#yeaahhh...

the protags...ok?

Oh my god, it’s going to be so much worse than Last Argument of Kings. So. Much. Worse.

Especially since this time I think I’m vastly more invested in the characters than I was when I read LAOK. All the old favourites who’re still in play could easily get the chop - Calder, Shivers, Glokta, Finree, and Gorst all have the potential to wreck me - but I also fucking love the new characters, and some of them genuinely deserve to thrive even though the chances of that happening are slim to none.

Some dark as fuck shit that could legit happen:

I think Orso’s death would definitely make me cry, but it’s probably the most likely outcome. Joe Abercrombie is not a merciful man, and all this talk of hangings is uh... unsettling? just a little bit??

Savine could eat her baby. I mean, like that’s just totally on brand for her right now, especially with Zuri by her side. Eater!Savine... jfc, what a terrifying prospect.

Rikke could easily be betrayed by pretty much everyone she’s with right now - the biggest culprits there are the Nail, Clover, and Stour. What the fuck is the Nail’s game btw? Oh my god that boy stresses me out beyond belief. Or, y’know, she could become an evil overlord, swallowed up by her own magic, and just fuck absolutely everyone over. Whatever happens, Shivers is probably gonna suffer a whole lot :(

And Leo’s already lost so much but he could still lose Jurand, or his mother, or his life... and since they’re all faves I doubt I’d be able to get through any of that with dry eyes. I don’t know how Joe Abercrombie can do worse to him than what he did in A Footnote to History, which I struggled to get through honestly it was so damn dark, but like... I wouldn’t put it past him to try.

And that’s the personal scale. What is the Union gonna look like at the end of this? I doubt there’ll be a Union at the end of this. Monza could totally go for the throat. Rikke could unite the North, or she could destroy it completely with backstabbing and mistrust. Progress whomst?

PLUS, Bayaz won’t go down without a fight, and who’s going to fight him? Who’s gonna side with him? Maybe all the good guys are gonna band together to take down the evil master of the universe, but I seriously doubt it. I personally think Bayaz will come out on top, but if he dies I really think whatever follows will be even worse, somehow.

A few good things could also happen.

Shivers meeting Jappo?

Broad wrecking Isher’s entire face.

More Jappo content in general?

Jurand could tell Leo to fuck himself and run off into the sunset like he deserves.

Leo could see the error of his ways, fuck Jurand, and they could run off into the sunset together.

Vick could be the spanner in everyone’s works.

And, on the outside, Finree/Calder could still happen you guys ;w;