Entertainment

Helen Sloan/courtesy of HBO

What Will Happen On 'Game Of Thrones' Season 7? Reunions, Deaths, & Battles, Of Course

by Caralynn Lippo

With the sixth season finale of HBO's hit series fast approaching, naturally fans' thoughts are now turning to what will happen on Game of Thrones Season 7. After the epic Battle of the Bastards (which finally brought to a bloody end the atrocious Ramsay Bolton's reign of terror and awfulness) in the penultimate episode of the season – an episode that also featured Daenerys securing a key alliance – it seems clear that things in the Seven Kingdoms are finally shifting gears and moving us towards the series' inevitable conclusion.

As of now, according to an exclusive interview with Variety given earlier this year, the executive producers and HBO plan on finishing the series after Season 8, giving us two more seasons of everyone's favorite epic fantasy-drama. The tentative plan also includes shorter seasons, with seven episodes currently planned for the seventh and six for the eighth. That means there could be as few as 13 episodes of the series left after Sunday's finale, a traumatizing thought for all of us who have grown to love the award-winning show over the past six years.

As distressing as it is to imagine the beloved series coming to an end, there's no doubt that all of the pieces are now falling into place for a final battle for the throne of the Seven Kingdoms and a battle against the Night Walkers. Several key developments across the sixth season hint heavily at what we can expect from Season 7, which, as of now, will be the second to last season of the show.

Now that Jon and Sansa have reunited, joining forces to take down Ramsay and reclaim Winterfell for their family, other Stark kid homecomings seem imminent.

Helen Sloan/courtesy of HBO

Arya will almost definitely reunite with her family in Season 7. She already stated her intention to return home, to Winterfell, after she finally defeated the Waif and was able to walk away from the Faceless Men once and for all. We last saw her in Braavos, so it's very unlikely that she'll make it from Braavos back to Westeros in time for the finale – meaning we'll have a super emotional reunion between Jon and Arya to look forward to next season. Remember how tear-jerking the reunion between Jon and Sansa was? Those two weren't even close before they each left Winterfell. Jon straight up adored his youngest sister Arya, so hold onto your hats for that reunion. I'm tearing up just thinking about it.

Will we see Bran reunite with his siblings in Season 7? That's less likely. Bran is still in the thick of the White Walker storyline, becoming the new Three-Eyed Raven after the death of his former teacher. While the question of who will take the throne has always been at the center of the series, it's become increasingly clear that the battle to defend the realm of men against the White Walkers will be the actual climax of the series.

Since Bran is firmly a part of that storyline (and not so much the throne storyline), he's more likely to encounter whatever remains of his family in the eighth season, when the big Humans vs. White Walkers battle royale happens after the latter group inevitably breaches the Wall.

If the Humans/White Walkers face-off is saved for the eighth season, it's possible that the titular game of thrones will actually be resolved in Season 7. Tyrion has spent the past season and a half as an advisor to Daenerys, a significant development in her quest for the Iron Throne that was arguably the biggest since she hatched her dragon babies.

Now, everyone's favorite Khaleesi has accomplished an even bigger goal in her quest by forming an alliance with Theon and Yara Greyjoy (but mostly Yara) in exchange for their fleet. Season 7 is going to be all about Daenerys *FINALLY* making her way to Westeros and fighting for the throne. There's no way they can put it off anymore. The people need Dany on that big ol' sword chair. Bonus points if Yara winds up at her side.

If Season 7 is all about Dany en route to Westeros and actively fighting for her throne, of course we'll see whoever is currently on the throne defending their place on it. Will Tommen still be on the throne by the time Daenerys arrives in King's Landing? Probably not. I'd be shocked if he was, actually.

The promo for the Season 6 finale was heavily King's Landing-focused, hinting that something big is going to go down there. We know that Cersei is planning a big move, now that her youngest son (and only living child) has turned on her under the influence of the High Sparrow, forcing her to go to trial for her crimes by eliminating Trial By Combat. Margaery is absolutely up to something sneaky, too, in encouraging Tommen to align with The Faith.

Could whatever goes down in King's Landing in the last episode of Season 6 result in Tommen's death (or even just his removal from the throne)? Possibly. I think we'll all be surprised (and extremely amused) if Season 7 rolls around and it's Dany and her dragons versus Tommen and Ser Pounce.

Whatever we can expect from Game of Thrones Season 7, one thing is for certain – the nearly year-long wait for more new episodes after Sunday's finale is going to be brutal, as usual.