How Will Game of Thrones End? 5 Theories That Have Us Fearing the Finale

The fifth episode of the eighth season opens with Varys writing letters about Jon Snow's new birthright. Is it possible that after all her fire and brimstone, Daenerys takes the throne only to have the victory ripped from her when the other kingdoms rebel? While we don't have a clear answer who receives Varys letters, there are still some powerful warriors, such as the Ironborn and the Free Folk, who could rally around Jon Snow, the Northmen, and Arya, who have all had a change of heart about the Dragon Queen in the aftermath of her madness.

IGN's YouTube series "Dragons on the Wall" predicts a scenario that's about the closest thing to a happy ending as one could foresee for Westeros. They believe Daenerys will attempt to kill Jon for the treasonous act of disobeying the direct order to maintain the secret of his birthright. But when she puts him in front of her dragon and utters "Dracarys," either the dragon refuses to do it or, better yet, Jon's clothes singe but he doesn't burn. Hurt by her betrayal and disgusted by her behavior during the destruction of King's Landing, he takes it upon himself to kill her. After all, his father figure Eddard Stark always told him, "The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword," and he is that man since he remains one of the first to bend the knee for Daenerys during her arrival in the North.

This murder in the name of mercy will allow people to rally behind Jon and help him take control. But Jon being Jon will not take the Iron Throne but will instead disband the Seven Kingdoms on the good faith that each region will find their own leaders and only come together as needed in a United Nations-type council overseen by the wise and well-traveled Tyrion Lannister. Meanwhile, Sansa will rule the North, Yara will continue to lead the Iron Borne, etc. Jon, though, will retire with the Free Folk beyond the Wall where he can reunite with his direwolf Ghost, help Tormund Giantsbane rule, and separate himself from the politics that almost ruined his life.

The most obvious prediction, and the one that folks are probably rooting for the most at this point, is that Arya uses her extensive battle training to kill Daenerys. The motivation for this tracks since Arya experiences the destruction of King's Landing in real time as a person on the ground. We even see Arya attempt to save a woman and her child, the same pairing she and The Hound push aside upon entry to the kingdom, so we can understand the malice that Arya may carry against Daenerys for killing thousands of innocent people.

But with Arya currently on a redemptive path, it seems unlikely she would play the lead role in such a major murder with it bearing no more significance than revenge. So, Nerdist predicts Arya may kill Daenerys as the realm's new Azor Ahai, the Prince Who Was Promised and the figure who brings the end to the Long Night as believed by the followers of the Lord of Light.

In the books, the prophecy about Azor Ahai says, "When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone." While Arya doesn't technically fit the bill, she does have a few attributes that make her perfect for the job in a more poetic sense. First, Arya's narrow escape amidst the ashes of Daenerys' recent carnage and the act of riding off on that white horse at the end of "The Bells" suggests the rise of a Christ-like figure who could save the realm.

Considering Arya played a major role in ending the Great War, it would be fitting that she end the Last War as well, making her story the true tale of ice and fire with her as the vanquisher of both the Night King and the Dragon Queen.

The show has long hinted at the possibility that Tyrion Lannister is Targaryen. Such news would put him in direct line for the throne since Jon Snow has repeatedly declared his disinterest and Gendry Baratheon has denounced his claim.

The theory suggests that Tyrion is the son of the Mad King, who lusted after and possibly raped his mother. In many ways, the show has hinted that Tyrion's father, Tywin Lannister, may have covered up this information. The most notable of those moments comes in the form of Tywin's dying words from season four: "You're no son of mine." Not to mention, Tyrion's ability to free the dragons from their shackles without getting burnt to a crisp in season six.

We're betting that in the midst of the chaos that is now King's Landing, Tyrion reveals that he gained knowledge of his new bloodline from Bran and that he's pursuing his claim to the throne now that Daenerys has shown her true colors as an unfit ruler.

Our final theory hinges on Bran and his powers as the Three-Eyed Raven. Reddit user mvmchugh believes that Bran will warg into Drogon and destroy Daenerys' remaining forces, leaving Jon and his Northmen to take control of the Iron Throne. While his theory doesn't speak to whether Daenerys' last dragon will live or die, Redditor Bourk believes that no matter how the drama over the throne unfolds, more dragons are on the horizon. Bourk's theory hinges on a possible dragon sighting during the eighth season's fifth episode, but any of the dragons could have mated and laid eggs when Daenerys and her advisors visited Dragonstone back in season seven.