[TWoW Spoilers] The Winds of Winter - OUR PREDICTIONS -

[Winter Wasnt That Bad]

I know this is slightly off topic but a couple have people above have speculated on Littlefinger's motives. The first law of power - never outshine the master. That means you let someone else sit on the throne and take all the trappings of kinghood while you stay behind the curtain pulling all the strings. I believe Littlefinger and Varys share this philosophy in ways, as they can't claim the throne by right, like Stannis, or by force, like Robert before him. Varys wants to accomplish this with secrets, Littlefinger with his skill with coin. All Varys wants is stability because every time the throne changes hands he's back to square one with a new king and new players at court, etc. The Targs are the best bet at stability, especially if they have dragons. Stability and peace are good for the realm, even if it is peace by superior firepower, so in truth he does serve the realm (titter).

Littlefinger is more complicated. He's been looked down on by Lords all his life. He might have even got Lysa Tully pregnant but the child was aborted by Hoster Tully if the Lord of Riverun's milk of the poppy induced deathbed ramblings to Cat in ACoK's are true. He takes a beating from Brandon Stark and then when he's dead, watches Ned wed his beloved Cat. Bummer. Littlefinger envies the powerful houses and their lords. He wants to play the game of thrones too but can't being of low birth, so he uses his cunning to rise to master of coin in Kings Landing, finds he has a talent for the game, gets greedy and wants more. Controlling the king's coin is no longer enough, he wants what he could never have, to be lord of a powerful house, and not in title only, like he already holds at Harrenhal. He wants his kids to have the blood f the first men in their veins. If he weds Sansa and becomes Lord Master of Winterfell, then he can start to play the game of thrones for real, with all the other lords he hates so much, and with the bonus of a younger fitter Cat to warm his bed until he has to kill her off in an accident and reluctantly marry whoever next meets his needs after a brief period of terrible grief.

And he might have got away with it too if it weren't for them pesky kids, especially Arya.

I tittered at the '(titter)' by the way. But seriously, Varys does seem more complex than you describe, although I have no beef with any of your points. How he overplays his Eunuch-ness so much that he comes across as a teenage girl, yet at other times he lets his guard down and shows his real face, like when he met with Eddard in the dungeon. There is real sand to this guy which makes him more interesting than LF to me. LF is a master manipulator, but no more than that. How would you explain this seeming contradiction regarding Varys? Tittering in public, especially when one of the neanderthals are grunting their displeasure, but quite different in those times when he feels its OK to show his true colors. I think he will kick some serious ass before this is all said and done..

[brut]

Something just occurred to me when you mentioned "Varyes does seem more complex..."

What if Varys is revealed as former Blackfyre turned FM? He would certainly fit the role if we use Arya as analogy, and it would make her own plot line very interesting....

[CBroome1979]

Why can't Varys just be what is implied (at the moment)? He and Illyrio have been plotting to put Aegon on the Iron Throne since Robert was crowned. He's been helping to keep the realm in a state of war and mistrust since the beginnings of the series. This is to ensure that Westeros is properly f'ed up and will offer only token resistance when Aegon comes back to Westeros and starts sweeping across the lands, gathering supporters and destroying those in his path. Very shortly, the 'common' folk will think that 'Hey, what the hell, why not support this guy? These current lords have been doing nothing but spreading misery and destruction these past few years, so why should we want to get annihilated for their sake?' I don't think Varys is a secret Targ or Blackfyre, just a dude who is doing what he can to pave the way for Aegon to take the Throne and return stability to the realm.

[Winter Wasnt That Bad]

Why can't Varys just be what is implied (at the moment)? He and Illyrio have been plotting to put Aegon on the Iron Throne since Robert was crowned. He's been helping to keep the realm in a state of war and mistrust since the beginnings of the series. This is to ensure that Westeros is properly f'ed up and will offer only token resistance when Aegon comes back to Westeros and starts sweeping across the lands, gathering supporters and destroying those in his path. Very shortly, the 'common' folk will think that 'Hey, what the hell, why not support this guy? These current lords have been doing nothing but spreading misery and destruction these past few years, so why should we want to get annihilated for their sake?' I don't think Varys is a secret Targ or Blackfyre, just a dude who is doing what he can to pave the way for Aegon to take the Throne and return stability to the realm.

I don't disagree with your opinion, but I'm not sure it is correct either. Varys, and to some extent LF too, is a mysterious character, that is all. This is probably just because neither has been given a POV yet. What is Varys' true motive? We only have what he has stated, we've never gone into his mind or even read much about people who know what he's really up to. It could be that everything that he has stated is true, and then you are right in that he is only working for the best interests of the realm, to reinstate Aegon to the throne.

But then again, just what is the best interest of the realm? Is Aegon, who is a relative unknown, really the best king that Westeros should have? Or is this just the best interests for Varys? I just find it hard to believe that Varys is all that pure in his motives. Does he really believe that Aegon the rightful king? The Targaryens, of all people, have proved that the "rightful" ruler is he who has the power, not due to blood lineage. Aegon the conqueror wasn't even a Westerosi when he snatched the kingdom. So why blood lineage suddently means everything is a bit hard to swallow, especially for someone who is as wise as Varys.

[Tyrion_is_Omar]

Jon will do a Danny´s (sorta) and will rise from his very own funeral´s pyre after someone pronounces : now his watch is over.

[CBroome1979]

Winter Wasnt That Bad - I agree with you, we don't know Varys motivations behind his intent. But we do have his confessions to of all people, a man he knows is as good as dead. So I think we can assume that what came out of his mouth in that instance was truth. Why he would think that Aegon would make a better king than the Lannisters or Robert? He explains that, by telling Kevan about Aegon's tutelage through the years, being schooled in warfare, the arts, the religion, and everything else that matters to a young ruler. He explains that Aegon is not a spoiled little shit like Joffrey, who believes the rule of the people is his by right. All I'm saying is that Varys doesn't have to be a secret Blackfyre or Targaryen or Monk from the Moon in order to work towards that end. He spirited Aegon out of KL (supposedly) at the behest of the Targaryen regime, then started plotting with Illyrio (an old friend) to raise the boy up. He's had 15 or so years to change his mind, but in that time he's had to serve an inept king more interested in drinking and whoring than actually ruling, a sadistic young man who thinks that ruling entitles him to treat his subjects as objects of his amusement and sadistic desires, and a boy king who is actually just a figurehead for his power-hungry, isolationist mother. My question is, what's the deal with Dany and Viserys? I know the general ruling is that they are red herrings to steer interest away from Aegon, but I'm not sure I buy that, either.

[Lady Wylla Manderly]

I seem to be a bit late for this thread. But here are my predictions:

THE NORTH: As most people, I think (and HOPE) that Davos finds Rickon and returns him to the North. Thanks to Wyman Manderly (seriously, that man is the amazing merge between badassery and fatassery), I believe all the Northmen will rally behind Rickon and join Stannis' cause. I'd like to think they will re-take Winterfell and Bolton's will be killed, though I feel like the Frey's have yet another part to play.

As for Jon... So, Melisandre constantly rambles about how “King’s blood can raise dragons,” and blah blah blah, right? Okay… we know that Stannis holds Theon captive and plans to execute him - most likely in front of a heart tree thanks to Asha. We know that Jon was stabbed -and is probably dead- at the end of ADWD. I think that Theon still has one more part to play in the story, and that will be to be the sacrifice that allows Azor Ahai to be reborn. Only death can pay for a life, and only a King’s blood can raise a Dragon. Yes, I’m a true believer of R+L=J, by the way xD

As for Bran's gang... I think it's pretty clear that Jojen will die :/ and I have no idea when Bran may return, but I think he will gain some SERIOUSLY IMPORTANT information via weirwood trees - perhaps even including Jon's parentage and the history of the Others.

BRAAVOS: I think it's only a matter of time before Arya hears about the fake Arya Stark. I truly believe she'll return to Westeros afterwards, and take Needle with her, for she whispered "one day," when she hid it away. It may take some convincing to make Stannis and others believe that SHE is the real Arya, but seeing as 1. We've always read about how she has "the Stark look" and Jeyne doesn't, 2. Rickon will most likely be there, 3. and maybe even Jon, I don't think it should be that long. I just want Arya to go Valar Morghulis on Freys and Boltons arses. And I think she really will.

THE VALE: I don't know if anyone would hate me for this, but I don't care about Sansa. At all. I HOPE she marries this Harry the Heir because it'll mean more swords for Stannis - which will benefit the North as well, but whatever.

On the whole, though, even though I feel like positive things are FINALLY coming for my Stark babies (bar Sansa because bleah), I also believe that winter is coming to fuck everyone in their arses. I think the Wall will fall eventually, and there will be another Long Night. Which may lead to the SECOND rising of House Stark, with a new Brandon (our Bran?)

I don't even know. GRRM is a brilliant, genius trollmaster, so I'll try not to hope xD

[Lady Wylla Manderly]

Interesting theories. Sorry if I`m a bit off topic ; Regarding R+L=J. Sorry that i don`t remember all the points and don`t have the energy to go through all the old forum posts. My question: These RLJ theorists, even with all the logic, plausibility and so forth that supports this theory, how do they account for GRRM repeatedly describing Jon as the spitting image of Ned? Catelyn states he has all of Ned and nothing of her. Is the father +son likeness just a coincident? You don`t just grow into looking like Ned Stark by living with him. In that case that would be very bad writing, and not likely for a writer like GRRM.

I don't know if anyone has answered you, but I've just begun to read this thread from page 1, so I apologise if they had :) As someone who's the exact copy of her aunt, not only it's possible for genetics to skip a generation or person, but also, from my understanding Jon has the "Stark look". So does Arya, and it's been said that Arya looks like Lyanna. Since Jon has the Stark look but the legitimate Stark sons don't, it's natural for Cat to think of Jon as a spitting image of Ned.

[Winter Wasnt That Bad]

But we do have his confessions to of all people, a man he knows is as good as dead. So I think we can assume that what came out of his mouth in that instance was truth.

You are probably right here that he is being completely honest, but he may have some of his spiders in the walls listening to his convo with Kevan, so maybe he is only saying what he knows won't get him killed if/when they spread his story.

But even if you are correct, there may still be a lot left out by Varys. Especially regarding his intentions, who he really is, why he is so gung ho on the Targaryen side. I think we'll see a POV for him soon that may clear this up.

My question is, what's the deal with Dany and Viserys? I know the general ruling is that they are red herrings to steer interest away from Aegon, but I'm not sure I buy that, either.

I seriously doubt Dany is just a red herring. It seems like half the series is devoted to her POV. She'll have a huge role to play before it is all said and done. It won't be just to draw attention away from Aegon.

[Nuncle Vic]

All I know is that the Hound and Brienne are totally going to hook up by the end of this series! You'll see...

[Wayne Scott]

First I think the physical appearance does has something to do with it all. Arya and Jon are stark colored both having a little wolf to them. That is why she is so restless able to adapt so well. Bran lost his legs was at deaths door but yet he awoke and his powers began to manifest him and Rickon (baby at the time like 4 or 5) lose their family friends castle and become deserters, they become stark like after these trials and tribulations. Sansa as well having to put up with the Lannisters all the time I find myself thinking she reminds me of what a young Cersei would seem like if she had a better teacher of the arts of court. Rob losing Rickon and Bran hearing about his father taking on burden of King at such a young age yet they do it.

Jon has stark coloring but I believe he is Rhaeger and Lyanna's son so his Targeyon side will rise after his death I think the Lightbringer will be forge after the altercation the men of the night watch. They cry as the kill him (love), stabbed through the heart he is the sacrifice needed to make the sword I don't think he will die.

I think Jeyne Westerling and Blackfish will rally the north with Robert's Heir. Sansa may then find Littlefingers true colors when he wants to dispatch of them as well. Then recalls what her aunt was saying before he pushed her decides to finally finish off the Littlefinger probelm by rallying the Vale to her niece/nephew.

Davos will find Rickon and Asha but she wont be so welcoming she loves this little boy like a son now she won't trust easily. I don't think its going to be an easy trip to back to Manderly for some reason.

Dany is going to make the Khal suffer what he did with the help of Drogon. Then she is going to go even further east because it was what the woman had said. Mereen will still stand.I also believe Tansy at the tavern in riverrun was Littlefinger and Lysa's first child she had long red hair and was buxom and curvy. I think he hit it more then once because she was obessesd til the end Hoster called her name for a reason.

Arianne I think her and Vicatrion might end up together sound like a good match to me.

[Blutrabe]

As others have pointed out before, I'm absolutely sure that the Wall will come down at the end of TWOW.

The conflict with the Others is central to the series, more important than the game of thrones. So the very fate of Westeros and mankind will be at stake when the final confrontation occurs. In order of that to happen, the ancient barrier that has kept the threat at bay for millennia must come down. I mean, why put so much emphasis on how powerful the Wall is and for how long it has stood, if not to bring it down?

Furthermore, we know that the Horn of Joramun is still out there. We all want to know what will happen when it is sounded. http://tvtropes.org/...ain/ChekhovsGun

[Andrew May]

I think the Hightowers are working on some kind of 'superweapon' which will be used to first destroy the ironborn fleet and then possibly used in the fight against the Others

[chrisdaw]

Winter Wasnt That Bad - I agree with you, we don't know Varys motivations behind his intent. But we do have his confessions to of all people, a man he knows is as good as dead. So I think we can assume that what came out of his mouth in that instance was truth.

It's a technique GRRM uses to get across the POV of guarded characters that have no POV, they'll bounce their thoughts off characters they believe to be of no significance. Varys to Ned in the dungeon, Varys to Kevan, Bolton to Theon and Lady Dustin to Theon. I suppose Doran to Hotah would fit as well.

[macleod77]

I love all of the theories I've read here, hopefully I'm not breaking any rules with this, but I'd like to offer an "Alternative" as to what I think will happen to all the Characters.....This is my first time posting. Be gentle..:P

<Parody>

Jon - Not dead. Nothing can kill Ser Frowny-Face, aka Kit Harrington. He'll survive and it will be revealed he is the "Pouty Prince that was Promised", and his will be "The Song of Ice and Fire", probably played by a gay-ass Emo band.

Tyrion - Will likely father a race of super-fly wisecracking dwarves on 100,000 whores in Mereen in just over 16 months...After impregnating Daenery's female dragon Viserion. Hilarity ensues.

Dany -Goes Ape-shit brass-balls badass on everything in Essos named "Khal", making anyone with a horse her bitch. Dick-punches Victarion so hard he magically transforms into a chick.

Stannis - Continues to frown people to death, gets captured by the Others, who start reverse-dying(they're undead) by the hundreds from the lethal magical field of pure boredom he radiates.

Bran - "Hey look, I'm a fucking Telepathic Albino Tree!! I eat Halucinigenic nuts mixed with Reed Blood!! I live in a fucking cave surrounded by little brown people! God I hate not-so-subtle racism!!""

Sansa - Kills littlefinger with a sewing needle to the sphynchter. Wastes her days staring dreamily at Justin Bieber posters until GRRM drops a flaming mountain of rancid baboon piss on her for such a horrific travesty.

Arya - Trains her Direwolf to be a "Faceless Hound". Nymeria pretends to be a lap-dog, rips Ramsay Bolton's nuts off. Which he loves. And he tweaks his nipples while it's happening....

Sam - Still Fat, but now he's Magically Fat. Kills Others with burning bouts of flaming gas after eating Dornish fire-peppers. Marries a cow. Cows kills itself b/c he won't shut the fuck up about "Gilly".

Aegon - Marries Dany. Strangely enough, they hear Banjo's playing at the ceremony....

Cersei - The Cunt still ain't dead!

Jaime - Marries Briene. God i just threw up a little...

Davos - rocks.

Victarion - fuck Victarion. I hate this jack-tard. I'm hoping we find out he's got crabs & an ugly bucktoothed boyfriend.

Brienne - Marries Jaime....<GAG!!!>

Uncat - reverse un-kills herself, fulfills Rhaegar's prophecy of an anoying dour nothern lady who never fucking smiles & hates bastards. and Dwarves.

Others - Nothern People who loved Iron Maiden so much, they all mutated into the band's mascot "Eddie" upon listening to "The Trooper" for the millionth time at 4,000 decibels.....Totally ass-rape The Wall by Charging at it...While playing "The Trooper"

</Parody>

[Volantis]

Aegon/Young Griff probably is Rhaegar's son but he might not be a true dragon like Dany is and Viserys was not

[Queen Sansa Stark]

This would create quite the interesting footnote in Natalie Dormer's career.

Well a couple of people stated that Margaery may be based on Anne Boleyn. And it could explain why GRRM was quite excited that Nathalie Dormer was casted as Margaery.

[summer_stark]

Stannis - Continues to frown people to death, gets captured by the Others, who start reverse-dying(they're undead) by the hundreds from the lethal magical field of pure boredom he radiates.

Arya - Trains her Direwolf to be a "Faceless Hound". Nymeria pretends to be a lap-dog, rips Ramsay Bolton's nuts off.

:lol:

[Annikina]

Jon - Not dead. Nothing can kill Ser Frowny-Face, aka Kit Harrington. He'll survive and it will be revealed he is the "Pouty Prince that was Promised", and his will be "The Song of Ice and Fire", probably played by a gay-ass Emo band.

I love you so much for this! "Ser Frowny-Face" is the most appropriate nickname ever! lol! XD

[macleod77]

Varys "The Spider" - Effeminate weird looking white guy with lots of secrets surrounded by little boys. He's the Michael Jackson of Westeros.........

Mellisandre - Proving not ALL redheads are crazy & evil...just most of them.