Game of Thrones Creator Spoils Who Won't Survive The Winds of Winter

Game of Thrones ended almost seven long years ago; I can’t say the same for the book series upon which it is based.

George R.R. Martin is a man known for taking his sweet time.

HBO’s Game of Thrones was never a carbon copy of Martin’s novels, but it was during the fifth season, in 2015, that the series really extended beyond what they offered.

The show had “caught up”, so to speak, with all remaining seasons being original storytelling, even if Martin did reportedly tell David Benioff and D. B. Weiss his ideal ending.

That ending never manifested onscreen by all accounts, with Benioff and Weiss exploring their own interpretation of events.

I won’t recap Game of Thrones’ series finale but fair to say, it angered many viewers. Major characters perished as mediocre characters thrived.

I didn’t hate it personally, but I do agree it could have been made slightly more satisfying.

Ever since that finale aired, we’ve all been wondering what Martin’s version of the ending would feature, but with the final two books The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring no closer to being done, we thought we might never find out.

However, in a candid interview with The Hollywood Reporter, highlighted by ComicBook, Martin revealed that there’s a few key figures he doesn’t see surviving.

“I was going to kill more people. Not the ones they killed [in the show],” he began.

“They made it more of a happy ending. I don’t see a happy ending for Tyrion. His whole arc has been tragic from the first.”

Game of Thrones, Credit / HBO

He added, “I was going to have Sansa die, but she’s been so appealing in the show, maybe I’ll let her live.”

Interesting. So it’s unlikely Tyrion is surviving the final two books, with Sansa’s fate looking a tad rocky even if the author does claim to have changed his mind.

The Winds of Winter Is Long Overdue

To remind you of just how dire the situation is regarding the A Song of Ice and Fire books, the last entry, A Dance of Dragons, arrived in 2011.

Yes, George R.R. Martin hasn’t finished The Winds of Winter despite 15 years having passed. Yes, there is a concern amongst fans that he could perish before the series is finished.

Martin is 77 years old.

Admittedly, he’s been busy doing other things. He assisted with Elden Ring’s world building and has worked with HBO on several Game of Thrones spin-offs.

He does appear to have fallen out with them on that front though, with House of the Dragon’s showrunners reportedly ignoring his recommendations.

Personally George, I’d lock in and finish The Winds of Winter. It’s what the people want. Deliver the perfect ending of their dreams.