If Jon Snow or Daenerys were to die, or likely any other major Stark or Lannister character, it will not be while fighting zombies. It will be during this grim continuation of a war Cersei lied about pausing. However, I don’t think Daenerys can die… at least not this point.
Like Martin or the Hound, I tend to roll my eyes at prophecies in this world. Stannis Baratheon believed he was the Prince Who Was Promised, and look what happened to him. Cersei, however, has created a self-fulfilling one for herself. Chased by the whispers of Maggy the Frog, Cersei made the conceit of her children all wearing gold shrouds a reality by inviting the Sparrows into power so as to depose Margaery Tyrell. Consequently, she ultimately killed Margaery and cost herself Tommen’s life in the process.
Cersei choosing to make war with Daenerys and Jon after the Long Night’s final battle will likewise be Cersei undoing, bearing the grotesque fruit of Maggy’s vision.
“Aye. Queen you shall be. Until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear…. And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands around your pale white throat, and choke the life from you.”After the Golden Company, and mayhaps Euron Greyjoy, slaughter some major heroic characters on Cersei Lannister’s orders, this prophecy will come to its most Shakespearean end. Once upon a time, Cersei feared that the younger queen could be Sansa Stark until she was later convinced it was Margaery Tyrell. Yet nay, they were both innocent. That younger queen is Daenerys, and even without any dragons at this point, it’s the Khaleesi who’ll lay a final siege for power on King’s Landing with what’s left of her forces. With the playing field evened or even favoring Cersei given how few of Dany’s forces might remain Cersei will then have her last vestiges of control shattered not by dragons, but by two “valonqar.”
The term “valonqar” means little brother. All her life, Cersei has assumed the little brother who will strangle her to death would be Tyrion Lannsiter. But it is so obviously really Jaime Lannister, who was born just a moment after Cersei left the womb. He and Tyrion will be Cersei’s undoing, leading “10 good men” through one of the hidden passages they know of near the Red Keep (we saw Tyrion use one such entryway in season 7).
Plus, it has to be Jaime who takes Cersei’s life. Whether she’s still pregnant or has had a miscarriage by this point, Jaime cannot allow her to live. Not when she completes her possession of the Mad King Aerys II’s soul. Realizing that Tyrion and his “good men” have opened the gates of King’s Landing, she’ll follow in Aerys’ footsteps and try to burn the whole city to ruin and take the world with her. Jaime won’t let her do that. Wrapping his arms around her like he did in season 1, promising that they’ll kill everyone “until we’re the only ones left,” they really will be the only ones actually left in the throne room. Standing before the Iron Throne, they’ll burn with the power Cersei covets.
Whether by dragonfire or (more likely) Cersei commanding Qyburn to light the wildfire underneath the Red Keep and hoping it spreads, Cersei shall choke her last breath in Jaime’s golden hands as they are incinerated, taking the chair that drives men and women mad with them.
When Daenerys finally steps foot inside King’s Landing, it will be the culmination of the vision she had within The House of the Undying in season 2, with the Iron Throne and all its remnants of power left as smoky ruin. Even if Tyrion, Jaime, and her men save the citizens of the capital beyond the Red Keep, Daenerys will still be queen of the rubble. Allowed to build her new world from horrible scratch.
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