This Sunday, August 27, is the season seven finale of Game of Thrones. It’s also the last episode of the mega-hit HBO series until fall 2018, if not longer. That’s a shame, because despite some questionable choices in storytelling and (especially) time traveling this season, Game of Thrones remains wildly entertaining. It’s also the current show that’s the most fun to obsesses over. There’s plenty to discuss before the extra-long finale, too. Here are five questions we have heading into the episode.
1. What happens when Tyrion’s plan doesn’t work?
It’s worth going over this plan for, like, a seventh time.
So, Jon Snow and the rest of the Magnificently Frozen Seven went North of the Wall to bag a wight (uh huh) and bring it to Cersei in King’s Landing (sure) so that she’ll join his and Daenerys’ fight against the approaching Night King and his undead army (obviously). Unless Tyrion, who came up with the idea, is (TWIST) secretly working with the Lannisters, this plan has about a negative three percent chance of working. Has Tyrion met his sister before? In last season’s finale, she blew up a freaking church, killing her son’s wife in the process. It’s not a question of whether it will work; it’s a question of how poorly it won’t work. The meeting at the Dragonpit is a Who’s Who of main characters — confirmed to be in attendance: Cersei, Jaime, Bronn, Euron, Jon, Tyrion, Jorah, Brienne, Pod, The Hound, Theon, Davos, Missandei, and Grey Worm — and it’s a near certainty some of them won’t make it out alive.
(It’s also looking increasingly unlikely Littlefinger, who’s still in Winterfell with Sansa and Arya, will survive the season, but we already covered that.)
As for Daenerys, who’s conspicuously missing, she’ll probably swoop in on Drogon at the last second (it’s becoming a habit), but the symbolism of the gathering being held in the same arena where five dragons were killed during the Storming of the Dragonpit can’t be lost on (a possibly pregnant) Cersei.
Speaking of the queen: don’t forget about that pesky prophecy.
2. What about the White Walkers? How do they fit into the finale?
Everyone has a pet bonkers theory for what’s going to happen in the finale. Here’s mine: things will immediately go south between Cersei and Jon Snow (see: above), but before Euron’s fleet in the Blackwater Bay and the Unsullied army can storm King’s Landing, the Night King will fly into the Dragonpit on Viserion (everyone assumes Bran saw Drogon in his vision, but maybe it’s a certain ice dragon?) and turn the King of the North into a White Walker pawn.
Is it going to happen? Of course not, but it still makes more sense than the Bran-is-Night King theory. The more likely scenario for the White Walkers is that, at long last, they break on through to the other side of the Wall.
Or they can just walk around.
3. Where are the Greyjoys?
Theon has been absent since episode four, and Yara and Euron haven’t been seen since episode three. What have they been up to? Probably grilling some sausage and having a nice beachside picnic. Either that, or: the Artist Formerly Known as Reek is moping around Dragonstone, where he informed Daenerys that his uncle sacked Yara’s fleet and took her hostage, while Euron peacocked around King’s Landing as a conquering hero for Cersei before sailing to Casterly Rock (we know from the finale trailer that his ships are now docked in Blackwater Bay). Pilou Asbæk, who plays the Hard Rock Cafe waiter by day/bassist for Puddle of Mudd by night who some call Euron, has previously stated that he knows “He’s going to die” at some point. Theon has been looking for a way to redeem himself. This could be it.
4. What crucial information will Samwell not hear this time?
Sam left Oldtown, where he was sent by Jon to become a maester, with his family after curing Jorah’s greyscale and ignoring Gilly’s truth bomb about Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. (Ugh, men, am I right?) It’s unclear where they’re going, although Sam’s final words before departing might be a clue. “I’m tired of reading about the achievements of better men,” he said, implying that he won’t be returning home (where he’ll be surprised to learn that his father and brother are dead), but to join the war against the White Walkers. He’s not much of a fighter, but he’s armed with the greatest weapon of all: knowledge. Oh wait, did I type “knowledge”? I meant to write: “Gilly.”
5. Will Jon Snow and Daenerys… y’know?
The short answer: yes. The longer answer: heck yeah. The even longer answer: Alan Taylor, who directed the cinematically impressive (if supremely silly) “Beyond the Wall,” told The Daily Beast, “There’s no secret that this is where this is going.” The “this,” of course, refers to the Mother of Dragons and the King of the North getting it on. He continued, “Readers of the book have known that things were heading towards this destination for a while. Even the characters in this story know it’s heading in this direction. Tyrion is making fun of Dany about what’s brewing. So we knew it’s got to come at some point, and I was glad that I got to be there for a major step forward for them.”
There’s obvious sexual tension between Jon Snow and Daenerys — especially from him — which makes sense considering they’re both attractive, powerful, animal-loving leaders who have a lot in common. Too much in common, actually: she’s his aunt, although they don’t know that yet. (Targaryens are cool with incest — “[It] was part of keeping the bloodlines pure so that they could better control the dragons,” George R.R. Martin once said — but Jon isn’t just any ol’ Targaryen; he’s half-Stark.) So, which comes first: the R+L=J reveal, or Jon heading back into the cave, so to speak, with Daenerys?
Bran better speak up soon.
