There’s just one season left now, folks – and a short one at that! It seems hard to believe we’re almost out of Thrones stories to talk about. That said, we have at least a year, probably, before the final season actually airs, which means there’s plenty of time for speculation and discussion in the meantime. I for one plan to make the most of that time, so here are my five big questions, at this early stage, for the final season.

Will We Get Cleganebowl?

I can’t believe that this has become the biggest question in Game of Thrones, but it might well be that. Indeed, leading up to the season seven finale, one article looking ahead to the end began with the simple title, “Game of Thrones Fans Are Convinced The Most Hyped Fight Ever Will Happen Tonight.” The interesting thing about that is that those same fans were the ones doing most of the hyping. Sure, there are all kinds of hints that the Hound will want to finish the Mountain off, and it’s a pretty obvious place for one or both of their storylines to end up. But for the most part, this is internet hype run amok. Someone came up with the phrase “Cleganebowl,” and the trendy name for the theory helped to blow it up. Now, it seems as if a final season without said Cleganebowl would be almost as disappointing to people as a final season without dragons, or one in which Jon, Tyrion, and Dany (probably the three most beloved characters) all meet their ends. The question of whether or not we get Cleganebowl has, somehow, become absolutely crucial for this show.

Did Anyone Live At The Wall?

There were two fairly significant characters who appeared to be on the Wall when the Night King and his shiny new ice dragon laid waste to it: Tormund Giantsbane and Beric Dondarrion. The latter, at this point, feels somewhat expendable. Without Thoros by his side, and with plenty of season seven foreshadowing that he was about to die and stay dead for the first time, his end would be fitting. Tormund, however, has become something of a fan favorite. He seems to have a budding, if only semi-serious, love interest in Brienne (and who doesn’t want that to happen?). Fans would like to see him having somehow survived the fall of the Wall. But this question is actually pretty important beyond fan service. If no one survived at the Wall, no one can send a raven ahead to warn the miscellaneous good guys that the Night King resurrected Dany’s dragon. Given that ravens in Westeros seem to travel faster than text messages these days, Tormund could easily send word ahead, if he lived.

Will There Be A Baratheon Factor?

When you really think back on the series, there are four “main” houses: the Starks, the Lannisters, the Targaryens, and the Baratheons. That last house has taken a back seat, but it’s still a core part of the series. In the books, the first chapter narrated by a non-Stark, -Lannister, or -Targaryen figure is “Davos,” who at the time is a representation of Stannis Baratheon’s actions. One of the only lasting Game of Thrones video games, a slot real that stands as one of the game options on casino platforms online, also counts the houses equally. Using house symbolism and icons on a slot reel, it’s all about the Starks, Lannisters, Targaryens, and Baratheons. Indeed, the entire story even exists because three of these houses led a rebellion against the other. The “Game of Thrones” has always been between four competitors. It’ll be interesting, therefore, to see if there’s a Baratheon factor to the final series – which more specifically means wondering if Gendry will play a key role, as he is Robert Baratheon’s bastard heir and was brought back in season seven.

How Serious Was The Jaime-Cersei Breakup?

By the look of things in the finale, Jaime is finally done with his wicked, scheming sister. Much has been made of Tyrion’s occasional assertions that Cersei loves only her children. But if that’s true, she’s also only ever counted on the love of her brother. When he was allegedly the fiercest warrior in the Seven Kingdoms, Jaime gave her a sense of invincibility. Since then he’s still proven to be a loyal and reliable general – if not almost a servant at times. For the first time, she now seems unable to rely on Jaime’s affection or loyalty, however. She threatened him to his face, and he called her bluff and walked out on her. But how serious was it? Are they so done that he really will go to help Tyrion and Daenerys without Cersei’s blessing? Might she send someone after him in anger? Or will we wind up looking at a quick make-up, perhaps on the grounds that she really is pregnant? The answer to this question will do a lot to determine the dynamic in King’s Landing.

Are Direwolves Just Not Important?

Arya’s reunion with Nymeria was somewhat poetic. Nymeria basically chose to have nothing to do with her, and Arya recognized her own personality in the decision, breathing “that’s not you,” having once said “that’s not me” when facing the more traditional life of a lord’s daughter. But the lack of Ghost in season seven rubbed a lot of us the long way. Covering this topic and referring back to season six, one of the producers basically blamed the budget, saying Ghost is very expensive to bring to life. But when we get frequent shots of CGI dragons soaring around in the background, or see a five-minute scene featuring a zombie ice bear, can it really be all about the budget? My biggest question facing the final season is whether Direwolves just aren’t that important in this story, when for so long they seemed destined to play a vital role.
 
 
No date has been set yet for the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones. It will air on HBO in 2018, as far as we can tell. Until then, are there any other questions you’d love to get answers to? Let us know below so we can discuss!