"Why do they always show Dany sitting on the Iron Throne?" A friend asked me at the start of this season.
"Probably because she doesn't end up on it?" I replied. If you've been watching GoT on DStv, you would have noticed the image of Danaerys seated on the throne of swords just before each episode.
We've spent nearly a decade waiting for her to climb those stone steps and claim her birthright. Watching her burn it all to the ground left me feeling… cheated. With only one episode left and most of our favourite characters axed, there’s only so much that could happen.
Here’s what I think will go down:
Jon willingly becomes King of the Seven Kingdoms
Jon’s always had an honest face, and this week his emotions were plain to read. While he stared at the carnage around him, he had a change of heart similar to mine. My loyalty to Dany has never wavered, but this week's episode saw it shattered. Anyone capable of barbequing a city whose people have already surrendered, would make a merciless queen, likely to do more damage to the Realm than all the Lannisters combined. Before his execution, Varys sent word out about Jon’s true identity. It may have taken thousands of deaths for him to accept it, but it seems he’s finally ready to claim what’s rightfully his. Jon may only be King of the Ashes now, but that’s a whole other story.
Dany’s F ate
For all the damage it’s done, this Mad Queen character arc has finally united the GoT community: we are all outraged at what’s happened to such a beloved character. And yes, Jon might share our shock and disgust, but I can’t see him having her executed (also, there’s a big dragon that will melt anyone who harms a white hair on her head). Remaining in the pile of rubble that used to be King’s Landing is probably not an option either. Maybe she’ll disappear with the rest of the people who love her. Grey Worm will do fine on a dragon’s back, I’m sure.
Many believe our Night Kingslayer will try to kill Danaerys. But I don’t see Arya getting near our fallen queen. Unless, of course, she’s got Rhaegal’s face stowed somewhere. How's that for a plot twist?!
While I could never justify the actions of a mass murderer, I think there might be a link between dragons and madness. Dany’s lost two, but those mighty beasts have granted her more power than any other character across all the seasons. Not even a hundred ‘doomsday dragon devices’ could match Drogon’s strength and stealth this week. Dany needs only one to raze an entire city to the ground.
If history has taught us anything, it’s that power changes people, and Dany’s had far too much of it. All that might, coupled with grief, is a recipe for unimaginable destruction. By the time those bells tolled, it was already too late. It’s like when two people are fighting, and the other decides to suddenly scream ‘stop’. Rage doesn’t cool with a word or the sound of a ringing bell.
Once those wheels are in motion, they’re almost impossible to stop. The only difference between us and The Mad Queen, is that her weapons are bigger than ours, so her tantrums naturally result in a couple hundred deaths… And while my heart goes out to Dany for all she's lost, the people I really feel sorry for are those 560 babies that were named after her last year alone.
*Ayesha Abrahams is a former high school English teacher and editor, who's currently completing a MA in Creative Writing. She's also an IOL's "Game of Thrones" panel contributor.
Where to watch "Game of Thrones"
Watch it on Mondays at 3am on (repeat at 10pm) on M-Net, or straight after with the DStv Now app .
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