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[nenjin]

Yeah I get that, but you know what also doesn't want to be king? A rock. A rock has no desire. Bran has no desire. Ergo he has no desires for the realm, no goals, no priorities, no "wouldn't it be nice if." He won't sire children.

I suppose if the message you want to send is that Westeros goes in to stasis after the end of the series, Bran certainly makes sense as a choice for that. Or that we're to assume Bran is a figurehead and things will just get run nicely by Tyrion, Sansa, Brienne, Yarra, Robin and whoever isn't worm food or completely checked out of the realm.

I guess if I look down the road, all Bran really does as king is push off the decision of the what the world looks like post-NK, post-Targaryean, post-Lannister. Eventually he dies or disappears having done nothing of note and the realm is again faced with the question of who is actually fit to rule.

Jon or Gendry would have been better choices IMO. Bran feels like a stupid twist or fan service to me (on behalf of all the other characters.)

[MorleyDev]

I'm not being hyperbolic when I call Bran the Psychic TreeBoy Hive Mind. Wasn't the whole point of him downloading the entire weirwoodnet that he's not really even a person any more?

Oh fuck, it just dropped: he's Helios.

[Trekkin]

I guess if I look down the road, all Bran really does as king is push off the decision of the what the world looks like post-NK, post-Targaryean, post-Lannister.

I think that is, in some sense, the point, depending on how much you think Martin is trying to be like Tolkien (and assuming Bran becomes the king in the books): he is the embodiment and the end of history. Making him king is an acknowledgement that no man should be king; it's the political equivalent to Drogon melting the actual throne.

[nenjin]

Yeah, "we all now hold hands" is probably my least favorite kind of ending.

Also, since Frank Herbert was mentioned, anyone actually read more than the first Dune book? Things do not go well for Muad'dib afterward. He becomes trapped by his powers of prophecy and basically walks away from the whole deal, leaving everything a chaotic mess that is arguably no better, just weirder, than the situation before he was victorious. His actions and his legend reverberate down through time.

Point being is, omniscient post-humans don't make great leaders IMO, and they certainly don't solve the problems of humanity. Because they aren't human, and so can't provide solutions to humanity's woes. Which is why I view the ending as lame well-wishing.

Also, lawl: https://www.newsweek.com/game-thrones-finale-how-cancel-hbo-now-go-subscription-roku-ipad-verizon-1430016

[ChairmanPoo]

I dont think its what GRRM is aiming for because IMO the way the books are pictured the world of ASoIaF is clearly cyclical. Now, we dont know if there is a night king in the same manner as in the TV series but it doesnt really wffing matter because sure as hell the threats to humanity wont fall apart like a keystone army. The reason the Others and the Dragons come back is because magic is on an upflow cycle again. If they kill off the leader of the Others, which I can totally see happening, they will include a scene in which Stannis, UnCatherine, or even Sandorstein take over the mantle to play the role again in X number of centuries.

[MorleyDev]

It does depend if he's going for an eternal recurrence, or for the story to be that which marks the end of the cycle.

Spoiler: Book theories with Others (click to show/hide)

There are also some hints that the previous battle with the Others ended not a glorious war for the dawn but a peace agreement, which would make sense since ASoIaF is fundamentally a pacifist work: War never solves anything in the end. The Others have language and seem to have something of a culture in the books, Sidhe made of ice instead of just Out-of-control War Machines.

The Children probably still made them, but I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that it was obtaining sentience and individuality which caused them to rebel. Be a bit disappointing if they have no motive beyond Kill Everything like in the show. Too simplistic.

[Mephansteras]

Ok, been years since I read the books, but I distinctly remember a vision Bran when he was first interacting with the Three Eyed Raven of him becoming King of some sort. I had thought of Winterfell, but I can't recall it exactly. Anyone else remember that?

I wonder if this was hinted at by Martin all along?

[Trekkin]

Point being is, omniscient post-humans don't make great leaders IMO, and they certainly don't solve the problems of humanity. Because they aren't human, and so can't provide solutions to humanity's woes. Which is why I view the ending as lame well-wishing.

Oh, I view it as a cynical rejection of the idea that a king can be good. It's "power corrupts" taken to its logical conclusion with everyone who gets on the Iron Throne. Robert decayed physically from not wanting it; Cersei went from manipulative to omnicidal to keep it. Joffrey was a vicious idiot before, but even he got worse, and Tommen just handed it over to the Sparrows the first chance he got and was driven to suicide for it. And then there's every single Targaryen, save two -- who, notably, never wanted the Throne and never got it.

The whole series has been about how the Seven Kingdoms are too much for any one person to handle, so Bran is the only choice left.

[Loud Whispers]

Also Bran seems like a such a weird choice. Yeah he's the last of the male Starks but he also has/had zero interest in ruling. A monarch that isn't even human and spends half their time living in the past AND knows the future is maybe a way to avoid power-hungry, internecine warfare between houses......but he's just as likely to wheel himself off stage right at any moment for his own inscrutable reasons. Not exactly a monarch you can love.

There are no monarchs who won't have enemies and pretenders after two generations of bloodshed; Bran at least is is a choice which all can agree on

Bran always felt outside of the game because his real concern was the White Walkers; the Game of Thrones was a huge distraction from the actual main problem facing the world. To put him in charge of it all after it's all said and done feels like....a nonsensical choice that doesn't have any consequences? You put Jon or Gendry or any of the others on the Throne, there will probably be issues. Ignorance of what it means to rule, passions overriding what's best for the realm, old grievances, etc...because those two are actual people. Bran isn't really a person anymore and hasn't been for a while. He's been an omniscient plot device since like Season 6, with very little to say and even less to do.

Bran was the de facto ruler of the entire North whilst the Stark family was indisposed in the South & Far North, and Luwin raised him to rule - it's not far-fetched to have the boy raised to administrate end up having to administrate the seven kingdoms, especially after unlocking hax. Honestly I think NOT putting Gendry on the throne would cause more issues, as even if Gendry doesn't have any ambitions for the throne, his kids are going to remember the fact that they are the scions of the most popular King Westeros has had, whilst Bran is unlikely to have an heir.

It's like it was a game of musical thrones and, once they'd decided how each character gets the ending that probably pleases the most fans.....the only one left...uh.....sitting was Bran, and they were like "Yeah, this choice means there will be zero lingering questions at the end, because Bran has zero baggage left after the death of the NK. *high five* Time to move on and make something else mediocre."

It's the D&D way

[Yoink]

Bruh, no Dune spoilers in here plz, I still need to read those books.   

[ChairmanPoo]

Bruh, no Dune spoilers in here plz, I still need to read those books.   

The entire first book of Game of Thrones is a giant spoiler of the first half of Dune

[Il Palazzo]

Holy cow, I'm loving the memes.

[A Thing]

Bruh, no Dune spoilers in here plz, I still need to read those books.   

Muad'dib, Muad'dib, Muad'dib!

_{make sure to read the glossary in the first book, it helps a lot}

[Kagus]

Holy cow, I'm loving the memes.

The memes must flow.

[nenjin]

Memes for the Meme Throne.