I read a potential spoiler the other day that talked about Littlefinger talking to Jon Snow and revealing something important in Episode 10 of the current season. No one really has any clue what that detail is but I have a guess that made me think a bit about the larger picture about where more things are converging. Of course, this is all just speculation on my part but it also incorporates tidbits on some original ideas tossed out by earlier idea drafts from George RR Martin.
First, it’s said that in Episode 10 Jon Snow will be named a Stark and given the title “The King of the North.” Since it’s Littlefinger who will aid the Stark cause, he may very well interject himself here to counter the celebration in unveiling part of Jon Snow’s parentage. Meaning he’ll say that the father is none other than Rhaegar Targaryen while saying that Ned wasn’t the true father. He produces some evidence that establishes Jon’s Targaryen heritage.
Now, from here I have two potential scenarios. The first is that Littlefinger really is a scheming bastard who’ll do everything to get what he wants. So here, his intention will be to further plant suspicions in the Northerners about Jon Snow and his personal ambitions while giving his full support for Sansa as the Queen of the North. Already, he’s put Sansa on edge about Jon who is just a half brother at this point. Also, he never mentioned anything about Lyanna Stark while both Sansa and he were in the crypts of Winterfell during season 5. Yet the way Littlefinger glanced at Sansa when she spoke out against Rhaegar seemed to make him happy because it’s the emotion that I think he wants from her to produce his next schemes.
Sansa will be unsettled by this revelation as would Jon. Littlefinger promotes more suspicion by asserting Jon’s conspiracy in bringing the wildlings in while Daenerys approaches from Meereen. Sansa, being thankful towards Jon for retaking the North and Winterfell, banishes him and the wildlings in a move of mercy. Littlefinger may continue to plant (before and after) seeds of vengeance in Sansa’s head about not simply reclaiming Winterfell but assaulting Cersei and the Lannisters. He may use the success of the Blackfish’s fall in the Riverrun as evidence to show their current threat.
But the biggest seed I think he might plant is asking her what she really wants besides revenge. With Winterfell and the North on her side and with King’s Landing in chaos, it might be a good time to strike. In that manner, she not only would be able to take revenge but claim the Iron Throne for herself and be the queen she has always wanted to be. Never forget that Littlefinger is at his strongest when he works from the shadows during chaotic and highly emotional times. He manages to adjust based on the reactions that he predicts with his only admitted failing being handing Sansa to Ramsay (which I’m still on the fence over).
There are a few holes in this theory like letting Jon Snow escape essentially. Here, I think Sansa still will love him like a true brother but have those memories of him being a bastard. I think Littlefinger might suggest to Sansa that Daenerys’ ultimate plan is to conquer the Seven Kingdoms, meaning bring everyone down to their knees. Considering she has two unfeeling armies at her disposal and three dragons, there won’t be anyone to stop her. So he might put the burden upon Sansa. He might also feed the other lords of the North the idea that Daenerys will want to unite with Jon once she learns of his true heritage. Having Jon as King of the North would make everyone fall under Targaryen rule again, which as we have seen, is something the Northern lords do not want.
So along these lines here’s where Bran Stark falls into place. I think Coldhands/Benjen will take Bran to The Wall (reports say so at least). Bran will ask Benjen if the mark on his arm will be strong enough to allow the Night King’s power to penetrate The Wall. Benjen most likely will not know the true answer. But he does feel that keeping him in the Real North makes Bran too vulnerable so he’ll be forced to take that risk.
Bran will learn the whole truth about Jon Snow’s heritage and possibly even what Daenerys’ true intent is once she arrives. At the same time, he learns that Sansa will banish Jon away before Jon can understand the full context of his life (perhaps Rhaegar revealed something important to Lyanna as well which is why she mandates Ned to “promise her.”) As Bran travels south, the mark’s power might grow, giving the Night King more access to the south and the ability to dismantle The Wall.
In Jon’s situation, Jon having nothing once again decides to find Sam, one of his last remaining friends and allies. Also, he decides to track Sam down since Sam might be one of the few who might have a clue about Jon’s full heritage. However, a few people decide to accompany him because they believe in something greater for him (meaning Ser Davos and Melisandre). The wildlings get to remain in the North possibly near Castle Black to lend a hand here and there as per Jon’s agreement and Sansa permitting them due to their participation in retaking Winterfell (not to mention not really having anywhere else to go). During that period, Sam learns quite a bit en route to becoming a Maester, including some of the stuff that Bran has learned. Bran also decides to head towards where Jon is going with Tormunds’ aid.
During this time, Sansa decides to march against King’s Landing. She finds unusual allies with the remaining Tyrells (some of whom I think get slaughtered in episode 10). Littlefinger has managed to convince Sansa to join with them since they all have mutual enemies with the Lannisters. Sansa successfully deposes Cersei (although I would have thought that Daenerys would do this in a separate theory) and accomplishes her wildest dreams of becoming the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Littlefinger will continue to corrupt her while Varys works against Littlefinger in trying to gain support for the Targeryen cause.
Now, a lot of people believe Cersei will be the one to go mad due to her family mostly being wiped out and that Jamie will intervene and possibly kill her to fulfill the prophecy. The thing we expect the most is for Cersei to set King’s Landing on fire via Wildfire, similar to the Mad King. However, Jamie is the wildcard in all of this. He’s already killed kings and has a stained reputation. So why wouldn’t he slay his sister, especially if he discovers her affair with Lancel and her growing insanity? Perhaps, at the end of the day, he truly loves her and helps her escapes the gallows when/if Sansa comes for revenge.
The other thing is that Sansa hasn’t really made her plays yet. She made a few but there is a sense of darkness inside of her that Pycelle hints at early on, describing treason as a noxious weed. Her whole character arc up until now has been the prototypical, innocent, naive fabled princess type who, over time, becomes shattered as a result of the cruelty she faces as she grows into an adult. It took her losing her virginity to an insane sadist before she made her first real moves in escaping that her environment. Yet with Littlefinger skulking around and having some leverage over her, why can’t she be further twisted? We saw the actress who portrayed Sansa. Is that a hint of what we’ll see from Sansa once she manages to acquire real power?
Though Sansa has learned a lot, she’s still very naive. That makes her vulnerable to the twisted logic of a shady Littlefinger. Also, as someone who has learned the true meaning of home, how will she feel about a Daenerys invasion? Will she welcome them open arms? Does she have any feelings towards Tyrion, whom, possibly Sansa does not yet realize is with Daenerys? Perhaps, Littlefinger could provide misinformation there too. Either way, why can’t Sansa be the one burning the city to the ground after all that has happened? Maybe Arya could stop her similar to how Arya stopped the fake Sansa from assassinating Lady Crane?
Next, most people expect Jon to be the one to oppose Daenerys eventually. What if, upon learning about his heritage, he decides to join her cause instead? Everyone anticipates the meetup between Jon Snow and Daenerys. And most people believe the Three Headed Dragon will be Jon Snow, Daenerys and Tyrion. For myself, I don’t see Sansa being a real end game player. She obviously has a huge role that probably exceeds Cersei’s. But if the original George RR Martin draft stands, then it pretty much will just be the children who remain in Tyrion, Daenerys, Jon Snow, Arya and Bran. It could be that she becomes the next Night Queen and unleashes an army of the dead to save her people in another twisted Littlefinger plot that goes awry. If that happens, maybe only Arya can get to her to prevent her madness from destroying the world.
A theory going against this one is that the Night King might want Jon for himself to fight Daenerys. But I think that story works if Daenerys gets out of control to the point where men need a new weapon to combat her. That part works well with the Children of the Forest scene where they create the White Walkers. We do not get the whole story unfortunately but it’s quite possible that the Targeryens, who ruled with Dragons at the time, utilized Dragons to help demolish the forests with their fire breath. Still that part doesn’t explain their rogue behavior in getting out of control and why they attacked the Children of the Forest and the Three Eyed Raven in that one scene.
At any rate, this all is sheer speculation. It’s more of a fun thing just based on small tidbits I collect. If anything the one thing I did guess correctly recently was Lady Crane helping Arya out. A shame she didn’t survive though.