It's been a wild, thrilling and often implausible ride but now Game of Thrones season seven is finally reaching its endgame. The Night King has bagged a nifty zombie dragon; Jon and Daenerys are on the slow-boat to cuddletown; Sansa and Arya's sisterly strife looks set to erupt into actual warfare.
In other words, the board is set for a memorable concluding instalment this weekend. It will also be an opportunity for the series to redeem itself after the most hazily-plotted run of episodes yet. Viewers remain divided over Daenerys's last minute flight to the Wall last week, in which the Mother of Dragons breathed fire on the basic laws of plotting, character development and physics. Further silliness has the potential to seriously undermine confidence in showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss as they try to fill in the blanks of George RR Martin's as-yet-uncompleted story.
On the other hand, a killer finale would gloss over recent wonkiness and restore Game of Thrones' lustre. With that in mind here are 10 predictions as to what lies in store. Should any prove wildly inaccurate, blame the Lord Of Light for filling our head with smoke and nonsense.
Could Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) be next on the chopping block? Photo / HBO via AP
Lady Olenna, Thoros of Myr, Viserion... by Game of Thrones standards, this year's body count has been a bit B-list. Still, with one episode left the suspicion is Benioff and Weiss will twist the dagger in earnest. Candidates for the chop include Jaime (sure to fall out with Cersei sooner or late), Sansa (this close to pride of place on Arya's kill list) and Littlefinger - whose attempted manipulation of the Stark siblings could blow up in his face.
2: Cersei will lie through her teeth
Expect Cersei Lannister to draw up some dastardly new plans. Photo / HBO
Only a petty lunatic could fail to be swayed by the existential threat of the White Walkers. As chance would have it, just such a figure currently occupies the Iron Throne. Assuming Jon and company make it to King's Landing with their wight intact, expect Cersei to feign terror as the abomination is paraded before her while quietly drawing up plans to stab in the back new allies Jon and Daenerys. It's what she does best.
It's been a few weeks so we're due another Bran-says-creepy-stuff moment. His latest mystical pronouncement could relate to the Night King and the Walkers' ultimate strategy. Or perhaps Bran will intercede in the three-way stand-off between Sansa, Littlefinger and Arya. Another possibility is that he will whiz once more through time and space in order to unpick the puzzle of Jon's parentage. Which brings us to...
4: Rhaegar Targaryen - aka Jon's dead dad - will make an appearance
Could Jon Snow (Kit Harington) finally discover his true parentage? Photo / HBO
The episode title, The Dragon and the Wolf, is widely assumed to be a reference to Jon and Daenerys and their imminent boat-cuddles. But it's just as likely that it refers to Jon's mother, Lyanna Stark, and the man believed to be his father, Rhaegar Targaryen (Daenerys's dashing older brother, later killed by future King / competitive eating champion Robert Baratheon). Fans are convinced Rhaegar will appear in flashback before the season is out. If they're correct, this weekend may finally solve the mystery of where Jon comes from and how his origins relate to his ultimate destiny.
Could this aunt and nephew get together? Photo / HBO
Judging by the big moony glances the Queen of Dragons and the King in the North were throwing at one another in the previous episode, their mutual appreciation will shortly culminate in old-school Game of Thrones bedroom business - in the same hour in which they are potentially confirmed as aunt and nephew. Consider yourselves warned.
The leader of the Walkers is on a roll, having just treated Viserion to a glamorous makeover as an undead dragon. For his next trick, is there a possibility he might cease his sub-zero mooching and actually bring his war on humankind south of the Wall? Given the pre-eminence of the Walker storyline this season, expect the Spiky One to deliver one last meaningful flourish.
7: We learn more about Cersei's pregnancy
Photo / HBO
Was the Queen lying to Jaime when she said she was with child? Or are the twins-with-benefits about to spawn Joffrey 2.0? Rather than leave us dangling, The Dragon and the Wolf will surely confirm whether or not the Lannisters are going to have to start interviewing nannies.
8: There will be meaningful reunions aplenty
Jaime and Brienne, Tyrion and Cersei, the Hound and the Mountain could all potentially share a uncomfortable moment as Westeros's major players gather at the Dragonpit in King's Landing. A good thing there's a wight around to distract from all the awkwardness.
The show has left us guessing whether Daenerys has the makings of a wise and just ruler or is the reincarnation of her bonkers father, Aegon II, with his divisive policy of "burn now, ask questions later". Having waxed vulnerable and doe-eyed last week, expect a flash of Targaryen heat from the Dragon Queen.
10: Jon addresses Daenerys as "Dany" again and we all lose the will to live
Never mind the Night King and his undead dragon - the biggest threat to our sanity this year has been the too-cutesy-by-far romance between the Seven Kingdom's latest power-couple. We are all praying the fan-servicing sobriquet "Dany" does not spill from Jon's lovestruck lips a second time - but there is every likelihood it might.
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