Which couple are Game of Thrones fans most pulling for? Check out our poll results

Shipping. It’s a popular pastime for fans of many a series, Game of Thrones and otherwise. Which characters should end up together, and why? Not everyone is passionate about that question, but it’s hard not to have an opinion once you start thinking about it.

We asked you guys two romance-related questions in the latest edition of the Small Council. First, what couple on Game of Thrones is your favorite?

I wouldn’t have expected Daenerys and Drogo to have such a commanding lead, or for the “Other” choice to receive so many votes. What were some of the other couples fans were thinking of?

The second question was about shipping. Note that it was a fair bit more popular.

You guys had a LOT to say on this topic, so let’s get to your opinions, starting with your thoughts on the winners: Brienne and Jaime. Rose is pretty damn sure they’re for real.

"Jaime and Brienne are my OTP. They are the ULTIMATE love story in GoT/ASoIaF…They are so far the only ship left that had a properly developed relationship. They know each other’s worst yet they still respect and support each other in every way. GRRM is a realistic writer and SOMEONE has to have some form of happiness by the end of this and I think it’s most likely (note: MOST LIKELY and NOT will be) them…IF they weren’t romantic, why would the show make Jaime look at Tarth with more love than he had ever looked at Cersei? Why would they go out of their way to make Jaime make flirty/longing faces at Brienne? No, it isn’t fan service (or else, SanSan would have been a thing in the show as well). It’s gonna happen…"

Ah, but if Brienne ends up with Jaime, how can she end up with Tormund, as so many meme-artists have suggested? Innocence pointed out something I hadn’t thought of: that, on the show, Tormund could be standing in for a character from the books, and that he’s there to reinforce that Brienne isn’t interested in men other than Jaime.

"Tormund was given the role of Hyle Hunt in the books. In the books there is a guy who hits on Brienne and wants to marry her, but Brienne rejects him (because she is in love with Jaime, that’s the whole point of introducing that secondary character who wants Brienne) just before the reunion of Jaime and Brienne in Riverrun. In season 6, Tormund hitting on Brienne thing happened just before JB’s Riverrun reunion as well. Those Tormund-Brienne scenes in season 6 don’t exist because it will happen in the last 2 books, it won’t. They existed because there was no Hyle Hunt in the show, and Tormund played that role in the show instead. The show does this all the time, it cuts a certain character and gives his or her role to an existing character because there are too many characters in the books…"

That’s a really cool theory, although it does poke a hole in my dreams of Brienne and Tormund settling down in a little holdfast and raising a brood of unstoppable warriors.

But of course, other angles exist. ScullyLikesScience doesn’t think things will turn out quite so rosy for Brienne and Jaime.

"I just see tragedy in store for those two, which is why I think D&D wrote the Tormund angle into the show. Sadly, I don’t see how Brienne will find happiness with Jaime. I think he’s doomed. But if she’d just open herself to Tormund, he could be a good partner for her."

Just speaking dramatically, it would be very intense if Jaime and Cersei found themselves on opposite sides of a conflict and had to fight one another. Something like that is happening in the books at the moment, after all. I’m eager to see if these two kids can make it work.

Let’s move on to a couple a lot of fans think is pretty much destined to happen, even though the principles have never met: Daenerys and Jon Snow. Quaithe explained why the pairing is inevitable using some of Martin’s literary inspirations.

"End game is Jon and Dany. Martin’s inspirations have been “The Farseer” Chronicles and “The Lord of the Rings” and they will continue the Targaryen line whether Jon lives to see the end or not (although either Jon or Dany falling in love to only see the other die has been done and I don’t see it happening to them twice, it’s not exciting). Jon Snow seems an amalgamation of FitzChivalry and Aragorn/Stryker who returned to be king. FitzChivalry went on to have a bastard himself and Aragorn became king and fathered the next line of “whats-their-names-who-didnt-throw-away-the-one-ring” and he married Eowyn who is almost like Dany in her own story as well.Call me corny but I DO see Dany and Jon ruling Westeros together and repopulating the 7 Kingdoms with little fire breathing direwolves and ice dragons."

How might Jon and Dany kick off a union? Priscilla thinks they’ll build up a lot of sexual tension throughout the season until their advisors just can’t stand it anymore.

"My personal theory is that Tyrion will get sick of it, “mix up” their boat reservations, lock them in the same cabin by accident and voila, North and South, Ice and Fire will be together again."

But not everyone is on the Jon-Dany joy train. ScullyLikesScience thinks that pairing is too on the nose for this show.

"Unfortunately, GRRM has stated that he hates “the boy gets the girl stories.” Jon x Dany is SO obvious and expected, that I fully expect GRRM not to go that route.There might be hints of it. I fully see Tyrion being some kind of matchmaker/ambassador and trying to arrange a marriage alliance between House Targaryen and the North. Both Jon and Dany might even begrudgingly agree to it for the sake of the realm. Maybe some level of respect and admiration or friendship blossoms between them. But that’s until Dany finds out who Jon Snow truly is, the son of Rhaegar whose claim to the throne may be stronger than hers, a king to rule who the people will stand behind. She could very well end up viewing him as a threat. And Dany has never really wanted to be the wife of a ruler. SHE wants to do the ruling…I’d much rather see Jon and Dany turn into rivals. It would be much more interesting, and quite a dilemma for fans who are rooting for both of them. I can see GRRM doing this. He wants to break our hearts, after all."

That would certainly be less predictable than a scenario where Jon and Dany end up together. Personally, I’m all for it.

Gendry and Arya were another popular choice. True, there’s an age difference, but it’s been a while since they saw each other last, and Rabblais thinks it might be time for something to start between them.

"I think he was attracted but she was far too young. Now she is older. It would be a good pairing, both emotionally and strategically. It would really certify him as a Baratheon and solidify relations between that family and the Starks.And they look really cute together."

Aiad disagrees, and thinks Gendry and Arya were painted more as friends, at least on TV.

"Thing is, Arya Gendry have 2 scenes that might hint at some romantic interest in the books, but they were both cut from the show.One is Arya and Gendry playfighting/wrestling, with Gendry teasing Arya (forced to wear a dress and bathes and all like a ‘lady’), and then Gendry telling arya he’s going with another girl to anger her (why would you do that if there’s nothing one way or the other? If there was nothing she would have no reason to care).But on the books there’s nothing like that so it just looks like friendship."

I think you could take a couple moments between Arya and Gendry as romantic — particularly their talk in the Brotherhood’s cave from “Kissed By Fire” — but they can also be read as platonic. Benioff and Weiss, keeping it ambiguous.

For those who want to know more, a couple of commenters pointed towards this essay examining the romantic undertones of Arya and Gendry’s relationship in the books.

Changing things up, Sara has another Stark sister in mind for Gendry:

"The fact that Sansa has had such terrible luck in love is one of the reasons I think/hope she and Gendry would be a great thing. He’s actually a *gentleman,* despite his low beginning. If it turns out that G ends up being legitimized, he’s as good a claimant to the throne as any…and Sansa would finally be queen, like she thought she would back in S1."

Sansa in general was a popular figure for romantic pairings. Plenty of voters thought she and Jon Snow should end up together, for instance. Kells, talking mainly about the books, thought there’s potential for something between her and the Hound:

"In the books, I totally see Sandor/Sansa happening. There might be “damsel in distress” undertones but I think the switch has been flipped. Sansa was the damsel in the beginning and Sandor came to her rescue, even when he didn’t have to. He wanted to. If GRRM finally brings the Gravedigger out of hiding (to fight for the Faith), I think he will end up the damsel and Sansa will have to save him. Maybe not physically but emotionally. Maybe not a typical romantic arc but I still see them together in some capacity at the end, if they make it there (and if GRRM makes it there).As for the show, eh, I kind of think Sansa will choose not to be wed/matched for any reason. Not even love. The fantasy is long dead."

Diamond, meanwhile, is hoping for a reunion between Sansa and Tyrion. Their marriage didn’t really have the time to take off.

"No one seems to consider the possibility that Sansa and Tyrion might be the perfect couple for Westeros. The most intelligent man in the country and the head of one of the most important families. Sansa has done a lot of growing up since they were married and might be able to see all that Tyrion has to offer."

Why is Sansa such a popular topic for shipping? DarkStark has an idea.

"Sansa is shipped with lots of people: Jon, Sandor, Littlefinger, Robin, Tyrion, and even Gendry. She had once shipped herself with Joffrey and Loras. Probably it’s because throughout the story, for her a marital union has always been a matter of somebody’s political power play…[I]t seems to me that Sansa herself, for all her overt romanticism, has never really been in love. How ironic…and sad."

Plenty of other commenters weighed in on plenty of other romances. When a show has this many characters, there’s a lot of ground to cover. Let’s look at some of them.

Mel had some thoughts on the long-standing companionship between Daenerys and Jorah:

"There is no doubt that Dany loves Jorah, the issue is because Dany never had a parental figure in her childhood Jorah became that to her, she says that in the books. A father figure. That is why Dany, although Jorah is one of the people she loves the most, can’t see him romantically. They really have one of the most beautiful relationships though, love them too on screen together."

Tim Stark enjoys the purity of the relationship between Grey Worm and Missandei:

"The love story between Greyworm and Missandei goes beyond the realm of the physical. Two lost souls have found each other in a spot where they never thought they would be."

ScullyLikesScience, who left a bunch of quality comments, suggested a relationship between Tyrion and Daenerys.

"I’m also rooting for Tyrion/Dany. He deserves someone who will love him back, at least for a little while. Someone he isn’t paying to sleep with him. And Tyrion is the kind of partner Dany needs. I think he’s starting to love her, and I can see her starting to grow very attached to him."

And what of Podrick? Does he not deserve love? He’ll have to choose his partners carefully, though.

"Podrick Payne is related to the man who executed Ned, so any pairing him with the Stark girls could make for an awkward wedding reception. “Ilyn, meet the Stark orphans you made”."

And let’s not forget Bran and Meera, who have made a lot of memories together. Most of them are horrifying, but still, they’re close.

"I’m actually all behind the Meera and Bran pairing. She’s the closest female in his life, good northern noble family and we only know that Bran can’t walk not that he’s….ya’know, all limp down there."

Finally, Ser Friendzone has had it with all this romantic talk:

"I ship Arya and Needle mothafuckas!!"

Thanks for all the great comments, everybody! This was a fun one.