Ive been thinking about this for a while, so here is my theory on who will win the Iron Throne:
Sansa Stark.
It’s been hinted at throughout the series how Sansa has always wanted to be Queen, and it explains her almost personal hostility towards Daenerys, who Jon Snow gave away the North’s independence to.
Arya has also warned Jon that they were his family (and he best remember that), a possible foreshadowing to forecoming events where Jon will have to choose between Daenerys and the Stark siblings. The catalyst possibly being Daenerys’ descent into madness after the death of her moral compass, Jorah Mormont. She will become a tyrant no doubt and do something she shouldn’t have, turning the North against her once again and making the race for the throne a battle between many sides instead of just two.
Sansa has been shown as having some schemes of her own brewing, and has definitely learned from the best at the craft. She was mentored by both Cersei and Littlefinger, and married to Tyrion. These are indisputably the three most clever people in the show, and she has been influenced by them all. No doubt Sansa is just going to let Daenerys and Cersei duke it out (or, better that she does so they can destroy each other) without having some plans of her own.
Jon’s Targaryen blood is going to be a rift between him and Dany no doubt, so there’s that issue to consider as well. Daenerys is so obsessed with the throne that I don’t really see her tolerating the North with Jon at the helm especially as a force of its own period. She will definitely attempt to make him renounce his allegiance to the North, setting off the catalyst of him having to choose.
Daenerys’ vision. She herself will destroy King’s Landing, causing Jon no doubt to put her down. The final battle will be between him and her, ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’, and we all saw the snow on the throne. While I believe that Jon will take Dany down, this fulfilling his role that the Lord of Light brought him back for, the Snow could also mean a Northerner on the throne, i.e. Sansa.
Dany might not be as infertile as we thought and might be pregnant. Cersei might be pregnant. Depending on the timeline of the next episodes, they both might give birth around the end of the series. Cersei might not give birth to that baby regardless, due to the prophecy. But she definitely wants it to rule Westeros. So, either she bands up with the Starks to take down Mad Queen Dany (with her dragon killing weapon) on the condition that her child will become heir after Sansa, or Jon takes his child before he takes Dany down.
Tyrion will betray Daenerys for the Starks, along with Varys. They’ve, at least Varys, warned her before that they would flip on her if she became unfit to rule. I ship Sansa x Tyrion but I also am not sure if any of the Lannisters will make it out alive.
George R.R. Martin has said that the ending would be bittersweet. With Jon slaying Daenerys (Nissa-Nissa) that would definitely fit the bill, Cersei and her plans notwithstanding and the ambiguous ending of the White Walkers.
These are just my thoughts and there might be some things I missed that make all of this impossible, but still. I root for Sansa!
