

[SnowHeart]

I like the idea of the series ending with someone thinking/reciting the nights watch vow, to make the point that the battle against darkness will always go on despite the victories, tragedies and sacrifices of the series.

[m'lady Melisandre]

The Ice Walkers are ready to strike.

Lots of 'main characters' die.

The book ends without the war being fought, and the prospect of more character dying.

Bran dreams of a very far future in which some family, maybe some stark descendant by a non-male line, lives in Winterfell. The so called dream of spring.

End of the book.

[Ser Greenseer]

Bitter-

Jon dead

Dany dead

Tyrion dead

Stannis dead

Bitter sweet-

Stark Siblings together again mourning the deaths of Ned, Catelyn, Robb, Jon

Jaime exiled

Theon gets mercy killed in house of black and white

Sweet-

White Walkers defeated

Littlefinger dead

Varys dead

Cersei dead

Boltons dead

Kingdoms split up and Iron throne destroyed

[Lointain]

Sweet:

Mankind survives and is signed an "Eternal Pact of Peace" between us, the Children and the Others.

Bitter:

All the land, from the Land of Always Winter till Moat Cailin is given to the Children and the Others.

[michiel deprez]

Just some random ideas

It will end with the rebirth of dragons,more than three, martin has been keeping the secret to hatching a dragon away from us for a reason. (And it would be a hughe bummer to have three dragons after 150 years only to kill them of, but maybe that's what he means with bittersweet ?) House stark will be back at winterfell thanks to the foolish actions of the frey's and ramsey and the strong loyalty of the northern houses to the starks. House baratheon is fucked, maybe edric will become a lord, carrying on the baratheon line but that is unlikely ( why would anybody put a baratheon (bastard) to great power after all the misery house baratheon has brought to westeros. Stannis has lost storm's end and dragonstone the moment he went to the wall. If edric would become a lord, no would-be king or queen would give storm's end or dragonstone to a bastard, rather to a loyal bannermen.

Cersei isn't gonna maje it, neither are her kids,house lannister could lose a great big deal when the faith discovers what crimes cersei did, and with robert strong the high sparrow will be even more pisted, and the high sparrow is the voice of an army of sparrows, an army ironicly cersei had made. They might lose their power of the west, or they might lose it all.

The Others will never make it any farther then the neck, why ? Bran or dragons or mell maybe, jon can't do it alone.

And one last thing I'm pretty certain of is Magic, magic will come to westeros through dragons or marwyn or r'hollor, but as the faith militant will become an important factor, I also think it might be the start of a slow down-fall of the faith, I don't say that at the end their will be no faith anymore, rather that it will crumble, make place for other, more magic tolerant religions.

Thanks everyone, happy newyear if you see it in time :)

[B-rad]

Please someone read my theory and tell me if it might have a little merit I would really appreciate it.

[Biter the Gallant]

It will turn out that Sweetrobin is actually Bittersteel's secret descendant through Petyr, and his real name is Bittersweet Robin. And when Drogon swallows him,that will be Bittersweet ending.

(Yes, I am quite tired :-) )

[Warrewal Halfaxe]

Having defeated their enemies and taken back their homeland, the Others found themselves without females to repopulate the frozen lands

[Rippounet]

Let's bear in mind that GRRM was talking about a bittersweet ending "à-la-LOTR".

So:

- Evil is defeated --> I guess here, it'll have to be the Others

- Order is restored. --> I guess a Targaryan on the Iron Throne and a Stark in WInterfell.

- Many good guys die (some anonymous, some less so), and many survivors find the cost of victory rather high. --> Hard to predict. Many of the protagonists have already suffered a lot. The Starks have lost their parents, Dany will never go back to her quiet life (and will likely lose Daario), Jaime has lost Cersei (who's good as dead) and will never redeem himself, Stannis will lose his daughter, Jon has lost Ygritte, Theon his d***, Davos 4 of his sons, Tyrion lost... Everything, really.

So in short, even if everything went right from now on (which it won't), the ending would already be bittersweet. But since this is GRRM, I would say at least one of the more popular characters die. The most likely candidates are Arya and Tyrion, because of the horrible stuff they did or will do.

I don't think it will be too bitter though. Less than people might expect at any rate. I think this is a very good prediction:

People get what they desire, and realise it wasn't worth what it cost them, and those dear to them.

Dany is a case in point, because deep in her heart she doesn't want the IT.

Jon is similar: he chose duty over love, and will regret it for the rest of his life.

Sansa will never find love. She has lost all illusions forever.

Arya's revenge will leave her empty and miserable. If she survives, she will probably never reunite with her siblings, because of what she has become.

I see only a handful of characters who might survive and have some sort of happy ending, because they don't desire much and will likely stay away from the spotlight:

- Davos. Though I expect Stannis to die, he will have a few sons left and might be able to go back to his wife.

- Sam. Unless he dies first. He might man up and put duty before Gilly, but Jon will probably tell him not to.

- Asha. Dunno why, but I don't see her dying.

Of course, that's assuming we ever get the last book. Because "bittersweet" would be having only the show ending...

Nice thread, op.

[myhousigilisthehousecat]

I think it's going to be a lot of characters getting what they really wanted, but then learning that it's not going to make their life magically perfect. Ex: the living Starks finally reuniting, but not really getting along in the same way because they have all changed so deeply, or returning to Winterfell, finding it in ruins, and facing the overwhelming job of rebuilding it.

[Pigeon Pie]

The bad guys die. The good guys die. Everybody dies.