Thread by @fangirlJeanne

Grab a drink and some snacks, because I'm about to drop a huge thread in your lap.

HOW I WOULD HAVE ENDED GAME OF THRONES!

This is brought to you by the generosity of my Pateron patrons (specifically @nicaborders). #ThroneTheories

@nicaborders Now, this was a hell of a task to tackle. I don't take what GRRM or everyone on the show (saves the two chuckleheads who will remain nameless) accomplished lightly.

This isn't about criticizing the show. It's just a FUN thought experiment about what I would have changed and why.

@nicaborders The easiest way for me to approach this is by listing things by what I would change and how that would impact the story and outcomes for particular characters.

So this isn't going to be in chronological order, but rather by change and characters.

@nicaborders I'm also going to have to explain some book canon stuff for my choices and outcomes to make sense. So bare with me and please hold off on asking questions until I'm done.

Feel free to use the #ThroneTheories tag for your questions. I'll check it regularly.

@nicaborders #1 Put Aegon in the show. Before I explain why and the impact, let explain who Aegon is.

In the book A Dance with Dragons, Tyrion meets a mysterious group of travelers. Among them is a young boy named "Young Griff." Turns out he is Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar. Maybe.

@nicaborders Basically, Varys and Illiryo (the guy who helped sell Dany to Drogo) have been playing the long game to get this boy "Aegon" on the Iron Throne, not Dany. Aegon. Only there's a lot of reasons to question whether this boy really is Aegon. Many fans believe he's a fake.

@nicaborders I believe much of the conflict in the shows final season about whether Jon or Dany should rule was likely conflict that's supposed to happen between Aegon and Dany in the books. This makes WAY more sense for Aegon who was raised to believe he should be king. Not Jon.

@nicaborders The show could have leveraged the audience's affection for Varys to make us want to believe Aegon is real, just like all the Lords and Ladies who'd choose to kneel to him over Dany who has fought tooth and nail to get back home only to see an unqualified teenage boy on the throne

@nicaborders It would have been easy to introduce young Griff in season 5, the same point when he meets Tyrion and Jorah in the books. This would also give Dorne a bigger part to play in the show, one that doesn't involve OOC vendettas. Dorne knows about Aegon and is seeking an alliance.

@nicaborders This is why they betrothed their prince to Myrcella to eliminate her as a possible marriage prospect for Aegon. I would also put Aryanna Martel in the show and have her working to help Aegon to make alliances with Westerosi nobles right under Cersei's nose.

@nicaborders Dorne will still fall and fail, but because of some foolish wacky pirate shit, but because they fell prey to the game the same way the Lannisters did.

Because Dany will see through the lies and she will burn the Red Keep, the false dragon, and all his lickspittles with him.

@nicaborders The burning of the Red Keep ignites all the stores of wildfire beneath the castle and the rest of King's Landing, which burns down the entire city.

One mistake, not wonton brutality, one very human and even justified choice to kill the false king paints Dany in blood.

@nicaborders The framing of this as tragic, unintentional, but also an impossible situation for Dany could be done. Especially if the show took the time (several seasons) to show the hypocrisy and fucked up politics of Westeros would rather have a false King than a true-born queen.

Even more so if we went full-on in the Blackfyre Rebellion and it turned out that Aegon was actually a Blackfyre (bastard line of the Targaryen family).

This is the Dance of Dragons 2.0 I'd want. With Jon nowhere near any of it.

So how does Dany die, you ask? Easy. She's killed by Jaime Lannister.

There are many great threads and videos out there about why Jaime's battle against Fire mirrors Jon's fight against Ice.

It makes thematic sense for Jaime. Especially if he believes Aegon is Rhaegar's son.

Yes, I would still have Jaime and Brienne fall in love. And the ONLY way I would buy him leaving her isn't for Cersei (who I will get too), but to redeem himself in the eyes of the boy who's family and father he failed.

I can see exactly how the scene would play out.

The message is being read by someone else, Jaime immediately looks at Brienne his face a storm of conflicting emotions and she just nods. Because she understands, even more than he does. He has to go because he is the good man she knew he was all along.

Plus it would pay off the foreshadowing of Jaime tilting a fucking dragon!

He has been fighting dragons all his life.

Bonus points: I wouldn't have to see another woman die at the hands of a man who supposedly loves her. *barf*

Since we're talking about Lannisters lets talk about Cersei. I LOVE show!Cersei, but I wouldn't have had her last half as long as she does. It delayed Jaime's character development (he leaves her way earlier in the books) and wouldn't happen if Aegon came a-knocking.

I'd make her downfall flow better, make it clear that Cersei is the architect of her own downfall. I'd have Marcella die in Kingslanding. Not because of Dorne, because she was safe there. But because Cersei's kids die as a result of her trying to maintain control over them.

I'd let Tommen die the same as in the show because it fits this theme. That Cersei is her own worst enemy and she fulfills her own prophecy. How does she die?

Buy the hands of "little brother," Sandor Clegane.

He sneaks in disguised in his brother's armor and strangles her.

That brings me to Sandor Clegane.

Let's be clear about one thing, FUCK CLEGANE BOWL!

It is a ridiculous jerk-off fantasy that completely misses the point of the series and Sandor's character arc in the books.

I'd have Sandor and Arya part the same way they do in the show. The next season Ian McShane's character, Ray, appears leading his group small folks, talking about gods and the nature of violence. All the while accompanied by a hooded monk figure.

This could go on for several episodes or a whole season, because who the fuck only uses Ian McShane for one episode? Have them pop up and interact with other characters, witnessing the violence and devastation. Helping small folk fleeing war and outlaws. The monk never speaks.

I'd want this to play parallel to Arya's own journey through identity lose and understanding the impact and responsibility of being a weapon, of wielding death. Sandor should have gone on a similar journey, learning that he has a choice in what and why he does what he does.

You can still have Ray and the others die as they did on the show, being needlessly slaughtered for money they didn't have while the "silent monk" is chopping wood. Then have him find them and take off his robe to reveal Sandor.

This would cast his choice to kill the thieves

less about giving the audience some fun thrill kills, ah yeah the hound is back, and more about Sandor making a conscious choice to stop those men from doing what they did to anyone else.

I also want this to be where he starts his journey back to Kingslanding, to his brother.

For me, the proper resolution to Sandor and Gregor isn't some battle to the death, but rather death is a gift that Sandor gives his brother who has been literally reduced to a weapon. End the pain. End the cycle, by laying his brother to rest.

This is the pay off for the foreshadowing in a scene from season 4 episode 7, where Arya and Sandor find a farmer who's been mortally wounded. Sandor mercy kills the man.

Sandor and Arya's arcs are linked and embodied in the multiple meanings of "Remember where the heart is."

What about Arya? Well, I'd have her arc with the Faceless Men go pretty much the same in the show. But I wouldn't have her come back as Arya (I'll explain in a bit, bear with me). I'd have her be seen at various places right before someone dies. Yes, have her kill House Frey.

Have her almost be like a Where's Waldo figure, a ghost who is witnessing events in history but isn't a part of them. Working to protect her family and friends, but never revealing herself and always concealing her work as "accidents" or "natural causes." 😉

Okay, why wouldn't Arya reveal herself? Because when she gets back to Westeros there is already an Arya Stark at Winterfell.

*exchanges smug looks with book fans*

That's right, I would give Jeyne Poole her own story back, instead of giving it to Sansa.

In the books, Jeyne Poole is Sansa's childhood best friend. We even see her in the first episode of the show.

In the books, the Boltons pass off Jeyne as Arya and marry her to Ramsey. Everything we saw happened to Sansa, and probably far worse, in the show was actually done to Jeyne in the books.

Dick&Dipshit didn't make that up, they just made it happen to Sansa instead. ugh.

So why keep this at all, because Jeyne Poole is important and needed, even more so in the show. Because she isn't from a noble family, has no family at that point. The show has few characters who embody the plight of the common people of Westeros, fewer women who do so.

Ros was that for many seasons. Her death left a negative space in the story that showed. Jeyne would have been the perfect character to pick up this mantle. To show how the characters around her, the ones with power define who they are by how they treat her.

I would completely change how that arc is shot. You never even need to show Jeyne and Ramsey in scenes together, the audience already knows what's happening. The importance of that arc is the relationship between Jeyne and Theon. I would start it with her catching him alone

and asking him one small favor. To say her name.

Remeber she is alone and experiencing the same violence and psychological torture Theon went through. Ramsey took her name exactly like he took Theon's name. Theon is the only person in Winterfell who knows her.

This girl, who was like a sister to Theon. They grew up the Starks but were not Starks. They're in their childhood home, Winterfell. They're hurt, in danger, but they have each other.

Together they begin to sow seeds of rebellion by whispering their own names to each other.

It's even more important because Jeyne isn't a highborn girl. In this world she is nothing. So for Theon, a noble-born man, to come back, to rise up against his abuser and to help her escape is very meaningful.

Like in the show he would send her to Castle Black, to Jon.

And when "Arya Stark" arrives at Castle Black Jon would protect Jeyne too, because he was raised by Ned Stark. And in this way, Jon would protect someone with a lie, just Like Ned did for him.

And this would allow for textual incesty vibes between Jon and his "sister." Adding the twist that they're not actually related, but have to pretend to be to keep her safe. Ah, the angsty longing would be delicious.

Again, subtextually this is so important. A lead character risks everything to protect a girl with no name, or family, who the audience probably didn't remember well enough to notice if the character was recast. But how characters treat her says something about them.

And it says something about who is part of the Pack who survives. What that line really means, beyond Stark solidarity and familial ties. But about taking care of those who cannot take care of themselves, about real leadership. Stewardship versus Dominion.

It would also demonstrate an aspect of Northern culture, and Ned Stark's style of ruling, that the show never seemed to truly understand. It's the aspect that led elders to "go hunting" in order to leave more supplies for their community to survive the winter.

And that Pack solidarity isn't about bloodlines. This is the subtext of both Jon and Theon's identity crisis in the series. That Jon addresses in the show with Theon. They're Starks. They are part of that Pack. So is Jeyne.

This also ups the anty for Ramsey because his fake Stark bride is in Jon's hands. He could expose the lie and shake the foundation of the Bolton's hold on the North.

PS Stanis would die the same way, minus Brienne (she'd be in the Vale). Because Stannis defeats Stannis.

Let's leave Jon and Jeyne (seriously I ship is so hard it hurts someone write fic about these two NOW) at Castle Black and take a moment to talk about Bran, because if you were upset about what I'd do with Dany you have not even begun to hate me. *cackles*

I'd keep Bran's arc the same, including BenJen as Cold Hands, up to him being marked by the Night King. Before that, I would spend WAY more time with Bran and the 3ER (Three-Eyed Raven). Show the more questionable aspects of his training, from the books. #JoJenPaste

I have twofold reasons for this, to make the audience actually questions the ethics of some wizard tree dude recruiting kids to fight the forces of evil and to make the 3ER more of an actual character, namely Bloodraven.

Brynden Rivers, aka Bloodraven, was the illegitimate son of Aegon Targaryen IV and a Northern woman. It's heavily implied that he was a warg before was sent to the Night's Watch for treason by Aegon "Egg" Targaryen V (Maester Aemon's younger brother).

Brynden became the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and eventually disappeared beyond the wall. The fan theory, with a lot of supporting evidence in canon, is that Bryden was lured by the Children of the Forest who taught him how to use the weirwood network to see history and

he got lost in "green dreams" that 100 years past and he woke up trapped in the roots of the hart tree.

This not only makes the 3ER more of a character but adds an entire new sinister layer to Bran's story.

Bloodraven wasn't just a Targaryen, he was a spymaster and an extremely masterful player of THE GAME! Dollars to donuts a tree taking root in his body wouldn't stop him playing

In the books, long before Bran was even born the 3ER tried to lure Euron Greyjoy, in the same way, he did Jon and it's heavily implied that this was part of what "broke" Euron's mind. Or at least the beginning of the end for his mental stability.

Back to Bran. With the added time and details to Bran and the 3ER's interactions let Bran's arc play out all the way up to "Hold the door."

When Bran wargs into past and present Hodor, when he realizes HE is responsible for making Willis into Hodor he, Bran breaks.

This could be one of two ways, have Bran transform a less stoned version of the 3ER. Where he's still Bran, but more with knowledge and power he actually uses. And a burning need to get South of the wall. Moving people like chess pieces, and suspiciously far more mature.

Then later reveal what's actually happened, Bloodraven's entire plan was to lure a child with strong enough warging abilities to come North so that he could take over their body, just like Bran did to Hodor.

This pays off Bran using Hodor like a mule in a terrible but real way.

Yes, it's a really dark version of the Merlin teaching kid Arthur trope, but that's how I've always seen Bran's journey. Less a kid getting to become a wizard and more of a kid being lured into a candy house by a strange old man who wants to eat his fucking soul.

This would also give us an active 3ER!Bran who actually does stuff with his powers, but who we also aren't sure we can trust.
It also mirrors Aegon's arc of people not being who they claim to be. Arya's faceless men. Smoke and mirrors.

And because I'm a huge asshole, I'd make it even more explicit that Brynden's been playing the puppet master for a LONG time. Like he was the one who gave Dany the dream about walking into Drogo's funeral pyre. He's been moving pieces all along. Bran. Jon. Euron. Dany. EVERYONE!

Some of it's for good, he genuinely wants to stop the White Walkers, but also because Brynden fucking Rivers would not rest while there were still Blackfyres out there threatening to take the goddamn Iron Throne!

Basically, this is the only way I could see Bran becoming King of Westeros, is if it's not actually Bran at all.

But let's put a pin in this, for now, I'll come back to it after we talk about Sansa.

As I said before I wouldn't have Sansa marry Ramsey, that's not her story AT ALL!

Sansa is about the hidden life and power of women in this world. Her entry journey is about learning from other women, some good like her mother and some not like Cersei. But she learns from them.

A big part of what made her time in Kingslanding, especially on the show, so great was ALL THE WOMEN AROUND HER! From Shae to Margaery and the Queen of Thornes. We saw the delicate art of war that happens in gardens and bedchambers. That should have continued in the Vale.

Unlike the show, I would have made it continue that theme (as it does in the books) by putting Mya Stone in the story. Maybe even throw in Ysilla Royce too. Surround Sansa with women and unlikely allies. Sansa's arc isn't about being victimized by a new terrible man, but

learning that she is not alone in the Vale. So much of her journey is about being alone, isolated from her family. It's no coincidence that she ends up in the Vale of Arryn, where her father was raised. A place defined by the House words "As High As Honor."

Little Finger's hold on the Vale isn't nearly as strong as he thinks. The key is Sansa's relationship with Robert Arryn, her cousin, who is also being manipulated by LF. Finding strength and freedom in helping her cousin find his own strength, in the family. That's Sansa's story.

I can see LF getting too comfortable, overestimating his control on Robert and Sansa. Seeing Aegon Targaryen's return as his chance at the Iron Throne, via marrying him to Sansa. He leaves the Vale to try to broker the marriage giving Sansa her chance to rally the lords of the

Vale behind her and Robert. When LF returns we see the scene from season 7 play out in the Vale. Where it's not Sansa exacting revenge so much as LF having to face the consequences of his own actions.

Sansa did it not with manipulations and lies, but with the truth.

When Sansa gets word that Arya and Jon are riding on Winterfell she rallies the Knights of the Vale to come to the rescue of her family.

That triumphant moment belongs to Sansa alone. She did it not with manipulation and lies, but with love and loyalty. The Northern way.

Now, let's backtrack to 3ER!Bran. When Bran's marked by the Night King it's clearly communicated that it broke the protections the Children of the Forest had on the cave. I'd follow through with that foreshadowing and have Bran crossing of the Wall shatter it's protections too.

As the Wall begins the crumble and more and more Wildlings flee the White Walker's army the Night's Watch has to run too.

Where do they go? Winterfell.

I'm all twisted up because I love the Battle of the Bastards. But I don't see Arya!Jeyne pushing Jon to take Winterfell.

However, I could see Jon at the head of an army of Wildlings and Brothers of the Night's Watch fleeing the white walker's army and heading for the best stronghold in the North.

So I'm going to keep what I love and say that's how the Battle of the Bastards happens. To save lives.

Yes, I know in the show it's pretty much similar, but I think this flows better and feels right for Jon's character. The stakes are similar, but the reasoning and set up more sound.

Anyway, the battle happens, shit's looking bad until Sansa shows up with the Nights of the Vale.

After the battle, we get a Sansa and Jeyne reunion. Not Arya, but still a sister and part of the Pack. And with Bran, who is not Bran, and Jon being accepted as part of the family.

Jon gets crowned King in the North with his family by his side. #NothingGoldCanStay

As they start preparing to battle with the dead word comes from the South of the coming battle for the Iron Throne between two Targaryens, and not-Bran reassures them to not worry. Focus on the enemy in front of us. #ItsAllPartOfThePlan

When the white walkers finally arrive we get the full out battle. We get 3ER!Bran who actually wargs into a whole host of animals who join the living to fight the dead. We get Nymeria, Arya's direwolf, arrive to fight alongside her brother (Ghost) with her Riverland wolf pack.

Oh, and yes, we get dragons. Because when you've got an over a century old greenseer (3ER) in the game, you don't need a dragon queen to get a dragon or two.

Because I'm an asshole I'd have this happen at a very important point for Dany, where two of her dragons just fly off. Which would weaken her claim to the throne or just nearly cost her life in the middle of battle?

Also, the dragons die fighting the white walkers.

3ER!Bran can say the same shit as he does in the show. The Night King is after him because he's the memory of the living or some such shit. But the point is true. He wants to get the Night King to engage on the ground...with Jon.

Jon has a big confrontation with the Night King in the cloudy, fiery battlefield surrounded by bodies of the living and dead. No one else can see them. Just the audience.

And just when we think Jon's going to do it, he's going to win the Night King stabs him through the chest.

Jon takes hole of the fucking ice spear in his chest and pulls it in deeper to bring the Night King close enough to take off his fucking head with Long Claw. (Think Aragorn killing the Orc at the end Fellowship of the Ring).

Again this isn't a criticism of the show or its choices. I love Arya killing the Night King but it doesn't really fit the themes of her story or Jon's or the White Walkers for that matter. It's still Super Fucking Cool. No disrespect intended. #TeamAryaAllDayEveryDay

Anyway, after Jon kills the Night King we see him fall to his knees, a sad smile on his face and this he collapses among the MANY other bodies on the battlefield.

Cut to Winterfell where we see the effects of the defeat of the Night King and White Walkers just like on the show.

The fogs of Winter and clouds drawback, North. Revealing the devastation and all the many bodies. Winter has ended. Everyone is saved yeah. #OrSoItSeems

Only they don't find Jon's body. There's a conversation that there are so many bodies and with the fires and falling stones of the battlements crushing some bodies beyond recognition, they could have his body just not recognize him.

They grieve him.

Sansa maintains the North's independence, declared by Jon and in his honor. She takes on the mantle of Queen in the North.

She arrives in the Kingslanding with her Bran at her side for a council of highborn lords and ladies called by Tyrion to decide the fate of the kingdom in

wake of the death of both Aegon, at the hands of Dany, and Dany at the hands of Jaime (who is dead, omg I'm sorry felling Jaime/Brienne shippers).

It's at that point that Tyrion pitches the idea of electing Bran, but written way better and no "Bran the Broken" shit.

Cut to Bran and Tyrion alone, Bran tells Tyrion the story of the making of the Night King, with extra emphasis on the white walkers being constructed as protectors. They also mention how the Night's Watch will continue on as protectors of the people, instead of the king.

Focus on Bran's face and we see his eyes flash to white for just a second. Obviously, Tyrion doesn't notice. But we do.

Cut to North, young men and women clad in black are gathered around the same weirwood tree that Jon and Sam swore their oath. As they speak the words fade out

A pair of bright blue eyes set in a pale face. We can still hear the Night's Watch oath being spoken, as the camera pulls back to reveal the eyes belong to Jon Snow, seated upon an ice throne. King Beyond the Wall. Holding back Winter. A Sheild to guard the realms of men.

AND THAT'S THE END!

*takes a bow and falls over dead*

PS

Drogon survives and flies off to Valyria. No zombie!Dany.

Shireen isn't burned. She escapes, finds Davos and that's how he finds out what happened.

Brienne has Jaime's baby because I want to see her in Queen's guard (for Sansa, not Bran) regalia while prego.

Again, this entire thread is sponsored by my generous Patreon patron, @nicaborders. And really it's for her and me. So if you don't like it don't @ us, we don't care.

However, if you have questions feel free to @ me or use the #ThroneTheories tag. I'll be checking and answering.

BONUS PRIZES:

Didn’t like my version of how GAME OF THRONES ends?

Here is a fantastic fan fic that takes on monumental the task of writing the final books in the ASOIAF series. All 600k words, 113 chapters of it.

The North Rememberers by qqueenofhades

archiveofourown.org/works/336407/c…

ANOTHER BONUS PRIZE:

For the Hamilton fans out there I give you...

GAME OF THRONES THE MUSICAL!

A hilarious mashup of the hit tv show set to the music of the hit Broadway musical.