Game of Thrones: Predictions

There’s only one episode left in season 6, and it seems pretty clear from foreshadowing throughout the season that it will focus on Cersei’s trial, her inevitable decision to burn down King’s Landing with the wildfire that “Mad King” Aerys Targaryen buried below the city years before, and possibly on Jamie deciding to kill Cersei to save the city / their son. (Also, I’m virtually certain the episode will end with the White Walkers coming through the Wall.)

But more interesting to me is the three-way conflict slowly being set up for season 7: aside from Bran (on his solo mission north, and en route to aging into the old man in the tree who has come back in time to teach his younger self how to time-travel), nearly every other character in the show is gradually aligning under the influence of three strong female leads: Daenerys Targaryen (who now controls everything across the Narrow Sea, as well as, indirectly, the Iron Islands), Margaery Tyrell (who can drive the Sparrows, and, through King Tommen, the Lannisters and all of their allies in Westeros), and Sansa Stark (who has Jon Snow, will certainly have Arya back shortly, and who will own the North and all the Westerosian houses that Margie doesn’t).

So, kudos to the show-runners; it’s unique in film and television to highlight so many competent (albeit increasingly Machiavellian) female characters in leadership positions, and it will be great to watch them duke it out for control of the Seven Kingdoms, with each lady an entirely plausible, powerful queen.