The bad news: another season of Game of Thrones has come and gone.
The good news? The Season 6 finale delivered in a huuuuuge way. (Apologies to the real life Bran the Builder, Donald Trump, for stealing his favorite word.)
Not only did the episode bring in record ratings for HBO, it also delivered one of the show’s highest body counts to date.
Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss answered plenty of long-lingering questions (Take a bow, R + L = J theorists!), but they may have raised just as many new ones in the process.
So like the Maesters at the Citadel in Oldtown, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to solve Westeros’ mysteries.
Obviously, this post is dark and full of spoilers, so go watch Game of Thrones online if you’re not caught up.
If you’ve already seen the wildfire-fueled finale jump right into the gallery below. (RIP Tommen, the Swan Dive King):
Jon Snow: Who’s Your Daddy?
The Tower of Joy confirmed the long-held fan theory that Jon Snow is the son of Ned Stark’s sister, Lyanna. They didn’t mention the father by name, but fans know Lyanna disappeared with Rhaegar Targaryen not long before she got knocked up. Yes, that makes him a relative to the Khaleesi. More on that later…
Is the End Near For Mad Queen Cersei?
In the season finale, we saw Cersei take the Iron Throne after her massacre at the Sept of Baelor drove her son, King Tommen, to suicide. We didn’t see how Jaime took the news, but there’s a prophecy that Cersei will be killed by her brother (Most assumed it would be Tyrion.) and Jaime has a history of slaying monarchs. Make of that what you will.
Where is Daenerys Headed?
The last we saw of Dany, she was setting sail in the company of Tyrion, the Greyjoys, three dragons, and a bajillion ships. Obviously she’s headed to Westeros, but where exactly? We can’t imagine the writers will have her storm King’s Landing and clash with Cersei right off the bat.
What Happened to the Night’s King?
The Night’s King gave us one of this season’s most talked-about scenes (RIP, Hodor), then disappeared. Many fans have pointed out that Bran’s uncle Benjen said he can’t go south of the Wall, as he’s not among the living. So it’s safe to assume that the King and his Walkers are limited in their movements. Presumably they were able to attack the Three-Eyed Raven’s home only because Bran allowed one to touch him.
A Civil War in House Stark?
Jon is officially the King in the North (and the White Wolf, badass nickname). But Sansa played a huge role in helping him reclaim Winterfell, and he has yet to acknowledge his debt to her. With Littlefinger influencing her at every turn, expect Mrs. Baratheon-Bolton to make a bid for what’s hers.
Sam at the Citadel: What’s the Big Deal?
In the Season 6 finale, Sam and Gilly arrived at the Citadel, and Sam got to ckeck out its epic library. It was a strange tonal shift from the rest of the episode, and many fans are no doubt wondering what it was doing in such an eventful episode. Well, as you can see, the globe-y thing hanging from the scene is similar to the sun sphere featured in the opening credits. We don’t know what this means yet, but we can be sure it’s no coincidence.
Jon Snow = Jaehaerys Targaryen
As you may recall, Lyanna whispers something inaudible to Ned in the final Tower of Joy sequence. a Redditor who says he’s watched the scene “about 50 times” claims she said, “His name is Jaehaerys.” It would make sense, as it IS a Targaryen family name. Of course, that’s just a theory. Ultimately, we know nothing, Jaehaerys Targaryen.
How Many Episodes Are Left?!
Weiss and Benioff have confirmed that they hope to wrap things up with two more truncated seasons. “From pretty close to the beginning, we talked about doing this in 70 to 75 hours, and that’s what we’ll end up with,” Benioff said in a recent interview “Call it 73 for now.” Yes, it sounds like just 13 episodes remain. Seven hells!!!
What Happened to Ser Pounce?!
In the wake of King Tommen’s death, a surprising number of fans took to social media to speculate about the fate of his beloved feline, Ser Pounce. Dean-Charles Chapman, who portrayed Tommen has this to say when asked about the kitty’s fate: “Hopefully he didn’t get caught up in the blast. That’d be a tragedy.” Great. Meow we won’t be able to sleep tonight.