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The latest battle in Game of Thrones puts favorites in unenvious positions
Episode 9 incoming!
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Game of Thrones is notorious for its fatal penultimate episodes and this season’s battlefield-set one is likely to be no exception. To that end though, it is important to note that while blood is most definitely going to get spilled not everyone’s favorite characters are going to die. Remember, for every novenary episode that features a surprise Stark beheading there is an episodic counterpart that is less game changing; “Blackwater” was intense but amazingly the most notable loss there was Davos’s son, Matthos, and last season’s ninth episode tugged at the heartstrings by killing off Shireen, who was a secondary character at best.
All of that is to say that fans need not worry—necessarily.
Next: Who to be worried for and why
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Sansa: The eldest Stark daughter has more of a bone to pick with Ramsey than anyone, not to mention is the most driven to reclaim her home of Winterfell. This drive might cause Sansa to act carelessly but chances are retribution, if any, will come from her relationship with Littlefinger and not from the battle itself.
How worried should you be? One percent worried, give or take one percent. Sansa is as close to unkillable on this list as it gets. Plus if Sansa died think how bummed Brienne would be.
Next: Is Jon's Second Chance DOA?
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Jon: The captain of what on paper appears to be a sinking ship should meet the same fate as Stannis. However, having a sorceress and possible reinforcements coming in the form of The Knights of the Veil — Game of Thrones is no stranger to winning intervention — might just be enough to pull an upset.
How worried should you be? Not very. Jon’s team might lose but he hasn’t done enough with his second shot at life to be killed just yet.
Next: How dire is Ghost's position?
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Ghost: The fiercely loyal and alarmingly albino direwolf has done a great job of bucking the recent trend of killing off direwolves. If Ghost fights alongside Jon then man’s best friend will probably go the way of Summer and be dispatched by a swarm of enemies.
How worried should you be? Kinda sorta worried. Just hope that Ghost is off guarding Sansa in a tent somewhere and not fighting the good fight #CGIwolflivesmatter.
Next: Red priestess or dead priestess?
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Melisandre: The red priestess hasn’t been given a lot to do since resurrecting everyone’s favorite bastard, mostly moping around the periphery of scenes at The Wall. With other Lord of the Light devotees popping up in Essos it might be time for Melisandre to pass the old-woman-masquerading-as-a-young-woman torch.
How worried should you be? Mildly worried. It’s possible Melisandre has a new lease on life if she thinks Jon is the new Stannis but it’s doubtful that she’d watch idly if things go south for Team Jon. Some sort of sacrificial, magical game-changer doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility. Again, this is Game of Thrones.
Next: Shedding tears for the Onion Knight?
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Davos: The viewing audience was robbed of a Davos fight scene earlier in the season but it’s doubtful that will happen a second time. As Jon’s fingertip-less righthand man Davos will be subjected to the tribulations of the battlefield, and without much to go home to it seems like this might be the Onion Knight’s final stand.
How worried should you be? Extremely worried. Davos has had some brilliant moments this season that are the stuff of swan songs. Supporting this are the rules of The Walking Dead, which state that the moral compass of a group is always the first to die.
Next: Is Rick-on a Rick-goner?
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Rickon: The forgotten Stark child is presumably stewing in a dungeon, now without guardian Osha, serving as a failsafe should Ramsey’s battle plans go awry. Rickon has never had much to do, always teetering on the plot-device-for-his-older-siblings side of things; with the series wrapping up soon it seems like he might be resigned to that fate.
How worried should you be? Pretty (f)rickon worried. If Ramsey fetches the young Stark then he’s a goner, but there remains the chance that Rickon can pull an Aristodemus of Sparta and avoid the carnage his siblings like to get wrapped up in.
Next: Who's going down in flames?
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Tormund: Fans of the fire-haired wildling boss were probably hoping he’d stick around long enough to legitimize the Tormund-Brienne shipping. Unfortunately, Tormund will be on the front lines and his death would best encapsulate how rough of a go the wildlings have had.
How worried should you be? Incredibly worried. The only thing preventing a Tormund death is his role as the only recognizable face and voice of the willings. This could truly be Tormund’s final moment on Game of Thrones.
Next: Who faces the tiniest odds of survival?
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Wun Wun: This affable giant (second only to Hodor in our hearts) is the wildlings’ most potent weapon but is also a gigantic arrow-attracter. Wun Wun had a good run run but it appears that his time will soon be done done (apologies for the terrible pun pun).
How worried should you be? Not too worried. This giant is the anti-Sansa in that he is the most likely to die but it’s all good; the viewing audience is bound to get some wicked scenes showing off Wun Wun’s people smashing skills which should more than offset the sadness that comes when he finally bites it.
Next: Time for comeuppance?
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Ramsey: The Snow-turned-Bolton has gone relatively unscathed throughout the series but probably won’t get off scot-free this time, bigger army at the helm or no. The stars finally seem to be aligning for Ramsey to be on the receiving end of a glorious death.
Next: The Fisher brothers talk Six Feet Under.
How worried should you be? Not at all. How excited should you be? VERY. The Ramsey plot line has to be dealt with in short order if attention is to be paid to the encroaching army of white walkers, which means Ramsey will likely be disposed even if it’s done so at the expense of some Team Good Guy members.