With at most 15 episodes left, Game of Thrones is finally wearing down to its end. Daenerys is returning to Westeros and the White Walkers, led by the Night King, aren’t far behind. The war between ice and fire is now in sight—once Daenerys tames Westeros. And that war could involve terrible sacrifices. Daenerys may finally find true love again—only to have to make the most heartwrenching choice of all. She may have to kill Jon Snow to save the world.

Daenerys Will Marry Jon Snow, Then Kill Him

The reasons why Daenerys will marry Jon Snow are legion. As Daenerys told Daario in the season 6 finale, she needs to be able to marry for the sake of politics once she gets to Westeros. Jon Snow, who as King in the North controls half the land in the Seven Kingdoms without having much of an actual army, is the most reasonable choice. Cersei is her sworn enemy; Euron Greyjoy is at war with her allies Yara and Theon; Dorne will likely side with her anyway. A marriage between Jon and Daenerys brings her war to a far swifter end.

Let’s not even mention that they’re both self-righteous goody-two-shoes with a knack for bad decisions—basically a perfect match for each other. And in Targaryen tradition, they are aunt and nephew—the sort of incestuous relationship that kept the blood of the dragon strong. Jon Snow has Targaryen blood, and will be a dragonrider, Daenerys’s right-hand man. And he knows more about the White Walkers than anyone except maybe Sam Tarly, so his role in the coming war will be huge.

But in the end, prophecy doesn’t bode well for poor Jon Snow. Many signs point to Daenerys being the fabled “prince that was promised,” the savior who can defeat the White Walkers, as Azor Ahai did thousands of years ago. Some signs point to Jon being the prince. Either way, he has a key role to play. The prince that was promised must use the ancient sword Lightbringer to destroy the White Walkers, but the blade demands a terrible price. To awaken the blade, Azor Ahai had to plunge it into the chest of his lover Nissa Nissa. Only by her death and loving sacrifice could the forces of fire defeat ice. And so it could be again. If the prophecies are true as we understand them, Daenerys will defeat the White Walkers and the Night King—but only by killing her true love, Jon Snow.

Or George R. R. Martin could throw all his prophecies to the wind and surprise us all. That works too.