All things pop culture and fandom came crashing into the halls of the Metro Toronto Convention Center at the 2017 Toronto Fanexpo No matter the genre or preference, geeks from far and wide could find whatever their nerdy little heart desired during the four day event. This came in the form of celeb appearances, interactive panels, photo ops, costumes and more.
For us, one of the most tempting and must-see panels was Game of Thrones: What to Expect in Season 8. Hosted by Because Geek Youtube Personality Val and Rawrist, the conversation started off discussing things in past episodes and seasons, and what that meant for the upcoming 2018 (or 2019) 8th season.
From the fans in the crowd, there was no shortage of speculation and opinions, some far fetched, others clear and exciting. But all are possible, since no one truly knows what is coming in the next season.
Creator George RR Martin has simply said ‘the ending will be bitter sweet,’ and that some fans he has spoken to have actually guessed the ending. While he refuses to confirm to them if they are right, or share any secrets, the bitter sweet has endless possibilities.
Let’s look at a few from the Fanexpo panel.
WARNING: Possible spoilers and theories on what is to come. None of this is confirmed, and is merely speculation from fans at the event. If you don’t want to know, don’t read any futher!
The talk kicked off with the room more than happy to find season 7 ending with Jon and Dany and the much anticipated sex scene. Just as with images of Jon Snow’s butt, it was something everyone has been waiting for since the start of the season when the two first met. So everyone was cheering and supporting the coming together of these two characters.
But, it also meant that Dany and Jon were having sex as aunt and nephew, as it was confirmed by Bran in the final episode that Jon is not Ned Stark’s bastard, but actually the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. This, then, makes him heir to the throne, and NOT Daenarys. Now, incest is something fans of the show got over in season one with Jaime and Cersei, going from ‘ewww’ to ‘yaaasss’. According to the hosts, due to Targaryen incest history, Jon and Dany are more like a 44% DNA match, making them more like brother and sister than aunt and nephew.
Huh. Interesting.
In terms of theories, they were thrown around like candy on Halloween, so we are just going to give you a few of the best.
First off, are Tormund and Beric dead? We don’t think so. Instead, mentions of Beric and The Hound from previous episodes hint towards the fact that the former will have to give his final life to save another. Will it be The Hound? Jon? Dany? Who knows, but the fact he lost his priest earlier seems too significant to let him die by a falling wall.
Now, The Hound was certainly a favorite to discuss, as was his brother, The Mountain. While it was mostly the fact everyone can’t wait to see the showdown between the two, or the aptly named Clegane Bowl, it brought forward the realization that the Mountain is closer to a Wight than a human, which leaves us to wonder: if the Night King did make it to Westeros, and Kings Landing, where would his allegiance lay?
This of course brought forward the concept of Jon. He, too, has fallen to death, but remains untouchable to the Night King. This was explained as Jon was brought back by the God of Light…whereas the Mountain was brought back by other forces, possibly similar to the Night King. Ice versus Fire, dark versus light. Everything is a balance.
Another big topic was one we are all wanting to know: Who will finally kill Cersei? Most bets go to Jamie, especially after her dismissal at the end of season 7. No longer is he blind to her ways and cold heart, and it would make perfect sense for him to be the one who kills the love of his life. But, also, many are hoping Tyrion finally gets his revenge on his sister for everything she has put him through. All her fear mongering towards her youngest brother feels very much like a self fulfilling prophecy, bringing her to the only ending she expects for herself…at the end of Tyrions sword. Or will be it Arya, as Cersei has been a long standing item on her kill list. Will she steal a trusted face to gain access? Kill Jamie and use him as cover? Who knows, since her bag of faces gives her ample options.
Also, is Cersei actually pregnant? The crowd was split in half on this one. She is certainly not incapable of such treachery, but also, the idea of a new Lannister is almost a necessity to the plot. Something to fight for besides her own life, and as much as we all love to hate her, you cannot deny that Cersei loves her children.
Now, what about the Night King? Who is he? Where did he come from? This is where the theories got really good! The best of them being that Bran, as a Warg, is actually the Night King, and during his experiences, before he fell too far under the spell, built the wall to hold himself back, knowing all along that his other self, younger Bran, would come forward and help Jon and the others defeat him. It was a complicated theory, one that I know I am not giving true justice to, but I promise it is one that left the room in awe. Also, that the Night King does not actually revive his walkers, but is a Warg (hence the fact he might be Bran) as in S7 the collective died when one Wight was struck down by the group looking to capture one for Cersei. That instead, if the Night King was to die, so would the army entirely.
In terms of Tyrion, we all know he loves Dany. Now that Jon has taken her heart, will he stay true to his role at her side? What happens when Jon is revealed as true heir? Will Tyrion convince Dany to accept this news, or try to sway her to kill him? Tyrion’s
progression through the seasons has been remarkable, and he is definitely my favorite character, but I can’t help but wonder if he is more Little Finger than Jon Snow. What if he is behind much of the turmoil, bending the sides to his will with his position and influence, and it is he who will ends up on the iron throne? Also, it was suggested that he is in fact a Targaryen, a popular theory with book readers. That would make 3 Targaryens, and 3 dragons. Yes, Viserion is ‘dead’, but, so is Jon, in a way. Again, it brings back to the idea of balance.
So what will be the most bitter-sweet way to end it all? That is the only hint GRRM has given us, and it has too many possibilities. The prophecy hints to Dany dying…will it be in childbirth? Or, will Jon be turned, taking over the role of Night King after killing the current (again, balance…good and evil) and stay on the other side of the wall, apart from Dany because he knows it has to happen? Or, is it the fact that many times it has been mentioned that magic is what is wrong with this world, and it needs to fade? That once the war is over, and the sides have been set, no longer will there be magic, or dragons?
Again, these are all theories and speculation from fans, and nothing is confirmed. And, these are only a small portion of the ideas tossed around during the hour long panel. But they certainly sparked thought and discussion, and we cant wait to see if any actually come true!
Let us know your predictions for season 8 in the comments!
Game of Thrones is expected to return to HBO in 2019.
