Summary of the Ending of A Song of Ice and Fire

In the rare event that George R. R. Martin might die before finishing his series of books "A Song of Ice and Fire" he has released the endings of his books to both his book publisher and to the makers of the TV show "Game of Thrones".

The following is my deduction of what the summary of the two books "The Winds of Winter" and "A Dream of Spring" likely contains, based on my own experience as a writer and how things are unfolding.


The Winds of Winter

The army of the White Walkers continue attacking the Wall, but the new un-elected Commander (the 999th, or the 666th if you talk to Samwell Tarly) fails to take them seriously and loses most of his men to the White Walkers. The White Walkers overrun the Wall and begin marching south.

Jon Snow is still alive, but barely, thanks to the Red Priestess, Melisandre. She and her retinue of converts have fled south of the wall after the battle that ensued with the new Commander. As Jon Snow gets better he begins to assert himself once more, this time telling Melisandre that the safest place in the north is now Winterfell.

After defeating the Boltons, Stannis is ruling in Winterfell, but as the winter sets in they are poorly provisioned and he lost many of his men defeating the Boltons. Theon has been kept alive and is spying on Stannis' troops for Brandon Stark (although convincing Theon to do so took a lot of talking). Stannis seeks to marry his daughter to Rickon Stark, who is currently being held by the Karstarks. Theon manages to escape on horseback, having been given instructions from Bran on how to escape.

Brandon Stark continues to learn from the ancient Greenseer north of the Wall. By the end of the book he begins to use his abilities to fight the White Walkers.

Davos Seaworth learns that he has been placed in charge of a mercenary army/fleet being funded by the Iron Bank of Bravos. Reading commands sent by raven from Stannis he is told to march inland with the army towards Winterfell, to help battle the White Walkers. But the Iron Bank of Bravos wants him to sail south to attack King's Landing - and they won't take no for an answer. At risk to his own life Davos chooses to go north to Winterfell, telling the representatives from the Iron Bank that if they don't meet the threat from the White Walkers there will be no Westeros left to repay the debt.

In King's Landing, Robert Strong (Qyburn's monster) defends Cersei's reputation and she clings to power - but she is queen in name only. The Faith of the Seven now control the city and King Tommen. With Kevan Lannister and Grand Maester Pycelle both dead things are unraveling quickly and she has no control. The Tyrell army arrives in King's Landing and Cersei plays the Faith of the Seven's army against the Tyrells, and in the resulting chaos the city begins to burn to the ground when the Faith of the Seven decide to use wildfire against the Tyrells. Tommen is killed during the fighting, with both sides at fault. By the end of the book Cersei is effectively "a Queen of Ashes".

Gendry has gone west to the Riverlands, hoping to return to the Brotherhood without Banners, but instead runs into Jaime and Brienne (still alive). Brienne takes Jaime into a trap so he can be judged by Stoneheart / Catelyn. Brienne agreed to lead him into the trap because they were holding Podrick Paine captive. Gendry however passed near the Eyrie enroute and knows where Sansa Stark is (being held by Petyr Baelish) - having seen her himself - and fancied her. Catelyn sends Jaime, Brienne to save her from Petyr. Podrick Paine and Gendry follow along, both bearing an odd resemblance to King Robert.

In the Eyrie Petyr has cemented his control over the Knights of the Vale and Sansa is forced to endure his sexual advances and bedding. Petyr promises to restore her to Winterfell and reveals his plans to make himself king. However he lets slip that he had a hand in betraying her father and Sansa (who has become less naive since her bedding) plots against him and ends up letting him get killed by the Mountain Clans.

Aegon Targaryen and Jon Connington have taken the Stormlands, but run into trouble when they run afoul of the army of Dorne which is going north, claiming Princess Myrcella as Queen instead of Tommen because under Dornish law women also can succeed to the throne. In the resulting conflict both Aegon is killed and Myrcella is assassinated and Aegon's army defeated - but the Dornish army takes heavy losses.

In Oldtown, Samwell Tarly has begun forging his chain and due to his greedy consumption of books and attention to detail he is doing so quite quickly. However in his spare time he has also been learning magic, a fact that he has to keep secret. For both his safety and Gilly's. By the end of the book his knowledge of magic forces him and Gilly (and the baby) to flee the city by ship.

Arya continues her training in Bravos. By the end of the book she leaves Bravos and heads to King's Landing - seeking to kill Cersei on behalf of the Iron Bank of Bravos (Arya volunteers for the task). But personal vengeance is forbidden by the Faceless Men - so they send their own assassins after her, to kill Arya. Arya is forced to kill several Faceless Men as she escapes from Bravos.

Tyrion and Jorah Mormont and the Second Sons mercenary army arrive in Slaver's Bay to discover Queen Daenerys Targaryen and Drogon have gone missing and the city of Meereen is under siege by an alliance of slaver cities and being defended by Barristan Selmy and the armies of Unsullied and Freed Men. Victarion Greyjoy arrives with his fleet and attacks the slaver fleet and army in the rear, destroying them. Dany's other two dragons are drawn by the scent of blood and begin attacking everyone.

Meanwhile Daenaerys has been captured by the khalasar of Khal Jhaqo - she tries to lure him to her side, but he has other plans. He rapes her and announces his plans to hold her prisoner while he captures the city of Meereen. But when Drogon returns the tables are turned very quickly when Drogon kills Khal Jhaqo and many of his bloodriders and Daenaerys claims the khalasar for her own, in the the name of Khal Drogo. She returns to the city of Meereen to find it in flames. Riding Drogon she commands her dragons to stop attacking and they obey. She then commands her armies to go to sea - with Meereen in ruins, she has no reason to stay here. It is time to go to Westeros.

A Dream of Spring

The White Walkers go south, killing and spreading death across the land. By the end of the book they have reached the south - killing many Boltons, Freys and people along the way.

The Night Watch has been destroyed and Stannis is dead. Jon Snow and Melisandre now have control over Winterfell and their forces.

The Karstarks have been killed - Osha and Rickon head for Winterfell, but Osha dies defending Rickon and the boy gets away by riding Shaggy Dog all the way to Winterfell. Reunited with Jon Snow, Rickon is told to stay in Winterfell while Jon Snow and decides that they must take their forces head south to attack the White Walkers in the rear.

Brandon Stark is now a full-fledged greenseer and is growing rapidly in power. The old greenseer is dead, his soul now inhabiting many animals at once.

Theon, following instructions from Brandon, is told to gather dragonglass / obsidian from a quarry, and bring it back to Winterfell. The journey is difficult and he eventually makes it, killing a White Walker along the way with obsidian arrowheads. He arrives to find Winterfell under siege by White Walkers and kills several more. He gives the dragonglass to Jon Snow and relays the message that Brandon told him. Melisandre seeks to use Theon for his king's blood for her magic, but Jon Snow must decide what to do with Theon. He opts to execute Theon himself, but when Melisandre tries to usurp him and sacrifice Theon to the flames of her god Jon ends up killing her instead. He decides to leave Theon alive as they march south with their army to attack the White Walkers in the rear.

Davos and his army of mercenaries meet up with Jon Snow's forces and together they march on the White Walkers. Meanwhile the Iron Bank of Bravos has sent Faceless Men to kill Davos for disobeying orders.

Arya arrives in the ruins of King's Landing. She cannot find Cersei, who may be dead, and she is being followed by Faceless Men everywhere she goes. Fleeing the city she heads to the Riverlands where she is reunited with Nymeria and her army of wolves. The wolves kill the Faceless Men and Arya learns she is a worg who can control wolves. She finds Cersei too, by the end of the book, but she a broken woman who has only Qyburn and "Robert Strong" as her companions. Arya kills both Qyburn and Robert Strong, but gives up her vengeance and lets Cersei live. Cersei is later killed by White Walkers. With her wolves, Arya heads north, killing White Walkers using her powers as both worg and assassin.

Sansa, the vale besieged by White Walkers, orders her men to fortify the Eyrie, but many of them are killed or flee before the White Walkers. Jamie, Brienne, Podick and Gendry arrive at the Eyrie - Gendry dies along the way. Jamie cannot climb the Eyrie with one hand and guards their rear as Brienne and Podrick climb up the tower to rescue Sansa.

With King's Landing burnt, the Dornish army in tatters Daenaerys arrives in the south with very little resistance. She heads north finding more wreckage than armies. The White Walkers have spread through the land, destroying almost everything in their path. The dragons are invincible against the undead, but the White Walkers have powers that can kill even dragons. After losing two of her dragons in battles against the White Walkers she has only Drogon left. Both Barristan Selmy and Jorah Mormont die defending her. Tyrion is one of the few who survives.

Looking for a place where she can be safe from the White Walkers Daenaerys goes to the Eyrie... Where she finds Sansa, her remaining knights, Brienne and Podrick holed up there.

Meanwhile Jon Snow and his own army have come south with swords and obsidian. It falls to them to kill the White Walkers when Daenaerys dare not send her last dragon against them, knowing Drogon would be killed just as easily as the other two dragons.

Samwell Tarly follows the rumours of the dragons arriving in Westeros to the Eyrie, using his magic and obsidian to help get himself past the White Walkers.

Realizing they cannot all stay cooped up in the Eyrie forever (they will run out of food during the years long winter and everyone in Westeros will die due to the White Walkers) Jon Snow, Samwell Tarly, Brienne, Tyrion and many others ride out to do battle with the White Walkers - Daenaerys and Drogon go too, planning to keep their distance from the creatures.

With Brandon Stark helping them along the way with his greenseer abilities, Arya with her army of wolves / assassin abilities, they lead the White Walkers into a showdown / a trap and manage to defeat them.

Yada yada yada...

Bronn tries to leave because there is no money in fighting zombies, but is killed by White Walkers during his flight.

Tyrion almost dies - but not before finding his long lost wife at the Eyrie. He fights the White Walkers because he loves her and wants to protect her. As the only heir to Casterly Rock he and his pauper wife inherit. During the battle he fights the zombie version of Jaime.

Theon dies fighting White Walkers, overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

Catelyn dies - again. This time at the hands of the White Walkers, but she manages to take a few zombies with her. She also learns who Jon Snow's real parents were... and sends word to him via Brandon.

The Hound turns up alive, again thanks to the Red Priest, and saves Arya from White Walkers. He dies again. The Red Priest dies too.

Arya and Sansa are reunited and return to Winterfell to join Rickon, who is the new Lord of Winterfell. Podrick Paine goes with them. Pod and Sansa live happily ever after.

Brandon stays up north of the Wall, the new greenseer.

Jon Snow makes love to Daenaerys before the battle, but after the battle decides to return to the Wall and restart the Night Watch. He also discovers that his mother was actually Lyanna Stark and his father was Rhaegar Targaryen - It was kept a secret so King Robert would not know.

Daenaerys becomes Queen, but cannot have children. (Or can she? By the end of the book she is pregnant with Jon Snow's child - which is technically a product of incest since Jon and Daenaerys are cousins.) In the epilogue she gives birth to twins, a boy and a girl. The line of Targaryens needs to be maintained should they ever need dragons again to fight the White Walkers. She takes no consort.

Samwell Tarly kills Drogon using a combination of magic and bravery - knowing that as long as one dragon remains alive they will never truly be safe. Daenaerys doesn't agree with this at first, but eventually agrees that Drogon must die. Sam heads back to Oldtown to finish his Maester training.

Gilly and her baby are reunited, the child being kept safe in Winterfell with Rickon. Once she has him she travels to Oldtown to be close to Sam.

Daenaerys sends her armies overseas to conquer any city that holds slaves. The Iron Bank of Bravos forgives the debt owed to them by the Westerosi - especially when an army of Dothraki land on the northern side of Bravos and go over land into the city. They loot and sack the city. By the end of the book it is clear that Daenaerys will fulfill the prophecy that she is the one who will conquer the world - but she will do so in the name of setting slaves free.

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