This week’s episode of Game of Thrones will likely be one big battle scene, and fans expect at least one beloved character to die.
Warning! Spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 3 lie ahead!
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Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 2 was light on action, but the tension was at an all-time high. As the united living armies prepared for battle with the White Walkers, there were some emotional and even cathartic moments. However, knowing what comes next, these payoffs made fans more terrified for the fate of their favorite Westerosi in Episode 3.
Now, it is not so much a question of “if” any heroes will die next week but “which” ones will. Game of Thrones is notoriously merciless when it comes to killing off protagonists, and it would not be living up to its legacy if everyone came out of the first battle in this war unscathed.
That said, there is no sure fire way to predict who will leave us for good next Sunday. However, there are some leading predictions among fans and theorists. Predictions range from hunches and gut feelings to careful examination of foreshadowing. Many are even basing their guesses solely off of who got the most emotional scenes this week.
For that reason, one leading theory is that Brienne of Tarth will perish in this battle. The most honorable warrior in Westeros was finally knighted on Sunday. She was surprised and even suspicious to find so many people treating her with genuine kindness, and it took her until the end of the night to accept their compliments. As tragic as it is, this might be the time for Brienne to fall in battle.
Another strong guess would be Grey Worm. Many fans expected Grey Worm to die after he and Missandei finally admitted their feelings for one another last season. Now, after his sweet monologue about sailing home with her after the war is done, it seems all too plausible that he will fall to a White Walker’s spear.
There is also Jaime Lannister, the man who pushed a child out of a window in the pilot episode and somehow went on to become a hero. Jaime’s redemption arc has been long and powerful, but there is no way it ends without self-sacrifice. The disgraced knight known as the Kingslayer could take a sword to save Brienne, or anyone else, as he “promised to fight for the living.” However, many fans argue that Jaime will have to confront Cersei before he dies.
Finally, and perhaps most upsetting of all, there is Jon and Daenerys. The two monarchs have just learned that they are related, throwing a wrench into their romance that they have yet to acknowledge. Fans don’t want to see the two battling for the throne, and they are more preoccupied with the War for the Dawn — at least for now. If one of them fell in the first battle, it would resolve that issue quickly, and perhaps spur the other one on to become the greatest leader the Seven Kingdoms have ever known.
We will just have to wait until tonight and the repercussions of the battle next week to see.
Game of Thrones airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
