In King's Landing, the dust is still slowly settling. And in my head, too. Now that most Game of Thrones nerds, freaks and enthusiasts the imposing season finale of the sixth season, it is high time to take stock and look ahead. It seems almost needless to mention that this entire article is riddled with SPOILERS. Those who have not been binge-watching the infamous series in recent years: read along, and sympathise with the nerds.
What the f***k happened?
I start where it all began, Winterfell. Very cosy, of course, that two Starks (yes, Jon is a Stark cousin, we know that for sure now) are back home to their own home and hearth. Touching too. But when all these old men with beards started chanting 'The King of the North' 'The King of the North' the chills crept down my spine. Last time they shouted that to Robb Stark and that didn't end well. And although Jon was resurrected from the dead this season, with Mellisandre's #nexit (Carice van Houten is on maternity leave), the chances of divine resuscitation have fallen slightly.
Long live the Mad Queen
Anyway, we have worn out quite a few (candidate) kings in recent seasons. A little memory refresher: Robert Baratheon (murdered by his wife), Renly Baratheon (murdered by his brother/the Carice shadow-horror-baby), Stannis Baratheon (murdered by Brienne), Joffrey (murdered by granddaughter or grandma Tyrell?) of course and the freshest royal corpse, Tommen (suicide). Which no one seemed very upset about, not even his mother. After all, it was her predicted that she would lose all her children, and after Myrcella, it could be seen that she was resigned to that. Like a true morph between Catwoman and Claire Underwood she finally mounted that Iron Throne herself and it looked good on her.
By blowing up the entire Septon, with almost all the Tyrells in it, she convincingly reinstated herself as Bad Woman No 1 and proved herself a worthy successor to the Mad King.
And what a beautiful opening sequence that was, by the way! The carried music and solemn camerawork were justifiably sacred. I don't know what Cersei will be up to in the last two seasons, but I sincerely thank her for eliminating the High Sparrow.
He was played wonderfully by Jonathan Price but his anointing behaviour was becoming as unbearable as sitting out four Balkenende cabinets. While I was still processing that several storylines had flown into the air simultaneously, little Tommen very casually, and therefore still unexpectedly, jumped out of the window of his tower. A direct reference to the very first episode of Game of Thrones, in which Jamie (Tommen's father and uncle) Lannister doggie style busy with his sister and little Bran Stark has to pay for that discovery with a shove and high fall. That visual rhyme makes Tommen's death feel like wondrous justice.
In 'the Battle of the Bastards', Ramsay became a new brand of dog treats. And in this season finale we also got another one of those magnificent murders as a gift. This time from Arya, who took the phrase "a cakewalk" quite literally and served the wanly elderly Walder Frey his own sons, in that same great hall where the Red Wedding took place. As far as I am concerned, that is still officially one of the most shocking GOT massacres. By now, we are somewhat used to it, but back then, we as viewers were still young and innocent.
Lannister brother and sister
Jamie, who as far as I'm concerned is in the running for the 'Severus Snape' goblet (opposing candidates are Sandor 'The Hound' Clegane and Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish) of Game of Thrones, has been oscillating between good and evil throughout the series. A sympathetic bad guy or an evil good guy, which was it going to be? With Cersei's ascension to the throne and Tommen's death, that battle seems settled in favour of 'good'. But where it will take him? Or, to whom? 
Finally, before I venture into predictions for season 7, just The Feminism Question. Yes, right now there are a lot of strong women in power. Cersei, Daenerys, Ollena Tyrell and the Sand Snakes in Dorne. Furthermore, Sansa and Arya Stark as well as Yara Greyjoy are also enjoying themselves. Interestingly, the series is partly based on public reactions seems to be developing. Quite rightly, much criticism of female nudity and additional sexual violence to which all the women in GOT were exposed. An 'ordinary' lovemaking in the book suddenly became a rape in the series: Cersei being raped by Jamie on their son Joffrey's coffin and Sansa being abused by Ramsey Bolton in front of Theon, the dogs don't like that (pun intended).
But the 'equality thinking' retains a certain half-heartedness. Key characters like Cersei, Danaerys and Melissandre I can draw out naked. However, the series' first bare dick was from an extremely insignificant supporting actor-actor (he played a stage actor).
-NOTE, this is not a call for more bare dicks.
And why is everyone so upset about the death of 'Hold-the-door-Hodor'? While you don't hear anyone about Ramsay's so casual finished Osha, who spent seasons running through a forest with Rickon Stark? Osha has potty-mouthed as much of an important contribution to that whole flight of the youngest Stark brothers as Hodor.
Here are my predictions for season 7:
[Tweet "Game of Thrones - Prediction 1: Season 7 includes a Love Triangle with Brienne"]
Will it be Wildling Tormund or will it be Jamie? The Lannisters are quite depleted and it is time for an heir to Casterly Rock. Or favour the driving forces behind the series, David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, don't they have time for that anymore? I don't see a Brienne/Jamie baby being born anytime soon. And what happens when Sansa discovers that her husband Tyrion (yes, they are still married guys) is still alive? Who knows, maybe something beautiful will blossom between these two now?
Sansa is in danger. And so Winterfell is in danger. Petyr Baelish never spoke so openly about his ambitions before, and by rejecting him, she has created a formidable new adversary. Take a look back at the wonderful monologue "Chaos is a ladder" from season three:
[Tweet "Game of Thrones season 7 - Prediction 3: Arya doesn't kill 'the Hound'"]Arya won't kill The Hound. After all, she already did that once, by leaving him alive. And besides, she needs a father figure.
[Tweet "Game of Thrones season 7 - Prediction 4: Jon is fireproof"]
The R+L =J theory has finally been, partially, confirmed. Jon is not Snow but the son of Lyanna Stark and, I have no doubt, also the son of Rhaegar Targaryen. There's no way the dragons of brand-new aunt Danny can't get a grip on him, should they end up facing each other on the battlefield.
Next season will be the season of brother-sister reunions. The last three Lannisters, the Starks and the Cleganes, are going to meet. Blood or tears? That's the question. (Well actually it's not a question, but interesting it will be.)
Nerd along!
Danny is finally on his way to Westeros with her fleet and her dragons. And The Winter has 'arrived' at long last. I'd love to hear what you think! What are your predictions for season seven? Who will absolutely be on? How will you get through next year? And who oh who will be our new Official Most Irritating Character now that Ramsay Bolton and the High Sparrow have been culled?
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