Who do YOU want to win the game of thrones?

[BabyMeraxes]

Sorcery.

[TheDemonBear]

Stannis is definitely the most deserving and best candidate. Unlike Dany he has made an effort for the throne, he is a proven leader, has a valid claim, least corruptible claimant to the throne.

Dany- unwilling to make difficult choices, irrational, hasn't made any effort to claim the iron throne, heavily inbred so prone to mental instability

Aegon- remains to be seen if he is a good candidate, so far better than dany, inbred so prone to mental instability

Tommen- Unlikely to live much longer, inbred so prone to mental instability, possibly a good ruler once cersei dies.

Euron- intelligent but evil. bad choice.

Roose Bolton- See Euron

[dreamcatcher]

I'd like to see Jon. I think he's shown he's the best ruler so far, he's grounded, he doesn't trust the red witch, he didn't kill his brother, and he actually has emotions.

[DoctorSwerve]

I would like to see Gendry on the Iron Throne so he can be the king his father should have been.

[Not_a_Lady_Brienne]

Stannis for King!

He's the only one doing good things for Westeros- protecting the Wall, restoring castles in the North to their proper owners. And he keeps kicking ass in battle (though admittedly with Jon's help sometimes). In the beginning, he was feared by some, but nobody liked him. Now, all the other other claimants have pretty much forgotten about him and nobody is taking him seriously. Their mistake!! It would be that much greater if he actually wins in the end.

[another bastard]

See, that's the thing: I specifically disagree that any one of these characters, all the products of great Houses, have even concieved of the idea that the current feudal order is a suboptimal form of government. And you would need all of them to institute such sweeping reform. Or, at least, an influential representative of each Great House, give or take.

I didn't say that any of them would have to conceive of the idea; I was presuming that potentially more innovative minds like Jon, Dany and Tyrion could do that. They would just have to accept or acquiesce to it. And for that, you'd just need to throw them in a room together and call it the first House of Lords. Explain to them that they're getting a voice in the government that will govern them - the whole point of representative government - rather than just loss of power (which few of them will have actually exercised yet), and why that's preferable to abject submission or armed rebellion (which few of them would be inclined to try again anyway). Enlightened self-interest. And if any do make trouble, I presume that Jon and/or Dany would have substantial armies to back them up, joined by the Lords and Ladies who do consent. It would probably only take a majority on board.

I don't see why this is so inconceivable in a fantasy series when it's happened in the real world. Anyway, gotta go.

EDIT: My previous wording was unintentionally ambiguous. I should have said that most of them would have pretty direct "experience" of the shortcomings of the old system, rather than "knowledge," which could be read to imply that they'd all independently figure out that the system itself was to blame.

[Timcom]

I want to see the Iron Throne melted down by Dragonfire and the position of the King abolished after all major claimants to the throne die in some way or another (quite possible given most of the serious contenders are either possibly dead or heading for battle). Instead, the remaining lords of a war-torn Westeros would surely agree after these tiresome succession wars that Lord Baelish should assume the position as Lord Protector of the Realm.

[Where Went Whent]

Lord Petyr Baelish would definitely emerge the victor either as the king of the vale or as a staunch supporter of Sansa Stark as Queen of the noth. Stannis will bend the knee and so will Tommen.

[devilrob6]

Stannis should be king! He'll bring justice and will end corruption. Also he probably has more experience as a leader as Dany, Jon, Robb, Aegon, Joffrey and Tommen combined.

But he should better start respecting The Seven and the Old Gods, or he'll will have little love from the people.

[NOc]

Davos is going to win

[The Meeraculous Third Reed]

I'd personally like to see Cersei on the Iron Throne. Tied up. As the throne room burns down around her.

See also Ramsay.

[Ajiey]

I started liking Stannis a lot in Dance of Dragons. especially how him and Jon Snow get on well. Either him or Aegon... as long as it isn't Dany or the Lannisters.

[Patchface12]

Aegon, even if he is a fake

[Noimporta]

At this point, I'll take anyone who isn't a teenaged fantasy hero.

[Net-Viper X]

I want to see Stannis get the throne and do a massive house cleaning of all the corrupt turds in Kings Landing that have been running the place into the ground for generations. Stannis is the only one of the possible contenders that actually cares more about the realm that he does about his own ambitions. When every other Lord ignored the letter from the wall to send aid, Stannis was the only one who answered, even abandoning his old seat of power to his enemies to do so. He seems to have no true ambition to possess the crown and would probably just a well turn it down if he could, but its his duty as next in line so for him there is no choice, he has to rule and try his best to do it well, like it or not. That seems to me like a person that would not let the power go to his head and would be fair and just.

While I think there is a chance Dany could be a good ruler I can't bring myself to support her in Westeros, she has never even seen Westeros, how can a person be entitled or fit to be Leader of a country they have never even set foot in. She doesn't know a thing about the people, culture, or the land itself, she doesn't even know who would support her or why. I don't mean to imply I think Dany is a bad person, quite the opposite, but she just thirsts for that power too much and it seems destabilizing to her. I could see the power going to her head after a while and turning her into another Mad King, especially considering the personal grudges she has against several prominent houses of Westeros.

If she must rule somewhere I think she should go back to the ruins of her peoples Valyrian homeland and rebuild the place to it original glory. That would be the true legitimate way to reestablish the Targaryan dynasty in a place where it belongs, and it would have no grievances or grudges attached to the place to fan the fire of madness in her. I think she could do a much better job ruling in this way, rather than trying to change a foreign peoples culture into something she can accept like she did in the slave cities, she would be creating her own perfect culture right there in old Valyria. Perhaps then all the old Targaryan exiles would come home and we could find out just who really is or isn't a secret Targ.

The others I don't really consider decent contenders for one reason or another.

Aside from the reasons mentioned above about Dany, the only other claimant Targaryan I know of is Aegon, and he kinda gave a bad vibe. I remember him acting very spoiled during a chess game, and a few other less obvious comments he made gave me that bratty entitled kid feeling about him. Not a good mindset for a ruler. If Jon is a Targ and was legitimized at some point I believe he could make a good ruler, but if he's as good a person as I believe him to be, then he would never give up his vows to the Nights Watch to take the throne. I don't buy into the whole death and resurrection thing getting him out of the vows, if he comes back to life then he's not dead, and if he's not dead then the vows still apply. I also really don't like the idea of Jon being a resurrectee, it just wouldn't be the same knowing he was sort of a zombie.

Greyjoys should have been wiped out decades ago as far as I'm concerned, I can't believe an entire culture of criminal reavers have been allowed to exist right off the coast like that and prosper to the point of building huge fleets to rebel against the King. Not a one of them would know the first thing about ruling a kingdom in a way that benifitted the people.

The Dornish seem to be rather detached from the kingdom and don't seem likely to know enough about the various peoples and cultures to hold it all together long term, though I admit there really isn't enough info given about them to have much of an idea about their ruling capabilities should they gain the throne.

Lannisters just want the throne for the power and prestige, and don't give a damn about the kingdom itself, same goes for the Tyrells. Some of them might be smart enough to rule but I don't think they would be fair and just enough for the job. Once I would have said Tyrion might make a good ruler, but after his transformation in book five he doesn't seem like so good a candidate.

And Robert Arryn, holy damn that would be Jeoffery all over again except he would be tossing people in catapults instead of shooting them with crossbows. "Make the bad man fly!" You know after they made all the bad men fly, some good men would have to take their place eventually to keep Robin from doing the floppy chicken and shitting himself. Might be damn funny to read about, but the people of Westeros wouldn't be laughing.

I hope I didn't miss anyone, that wall o' text is big enough to keep out the White Walkers. Sorry about that.

[Sylvan Fox]

I'm pulling for Stannis, though I think it will be Dany or some other Targ. Stannis is just awesome. He actually seems to give a crap about the realm, which is necessary going into this harsh new winter. Stannis might be a little harsh, but at this point I wouldn't consider it foul if he executed half the nobility. Their scheming and fighting on the verge of winter puts all of Westeros at risk.

I also think it would be cool if the North remained separate from the rest.

[Grumpy Midget]

Littlefinger or Davos. Screw those stuck-up nobles who thinks that they are the shit because of how old/famous their house/name is.

[Tumnas the Torpid]

Reznak mo Reznak, FTW!

[Arch-MaesterPhilip]

Stannis

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

I'm pulling for Stannis, though I think it will be Dany or some other Targ. Stannis is just awesome. He actually seems to give a crap about the realm, which is necessary going into this harsh new winter. Stannis might be a little harsh, but at this point I wouldn't consider it foul if he executed half the nobility. Their scheming and fighting on the verge of winter puts all of Westeros at risk.

I also think it would be cool if the North remained separate from the rest.

Well in all fairness, Stannis is sort of a Targaryen, too. He and Dany are second cousins and if it wasn't for her parents' incestuous marriage, they'd be the same "amount" of Targ. ;)