Fate of the Major Characters

[Gaz0680]

There has been vast amounts of speculation on the fate of everyone's favourite characters, who will end up on the Iron Throne, outcome of war vs. the Others, etc. Some of this speculation will likely turn out true, but I am fairly certain GRRM has at least a couple of curveballs still to throw at us, with some outcomes almost noone will expect.

Such is the brilliance of GRRM's storytelling and also his tendency for shattering conventions and expectations, how would fans react if:

1. The bittersweet ending turned out to be the complete and utter destruction of House Stark and it's line. Sansa, Arya, Bran, Rickon, Jon Snow - all dead. Sansa and Arya die in the power struggle for the Iron Throne. Jon, Bran and Rickon all dead from the war with The Others. The sweet part being the actions made by the Starks prior to their death that secure a brighter future for all of Westeros.

Something like this I think could very well happen, but fans would not be happy - at all- with the outcome due to the love of the Starks and how invested they are in them. Losing one or two more Starks before the end is one thing, but seeing the complete end of the Stark family and line would be something a lot of fans would simply not be able to deal with - which is exactly why I think it's a genuine possibility for GRRM.

2. The one on the Iron Throne at the end is not Dany, Jon, Stannis, Aegon, nor any Targaryen, Stark, Baratheon, or Lannister, but someone completely unexpected with virtually zero claim to the Throne via bloodline.

3. Cold and/or vicious characters that most seem to expect to die - Ramsay, Roose, Cersei, Littlefinger, Euron - end up still alive at the end of the series and remain in a position of considerable power.

4. Arya kills Sansa and Jon before eventually coming to realise what she has became and ending her own life.

5. The war vs. the Others is lost. The Seven Kingdoms essentially fall apart and descend into anarchy as the North is overrun and the South becomes a pit of turmoil and despair.

6. Jon Snow turns out to not be the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna after all (no matter how well supported the theory, it's still just a theory), but genuinely is Ned Stark's bastard, to a mother of importance we did not anticipate.

7. The bittersweet ending turns out to just be a sweet ending, with the bitter part coming purely from the taste left in the mouths of fans - e.g. The Others are defeated once and for all. Jon is Rhaegar's son - he and Dany wed and rule with Stannis as their Hand, Davos as Master of Ships, Tyrion as Master of Coin - and the Starks regain their power in the North, perhaps even expanding to control the Vale of Arryn also (e.g. Rickon as Lord of Winterfell, Sansa as Lady in the Eyrie, etc. - Personally this would be a truly dreadful cliche ending to a wonderfully imaginative work of fiction.

There are countless possibilities, despite our expectations. i.e. The war vs. the Others - you could say the common expectation is that the humans will eventually prevail, after sustaining heavy losses. GRRM may not go that way though necessarily.

The point I guess I'm making is fans shouldn't be so confident their predictions/expectations will eventuate. NOTHING is guaranteed.

[Pinkie Baelish]

We can guarantee that Aeron's chapters will continue to suck in TWOW though.

[Gaz0680]

We can guarantee that Aeron's chapters will continue to suck in TWOW though.

Even they could take an unexpectedly enjoyable turn.

[thecryptile]

We can guarantee that Aeron's chapters will continue to suck in TWOW though.

LOL I agree

Also, Stannis is going to die. Jaime too. "It is known."