#thenightking

I still wish that in season 8 the Night King won the Battle in the North, killing more characters (maybe Jon Snow) and leaving the survivors to flee to the South. The loss of Jon and some other major characters and the South's lack of willingness to help defeat the White Walkers when they were up North could of been used as fuel for Daenerys' madness and rage and make it all a bit more plausible. I still disagree with her burning down the city, but maybe if her rage overtook her and she killed someone major herself, Jon if he was still alive or a member of their family as her paranoia rose to insane heights. It could be a failed attempt, like if Arya stopped her or if one of her own dragons killed her to stop her killing Jon, as he is the true next leader, and that shift of control from Daenerys to Jon could of been epic. Either way didn't agree with her burning down everything cause her whole story was that she wanted to do what's right and restore her family name.

Anyways once the remaining character went down south I see there being the end of Cersei. Whether she was killed by Daenerys, Arya or Jamie (my personal favourite choice), she just did not get on with people well enough to keep her reign. Too many people wanted her gone. While I can see that the show was trying to stick to the whole 'subverting people's expectations' with her death, the writers also should of considered what makes a satisfying death - it's all well and good shocking people or making unforeseen choices, but those choices still need to actually leave the viewer satisfied or at least understanding of why that was a good choice. The choice to have her crushed by a pile of bricks was just downright unsatisfying and left the viewer feeling nothing much for the death. It didn't even leave the viewer feeling hollow, like how the Red wedding and Ned Stark's death did. It just did nothing.

After Cersei's death, I could see the forces all teaming up to defeat the White Walkers; showing that it takes all of humanity teaming up to defeat the ultimate evil. Honestly I wouldn't mind if the White Walker won overall, with everyone too busy squabbling over power to the point it caused their own demise (aka the White Walkers taking out unorganised, divided teams that refuse to put aside their greed in order to save themselves), and it would definitely be the most GoT ending you could get. But if not, there would be an epic showdown between humans and White Walkers, maybe under the temporary command of either Jon (if alive) or Tyrion (finally taking the role of a Lanister as he wanted to early on, maybe just to confirm that he's grown as a character to the point he doesn't want that role he used to be so desperate for anymore but accepts it begrudgingly just to lead the battle against the White Walkers). I can't really think of a particular character to take down the Night King, so maybe I'll just keep it as Arya, though if the whole three eyed raven situation hadn't left Bran as the most boring character ever maybe he could've ended the White Walkers somehow, especially since he apparently had some form of bond to them that never really got explained or sorted out. Bran would probably die here, and his whole reason to return could've been to put an end to the White Walkers rather than to become the most plain king in existence, another choice which while wasn't expected it was just unsatisfying.

Finally, in the aftermath I could see multiple solutions: if Jon was still alive he could be the next ruler, Jamie and Tyrion are other possible options, though I can see Jamie either being killed by his sister as he kills him (both bringing the end of the other) or dying in one of the 2 battles, and I don't think Tyrion would ever want to rule (though that could make quite a nice looped around ending back to King Robert Baratheon who didn't want power but had to take it as his duty). Finally if the whole mad queen route was scrapped entirely Daenerys could of been a possible contender for the Throne, though I'm not sure how they could do an ending with her on the throne without it all becoming all too neatly wrapped and happy for a GoT ending (maybe if some people refused her reign and the land was left in a rocky state of leadership?)