Warning: This article contains some spoilers about season five of Game of Thrones.
From the moment Ned Stark lost his head in season one, we knew no-one was ever safe in Game of Thrones. Ever since, the shocking deaths just keep on coming.
So who is likely to live a decent while longer and who do you reckon will greet death sometime soon? We've weighed up the survival odds for the major characters in Game of Thrones below:
Tyrion
No chance they're killing off Tyrion. Aside from being perhaps the most popular character on the show, Peter Dinklage is also the only person in Game of Thrones history to win an Emmy; something HBO won't have failed to notice, and it's likely that being George RR Martin's favourite character also carries some weight.
It just feels like the little man still has a big part to play in whatever fate befalls Westeros, so we're saying he's good for at least the next year.
Survival Odds: 1/10
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Cersei
Last season really felt like the low point in Cersei Lannister's arc. Her infamous Walk of Shame is something that would have seemed unthinkable when the series began, but through fate and her own bad decisions she's lost nearly everything, and walked through her own personal hell.
While the show likes to wallow in misery, it's unlikely Cersei will bite the dust without the show exploring her attempts to claw herself back to a position of respect, while her rivalry with Margaery surely has plenty more to play out. Besides, if anyone comes at her with ill-intent, she's got a brand new zombie mountain to keep her safe!
Survival odds: Evens
Jaime and Bronn
Having survived his trip to Dorne, Jaime suffered the gut-punch of reuniting with Myrcella openly as father and daughter for the first time, only for her to succumb to poison moments afterwards. It was a crushing moment, and Jaime will doubtless want revenge. And he'll doubtless recruit Bronn to help with the task, which would nicely set up a rematch between Bronn and the Sand Snakes.
But, with only one hand - and a weak one at that - Jaime may not survive a second adventure. He'd be better off staying in King's Landing to protect Tommen. Whatever Jaime decides, Bronn never stays out of trouble for long, and his luck is bound to run out sooner or later. After five seasons, it's probably going to be sooner...
Survival Odds: 8/1
Daenerys
Now that Jon Snow has – ahem – "died", Daenerys feels like the most significant and protected character on the show. So much has been made of her desire to return home and reclaim the Throne that, were she to perish before getting there, it would be a travesty. And not a Red Wedding style, 'that's a tragedy, but it's great storytelling' scenario, more a 'that's actually just slapping the audience in the face' sort of thing.
Hopefully that won't play out, though, because Daenerys is getting her dragon under control, and she may just have just stumbled into a new Dothraki horde that she can recruit to her cause. Ironically, this leaves her in the exact position that Viserys had envisioned before his impatience got the better of him, and if Dany is a few years behind schedule, she at least has bonus dragons to make up for it! So yeah, no way Emilia Clarke is bowing out before the end.
Survival odds: 1/50
Jorah and Daario
The two adventurers are both off to rescue Daenerys, and it seems highly unlikely that both will return. While both have their love for the Queen to help carry them through, they also have the animosity of the other to look out for. And with Jorah's greyscale taking hold on his arm, there's a reasonable bet that he'll be the one not to return.
Perhaps the pair will bond and Jorah's condition will lead him to sacrifice himself to save his new pal Daario and perform one last service for Daenerys, dying to save the man that he knows she really loves. Either way, don't expect both of them to make it to season seven.
Survival odds: 30/1
Margaery
While she is languishing in the High Sparrow's prison, Margaery is still the queen of the Seven Kingdoms, and it's unlikely she'll be executed, which would surely be a political stretch too far for the Lannister/Tyrell alliance.
But even assuming she makes it out of her cell, Margaery won't be out of danger. Her and Cersei's rivalry will undoubtedly boil over at some point, and you wouldn't rule out an actual fist fight between them. Or, would these two scheming queens go for something more subtle? Either way, they'll need to be watching their backs, and for what it's worth, Cersei feels more integral to the story than Marg does. But then, there was a certain prophecy in Cersei's flashback...
Survival odds: 10/1
Davos
Without Stannis around to protect him, the noble - in spirit, if not upbringing - Davos Seaworth is probably at risk. Marooned at Castle Black with the Red Woman lurking nearby, what exactly is Davos's next move? It's only Stannis loyalty that kept him and Melisandre from tearing each other apart, so if he has any sense he'll get the hell out of dodge.
But with Mel being more than partly responsible for what happened to Shireen, we wouldn't rule out a misguided attempt at vengeance on Davos's part... and it's unlikely to go well for him. Nice guys tend to finish last in Westeros, after all.
Survival odds: 50/1
Arya
With all her training at the House of Black and White last season, it seems unlikely that Arya will bow out before getting to put her talents to good use (we're not counting the savagery inflicted on Meryn Trant).
Being apparently made blind at the end of season five would perhaps increase her chances of an untimely death, but we're confident Jaqen will look after her, having invested so much in his new protégé. Arya's been through so much in her short life, it's difficult to see *anything* getting in her way. And after all, there are still more names on that list of hers…
Survival odds: 3/1
Samwell
Having left The Wall in very timely fashion - no way he'd survive there without Jon's protection - Sam is set to be our first eyes in the city of Oldtown where he'll train to become a Maester. With that in mind, he's unlikely to die early on - why introduce a new city and then kill off your only character there?
However, despite growing up an awful lot and displaying hitherto unknown reserves of strength up at The Wall, Sam would likely not have made it without Jon, Edd, Grenn, et al looking out for him. But heading out on his own in this big bad world? We fear for Samwell Tarly.
Survival Odds: 40/1
Theon and Sansa
Well they'll both have survived their jump off the ramparts of Winterfell, there's no doubt about that, but after that it's anyone's guess. As winter has hit the North in earnest, surviving out in the woods, without adequate clothing and no supplies seems like it's out of the question. With Stannis and his forces decimated it seems like their only hope is crossing paths with Brienne and Podrick. Having earlier turned down an offer of help from the Lady of Tarth, it would make a nice dramatic turnaround for her to have to later accept it, so this seems likely.
We reckon they'll both be fine, although Theon is definitely more at risk given his frail physical/mental state after being an extended guest of Ramsay.
Survival Odds: 5/1
Brienne and Podrick
While Brienne is likely to run into Sansa, this might also prove her downfall. Ever a woman of her word, she's fulfilled her oath to avenge her beloved Renly, slaying Stannis at the end of last season.
Her other oath was to protect Catelyn Stark's daughters, and if they do indeed team up, Brienne dying to save Sansa seems like a likely end to her story. Where else would there be for her to go? A reunion with Jaime would sure be great, but Game of Thrones isn't averse to snatching possibilities like that from us.
Survival Odds: 40/1
Ramsay
After several seasons of being the most diabolically evil figure on Game of Thrones, Ramsay cannot go on much longer. Not least of all because he's increasingly the most one-note character on the show, but we don't really need to see any more of him being a maniacal torturer.
We very comprehensively get the picture, and comeuppance is due, although from whence it comes is another matter. Could business-like father Roose finally tire of his bastard's questionable methods..?
Survival Odds: 70/1
Bran
After having season five off, Bran will be back in action next season, and it's hugely unlikely it'll be his last hurrah. Having found the three-eyed raven - actually a weird old bloke living in a tree - Bran will apparently be taught how to 'fly', though he'll never walk again. With Bran safely ensconced within the Heart Tree, his chances of death seem extremely slim.
Survival Odds: 1/40
Hodor
Hodor.
Survival Odds: 1/1,000,000
