Game of Thrones Final Season Approaches, & I Make My Predictions

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Until a little more than a year and a half or so ago, in the fall of 2017, I was one of those people who had never seen an episode of Game of Thrones (GOT), and was rather proud of it. Also at that point, I was still watching The Walking Dead, although feeling increasingly disappointed and disinterested in it.

Then, I spoke with a friend, who's very creative and intelligent, and who's opinion I trust. And he absolutely raved about the show, and told me to start watching. 

The thing was, the show had just begun a long hiatus of two years, so it would be a while before I could even watch a live episode. Also, I did not have HBO, and in fact, had never had the network in my entire life. When I was a kid, I remember thinking of HBO as the station that plays the Star Wars movies, because that seemed to be the only place where they ever played. Of course, at the time, they were likely the hottest movies, and so it seemed enticing and impossibly out of reach for someone of common means like myself. Those other kids often felt like they belonged much more, and so they easily took for granted the easy access that they had to HBO, even though I wished that I could watch it, sometimes even just for a day (and hopefully, maybe a week, just maybe).

Well, I still do not have HBO. And if I can no longer say that I have not seen an episode of GOT, I can still say with pride that I never had HBO. Never had and, I am guessing at this point, probably never will. It is not like I am going to sign up just to get one show, after all.

However, that does leave me in a bit of a dilemma, as I am not entirely certain how I will even watch the new season, although I do intend to. That friend assures me that this is not a problem, as he will give me instructions on how to watch it, although my own certainty is less clear on the matter. After all, I cannot simply watch the episodes live as they air, and would have to watch them later, when my schedule allows it.

Yet, I did get to watch the other seasons. Yes, all of them. I simply went to the library (well, libraries, as I had a membership in more than one), and rented them. 

And sure enough, it is a great show! Really great, actually!

Now, I kind of knew that there would be twists and turns and shocks going in. After all, the very name of "Game of Thrones" now conjures up images of elaborate plots and stabs in the back in order to gain more power and/or privilege. I remember hearing it discussed on the radio, so I knew that there were shocks here and there. Major characters getting killed of, major betrayals and some surprises, here and there. And always, always scheming. So, even though I did not know fully what to expect, there was this sense of knowing to expect the unexpected, if that makes any sense. 

Let me warn anyone reading out there who has not seen the series, but intends to, that there will be spoilers ahead. So, this is probably where you should stop read. Don't say that you were not warned!

*** SPOILERS****** SPOILERS****** SPOILERS***

The show was enjoyable at first, and there were some surprises, although I did not know the full extent of some of the scenes, such as the one between Jamie and Cersei, which I believe actually came in the very first episode of the very first season. Indeed, it was a good show, and like everyone kept talking about, there was a lot of scheming, and a lot of sex, neither of which exactly bothered me.

And then came episode nine in that first season, entitled Baelor. That was when the seemingly main character of the show gets killed, and which made a breathtaking unpredictability a calling card for the series. Yes, it was a shock, but it was also the one moment in the series that many people point to as the episode that made GOT hugely popular, largely because of it's unpredictability. 

Then came the ninth episode of season three, which is apparently popularly known as the "Red Wedding" episode. That, of course, is when Ned Starks and his new wife, as well as their whole entourage and much of the Stark family, are killed in an orchestrated betrayal. This is the darkest moment in the show, when it seems that Jon Snow is off in a remote location and not particularly safe, and Geoffrey is sitting on the throne undeservedly, and making game of torturing people and being transparently drunk on power. By then, you indeed begin to sense that no one - none of the major characters, that is - is safe in this television series. 

There were other shocks, of course. Such as with Theon Greyjoy, Through the first season or two, when all that I thought about that character was that whoever the actor playing him was looked like a dead ringer for a young Mick Jagger. But then, of course, he gets castrated, and having to endure all sorts of torture besides, and I began to think of the previously carefree character in a very different manner. Indeed, his name even changed to "Reek," and he became a different character on almost every level, perhaps paying for his own sins during the one moment when he was essentially guilty of temporarily usurping the throne in the North, and killing three complete innocents. 

So, obviously there are many twists and turns, and we have not even reached the more recent twists and turns, particularly those involving Cersei, who endures her own kind of torture inside of a religious convent, only to exact a serious - and seriously overboard-  measure of revenge, who costs her her own last surviving child. And this is before Jon Snow becomes King in the North, as opposed to Ned Stark, who had been recognized as King of the North. 

This is before we see what surely almost everyone to that point was hoping for, which is  for Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow to hook up,. as they seem almost perfect for one another. But this, too, proves very bad, because as they are finally together, we learn the story of how Snow is actually Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark. That makes them related, and this makes their relationship seem ill-fated and rather incestuous. 

Of course, by now, it should be no surprise that there never seems to be any reason to expect happy endings in Game of Thrones.

And that is where my own prediction comes in, because I suspect that there is a reason that there will be only six episodes in this final season. I cannot say for sure, and maybe (perhaps hopefully), I am wrong, but my own prediction is that the White Walkers prove to be too much, and effectively take over, probably because the various ruling families (Cersei in particular) simply cannot put their own ambitions and egos down, and cannot come together, even when facing an obviously horrific fate if they should fail to do so. 

But I have been known to be wrong every now and then, from time to time, you know? And even though that is what I suspect will happen, GOT never fails to try and lead you in one direction, and then to go in the complete opposite direction. So, you never know, right? That is why we watch the show, after all. The unpredictability factor is a huge incentive and a strong appeal with this series, in particular.

One more thing, before I go: while listening to Q (the Canadian radio show) last evening, they began to talk about this series, and how the final season is about to begin airing the final six episodes. And they also said that it felt historic (not sure if that is overstating it or not), because this is likely the final television program with regular schedules that we will be waiting for single episodes to air regularly, and which means we have to wait for them to air, and watch them simultaneously. 

Maybe, and maybe not. Even if it is, or seems to be, my own guess is that this might come back before too long, although again, I could be wrong.

In any case, I do intend to watch this series, and let's see what happens when we finally get to tune in and watch!

Enjoy!