Who Will Win the Game of Thrones? We Weigh the Odds
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones Leather-Cloth Boxed Set (Song of Ice andFire Series): A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and ADance with Dragons
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George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones Leather-Cloth Boxed Set (Song of Ice andFire Series): A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and ADance with Dragons
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Paperback $85.00
“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.” – Cersei Lannister
“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.” – Cersei Lannister
It was, and perhaps remains, the most iconic quote from Game of Thrones, the HBO adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire: simultaneously a reminder of the series’ stakes and a Mountain-sized wink at the audience. As the final season approaches (if not the final novel), fans are still seeking answers to as many questions as there are Unsullied soldiers. But likely chief king among them is… who is actually going to win the Game of Thrones?
If it’s worth discussing, it’s worth gambling over! Below, we place odds on who will sit the Iron Throne come the end of season 8.
(Assuming it hasn’t been melted to slag by dragonfire, of course.)
Daenerys Targaryen (2 to 1)
The Mother of Dragons is the favorite thanks to several factors working in her favor:
- If there is such thing as a “main” character on this show, it’s probably her.
- Her arc has been heading toward the throne since the very first episode.
- Dragons, yo.
It’s hard to not consider her odds the best, but there is still a sense of doom hanging over her new relationship with…
Jon Snow (7 to 1)
As Bran’s vision confirmed at the end of last season, Jon is indeed the heir to the throne. His odds would be higher, except for the fact that he isn’t interested in ruling and he tends to make catastrophic choices at nearly every turn. Remember when he tried to to take a handful of dudes beyond the wall to grab an ice zombie to take back to King’s Landing? Did everyone in the room actually hear that and go, “well I don’t have anything better to do”? He’s died for his poor choices before, and he may yet die again.
Cersei Lannister (11 to 1)
When you think about the core characters of this saga, almost no one has gotten more screen time than Cersei. She has been a pivotal character in every season. It seems impossible that she could end the story on top, given typical narrative conventions and the sheer number of major players who want her dead. But this isn’t a typical story, and the showrunners/George R.R. Martin aren’t known for typical narrative conventions.
The Night’s King (20 to 1)
While Cersei has been present in every season, the Night’s King’s plan has been prevalent since the very first scene of the pilot. Though it often unfolded at the margins, the advancement of the White Walkers toward Westeros has been a pivotal aspect of the show since the jump. From their surprise attack at Hardhome, to the tragic killing (and conversion) of Viserion, as time has gone on, their threat has only increased. It seems unlikely that the Night’s King could end up on top, but given this story’s penchant for providing shocking and upsetting moments…why not?
Gendry (25 to 1)
“There is power in King’s blood” —Melisandre
Gendry sneaking back in the storyline seems innocuous, but given the significance of his lineage (and the size of his fan club) he is the definitive dark horse candidate. He might very well “aww shucks” his way to the most powerful seat in the land.
Sansa Stark (25 to 1)
There was an interesting moment in the last season after Jon left to consult with Dany. Sansa was completely against it until he stated that he was leaving her in charge while he was away. In that moment, she looked simultaneously flabbergasted and empowered by the decision. It doesn’t feel like this is her ultimate role… but I doubt she’d mind.
Tyrion Lannister (30 to 1)
It would be delightfully ironic if Tyrion, the only thing Tywin Lannister was ever ashamed of, ended up ruling the land. However, given his attitude toward the ruling class in Westeros, that doesn’t really seem to be his end goal. However if a bunch of characters died (this is the right show for that scenario) it’s possible that he might assume the throne, if only to keep others (whose purposes might be a bit more unsavory) from taking it.
Jaime Lannister (30 to 1)
Jamie is yet another character who likely has the skill set necessary to lead, but just isn’t all that interested in it. Perhaps his role is to… slay a king or queen? Certainly that hasn’t been aggressively foreshadowed at all.
Euron Greyjoy (50 to 1)
Euron gets better odds to sit atop the throne than most simply because… well, he really, really wants it. I can see a scenario wherein the Golden Company, the White Walkers, Dany’s dragons (remind me to start a band by that name), and a dozen other factions all wipe one another out, leaving Euron very well equipped to remind everyone that no matter how many politicians are overruled or seriously injured, there will always going to be more of them waiting in the wings—so why not settle for one of them picked at random and call it a day? What a comforting thought. (Also, he made it to adulthood with a name pronounced not dissimilarly from “urine,” so he’s got to have quite a hardy constitution.)
Arya Stark (250 to 1)
Arya began showing her disdain for the “proper lords and ladies” since very early in season one, and she has never relented. Ruling the seven kingdoms can’t be her end goal, but she might murder a few important people along the way!
Bran Stark (500 to 1)
The odds of Brandon ruling Westeros are very slim, but the odds of him saying a bunch of cryptic things and making everyone uncomfortable are very high.
Hot Pie (345,000 to 1)
You know, I just don’t see it happening.
Joffrey Baratheon (Slim, as he’s dead)
LOL. Remember when he died? Ah, those were the days.
Who will sit the Iron Throne? Place your bets in the comments!