Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-27542229-20160625032142

We all know Tommen is going to die - it has already been prophesied. I don't want to discuss that. What I want to discuss is who is going to succeed Tommen.

As we know, Tommen has no heirs and all his known siblings are dead. Gendry is a non-starter since only Melisandre and Davos know about him but none of the Great Houses would support elevating Gendry to the throne since he is low-born. The Great Houses are going to fight over the successor.

Margaery is still the Queen and she is popular with the smallfolk. Plus, House Tyrell already has an army in King's Landing to defend her (please note - I think House Tyrell has more than the 100 soldiers shown in the showdown at the Great Sept) so if another Great House wants to move Margaery out of the way, they will need to fight this army. None of the Great Houses wants that and considering the losses almost all sides took during the War of Five Kings, there really is not anyone else to force the issue.

So by default, Margaery is going to continue to rule by herself for at least a little bit. But there has never been just a Queen of the Seven Kingdoms so Margaery is going to need a husband. Who is that going to be?

My pick: Baelish. He already worked with the Tyrells to kill off Joffrey. Besides this working relationship, he has a nice trump card of being able to expose Olenna Tyrell as Joffrey's poisoner if the Tyrells are reluctant to the match.

Baelish will have Robin Arryn's support. This is just a given since Robin is an easily manipulated man-boy.

Baelish will have the Stark's support given his riding to the rescue in the Battle of the Bastards, with the added benefit that the Starks might have to return to being part of the Seven Kingdoms as payback to Baelish for his help.

Baelish will probably even get Lannister support - Baelish has worked well with them in the past and as far as they know, he has not screwed them over.

Baelish will have the Riverlands support since I believe he is actually the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. I know that there is some disagreement if Baelish is the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands or if it is Lord Frey but I'm pretty sure the Freys were only made Lords of Riverrun, not Lord Paramount of the Riverlands.

The Stormlands might not support Baelish but what are they going to do? House Baratheon will be wiped-out so the Stormlords will be squabbling over who rules of the Stormlands. Plus, given the losses they took in War of Five Kings, they won't be able to challenge what goes on in King's Landing. Baelish can probably get at least backing from some of the Stormlands by supporting one of the factions that wants to take over as Lord Paramount of the Stormlands.

Then there are the Iron Islands who are in open rebellion so they won't support anyone regarding the Iron Throne. They are bunch of nobodies that no one likes anyway. Most of the rest of Westros is already fine with them ruling their bird-shit-stained rocks with their narrow bridges.

Dorne might challenge but given that the Sand Snakes took over, they don't have a male to marry to Margaery. Plus, I am pretty sure Varys is meeting them to talk them into an alliance with Daenerys. So they won't care who marries Margaery.

So that leads me to believe that Baelish will become the consensus pick. Plus, in the trailer for the season ender, he is talking to Sansa and says "You have always known what I want" or something to that affect. We are all thinking he means he wants Sansa to be his wife BUT I think what Baelish really wants even more is to be King. He kicked-off the continent engulfing war to make that happen. I have to believe it eventually pays off.

The only other possibility I can think of marrying Margaery is Jaime Lannister - now the most eligible bachelor in all of Westros - yet given his devotion to Cersei, he would never marry Margaery while she is alive. Plus, I don't think he would marry Margaery even if Cersei were dead - he does not want to be King. Plus, Baelish would scuttle that match - see his trump card of knowing who killed Joffrey.

If tyou're thinking Olenna will just expose Baelish if Baelish exposes her, I doubt it will work. Baelish probably already has an excuse ready - see what Baelish did to Yohn Royce when Yohn accussed him of marrying-off Sansa to Ramsay Bolton. He just turned it around and could have had Yohn thrown through the Moon Door if he wanted.

So there is no other eligible bachelors left that can really challenge Baelish. Ok, well the Freys have a bunch of single males, but they are all dumbasses no one likes.

Please note, I don't think the show ends with Baelish on the Iron Throne. I just think he will be on the Iron Throne when Daenerys finally arrives.

Anyway, just a few of my thoughts for discussion.

P.S. R+L = J = true heir to the Iron Throne and Sam will serve as his Hand. 