End Game - spoilers, obviously

[Which Tyler]

Sorry if this is a repeat topic; I've seen many topics on individual elements of the end game; but nothing for an over-arching synopsis.

Of course, I've only searched the first 4 pages of thread titles, and the search function only works if you happen upon the right search terms.

Here we go then - I've finally actually amassed some of my thoughts for the end-game of ASOIAF; with some attempt at internal consistency.

I see the inevitable battle between Humanity and the Others being a kind of apocalypse for Westeros; with both dragons and Others basically being WMDs.

Thus I see (and want for) an ending to the series where humanity survives, but in a kind of Dark Ages; with the regression of technology and knowledge. Westeros will be the primary battle ground; and will be utterly ravished, but just about survive. Essos will have a couple of big victims; and suffer some fallout, but mostly profit from the demise of the West.

I see the end game being that both the Others and the Dragons are gone from the world forever; taking magic (including religious magic) with them.

With the absence of magic, the seasons will 'return' to normal.

Big Reveals/Events:

Bran is a tree; Jojen paste was false, and the blood he tasted was his flesh being pierced by tree roots.

R+L=J is revealed; and utterly irrelevant to anything.

Jon survives, and is smuggled away South, and becomes one of Stannis’ generals / advisors; taking over that army when Stannis dies (arranged by the Grand Northern Conspirators). Whilst rejected by the Night’s Watch; he remains as loyal to them as possible.

Aegon is real (probably revealed by Bran-the-omniscient), but Dany is convinced he’s fake, and takes him out anyway; damning herself as a kin-slayer.

After taking out Aegon, Dany heads North to fight the War of Ice and Fire; leaving the Iron Throne essentially vacant; for Littlefinger to claim.

Littlefinger turns out to be rudderless (with lots of enemies left from his clime) now he has no further goals; takes his eye off the ball; and ends up with a revolution on his hands; splintering the Southern Kingdoms into individual nation-states (plus the North).

The wall works well enough to keep the Others to the north of it; but doesn’t stop the wights; it also stops Dragons from heading North. In order to take the battle to the Others, and destroy them; the Horn of Joramun is sounded – by Jon inevitably.

Westeros:

Westeros fragments into 8 'Kingdoms' and entering a kind of Dark Ages, with Kings Landing and Oldtown razed tot he ground, and few Maesters left, who are too busy to teach a new generation.

The North and the Wildlings fully intermingling; the North recedes technologically slightly further than the rest of Westeros, who maintain nation states; whilst the North splinters into more a kind of C5th Celtic realm - lots of petty Kingdoms and internecine warfare; but will just about unite against a common enemy when required... (with a few dissenters, obviously). Lots of raiding South of the Neck.

The Southern Kingdoms survive as nation states, but much more insular than they had been.

Essos:

Slaver's bay descends into anarchy after being given up by Dany (dead with her dragons) and no real leaders in place after the battle of Meereen (Dany technically wins, with the Dothraki and Iron Born turning the tide; but both sides are pretty much annihilated).

We later hear reports that the Slavers' bay area has united behind one warlord and is looking to rise strongly from the ashes.

Bravos brings about it's own destruction by the Iron Bank attributing Robert/Cersei/Stannis/Jon's debts to Dany, whilst the faceless men assassinate a dragon. This brings down the wroth of Dany/R'hllor, who exact revenge.

The rest of Western Essos keeps out of things, and generally profits from the chaos to both West and East.

Religions:

The use of religious magic by the follower of R'hllor; the drowned god; the old gods and the many-faced god have 'exposed' other religions (the 7; mother Rhoyne etc) as shams before magic leaves the world.

R'hllor briefly takes a hold of Westeros (and is adopted by Dany; or vice-versa) during the battle against the Others, but exposes itself as being just as evil and destructive during the 'War of Ice and Fire' and leaves itself very vulnerable after magic dissipates.

We see the decline of the R'hllor religion at the very end of the books, whilst the drowned god and the old gods gaining some of that ground.

Faith in the many faced god is basically wiped out at the same time as Bravos.

Bittersweet:

Magic leaving the world has got to be bittersweet all of its own.

Dany and Jon falling in battle (doubtless doing so heroically) is pretty bittersweet all on its own.

Bran becoming a tree is pretty bittersweet.

Littlefinger taking and losing the throne is pretty bittersweet.

Whilst the return of ‘proper’ seasons is very much a sweet thing; the regression in technology and knowledge is equally a bitter thing.

Whilst Dany ultimately triumphs in the West; all her attempts in the East come to naught, and actually end up ‘worse’ as a result.

Jon going into hiding from the watch, whilst remaining as loyal as he possibly can; but bringing the wall down anyway.