Game Of Thrones Finale: 10 Characters No One Expected To Make It To The End

How has a show this bloodthirsty let this lot slip through their fingers?

Game Of Thrones Brienne
HBO

Game Of Thrones has been a helluva ride.

There’s been lots of twists, turns and shocks, most of them dripping with blood. Though it’s undeniable the recent seasons have stuttered slightly as the show has rushed to a close, it’ll still go down as one of television’s finest offerings.

One of the things that’s made it so famous and revered is its unflinching attitude to character deaths. Whether it’s killing off King Robert and Ned Stark in the first season, suddenly snatching Hodor away from us or the brutality of the Red Wedding, Game Of Thrones hasn’t pulled its punches.

Again, you could argue it has blinked and hesitated in later seasons, with fewer impactful deaths and more close escapes, but we’ve still seen Rhaegal, Jorah, Missandei, Theon, Cersei, and Jaime offed before we reach the ending, and a fair few more besides.

There’s definitely some plot armour in place; Jon literally came back from the dead while Daenerys, Arya, Sansa, and Bran were also predestined to reach the finale.

Typically though secondary characters haven’t enjoyed this protection, so it’s rather surprising that these 10 made it all the way to the end.

10. The Dothraki

Game Of Thrones Brienne
HBO

The Dothraki have been slowly phased out of the show lately, with no real character contribution. The Unsullied have Grey Worm, the Free Folk have Tormund, but the Dothraki’s representatives have largely taken a backseat in the last few years.

Dany’s relationship with the Dothraki has ebbed and flowed following the loss of Drogo, her exile/escape and then burning the Khals to command their armies. They’ve always been a general, looming threat that Dany has at her disposal, showing their might as they ambushed the Lannisters transporting Tyrell spoils.

Without any development though, it seemed logical that they could be written out without too many loose ends.

Still though, we all expected them to make the finale; until The Long Night.

The opening gambit of the battle is Melisandre setting their weapons aflame before they charge, only for the fire to be quickly extinguished as the dead wiped them out.

We’re even told we’re witnessing the end of the Dothraki, so at this point surely no one expected them to make the finale.

Extinction is apparently only a temporary thing though, as they were front and centre for Dany’s attack of King’s Landing and appear ready to fight for her in the finale.

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Self appointed queen of the SJWs. Find me on Twitter @FiveTacey (The 5 looks like an S. Do you get it? Do you get my joke about the 5?)