With April 24th just a week away, millions of fans, myself among them, rejoice at the upcoming release of Game of Thrones season six. The release of season six heralds a new era for the show, for the first time their exists no book to read beforehand, no text to herald the deaths we know will be coming. Thus all that is left is to predict, and thus the following has been established.
**Predictions below have been made with a certified voodoo doll, a crystal ball, a Tesla Coil and some imagination
Daenerys Targaryen
Let’s begin with Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khalesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons. The end of season five saw the queen of two many titles taking up the last title, escaping the Sons of the Harpy on the back of Drogon. Her reconnection to the dragons, cast away at the start of that season, marks what may be a transformation in the attitude of Daenerys. She may now become a harsher and more warring ruler, willing to go even further in her quest for freedom and to obtain the throne that is her birthright.
Yet even as Daenerys escapes on the wings of a dragon, she is stranded in the midst of the Great Grass Sea she has claimed as her domain, and Dothraki Khalasar captures her. Trailers and previews to season six show her being taken past the statue of the horse to Vaes Dothrak. This and the fact that she appears alive and clothed, unlike many female Dorthraki prisoners, may indicate that she was captured by those who deserted her after Kahl Drogo’s death.
Both Jorah Mormant and Daario Naharis are seen searching for her at the location she was taken by the khalasar. It is probable they will pursue her to Vaes Dorthrak and attempt to rescue her. However, if this is indeed the case, it is likely that Daenerys will, in keeping with her character, first attain leadership over the Dorthraki and return to Meereen with a khalasar capable of invading Westeros.
It may also be that season six will show Daenerys taking up the role the followers of R’hllor predicted she would have. It seems apparent that it will be Daenerys who takes up arms agains the White Walkers— the contrast of ice and fire that gives rise to the name of the series. Season six may not show Daenerys actually fighting against the coming darkness, but will certainly lead to her preparation for that event.
John Snow
For those of you who still mourn the loss of John Snow that so shockingly and traumatically occurred at the end of season five, season six may provide some hope. While I doubt we’ll see John return to what he was before the Night Watch’s betrayal, he may yet make an appearance. The prevalence of his image in the season six trailers suggests as much.
Theory 1:
The five Stark children were given five direwolves, the Bastard of Winterfell was given one as well. It may be that Snow possessed the gift of his brother Brandon and was a warg. In that case, in his death, his consciousness could have been transferred to Ghost, making Snow return as a warg trapped in the body of a wolf.
Theory 2:
Melisandre. Master of the dark arts and apparent servant of the God of Light, she departed Stannis in time to reach Castle Black. Using her arcane powers she may be able to save Snow from death, resurrecting him to be her new champion against the coming darkness.
Theory 3:
He’s not actually dead. We see his eyes flicker, the blood pool, the limbs stop twitching, but we don’t know for certain if he has died. Perhaps he will yet prove able to stabilize and will be nursed back to health in secret by allies among the Nights Watch, most probably Sir Davos.
Theory 4:
He becomes the enemy within. Snow may once have been the watcher on the wall, he who guards the realms of men, but he was killed — and his body was never burned. It may well be that Snow will yet live and remain dead, resurrected by the White Walkers to serve their purposes and push past the wall. His eye contact with the apparent king of the undead while he resurrected the fallen windings in the last moments of the battle of Hardhome suggested a premonition of this occurrence.
Theon & Sansa
Its hard to say who was more disappointed by the final battle for Winterfell, Stannis or anyone who’s ever watched Ramsey Bolton do anything. The last battle seemed to play against Littlefinger’s plans for Stannis to capture Sansa, and thus for Sansa to be liberated from the psychotic grasp of Ramsey. Luckily for Sansa, the end of season five shows her finding her own way out of the Bolton’s clutches, with Theon as her savior no less.
It is hard to say what the intent of Sansa was when she jumped from the castle walls with Theon; to her knowledge she knows merely that there are some who would aid her. Her only viable option for survival would appear to meet up with Brienne of Tarth before being recaptured by Ramsey. Season six will probably see much more of Sansa overcoming her anger at Theon as well as his redemption in the eyes of the Starks and himself.
If Sansa and Theon meet Brienne they may make their way north to find Brandon and/or Rickon. This season may be the beginning of the Starks reunification instead of their continual deaths.
Tyrion Lannister
The scarred hero and master politician of Game of Thrones ended season five with a return to the political playing field in Meereen. Tyrion is being set up as Hand to Daenerys and will likely face the challenge of the Sons of the Harpy alone, being the true authority behind Greyworm in matters of politics in action as he returns to the role of hand of the king.
However, the free cities are unlike the empires of Westeros, and it may be that Tyrion will initially find himself unaccustomed to the nature of rule and motivation that exist in that part of the world. Initially he may rely heavily on Varys who has experience in that part of the world.
Yet more than mere political acuity, Tyrion has proven himself a capable warrior and spent much of the past season running from any notion of his true identity. Season six may be the catalyst for his true purpose in the fray to be revealed, my guess, on the back of a dragon.
For those who have read the books, Tyrion Lannister has always wanted a dragon; he knows almost everything about them and has been fascinated by them since birth. In Meereen he is found to be the possessor of two dragons. That being said, it would be unlikely for him to leave without having become one of the dragon’s three heads. The question remains, who would be the third?
There remains one last possibility for the future of Tyrion Lannister, which not many would want to consider. While he has been a prominent figure for five seasons, it may be that the sixth is his last. In a promo the Hall of Faces shows his prominently at the last. Game of Thrones promises that no character, however essential, is free of the possibility of death; it may be that in this season six Tyrion becomes susceptible. That being said, I doubt that this possibility is realistic. After all, there is only one thing we say to the god of death: not today.
Dorne
The Red Viper has been dead for some time, yet his accuser has not been slain as the Dornish had assumed. That last scene of Qyburn’s revelation of his greatest labor is fought with horror and excitement at the return of Gregor Clegane to the playing field. As it stands, even before this betrayal, the Sand Snakes were intent on vengeance for their father’s death. Their last act of poisoning Myrcella may have started a war.
In the previews to season six, Cersei and Jaime are seen vowing revenge to all those who oppose them. Whether this vengeance will extend to Dorne, however, remains unclear. With the rise in power of the Sparrows in the capitol, the Lannisters may face a more imminent threat much closer to home before being forced to deal with enemies in the south.
The fact that the Doran Martell seemed intent on avoiding war may indicate his focus on a diplomatic fix rather than a preemptive strike against the Lannisters. If there is war between the Seven Kingdoms and Dorne it will likely occur later in the season.
Arya
In the finale of season five, Arya lost her sight after taking the wrong life from the Many-Faced-God. The Faceless Men are disappointed and state that “she is not ready” after her brutal, and valid, assassination of Meryn Trant. However, promotions for season six show her leaping out of windows and fighting, indicating that she has either become Daredevil or has regained her sight.
Most disturbingly, a promotion for season six features the Hall of Faces displaying those of fallen Starks and Lannister’s alike. Included in this display are John Snow, and, terrifyingly, Tyrion Lannister. Whether this indicates the certain death of those two characters— a fact that might just cause me to experience an existential crisis— or something else entirely, Arya remains to assume the mantel of fallen friend and foe in service to herself and the Many- Faced God.
In season six she is likely to complete her training. After this, however, whether she remains to become a Faceless Man or continues to fulfill her desire for vengeance against those who have wronged her and her family remains to be seen. It may be that she will do both, in killing those whose names she whispers in place of a prayer, she may also serve the Many-Faced God. After all, she’d be killing them, and there is only one god, and his name is death.
The Lannisters
Dwindling in numbers almost as quickly as the Starks, what was once the most powerful house in Westeros is slowly being driven into the ground as much by the actions of Cersei as by the loss of Tywin. Season five ended with the humiliation of Cersei at the hands of the faith militant and the probable death of Myrsella at the hands of the Sandsnakes. This leaves the weakened Lannister twins with two mortal enemies.
In a promo of the Lannisters’ fate, the High Sparrow is heard saying how the poor who have nothing can take the power from those who have everything. It may well be that the faith militant will prove the most imminent and dangerous threat to the Lannisters, even as tensions with Dorn increase. Cersei’s humiliation in the capitol the past season may severely weaken her hold on the regency. With tensions between her and her uncle, Kevan Cersei may face opposition from within the Red Keep as well as the capitol itself.
Jaime Lannister, who gained sympathy throughout season four, now returns to the Lannister fold presumably angered by the possible death of his daughter. While season five saw a rocky reunification between Jamie and his twin, season six trailers show them once more vowing to destroy their enemies together. If it comes to war between Dorn and the Lannisters it may be that Jaime strikes the first blow. Regardless, the Lannisters face a tough season after the houses decline in the wake of Tywin’s death.
Petyr Baelish
Taking the background role in the intrigue that surrounds the Seven Kingdoms, Littlefinger is now poised to take on a more powerful role than ever in season six. Having been made lord of the Vale in season six and being allied with the Lannisters, the Tyrells, and the Boltons, Littlefinger is poised to take control over even more of Westeros.
Throughout previous seasons Littlefinger has been a background figure, nudging events here and there, yet being the very instigator of much of the show’s most eventful moments. Having been the one to poison John Arryn, arrange the imprisonment of Cersei Lannister, Margerie Tyrell and Lorris Tyrell, as well as marrying Sansa Stark to Ramsey Bolton, he has proved to be much more of an impactful figure than many of his colleagues.
It may be that season six will be the fruition of Baelish’s work to attain the Horatio Alger myth of rags to riches. If he does succeed, it will probably be directly before the Seven Kingdoms are thrown into chaos by the White Walkers, Daenerys Targaryen, the Windings, or some combination of all three.
Sir Davos
Taking up Stanis’s former mantle as perhaps the most honorable man in all Westeros, the Onion Knight promises to be a key player in the affairs at the wall following John’s assassination. Trailers show him taking up John’s sword against members of the Night’s Watch, probably in an effort to avoid the same fate.
It is possible that, upon learning of Princess Shireen’s death, Davos will attempt to kill Melisandre. Her betrayal of Stannis, of his son, and of Shireen will likely be enough to earn her a death at the hands of Davos. At the same time, however, Melisandre may attempt to make Davos the warrior against the darkness she once sought to make Stannis. If she tries this, she will likely face an assassination attempt by Davos.
Whatever the next move of the man now without family, king and home, it will undoubtably be a courageous and honorable story for Sir Davos in this next season.
The Red Woman
Abandoning Stannis Baratheon in his final defeat, Melisandre is seen in trailers to question her faith in Stannis, stating “it was all a lie.” Her allegiance now withdrawn from the last King in opposition of the Lanisters in Westerous she may now turn to the East to ally with Daenerys Targaryen.
As was seen when Tyrion visited Volantis, some who follow the so called “one true god” R’hllor see Daenerys as the chosen one, Melisandre’s “warrior of fire.” While Melisandre largely used magic to create the illusion that Stannis fit these criteria, the Mother of Dragons who walked through the flames unscathed seems a much more likely candidate.
In season six we will likely see Daenerys take up the mantle of the warrior of light, the one who will fight the White Walkers with fire. It may be that Melisandre will attempt to aid her in this quest, however, given her temperament, Melisandre may focus her efforts on another candidate in the North.
