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7 Predictions For Games Of Thrones Season 7

If you think we’re going to get a happy ending with Jon on the Iron Throne and Daenerys on his lap, to quote Tyrion Lannister: you’ve come to the wrong place.
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Will he climb The Mountain?
HBO
Will he climb The Mountain?

The loooooooong night of waiting is almost over and the new Game of Thrones arrives on July 16. With Dany finally headed to Westeros, Jon crowned King in the North, and Cersei rocking some serious Wicked Queen vibes -- what can we expect from Season 7?

Warning: if you're anti-spoiler to the point where even fan speculation rains wildfire on your GoT parade, turn back now.

1. A Stark Family Reunion

The end of Season 6 saw Arya back in Westeros, taking names and baking servo pies. Bran was on his way back from Three-Eyed-Raven training, while at Winterfell Jon was crowned King in the North and Sansa was drinking Littlefinger's Kool-Aid (bonus prediction: karma will finally visit Lord Baelish this year).

So assuming Arya and Bran head for home, the chances of a Stark reunion are high. But will it be a harmonious family gathering? Unlikely. Jon and Sansa are in the midst of a power struggle, Arya's used to operating as a lone wolf, and Bran tends to get everyone around him killed purely by existing. So it'll be your standard family do -- just with more backstabbing, more heartbreak, and less booze.

2. Team Stargaryen

A no-brainer, right? Dany's dragons are the only viable means of defeating the White Walkers, and they aren't going to ride themselves. Given Jon's the only other confirmed Targaryen we know of, the Mother of Dragons and the King in the North need to combine forces soon and plan to roast the army of the dead together.

Jon established a friendship with Tyrion back in Season 1, so that'll ease the introductions. But will a Stark/Targaryen alliance mean Daenerys/Jon Snow nuptials? On one hand, it makes a creepy sort of sense; Targaryens traditionally marry Targaryens, and assuming Dany overthrows Cersei it would unite the North and South in time for the Great War.

On the other hand, we've spent six seasons witnessing the destructive fallout from Jaime and Cersei's relationship, so it'd be strange for the show to do a moral backflip on the subject of incest now. However, Jon's yet to even discover his true heritage, which leads us to...

3. Jon Targaryen, King in the North, True Heir to the Iron Throne, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm, the Prince that Was Promised, Azor Ahai reborn by the Power of Grayskull.

Jon will discover his Targaryen heritage this year -- the only question is how? Will Bran tip him off, or will he stumble across the truth when one of Dany's dragons takes a shining to him? Also, where the hell is Ghost these days?

4. King's Landing goes KABOOM

If Daenerys wants the Iron Throne she'll have to march on King's Landing, where Cersei's sitting pretty on a stockpile of wildfire.

We've learnt Cersei has no issue committing mass murder (in fact she pairs it with a full-bodied red). And with all her children dead, there's little left for her to live for if she loses the crown. Chances are she'll choose to destroy King's Landing and everyone in it rather than relinquish it all to Daenerys...unless Jaime kills her first. He's been swinging back and forth on the redemption pendulum for several seasons now. Will the Valoqar finally step up?

We've learnt that Cersei has no issue committing mass murder (in fact she pairs it with a full-bodied red).
HBO
We've learnt that Cersei has no issue committing mass murder (in fact she pairs it with a full-bodied red).

5. Cleganebowl

The Hound is alive. The Mountain is... alive-ish? Semi-zombie? His skin resembles a wedge of well-aged Gorgonzola these days, so I'll run with alive-but-rotting. Regardless, he's as deadly as ever. With only two short seasons remaining to resolve the larger White Walker conflict, the much-anticipated resolution of the Clegane brothers' feud is likely to happen this year.

6. The Wall Will Fall

Fairly predictable, given the foreshadowing from Uncle Benjen last season. After delivering Bran to the base of the Wall, he made sure to mention that it's not just the Wall's immense size that acts as a barrier; there are enchantments woven into the ice that keep the White Walkers out. You could almost hear the subtext penny drop; like everything else, Bran's probably going to screw this up for everyone. The Wall will fall this season, paving the way for the army of the dead.

7. Jon Snow Will Die

I'm cheating including this one, because he won't die during Season 7. He'll die at the end of Season 8.

Impossible! Unthinkable! He's the main character, the SONG OF ICE AND FIRE! And he already died once, why would they kill him again?

Because George R.R Martin is a sadist. If you think we're going to get a happy ending with Jon on the Iron Throne and Daenerys on his lap, to quote Tyrion Lannister: you've come to the wrong place.

For one thing, Jon's already cheated death. And if Arya's House of Black and White story line taught us anything other than how to give a corpse a sponge bath, it was that no one cheats the Many-Faced God; Jon's resurrection means a debt is now owed.

And secondly, the title 'Prince That Was Promised' has some ominous sacrificial-lamb connotations. We know George R.R Martin demands a hefty price before allowing his heroes any victories (if he allows them at all). Which means a beloved character (more likely several) will have die in order to destroy the Night King and save the Realm -- and my money's on Jon Snow.

Zombie Hodor? Ice dragons? Sam turning out to be the Prince That Was Promised? What are your predictions for this season of Game of Thrones?

Read more from Emma, including Game of Thrones episode recaps, at The Hangry Wife.

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