win or die
Name: Steer (I don't go by my real name on the Internet.)
How did you find out about the community? If it's through an LJ user, please tell us who it is (individual user if possible, not just a community name!):
I was mainly googling for a "which soiaf house do you belong in" and the available quizzes were hardly to my satisfaction.
Sorting has endlessly fascinated me since the topic was first breached in works like that of Harry Potter. The notion of being grouped together; sharing similar characteristics with people you don't necessary like or love is quite enthralling, really. In "A Song of Ice and Fire" and in reality, the complexity of this situation becomes even more obvious when one considers how people are frequently born into their houses and hence lack that element of explicit choice that makes the situation in Harry Potter slightly more unrealistic, in my opinion. The notion of the "house" as your family renders it a concept that is largely inescapable; determining your socio-economic situation, interactions and even beliefs in the world you live in, with far-reaching consequences and implications. In fact, the trajectory of one's life can almost (but not completely) be determined by the house and the family that one is born in.
Individuals who are so similar greatly dislike each other partially due to the fact that they recognize the ugliness and the flaws in others that are also found within themselves. It's easy to isolate out the "bad things" and project them onto an external body in order to direct some level of that self-hate away from oneself.
The last time I checked, I happen to be an ENFP (which I might not agree with exactly but it is admittedly close enough), a Type 4 (the Individualist) on the Enneagram and I was stamped as a Ravenclaw over at a Harry Potter stamping community a while back (although I almost always obtain a Slytherin result in internet quizzes; goes to show how much you can trust the damn thing).
Age: 18
Location: Singapore.
Occupation: Student.
All About You
1. Describe your ideal house/home. Please go into as much detail as possible, and be sure to include your ideal geographical location in the description!.
My ideal house/home would certainly induce images and feelings of escapism; of a certain self-imposed isolation that manages to be quite romantic at the very same time.
My ideal house would mainly be a decently sized building that seems so completely plain on the outside but speaks volumes about me as one enters the apartment or establishment. The interior and the architecture of the place would carry about it a sense of rustic charm that soothes and makes people comfortable and I would certainly love to have guests coming over from time to time. I don't believe it necessarily has to be extremely large or luxurious (although some form of luxury is certainly needed for it to sufficiently pose as a restful place) but it has to be mine most of all. The items and the furnishings inside the house would need to speak out to me, almost, and carry over some element and flavor of how I perceive myself to be.
More interestingly, I would certainly love to live in an idyllic and quiet sub-urban location; away from the sheer noise that comes from the cities. I have always fantasized about simply running off to live in a cave (although I probably would not be able to live properly like that in real life) and to some extent, it would be an equivalent of a man-made cave. A geographical position where people hardly notice or go to but harbors within itself a sense of inner peace that is calming, almost. I would certainly love a temperate climate which rains and snows relatively frequently. Where I live in, it happens to be summer all year and while it certainly is convenient, the sheer romanticism and musicality of a rainy, snowy night is far more exquisite as compared to the warm rays of sunshine. Or perhaps the scarceness of snow in my eighteen years of life (I have only experienced one night of snow and it was the most picturesque event ever) happens to make the occurrence that much more precious in comparison.
In fact, it would be a place akin to the Snowspire Village in the original Fable game; which visually succeeds in replicating the essence of what I struggled to convey through words. (I really struggled with this question, I think. I had the essence of the house and the location in my head but the words seemed insufficient and inadequate in conveying my inner thoughts).
2. Imagine you’re given the classic opportunity: a genie granting you three wishes. What would you wish for? Please be as elaborate as you can. Wishing for more wishes is not permitted!
First wish: To be far more capable and competent than my current limitations.
I believe that my fundamental sense of identity and self-worth is built around how much I can accomplish as compared to other people. I have a great deal of inadequacies and limitations and it does eat into my feelings of self-esteem whenever I fail to deliver on whatever I set out to accomplish. Perhaps it ties into the Asian values that I have been raised by - that of the need to excel (academically or otherwise) in order to truly be someone - and while I struggle and try to rebel against that notion on some occasions, ultimately I try to live up to the expectation that people place in me and that attempt to do so is ultimately what drives me in doing what I set out to do. So yes, I would want to increase my abilities (preferably intellectual) and that would be important enough to wish for, indeed.
Second wish: To be more socially competent and comfortable around other people.
This wish is quite important to me, I think. Despite the veneer and facade of an extrovert that I show to the world, I would think that social interaction and its accompanying rejection is what frightens me tremendously. I would say that I'm the sort of person that happens to have many acquaintances but few close friends and it does feel as if I am limited in that aspect - as compared to the many others who seem to be able to befriend effortlessly. I seem to be putting on a mask every time I interact with people and I think that ultimately boils down to my social awkwardness and my fear of being rejected.
Third wish: To accept myself more for who I am.
This last wish might seem to be contradictory, almost. My first two wishes seem to be concentrating on my inadequacies and failings as a person which would imply that I don't fully accept myself in order to wish for such large changes in my personality and my ability to achieve. True enough, I have often lived life wishing that I could be someone else and that there seems to be a great lack in self-worth due to that mentality. Ultimately, I recognize that I cannot be truly perfect and I would want to have the wisdom to accept myself for my failings - something that I largely cannot do so at this moment in time. I need to have the love and affection of other people in order to truly cement and validate my own sense of identity, and I think such a mentality can be tremendously crippling in life.
3. In your life so far, what accomplishment are you the most proud of? Why? You can list more than one if you have trouble deciding. ;)
Currently, it would be the fact that I have managed to do well enough to enter my ideal high school in the national examinations two years prior. The school has always been a firm idealized notion for me; with a few members of my family hailing from that relatively prestigious institution in my country and going on to carve out a great career following graduation. The institution does require good scores in tests and examinations before admission; and the fact that I have managed to qualify and am belonging to the institution itself would be arguably the largest accomplishment in my eighteen years of life.
However, it must also be said that my years in the aforementioned institution was not exactly the fondest ones in my life. I was never fully accustomed to the school and I was always quite distant from the extremely competitive go-getters that made up a large amount of the people I interacted with. Such an experience warned me against becoming overtly attached to an ideal and becoming sorely disappointed in the actual result.
4. Which of the following is most important to you: Love, Money, Knowledge, Family, Friendship, Adventure, or Pleasure? Which is the least important to you? Please explain why for each choice.
Most important: Love.
I think a large part of my actions are motivated by the need to be loved by others. I want to carve out a great career because doing so would make me more impressive and hence more likely to be loved by the people around me. I would love to be far more socially competent and charming in order to be surrounded by people who care for me and love me. A huge part of my life, I think, is built upon the premise that I need to do and to have in order to be loved. I'm not good-looking nor athletic so why would anyone ever offer me the love and affection that they do for those who are comparatively more attractive? I build my identity upon the need to fulfill this external mask that I present to the world of being intelligent and extroverted because doing so would make me more accepted by the people around me. Family and friendship, which are important things to me, are offshoots from that innate desire and wanting and hunger to be loved, I think.
Romantic love does tie into this as well, I think. I've never had a significant other and hearing about how blissful and happy people are with their romantic partners evokes a certain sense of envy deep within - wondering if someone would ever love me in that same manner. Comparatively, I think it's a smaller part as compared to the love and the admiration that I would need to receive from my loved ones, especially.
Least important: Money.
I don't think I ever fully understood the obsession with money in our current culture. I perceive it to be merely a means to an end; which implies that they are necessarily other alternatives in achieving one's desires besides simply making money. Sure enough, I would value money enough to ensure a decent standard of living for myself and my loved ones but placing that much material emphasis on money is probably not something I would see myself doing. If I ever wound up pursuing a six-figure salary, it would be chiefly due to the respect that people would offer knowing that I am that accomplished in life. So yes, I perceive it mainly as an important instrument and not as an desirable end in itself.
5. What's one quote (or passage, song lyric, etc.) that effectively describes you and your values? Explain.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." - Invictus.
I believe that we are all masters of our fates and that we always have a choice in life. We occasionally might make the wrong decisions but we are still given that same choice to turn back and to start anew. It's only our pride, our failings and our inadequacies that really stop us. While circumstances do have a part to play, I would argue that the human will has demonstrated that it is capable of miraculous things with the sufficient resolve.
6. How do you manage your money? On that note, how important is money/financial security to you? Go into as much detail as you can.
I'm actually not financially independent as of yet, still depending heavily on my parents for much of my income. I have to say that I don't really manage my money well at all. I spend quite heavily on books and video games and I think a common complaint from my family is that I don't truly recognize the importance and the value of money. In fact, I think I hardly save. My parents are largely the ones taking a portion of my money and saving it in the banks on my behalf. Sometimes I hardly realize that the money's gone.
I think money does have a certain level of importance, especially considering how people can hardly attain any desired product without having some form of currency by their side. I would value money enough to maintain a decent standard of living but as I said before, I view it as mainly a means to an end. If I wished to attain better academic results, I would enroll myself in private classes and the money would be of little notice to me. It's only when money starts running out in which it starts becoming a problem because options and avenues are now cut off and you begin to frantically worry because you now lack the instrument - money - to achieve your desired objectives.
7. Name (and elaborate on) some of your hobbies. What are your favorite things to do outside of school/the office?
Play video games - I belong to the minority who view video games to be as legitimate an art form as books and movies; functioning as a possible medium through which amazing stories can be told. Games, arguably, are even more successful as compared to these other mediums because it is in video games through which audience involvement is truly captured. Books are typically limited through the fact that they only allow the audience to stand by as an observer, prompting a certain sense of disengagement because the events of the story, no matter how gripping, are not happening to you. That belief, however, is stripped away in video games because you happen to be the ones making choices. I enjoy video games which allow you to make choices and options because that's what happens in real life. You feel invested in a particular scenario because it is happening to you. Your avatar in the gaming reality is dying because you have been making flawed choices without taking note of the consequences.
A few of my favorite games include visual novels like Remember11 and Ever17 (stunning narratives that make full use of the medium to tell great stories), RPGs like that of Suikoden and Tactics Ogre for the reasons stated above. My favored narratives usually involve a large deal of war and political intrigue; the worst sides of humanity are just so endlessly fascinating to me. Recently, Crusader Kings II has hooked me as well, due to its excellence in capturing the intricate mappings that make up much of medieval history.
Playing tabletop games - Tabletop board games have fascinated me as much as their video game brethren but for slightly different reasons. Video games present you with a narrative and ask for your investment in the storyline. Tabletop games, like Risk, allow you to craft out that narrative on your own. When playing against my cousins, I tend to imagine that we are but conquerors each seeking to create a large imperial power that dominates the globe. The diplomatic maneuvering and the politicking further reinforces that narrative, allowing you to make choices that you ordinarily would not be able to do so. In fact, I would love to have a go at the "A Game of Thrones" board game, although it does seem a bit too complicated and large for my own tastes. "Diplomacy" is another game I would love to experience. The backstabbing and intricate weaving of alliances just intrigue and interest me oh so much and I would argue that nothing's as satisfying as that moment in which you complete an intricately weaved plan that snaps shut in your opponent's face - either through a well-timed backstab or a shifting of alliances that dramatically changes the political climate of the board altogether.
Reading - I enjoy historical fiction most of all, I would say. I have a huge number of books about the conquests of Napoleon, for one, as well as that of Caesar Augustus and Ancient Rome. Books, like video games, offer us a perspective on an entirely different world and an entirely different set of rules and none of which is exemplified as amazingly as the Song of Ice and Fire series. I especially appreciate the use of many POVs to tell a story - a structure that video games cannot hope to accomplish because of the need for a main protagonist to function as a player avatar. In books, there doesn't seem to be that limitation and it is in the dramatically different POVs through which Martin makes his world come alive. In fact, I would mention here that I first got into ASOIAF due to the fact that someone once mentioned that it was rife with politicking and the intrigue that I am so endlessly fascinated by. Fantasy appeals much less to me and I would argue that I am part of the group that reads ASOIAF as a historical novel more so than as a fantasy novel.
8. Name three things you are afraid of. Explain.
Heights - Definitely, it scares me. Even reading about the Eyrie and how high it is above ground in the Tyrion and Alayne chapters in AGOT and AFFC respectively was quite frightening to behold, actually. I don't want to imagine how Sansa felt when Lysa tried to throw her off the Eyrie. I think that must have been an especially frightening experience.
Rejection - To the point where I actually fret about rejection more than failure. I cannot bear it when people inform me of their great dislike towards me. I mean, I certainly know that it's impossible to make everyone love you but being told otherwise is a huge hit to your self-esteem and self-confidence. I fear rejection to the point that I'd rather avoid meeting them altogether as opposed to actually meeting people and facing their scorn.
Failing to live up to expectations; be it in terms of academia or otherwise - I would mention that I'm the sort of person to obtain a firm sense of self-esteem from external perception as opposed to internal ones. For example, if I were to do extremely badly for a test; my mind would register it as if I was incompetent and stupid and I would be feeling greatly depressed about myself. I would say that I'm a bit of a perfectionist; wanting to be the best and flawless however much I can. It places a lot of stress on myself and hence I can hardly relax as a result.
9. Name (and elaborate on) your top three BEST and top three WORST qualities (personality-related, not physical). Please answer as fully as you can, as this is an important question.
Best qualities:
Intelligent - I would mention that I am relatively intelligent. I am greatly interested in literature and history and I do score relatively well in tests. However, I would claim to be more book-smart as opposed to street-smart. I am, unfortunately, quite uncomfortable with anything that isn't found in books and I am absolutely terrible when it comes to technological knowhow. Nonetheless, peers and teachers have mentioned that they expect good things from me in terms of academia and hence I would claim that I possess somewhat above-average intelligence.
Ambitious - It is my secret wish to be a great conqueror rivaling that of Alexander the Great, Caesar and Napoleon. Okay, not really but I would identify mostly with my ambition. To be fair, my ambition is quite atypical. I don't have a desire for six figure salaries nor to advance quickly up the corporate ladder but I would want to be remembered throughout history for contributing significantly to my country. Politics is an avenue that I might consider, alongside academic study. I want to do something great that benefits not just myself but for many others. I want to be remembered to have left a legacy larger than myself. It's quite out-there as of yet, but it's not entirely impossible.
Gregarious - Apart from interacting with those whom I'm uncomfortable with, I would say I'm largely a friendly, personable individual who isn't shy around other people and can actually thrive on social events. It is very dependent on the person I'm with, however. With others, I'm extremely sullen and quiet but with the right people, I think I can be quite loud and witty. Hence, I would mention that I have a great deal of acquaintances but I keep a very tight, a very close circle of good friends.
Worst qualities:
Duplicitous - I think I can be quite deceitful in order to achieve my objectives. For example, there was this project that I was involved in with several other individuals. There was a mini civil war going on within the members and it broke into two separate factions. Despite bearing great dislike for the leader of one of the factions, in order to make sure the project went well, I went over to her side with her while still maintaining contact with the other faction. My teacher remarked that I was essentially the glue and the bridge between the two factions and that there was some semblance of peace with my diplomacy. It was nonetheless duplicitous because I did phrase my words and actions according to the faction that I was with but it was for a good cause and we all did well in the end. I am also notorious when playing tabletop games with my cousins for being the one who would broker alliances and backstab at the most opportune of moments to win. It's not a part that I'm especially proud of, but it's there nonetheless. I think I would enjoy playing the game of thrones.
Egotistical - I have been told that I can be egotistical at times, unknowingly. I focus a great deal on my problems, my worries and my insecurities and forget to be sensitive to the plights of other people. It's more of a crime of ignorance, but yes. I do admit that I am self-centred and selfish when it comes down to it but I do have a basic semblance of morality and ethics still (or so I would like to think).
Perfectionistic - I have once written a history paper three times because it didn't live up to my standards and I didn't like my work (it takes me about six hours to write a good paper, so you can imagine the time it took me to complete my work). I want to be perfect and flawless in my work all the time as it would largely be a sense of validation for me. My teacher called me a nerd once because I went to consult him before a homework assignment for fear that I would get it wrong with my new structure. So yes. For things I care about, I can be quite perfectionistic and anal.
A Song of Ice and Fire Related
1.How many books from the series have you completed?
I've read "A Game of Thrones" to "A Feast For Crows". I have "A Dance With Dragons" in my possession and I'll certainly read the book following my upcoming midterms. I read the first two books a year ago and I just recently finished "A Storm of Swords" and "A Feast For Crows" and I have to mention here that despite the flak that AFFC gets from most of the fandom, I especially appreciated the fact that it functioned much like a sandbox game, allowing our view of Westeros to become that much more three-dimensional in comparison. While the earlier novels largely centered on the Starks, the Lannisters, the Targaryens and the Baratheons, I think the introduction of the Martells and the Tyrells into the already intricate web of political alliances further shakes the conflict up even more and offers us another new perspective through which we can possibly view the events in the series.
Also, it seems apt to mention here that the backstory in the series, especially revolving that of the early Targaryen kings, are as compelling if not more so as compared to the War of the Five Kings that erupted in the book series. I would give anything to read more about the exploits of Aegon the Conqueror, the Blackfyre Rebellion and the Dance of the Dragons Targaryen civil war (I'm hoping that we'll see a lot more of these psuedo-historical references in ADWD) and it prompted a surge of interest in English medieval history as well (whereas I was largely interested only in Ancient Rome and Napoleonic Europe before reading ASOIAF).
2.Who are your favorite three characters in the series? Why?
I would name Rhaegar Targaryen, Jaime Lannister and Doran Martell as my three favorite characters thus far.
Rhaegar - It must first be mentioned here that second-hand storytelling is a literary device that I am extremely partial to. We are given so many contradictory accounts of the last Targaryen Prince. He is perceived as a no-good rapist by Robert Baratheon, exalted as a great would-be king by Ser Barristan Selmy and Jorah Mormont and favored by much of the nobility even after the collapse of the once-great Targaryen dynasty.
There seems to be a subversion of the usual fantasy prince stereotype here; while Rhaegar is described to be good at anything he sets his mind out to, he isn't perfect as everything as most fictional princes are. He is described as an above-average swordsman at best and is most famously remembered to have lost the Battle of the Trident - the legacy that the seemingly perfect prince left behind is one of defeat and humiliation at the hands of his vassal and romantic rival.
Similarly, we are also given a hint of his political inexperience as can be clearly observed from his "abduction" of Lyanna Stark. While certainly audacious as befitting one of his stature, the act clearly was a PR disaster on the part of the Targaryen dynasty and served to kickstart the War of the Usurper while simultaneously undermining the Targaryen-Martell alliance that would be instrumental in the lead-up to the fall of the once-great Targaryen kings.
Despite his failings, however, Rhaegar is almost universally regarded to have been a great heir to the throne. While the conquests of Aegon the Conqueror inspired much respect from the other powerful houses, I'm pretty sure that Aegon did not inspire love amongst his subjects. It takes a very special individual to be able to do so; an individual that should have - on all accounts - been loathed and hated for being an offshoot of the Mad King Aerys the Second. He is clearly enigmatic and hence clearly a character that fascinates me so much.
Jaime Lannister - He's pretty much the character that I always love in narratives. A character that is presented to be one way at first, and then revealed to be another when we truly get into his skin and his mind. Which is really realistic. Most of the people we know clearly don't see themselves in the same way as they are often perceived by others. It is undeniable that the two clearly do influence each other, of course, but they are usually dissimilar.
Furthermore, I think the "cutting off of the sword hand" is one occurrence that most of us can empathize with. To be stripped of an identity marker that previously defined your existence (Jaime, before his handicap, was arguably but a glorified sword arm for both the Targaryen Dynasty and the Lannisters) and being forced to reconstruct your sense of self bit-by-bit following one's humbling is clearly an experience that inspires much empathy, respect and admiration from the audience. The juxtaposition of Jaime's newfound vulnerability and weakness with his triumph in the act of jumping into the bear pit is certainly one of the most epic and inspiring moments in the series with good reason.
Beyond the Cersei-Jaime relationship (which is probably mentioned countless times by now), I find the relationship between Tyrion and Jaime endlessly fascinating. The two Lannisters, strangely enough, frequently wonder about what the other would do in the many crises that they have come across. I think the person of Tyrion has allowed Jaime to become more measured, restrained and strategic. With the loss of his sword arm, the person that he was before is no more. The new Jaime Lannister must behave in ways in which he would have never previously imagined. Jaime, like Tyrion, would now have to endure the scorn of many who regard him as a has-been cripple and cope with the fact that his father no longer perceives him to be his perfect son following his handicap and his insistence to remain in the Kingsguard. In fact, he is forced to learn from Tyrion to survive; the same way in which Tyrion was forced to become more impulsive and Jaime-like in the Eyrie in order to have a fighting chance out of the situation.
Doran Martell - We haven't seen that much of him thus far but Doran clearly seems to be an intriguing individual already. The act of putting on a front of weakness and helplessness to shield others from recognizing his cunning and his intelligence is very Claudius-like, if you will. His relationship with the Targaryens intrigue me greatly; he would certainly be a strong ally that would prove instrumental in Dany's claim to the throne. Essentially, Doran speaks to me of a Vito Corleone or a Emperor Claudius of Rome and it is precisely these people that frequently come on top in the Game of Thrones.
Other favorites are: Tyrion and Tywin Lannister, Arya and Sansa Stark, Margaery, Loras and Olenna Tyrell, Littlefinger, Varys. (I would be sorely tempted to place many of the early Targaryen Kings here but we don't know enough about them to really make any judgement on their character. Aegon is clearly inspiring as an expy of William the Conqueror though...)
3.Who are your least favorite three characters in the series? Why?
Gregor Clegane - There hardly seems to be any redeeming factor about him whatsoever. He seems to be the typical animalistic brute who loves violence and bloodshed. Very simplistic and reductive, yes, but it is my belief that Martin and Tywin merely intended for him to pose as the animal that strikes fear in the hearts of the Lannisters and make it that much more unappealing to cross them.
Joffrey Baratheon - I'm pretty sure you're meant to greatly dislike him and Martin succeeds at that. His insecurities are noticeable - the fact that he often repeats that he should be allowed to do whatever he wants simply because he is king functions as a telling sign that he doesn't believe that he has fully consolidated his power and obtained the support of his vassals, hence resorting to lording his position over them to maintain his facade of dominance. I was quite appalled at the manner in which he was able to bully Tyrion in his wedding when it was the stratagems of Tyrion Lannister that helped him maintain his kingdom from Stannis in the previous book. When it comes down to it, essentially he's supposed to be a loathsome boy who got too much power for his own good.
Walder Frey - My reaction following the Red Wedding was strangely muted - I never really liked Catelyn and Robb Stark to begin with - and I do recognize that it is necessary to play dirty to win the Game of Thrones but Walder Frey is simply a petty, disgustingly vindictive individual who goes above and beyond sheer pragmatism - unlike a Tywin who does what he must to win and uphold the Lannister name - to mean-spirited cruelty. I actually Wiki-ed to see if he does get his comeuppance and I'm hoping that it would be Stoneheart that ultimately deals him her final revenge.
I don't dislike many of the characters in ASOIAF, strangely. I'm occasionally appalled at a few (Cersei) for their stupidity and it is my opinion that Jon Snow and Dany Targaryen are a little bland at times but yes. Most of them are real characters that one can empathize with.
4.#1 Favorite moment in all of ASOIAF so far? Why?
The bear trap scene is clearly one of my favorites and it cemented my love for Jaime Lannister. Even the dream scene in which Jaime confronts his conscience is stunningly well-crafted in allowing the audience an attempt at better understanding the psyche of Jaime Lannister.
The Purple Wedding; Joffrey's death, Sansa's escape from King's Landing and Tyrion's imprisonment are largely one continuous sequence for me and it was undeniable how fast and furiously the plot moved during the latter half of ASOS. Jaime breaking out Tyrion from prison and the subsequent kinslaying of the Lannisters are also especially evocative in my mind. It further adds on to the guilt that Jaime feels; he is indirectly responsible for murdering his father, after all, and it dramatically shapes Tyrion that would only be further revealed in the next book.
OH and Dany's conquests of Astapor, Yunkai and Meereen are certainly insanely epic and awesome to behold. It probably is similar to the War of Conquest fought by Aegon the Conqueror as well as especially evocative of great conquerors throughout history like that of Alexander the Great and Caesar. Dany's arc in ASOS is stunning especially when considering how plodding the arc in Qarth was in my opinion.
5. In your dream-world, how would you like to see the series end, and why?
I'm actually less excited about the combat against the Others and the White Walkers as opposed to dynastic civil war. While the plot arc about the Walkers would certainly be finished near the end of the series, I think I would prefer to have that discussed by half of the characters; Jon Snow, Stannis Baratheon and several other allies leading a charge to combat the White Walkers while the second Dance of the Dragons emerges with the new Targaryen claimant in ADWD (I spoiled myself, sorry) and Dany fighting for the right to rule over the Iron Throne. At that point in time, Cersei and Tommen and the Lannisters would largely have been deposed, the Tyrells and the Martells (both Targaryen loyalists in the War of the Usurper) would probably be on opposing sides - the Tyrells supporting Aegon VI and the Martells supporting Dany for example. Sansa would be the next Olenna Tyrell, possibly killing Littlefinger and manipulating events just as he did but to bring order to the Seven Kingdoms and Arya would be chiefly putting her skills with the Faceless Men to good use as an assassin. OH and the dragons would be fighting each other or sent to aid Jon Snow's crusade against the White Walkers to melt them forever.
The final scene, imo, would be Dany sitting on the Iron Throne, the loyal houses bowing all below her and there being peace in the Seven Kingdoms following the restoration of Targaryen rule at long last.