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3) Cersei retains power. Yawn. Nobody wants to see I-only-love-my-kids-and-now-they’re-all-dead rule a world she doesn’t care about. Let Jaime have his inner turmoil, and eventually choose between Cersei and Tyrion once and for all, then become Queenslayer and be done with it.

Photo by HBO via AP, File

4) A minor character seizes the throne. I love a melodramatic Littlefinger speech as much as the next guy, but he’s no king. Same goes for Varys, Yara, Ellaria, et cetera – some might actually be capable rulers, but it wouldn’t make sense to spend six seasons setting up a Lannister / Stark / Targaryen showdown only to have an angry Dornishwoman end up on top.

5) Fun combo time. Could the song of ice and fire mean a romance between Jon (ice) and Dany (Fire)? Maybe they’ll rule hand-in-hand. Who wouldn’t want to see some of that good aunt-nephew lovin’? And I know the makeout scene from the trailer has a few of you horndogs rooting for an EllYaria power couple. But the fact remains that putting a person — or people — on the Iron Throne is just not interesting by itself.

6) The Ol’ Switcheroo. The war is over. A big important person sits in the big important chair. And then, all of a sudden, a differentbig importantperson sits in the big important chair, because of a murder! Or a damning secret! Or! Again, once the dust settles, it’s just a person on the throne.

Game of Thrones is too damn interesting to end on a slow zoom away from Dany’s face to reveal her surveying King’s Landing with a wry smile. And there’s too much at stake to end it without resolving the war.

And the only way to do that satisfactorily is with the enormous threat almost everyone has been ignoring – through six seasons – completely erasing all of humanity.

It’s either long live the White Walker reign or up with King Pod.

• Email: jhauen@postmedia.com | Twitter: @jackhauen