This Sunday's episode of HBO's
juggernaut "Game of Thrones" is expected to bring death - a lot
of it.
The fantasy series, an adaptation of George R.R. Martin's "A
Song of Ice and Fire" series of novels, is rapidly approaching
its conclusion in its eighth season, with only four episodes
remaining before it ends its run as one of the cable network's
most successful shows in its history.
With that comes the wind-down of the show's key conflict -
between those living in its medieval-fantasy society and an army
led by the Night King, a blue-eyed humanoid creature from icy
wastes in the far north who has the ability to raise and control
the dead.
Shocking, unexpected deaths were the calling card for Game
of Thrones for several seasons, beginning with the demise of its
primary character, Eddard Stark, lord of the castle of the
fictional locale of Winterfell. He was played by "Lord of the
Rings" star Sean Bean, who featured heavily in the show's
marketing when it premiered in 2011.
Several other characters met unexpected ends in the seasons
that followed, often in gruesome ways, such as season three's
"Red Wedding," which featured the massacre of Eddard Stark's
wife and son and numerous allies at what was supposed to be a
celebratory marriage. Major character Jon Snow was stabbed to
death at the end of season five but was brought back to life in
season six in one of the show's most talked-about moments.
But the frequency of deaths that kept viewers off-balance
has diminished in more recent seasons, and most key characters
have survived.
That is likely to change with this Sunday's episode, the
third of six in this season. On gaming websites and Game of
Thrones-themed message boards, pools have cropped up speculating
which characters will die this week.
"It's going to be a bloodbath, but we're going to love it.
That's one of the reasons why we love Game of Thrones," said
Susan Miller, editor-in-chief of Watchers on the Wall, one of
the best-known blogs about the show.
Most of the previous episode focused on the remaining
characters gathered at the Starks' home in Winterfell
contemplating their existence prior to an impending assault by
the Night King's army.
Keeping track of the characters who could see their stories
end is difficult at times: the show has featured more than 100
major speaking roles during its run, and even now more than 20
notable characters are all in the same locale. This Sunday's
episode will run more than 80 minutes, making it one of the
longest of the series.
Among the characters most in danger:
THEON GREYJOY: Played by Alfie Allen, he was raised by
Eddard Stark in Winterfell as a ward, but later betrayed his
adoptive family and seized the castle. Now he is set to defend
it. Bets on Sportsbetting.ag, an online sports betting site, put
4-to-1 odds on him dying first, highest of any character
mentioned (a $100 bet pays out $400).
JAIME LANNISTER: This character, played by Danish actor
Nikolaj Coster Waldau, is a knight who fathered several
illegitimate children with his sister, Cersei, now the queen
(played by Lena Headey). Odds on him dying first are 5-to-1.
BRIENNE OF TARTH: Played by Gwendoline Christie - who also
appeared in the recent "Star Wars" films - she was the first
woman knighted in the show's Seven Kingdoms. She fetches 12-to-1
odds on dying first, according to Sportsbetting.ag.
Reuters
Where to watch "Game of Thrones"
Watch it on Mondays at 3am on (repeat at 10pm) on M-Net, or straight after with the DStv Now app .
You can also binge-watch all previous seasons of "Game of Thrones" on Showmax. Sign up for a 14-day free trial at Showmax.com