My expectation for the rest of the season is episode 2 is the final preparations for the battle with the Night King. Episode 3, is the battle with the dead. I actually expect the humans to defeat the Night King in the north and in that episode and believe that to get it done, Jon will have to fulfill the prophecy and kill Dany to do it. Episode 4 will be mostly battle aftermath, regrouping, and the march south to take on Cersei. Episode 5 and probably into Episode 6 will be the battles for Kings Landing and I believe that Jamie will kill Cersei fulfilling that prophecy. The rest of Episode 6 will be the final aftermath and having everyone alive ending up back where they belong. I expect all of the remaining Starks to live, though wouldn't be surprised if Bran and/or Sansa end up perishing. I think Jamie is the only Lannister left (ends up with Brienne ruling Casterly Rock), though could see Tyrion making it through. I think Gendry survives and takes over his fathers kingdom and probably wed to Arya. I think Samwell ends up taking over his father's kingdom and basically running that whole part of the world as Jon's hand of the king.
Of course, I've probably got this all wrong, but that is the fun.
I think there is not much bitterness in that ending scenario..
Its been well documented that the ending is going to be so unexpected that some people will go mental and not accept it....or so ive heard.
I think Jon dies sacrificing himself while killing the Night king , Arya will probably be the only Stark left. The imp definitely lives and Jaime kills Cersei.
Bran I think will go back in the past in a sort of twist that will keep us guessing before the end credits roll out.
you don't think Jon killing Dany will cause bitterness?
I think Dani will kill Jon.
Dani isn't essential to the story. Jon is.
Dani can die and it will not break the storytelling. If Jon died, it would objectively be poor writing since he's the central arc of the whole thing.
Who appeared to be the focus of season 1? I'd say Ned Stark, out to thwart the Lannisters. Then it was mostly a struggle between Robb and the Lannisters, with vital subplots that affected the outcome (Catelyn's love for her daughters that freed Jaime; Robb's tragic decision to marry; the murderous fights among the Lannisters, etc., etc.).
What's been the central focus since the red wedding? You could certainly say it's the rise of Jon. You could also say it's the rise of Dany, or even Cersei triumphing over her many enemies as she continued being vicious but became smarter/more deadly about it (hello, high Sparrow!). Then there are more side plots than we can count.
We do need to know what happens to Jon - that's a good point, recalling how deep and how far back his arc goes. But it just seems too pat, too similar to the traditions of the epic convention that Martin wants to upend, for Jon to sit the throne in triumph.
The one ending I feel reasonably sure we should not get is the one that Varys, Tyrion, and the Onion Knight contemplated from the battlements of Winterfell: Jon and Dany vanquishing the enemies of the realm and living happily ever after. It just can't end that way, unless Martin sold out completely to fan service (likely with HBO twisting his arm). Only question is how dark it's going to be...