HBO
If you are a character on Game of Thrones, your odds of surviving a season aren’t great.
George R. R. Martin is notorious for murdering beloved main characters on Game of Thrones. I’m still not over Ned Stark’s beheading, or, God help me, the Red Wedding.
And showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss aren’t afraid to follow in Martin’s footsteps when they ruthlessly killed off Shireen Baratheon and Rickon Stark.
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The show surpassed the books after Season 5. And while Martin is taking his sweet time finishing his book series, Benioff and Weiss wasted no time continuing the story themselves.
In fact, I’ve heard rumors that Martin shared his layout for the rest of the Song of Ice and Fire story in case he died.
I don’t know how true that is; but, regardless, Season 8 is coming about as quickly as winter came. And there is a ton of speculation about who will survive the end of the series.
Back in March, HBO senior vice president of drama, Francesca Orsi, spilled some on-set secrets from the final table read at the INTV conference. She alluded that many characters that fans love and hate will die in the series finale. And because the actors didn’t have a heads up that their time might be up before the table read, they were shocked and surprised.
But then again, some of the show’s stars believe producers changed the ending already and are shooting more than one ending.
If the pattern of Game of Thrones continues, we’re in for lots of unpredictability and lots of death. I mean, there’s an imminent war, and I can’t imagine all of our favorite characters are going to make it out alive. It’s probably going to be a bloodbath.
Based on current theories, rumors, and my own hopes, here are the ten characters that are most likely to bite the dust before the series ends.
Jon Snow on Game of Thrones / Image: HBO
1. Jon Snow
The current King in the North has had quite the journey to this point.
Jon went from being Ned Stark’s bastard son, unsure of his place in the world, to a Night’s Watchman. He fell in love with a wildling beyond the wall and lost her (UGH STUPID OLLY). Then, he was one of the first to see the Night King and the Army of the Dead at work and became the leader of the Night’s Watch.
Then, his own brothers murdered him after he suggested bringing wildlings south of the wall to help them defeat the Night King. (Again, STUPID OLLY). Then he literally rose from the dead.
But ever since Jon came back to life, I have been so afraid that I :: ahem:: we would lose him again. He almost died again during the Battle of the Bastards. Then it looked like they were hinting that Sansa would turn on him and Littlefinger would cause yet another Stark death. Thank God that didn’t happen, thanks to Arya and Bran.
Then he almost died beyond the wall…again! But he keeps on surviving.
I think he’s meant for greater things… like defeating the Night King once and for all. Why else would people, gods, and fate keep saving this man’s life?
Let’s also not forget that Jon is actually a Targaryen. And he’s in love with his aunt; only he doesn’t know it yet. I’ll bet anything they will find out in Season 8.
Technically, Jon and Dany are a power couple. There are even theories that the two will have a baby. I don’t think they both survive in the end. It’s one or the other. And of the two I think Dany is the one to go because of the “Prince Who Was Promised” theory. (More on that on the Dany’s page.)
The only way I see Jon dying is if the Night King kills him. But he’s my number one pick for who ends up on the Iron Throne.
Most likely to die scale: 1 out of 5 swords
Image: HBO
2. Bronn
Poor Bronn just wants his damn castle. So, will he get it or will he be unceremoniously killed off?
With Ser Bronn of the Blackwater, you get what you get. He’s loyal to the person or people who pay the most. He’s an expert sellsword and has killed too many people to count.
After Bronn steps forward to fight for Tyrion in a trial by combat early on and wins, he becomes his personal bodyguard and friend. After Tyrion escapes King’s Landing, Bronn teaches Jaime (The King Slayer) to fight with his non-dominant hand because he no longer has a right hand and the two form a bond. Right now, he’s Jaime’s right-hand man (pun absolutely intended).
Bronn is known for his one-liners and no-nonsense attitude, so he’s a hit with fans. He has also mentioned that he has been beyond the wall before for “work.” That tells me he has experience in fighting wights. I think that will serve him well in the war, but I don’t know that he will actually survive.
I can see him dying and being made into a wight and a killing machine – yet another obstacle against Dany and Jon.
But I can also see them not killing off the comic relief in such a serious series, which will most likely have a very dark and twisty ending.
Most likely to die scale: 1 out of 5 swords
Image: HBO
3. Theon Greyjoy
Theon Greyjoy started out as a character we tolerated. Originally from the Iron Islands, Ned Stark took Theon to be his ward when he was just a child because Theon’s father started an uprising. Ned always treated Theon kindly, raising him as if he were his own child. And Robb Stark treated him like a brother.
Then he decides to betray Robb to show respect to the Ironborn. He kills a couple of stable boys and tells everyone at Winterfell they were Bran and Rickon Stark. Big mistake, because karma’s a bitch.
After the Ironborn turn on him, Ramsay Snow kills them and takes Theon hostage. And after extensive torture and being renamed “Reek,” Theon eventually helps Sansa escape Winterfell.
We now like him again, but he’s still sort of pathetic and scared; though we do see some gleaming qualities that show maybe he just has to dig deeper for his bravery. The guy was ripped from his home, and he has spent his entire life trying to figure out who he is – he’s bound to be a little screwed up. We can’t fault him for that.
I think in Theon’s case if he were to die, he will die doing something noble, that will redeem him from his past cowardice. Maybe he will die saving his sister. Or, he will die saving Jon Snow or a Stark to make up for his betrayal of the family.
I think he’s a significant enough of a character that his death would mean something and not just be a casualty of the war on the Night King.
Most likely to die scale: 2 out of 5 swords
Image: HBO
4. Jorah Mormont
Ser Jorah Mormont is an exiled lord who worked as a spy for Varys. His job was to send information about the Targaryens living in Essos back to Kings Landing.
But he made the mistake of falling in love with Daenerys.
Jorah thwarted an assassination attempt against her life, stopped sending information back to Varys, and then ignores a royal pardon that would have allowed him to go back home.
You know the saying “Nice guys finish last?” I think they said it for Ser Jorah. The whole reason the guy was in exile in the first place is because his wife had expensive taste and he couldn’t afford it. So, he sold poachers into slavery, a huge no-no.
Then, Dany finds out about Jorah’s double-agent days back at the beginning of the series and she banishes him. To get back in her good graces, he finds Tyrion Lannister and kidnaps him, intending to take him to Dany.
On the way back, men with Greyscale attack him, and he gets infected by the disease. With nothing to lose, he fights in the Great Pit of Daznak to impress Dany and helps save her life once again when the Sons of the Harpy attack. He then helps rescue her from the Dothraki and admits his love for her. And instead of banishing him again, she orders him to find a cure for his Greyscale.
After an excruciatingly painful treatment, he is cured of Greyscale, returns to Dany only to be in direct competition with Jon Snow for Dany’s affection.
I just have a feeling Jorah will die a hero, either saving Dany or saving Jon Snow somehow because that’s just Jorah’s luck.
Most likely to die scale: 2 out of 5 swords
Image: HBO
5. Melisandre
The relationship between our resident red witch and Thronies is a complicated one.
We first saw her in the first episode of the second season hanging around with Stannis Baratheon, whispering sweet nothings in his ear. Well, I guess it wasn’t exactly nothing. She kept telling him he should be sitting on the Iron Throne and through her “magic,” she told him how to get it.
The 401-year-old doesn’t look a day over 36. That’s because she wears a magic necklace that makes her look young. Ladies, don’t we all wish we had a magic necklace like that?
She seduced Gendry for his blood, she tried to seduce Jon Snow but failed miserably. I’d like to say Jon’s not into redheads, but we all know that’s not true.
But the worst thing she did was convince Stannis to murder his own daughter, Shireen, disguising it as a sacrifice for him to gain power. We’ll never unsee poor Shireen burning or unhear her screams.
But just when we couldn’t hate Melisandre anymore, she brings Jon Snow back to life! It’s like, how can we possibly hate this witch?
Melisandre hinted at her own end in her last appearance in Season 7 with Varys. She knows Jon Snow isn’t a fan of hers after he banished her from the north. Varys tells her to never return to Westeros, but she implies she will be back eventually to die in Westeros.
But how will it happen? Melisandre’s religion is really big on sacrificing. One theory says that Jon, who is assumed to be the “Prince Who Is Promised,” may sacrifice her to the Lord of Light to help him win the war against the Night King. But, he’s supposed to sacrifice someone he loves. So, I’m not sure that theory checks out.
Honestly, though, sacrificing herself is the least she can do at this point.
Most likely to die scale: 3 out of 5 swords
Image: HBO
6. Jaime Lannister
This one is tough. Of the wonder twins, I think Cersei has more of a chance of dying than Jaime does. But there’s a good chance he could go.
At the beginning of the series, Jaime was one of the “bad guys.” I mean he was doing it with his sister and then he pushed a little kid out of the window. It took him getting held prisoner by Catelyn Stark and getting his hand chopped off to learn a little bit of humility.
Of all the characters in Game of Thrones, I think Jaime has come the furthest as far as character development. He has shown time and time again that he is loyal and how one’s morality can change. Sure, he may not always be on the side of the people audiences root for, but we’ve also grown to like him enough that we don’t want to see him die.
I think if he dies, it’s going to be early in the season – maybe Episode 1 or 2. I say this because he’s such a central character, and has been since the beginning, so I think they will give his death spectacular fashion and screen time. Maybe his death will lure Cersei out of King’s Landing.
With all of that said, I hope the King Slayer survives and is instrumental in slaying another king – the Night King. Or maybe even a Queen, perhaps?
And if he does have to die, can we at least get a Jaime/Brienne smooch? Don’t we deserve that much?
Most likely to die scale: 3 out of 5 swords
Image: HBO
7. The Mountain
Technically, Ser Gregor Clegane, or the Mountain, is already dead. You may say, “but he walks around and kills people!” Yeah, so do zombies! But even zombies can be killed… again.
There are a lot of reasons why the Mountain should die. For starters, he held his younger brother, Ser Sandor’s face in a fire just for playing with his toy. It scarred him for life. Ser Sandor is the Hound. He killed many of his servants over the years for minor mistakes, and he may have even killed his own father and sister.
He also killed Rhaegar Targaryen’s wife, Elia Martell, and their children, Rhaenys and Aegon. Years later, he murdered Oberyn Martell during Tyrion’s trial by combat, but not before Oberyn landed near-fatal injuries to him. I still can’t unsee the Mountain gouging out his eyes.
Near death, the unethical maester, Qyburn, performed many experiments on the Mountain, turning him into a giant, freaky version of Frankenstein. He’s a killing machine which is Cersei’s primary protector.
Look, all theories point to the fact that the Mountain and the Hound are going to fight to the death sometime in Season 8. If only one survives, I’m placing my bet on the Hound. Even though the Hound isn’t the best of the best, he still deserves to get his revenge on his loony older brother.
If the Mountain dies, that leaves one very important, very hated person unprotected.
Most likely to die scale: 4 out of 5 swords
Image: HBO
8. Euron Greyjoy
The sociopathic uncle of Theon and Yara Greyjoy certainly made a “splash” when he entered the series in Season 6, Episode 2.
After Balon Greyjob encounters him on the swinging rope bridge between the two towers of Pyke, Euron throws his older brother off the bridge, killing him. Then he basically steals the Salt Throne from his niece.
The psycho then mutilates Obara and Nymeria Sand after he kills them, and captures Yara. We can only assume he’s torturing her. He now thinks he’s going to marry Cersei. By the end of Season 7, we find out Euron is on his way to Essos to convince the Golden Company to fight for Cersei.
Euron is so unpredictable that he is frightening. On the crazy scale, he’s somewhere between Joffery and Ramsey. He’s a leather-wearing, family torturing loony tune who I hope gets a gory demise.
The actor who plays Euron, Pilou Asbæk, said in a past interview that he’s expecting Euron to die.
“He knows his time is spare. He knows he’s going to die at one point. And if you ask me, it’s probably going to be spectacular.”
Every villain that bit the dust on the series so far has been in spectacular fashion. Joffrey’s poisoning, Ramsey’s dogs ate him, and Arya slashed Littlefinger’s throat. As fans, we loved it.
I think Euron won’t make it to the last episode. I also feel that Theon would be the too-obvious choice to do the killing. It would be totally badass for Yara to cut off his you-know-what or push him off a cliff.
It would be sort of poetic.
Most likely to die scale: 4 out of 5 swords
Image: HBO
9. Daenerys
We’ve watched Dany grow up on Game of Thrones. She went from being an innocent child bride to a wife, to a leader, now the most badass woman on the entire series.
It’s hard to imagine her not on the Iron Throne in the end. But this show is very much about fire and ice and good versus evil. The Starks and the Targaryens as we know them are the “good guys.” We’ve been rooting for the Starks and Daenerys since the beginning.
I think the only way to defeat the Night King is a combination of both fire and ice – and I’m not talking about Jon and Dany. Jon is both fire and ice – a Stark and Targaryen. That is why I believe in the “Prince Who Was Promised” theory.
Here’s a little background. Azor Ahai, who lived thousands of years, sacrificed his wife, Nissa Nissa, by plunging his Lightbringer sword into her heart. By doing so, the sword gained the power it needed for Azor to defeat the Great Other or god of darkness.
The theory goes that Jon is a reborn Azor Ahai, the Prince Who Was Promised. I’m pretty sure he fell in love with Dany. If they marry, then she is his Nissa Nissa. To use Lightbringer to defeat the Night King, he would need to sacrifice someone he loved to create the sword.
If this theory doesn’t come true, I’m still not sure Dany survives. Again, I don’t think both Dany and Jon survive. And of the two, I think she’s the one who goes. Although, I hate that I believe that!
Most likely to die scale: 5 out of 5 swords
Image: HBO
10. Cersei Lannister
Where do I even begin with Cersei Lannister? I’m entirely assuming Cersei will meet her maker at some point in Season 8 because she has consistently been a villain since the first episode. But, this is Game of Thrones. The bad guys don’t always lose in Westeros.
Sure, Cersei has had her moments where the audiences have felt some sort of empathy for her. She lost all three of her children, except for her newest creation. She also endured the worst walk of shame I’ve ever seen, in which she walked naked through the streets of Kings Landing.
But none of these excuses the horrendous things she has done throughout seven seasons.
She cheated on her husband with her brother for years. She has her husband killed. Then, she has Ned Stark killed. And that’s just the first season. Her other “greatest hits” include treating her younger brother as if he were a demon, even accusing him of the murder of her son, with no evidence. And let’s not forget she killed hundreds of people with wildfire.
When we last saw Cersei, she informed Jaime that she had no intention of helping Jon, Dany, and Tyrion defeat the army of the dead. Furious, Jaime tries to leave to honor his pledge to help fight. Cersei threatens to kill him, and Jaime calls her bluff, leaving her alone and pregnant.
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Cersei is narcissistic, power-hungry, and, manipulative. Ser Gregor can only protect her so much. The only man who has ever truly been on her side left her. Unless she has an extreme change of heart, her selfishness will most certainly get her killed.
And I really hope Jaime is the one to do it. But not if Arya gets to him first!
Most likely to die scale: 5 out of 5 swords