The Sweet of the Bittersweet

[Shaggingdog]

GRRM has always said ASoIaF would have a bittersweet ending.  Seems all I usually read about here are theories at the "bitter" part.  But what will be "sweet" about the ending?  We know that our author admired Tolkien even as he took issue at the too literal good vs bad of LotR, but he seems to hark back to LotR when hinting - very vaguely - at how ADoS might end.  As with Tolkien, I don't think the sweet part of the end of ASoIaF will be the satisfaction of revenge.  Fulfilling that may be, but sweet - no.  For sweet I think it has to do with something good coming out of all the evil splashed across the books.  The defeat of the White Walkers or the death of whomever you may dislike - Cersei, Dany, Jon, the Starks, the Greyjoys, the Dragons, whoever -  will not, in my opinion, be the sweet part of the end.  So what?  That is my question to you.  In LotR I think the sweet came outwardly from the return of the peace of the king, but inwardly it was summed up in Sam Gamgee's last words: "Well, I'm back."

Of course, I feel I should answer my own question first.  I think there are only three, maybe four characters in ASoIaF that have a chance for some sweet, if imperfect, ending:  Sansa, Sam, and Tyrion with Brienne being a possible fourth.  Others may have a sweet ending in terms of a heroic ending (thinking Jon or Dany or Theon), but who would say Theoden in LotR had a sweet ending?    When I look at those four candidates the only sweet ending I can come up with is that Sansa and Tyrion renew their wedding vows and unite the kingdom with a dual rule.  And, perhaps, there is a child with a prediction of a great ruler.

I am more than happy to accept my take as being full of s**t.  What's yours?

 

[The Lord of the Crossing]

 

Sweet for me is the victory and long rule of Daenerys Targaryen over her enemies.  Some of the Freys should at least survive.  Two more of the Starks, preferably Jon and Sansa need expire.  All the dragons survive.  Greyworm, Marwyn, Barristan, and Jorah living would be truly sweet.  

[Adam Targaryen]

I still somehow half subconsciously believe in the theory/thing that the ending will be Jon and Arya both dying and warging into Ghost and Nymeria and then meeting and recognising each other as wolves and having a sweet reunion where they either rule Nymeria's pack together as the alpha couple or just live together the two of them, and also falling in love.

 

I think that this is the ending that GRRM had originally planned or something, or otherwise there was this huge thing or aspect that completely showed that this was going to be the ending, at least from the beginning.

 

But now I can't remember or find where I read it and what it was about. But anyway, that could be a sweet ending.

[Martyn Bull]

The sweet I guess is the realm returned to peace the Others beaten. Of the characters I quite agree with the OP on Sansa - she will probably finally understand that even "monsters" can be able to love. I agree that she actually falling in love with Tyrion and "remarrying" him is most likely. Sandor Clegane a runner up. I agree that Sansa's the one most likely to get most "sweet" of the major characters.

Jon Snow will probably be a great "hero" and finally be accepted and cherished by everyone, only top discover that all he wants to be is Jon Snow. He'll either return to the Wall to be LC of a new NW if that's needed, thus making sure the Targaryans die out, or he will travel north of the wall and live among the wildlings (he might also die). The sweet is that he succeeds, become a great hero etc, the bitter is that he no longer feels at home in Westeros and are able to cherish his "victory". (A lot of Frodo from LOTR here).

Danerys - most probably she will die, I'm quite certain she will not end up on the iron throne, if she survives, she'll also have to leave Westeros because she finally realises that she's no fit ruler, only a very good conquerer and that Westeros is better of without her. That would actually be very bittersweet (she can reach her goal of making Westeros a better place, but must abandon her dreams and ambitions of becoming a queen). But, I don't think she will survive.

Tyrion - I belive he will survive, possibly remarrying Sansa as said. He's also among the top candidates for the iron throne in my book. The sweet will be that he finally at least will be lord of Castelery Rock, and head of the Lannister family. The bitter part is that his entire close family will be dead, and he that will never be able to say to Tywin: "look, I'm actually quite good at this!".

Bran - Difficult. I think he will survive as "something" but if that's something that can have any bitter or sweetness to it, I'm not sure.

And yes, Sam is one of the characters who might have a quite sweet ending (again quite like Sam in LOTR). The bitterness will lie in that he "looses" Jon.

[Moiraine Sedai]

The deaths of the Starks and Jon would be sweet to me.