The sixth season of Game Of Thrones is nearly upon us, and the latest trailer has worked fans up into a frenzy.
It looks like a wildly exciting series filled, as always, with high drama, sizeable clashes, and in all likelihood more mysteries.
But it also seems as if for the first time in a while, the world of Game Of Thrones may begin to contract, instead of expand. For most of the series, we’ve seen main characters (or at least those who have survived) spreading out in all different directions around the world. Now, however, they all appear to be on the verge of drifting back toward King’s Landing. It may take a few seasons for that drift to occur, but it may just be that we now know the primary cast of characters who will compete for the Iron Throne.
But who has the edge in the battle for Westeros? Frankly, we have no idea. Given his struggles churning out the sixth book, George R.R. Martin himself may not even know, and the HBO showrunners at this point are making it up as they go. But we can at least speculate, and rather than doing so by recapping characters’ strengths and situations, I wanted to take this post to remind fans of some of the key character advantages we may have forgotten over the seasons.
Jon Snow
You can pretty safely bet that Jon Snow will be returning in one form or another in season six. Although, Huffington Post recently shot down one of the popular theories as to just how that will happen in its entertainment section. Referencing comments made in an interview by John Bradley (who plays Samwell Tarly), the article pretty much shut the door on the idea that Jon “warged” into the body of his direwolf Ghost just before gasping his last breath. That leaves the opportunity open for Jon to come back as, you know, Jon, in which case he could more effectively lead an army against the White Walkers of the north, Ramsay Bolton at Winterfell, or the Lannisters in the south.
What’s his forgotten advantage? How about the fact that as far as we know he and Sam are pretty much the only people who know how to actually kill the White Walkers. If they can maintain a stash of obsidian and stage a legitimate resistance, houses may rally to Jon’s side and give him a mighty army.
Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys may have the biggest stick in the game, so to speak, given that she’s still the mother of dragons. As has been hinted at more than a few times by other characters in both the books and show, the dragons can pretty much negate any other advantage in the world if they’re effectively controlled. But given that control has proven to be a tough issue, what other edge might Dany have on her side? Let’s go with the fact that she might just rally the biggest army in the world, by far.
When we last saw her, she was surrounded by a Dothraki khalasar, and the assumption appears to be that she’s in trouble. But someone has to tell me how exactly mounted swordsmen are going to contend with Drogon and the other dragons. It seems likelier that Dany winds up with a fresh horde of Dothraki bolstering her ever-growing army.
Cersei Lannister
Without dying, it’s hard to look much more defeated than Cersei did in the latter stages of season five. Then again, she finished the season back on her feet (big mistake, High Sparrow), with a fearsome and terrifying new warrior by her side. Jaime’s also headed back her way, and if that new trailer is any indication, he could be getting back into action as a soldier some time soon. But these are all pretty apparent perks for Cersei in season six.
The forgotten advantage may just be her wealth. It’s just for fun, but Lottoland sometimes writes content about luxurious dreams or wealthy fantasies as a playful nod to users scratching cards and hoping for jackpots. One such article made estimates regarding the wealthiest characters in fiction, and Tywin Lannister came in around £1.2 billion in estimated worth. Yes, the Iron Throne is in terrible debt, but the Lannister gold didn’t disappear. Cersei may have a big purse to deploy.
The Stark Children
Other characters like Tyrion, Varys, Ser Davos, etc. will factor into season six as well, but the Stark children appear to be the only other factors as far as winning or battling for the Iron Throne is concerned. And while they’re spread out—Bran in the north becoming some sort of mystical seer, Arya in the east learning to be an assassin, and Sansa on the run and perhaps in search of Jon Snow—they have some advantages that aren’t immediately apparent. And the best way to characterize them is as forgotten or forsaken allies.
Consider, for a moment, the Stark-related characters that could still come out of the cracks. Arya’s direwolf, Nymeria, is running free; their uncle, Benjen, has still not been confirmed dead; their mother hasn’t come back as a vengeful zombie, as she does in the books; they may still have Jon; they may have a redeemed Theon; and for all his wickedness, Littlefinger has great affection for Sansa, to the point that there’s discussion of him pulling a Snape. Almost accidentally, the Stark children have amassed a tangled but powerful collection of potential surprise allies.
These are all just ideas, of course, but they should help to provide a wider frame for where some key characters stand heading into the brand-new season. However it turns out, it seems as if we’re in for another wild ride.