Cersei as queen - how is she accepted by the realm?

[Lordsteve666]

So Cersei essentially exterminated all rivals and threats to her in Kings Landing, along with hundreds of poor bystanders who got caught in the explosion. 

Now im going to assume that Qyburns little sparrows have been out spreading word this is a terrible accident, a result of a forgotten wildfire stockpile going up. Otherwise there's no way the population would just roll over and accept her rule knowing she was to blame for that massacre. I imagine some form of Qyburn driven propaganda machine is in play to make it seem like she is free of blame. You'd have open rebellion and rioting on the streets if the people knew what she had a part in doing  

But....still there are some big problems. Tommen killed himself, why is nobody questioning this, plus he never got to the trial and was detained in the Red Keep. Cersei was on trial for crimes against the gods, and is now free to take the throne and nobody questions this either? 

I mean is she ruling as some tyrannical dictator now I assume, using her undead bodyguard to kill off and terrorise the opposition? I just seems a bit too convenient that she just walked in and took the throne, there must at least be some sort of rule of succession that must be followed. I can't see the population of Westeros just rolling over and accepting anyone as their new leader. 

[Targaryen loyalist]

Cersei now rules on the Crownlands and the Westerlands... The rest of the 7K are gone.

And the uber-army of Dany is coming...

[Chib]

Most of the realm will just ignore Cersei. Now they have a legitimate reason to rebel.

Do we know the status of Riverland? After Frey's death, Edmund Tully will come back as the ruler or what? If so he will support Sansa.

Sansa will come to the Vale and marry Robin. She will have both Vale and Riverland then. 

Jon... I still have doubt about him go South. I think he will just stay in the North and "I don't care about Vale or Riverlands or the lands in the South" etc, unless he has to go South to ask for more help against WW. I don't think Jon will gain more land or so. Maybe allies. 

Cersei's another chance might be a marriage Euron if he gives up on Dany. 

[Nakraal]

Cercei is done with the woman inside her. Its more possible she marries Sansa than Euron.

[Lord Varys]

We are talking the show here, remember?

Cersei is 'Queen Regnant' by the right of the same plot device Ramsay was 'Warden of the North'. There won't be any rebellions or uprisings against her, just as nobody rebelled against Ramsay.

If this is referenced at all (which I don't think it will) then they will play the accident card. Cersei and Tommen were delayed and thus escaped the catastrophe. Obviously the Seven punished the High Sparrow and his people of his presumptions and hubris. End of story.

If they are smart they could even have Cersei blame the whole thing on Dany and the Targaryens because it was Aerys who made and stored all that wildfire. Queen Cersei, the First of her Name, had nothing to do with all that. But I don't think they will do that, either.

[Lordsteve666]

Yeah I'd like it to play into the whole political side of things next season how she keeps the lid on that conspiracy but I suspect they'll just ignore it and carry on as if setting off the Westerosi equivalent of a nuke in the capital is normal behaviour. 

A key to her rule is obviously going to be terrifying the people into submission but the rest of the 7K will never accept it. I doubt even her own family will fully support her as she's clearly gone crazy and I'm fairly sure J knows what went down in KL, that look said it all. Means at least he can live up to his nickname though as a King(queen?)slayer, he'll be the one to kill Cersei in sure of it. It'll be the second time he saves KL from being burned. 

[steenkash]

Most likely everyone will disregard Cersei as the Queen of Westeros and support Danery's claim. Though the North will probably do a Northexit from Westeros and mind their own business. 

[Chib]

7 minutes ago, Lordsteve666 said:

A key to her rule is obviously going to be terrifying the people into submission but the rest of the 7K will never accept it. I doubt even her own family will fully support her as she's clearly gone crazy and I'm fairly sure J knows what went down in KL, that look said it all. Means at least he can live up to his nickname though as a King(queen?)slayer, he'll be the one to kill Cersei in sure of it. It'll be the second time he saves KL from being burned. 

2

Cersei technically does not have any family left except Jamie and Tyrion who obviously will not stand with her when she gets mad fully. 

[YoungGriff89]

"This is a show about dragons, ice zombies, people coming back from the dead, people who have physically demanding jobs staying fat, and you're worried about lines of succession and continuity that's been previously established?"  - the writers response.

[Gertrude]

Cersei took the throne because she could. It's the only thing she has now and she took it and plans to keep it through sheer, blind pant-shitting terror.

Do I think she can keep it? Hell no. I bet she doesn't even think she can keep it, but at least while she reins, she does things on her terms. No one telling her who to marry, no outside forces judging or constraining her. She can probably keep power in King's Landing through brute force and fear, but doubt she has any sway beyond that very small circle of influence.

[illinifan]

Just now, steenkash said:

Most likely everyone will disregard Cersei as the Queen of Westeros and support Danery's claim. Though the North will probably do a Northexit from Westeros and mind their own business. 

I am suspecting as much.  Jon isn't going to play politics in the South.  He knows what happened to Robb and needs to prepare for winter.  The North is protected by Moat Caitlin and who knows what is up in the Riverlands.  Perhaps, the Starks or Tullys will gain control of the Twins.  LF is going to stick with the North because Sansa as Cat 2.0 is part of his plan.  

I would be interested what happens when evil Queen Cersei finds out about the Starks.  That will set her off.

[FireWinds]

What opposition? She's taken everyone out and taken the throne by force. 

Everyone would know she killed all those people, everyone is too scared to say anything or go against her, especially the common people that have absolutely no power and are probably scared for their own lives after that walk of shame business. Everyone else needs time to regroup after what has happened and need to form a plan. 

Just like history book after history book of tyrannical leaders that conquer lands and becoming their new leaders. They have no right nor claim to lead but they do anyway because they've wiped out anyone who says otherwise. 

[Dragonslack]

Writers justification? Good one! But its about internal consistency, all that shit about sucession, plots, etc. What she did was not playing the game, since literally everybody is her enemy now, she created more enemies not less. Its no red wedding, but a terrorist declaring war on everybody.

There is no spinning this and the undead monster would make everybody go bat shit crazy. There would be nobody in that throne room, they would kill her or run away. Why would the kings guard or the lannister army obey her?

And finally, the real ruler is qyborn.

[Rumy Stark]

53 minutes ago, FireWinds said:

What opposition? She's taken everyone out and taken the throne by force. 

Everyone would know she killed all those people, everyone is too scared to say anything or go against her, especially the common people that have absolutely no power and are probably scared for their own lives after that walk of shame business. Everyone else needs time to regroup after what has happened and need to form a plan. 

Just like history book after history book of tyrannical leaders that conquer lands and becoming their new leaders. They have no right nor claim to lead but they do anyway because they've wiped out anyone who says otherwise. 

Her opposition is the combined forces of Dany, Higharden, and Dorne, who are coming at her with a giant army and dragons at the moment. She has no support up north of KL as Jon just became King in the North with support from The Vale, and the Freys no longer hold the Riverlands, so basically.... she has mega opposition and no support. She won't hold the throne for long. 

[Fez]

The realm hasn't accepted her and won't accept her. The North is independent again, the Reach and Dorne are with Dany, the Vale will do whatever Littlefinger says, the Iron Islands are split between supporting Dany and doing whatever Euron wants, and the Riverlands are a war-ravaged mess.

At best, she has Kings Landing and the Crownlands (which she can rule with fear), the Westlands (if her family supports her), and the Stormlands (since there are seemingly no lords left there to organize an opposition). That's not exactly much support, she'll fall quickly.

[storm.131]

2 hours ago, Lordsteve666 said:

But....still there are some big problems. Tommen killed himself, why is nobody questioning this, plus he never got to the trial and was detained in the Red Keep. Cersei was on trial for crimes against the gods, and is now free to take the throne and nobody questions this either? 

I mean is she ruling as some tyrannical dictator now I assume, using her undead bodyguard to kill off and terrorise the opposition? I just seems a bit too convenient that she just walked in and took the throne, there must at least be some sort of rule of succession that must be followed. I can't see the population of Westeros just rolling over and accepting anyone as their new leader. 

These are exactly the problems I had with the storyline.  It was way too smooth and a "Ravenna kills Snow White's father and crowns herself queen" Disneyesque way to do it.

Also, the whole thing came across as if Cersei expected Tommen to kill himself partly because she wasn't with him in the lead up and then her reaction when seeing his dead body.  It did not come across as an impromptu decision because Tommen died and that completely contradicted her "fiercely devoted mother" character.

[It's ok I'm the Glass Guy]

I think she created a massive power vacuum, and then claimed the throne before all the dust settled. There is already a succession issue because Tommen had no clear heir. Add to that the deaths of the Small Counsel who normally would have overseen unclear succession issues via great counsels or what not. Cersei did a very thorough job of eliminating anyone in Kings Landing with the power to oppose her. Having Frankenstein by her side certainly helps keep lesser players hesitant to speak or act. 

However, I think the consequences will catch up with Cersei next season big time. We've seen glimpses of two major problems already heading her way in the Dorne/Olenna/Dany alliance and the look Jamie had when he saw what she'd done. She may try to pass the Sept off as an accident, but Olenna (and Jamie) knows better. Do other houses know the same, or does the Queen of Thorns know only because she's more clever than most? 

If whoever is in charge of Casterly Rock and the westlands knows about Cersei's sparrow roast will they back her? The Reach and Dorne, the Vale and the North are enemies without much hope of peaceful relations in future. That leaves the Riverlands, the Crownlands, and whatever's left of the Stormlands, right? Oh, and the Iron Islands, who aren't likely to aid Cersei unless she marries Euron, who would be a worse husband than Robert. 

I think Cersei's reign will be shorter than Tommen's. 

[adiman83]

2 hours ago, Targaryen loyalist said:

Cersei now rules on the Crownlands and the Westerlands... The rest of the 7K are gone.

And the uber-army of Dany is coming...

Technically she still has the Riverlands and the Stormlands. For now the situation is as follows:

- North: Jon

- Vale: want to be independent but I assume they now declared for Jon. The knights of the Vale were cheering "King in the North" as well. 

- Iron Islands: Euron

- Riverlands: Cersei, although that's debatable considering Walder Frey's death. 

- Stormlands (if they're still a thing): most likely Cersei

- Crownlands: Cersei

- Westerlands: Cersei

- Reach: Daenerys

- Dorne: Daenerys

 

But the situation will change quickly because, as you said, the Targaryen army is approaching. And in my personal opinion, she will lose the Westerlands because Kevan Lannister also died in the Sept.

[TheSerb]

Cersei basically only rules the Crownlands, the Stormlands and the Westerlands now, everyone else has rebelled to either Jon or Dany. She is able to claim the throne the same way Ramsay managed to convince the North he was the Warden: pure fear. Northerners wouldn't rebel against Ramsay because they knew he'd peel their skin right off if they failed. Same thing in King's Landing. Many people are probably terrified for their lives now, as you don't wanna fuck with a crazy person who bombs the whole sept and burns hundreds of people alive with wildfire because she was pissed off at them.

[Charles Stuart]

2 hours ago, Lordsteve666 said:

So Cersei essentially exterminated all rivals and threats to her in Kings Landing, along with hundreds of poor bystanders who got caught in the explosion. 

Now im going to assume that Qyburns little sparrows have been out spreading word this is a terrible accident, a result of a forgotten wildfire stockpile going up. Otherwise there's no way the population would just roll over and accept her rule knowing she was to blame for that massacre. I imagine some form of Qyburn driven propaganda machine is in play to make it seem like she is free of blame. You'd have open rebellion and rioting on the streets if the people knew what she had a part in doing  

But....still there are some big problems. Tommen killed himself, why is nobody questioning this, plus he never got to the trial and was detained in the Red Keep. Cersei was on trial for crimes against the gods, and is now free to take the throne and nobody questions this either? 

I mean is she ruling as some tyrannical dictator now I assume, using her undead bodyguard to kill off and terrorise the opposition? I just seems a bit too convenient that she just walked in and took the throne, there must at least be some sort of rule of succession that must be followed. I can't see the population of Westeros just rolling over and accepting anyone as their new leader. 

The general theory as far as I know is that some baratheon married into the lannister line 4 or so generations back with this branch being the sole remaining descendant of any baratheon line.So with no Tywin, tyrion or Jaimie around to be eligible, cersei becomes the sovereign.