​Daenerys Targaryen

To say that Daenerys has some things to answer for after the penultimate episode is putting it lightly. On the cusp of victory, with King’s Landing having surrendered, Daenerys lost her mind and burned the entire city and its population to the ground.

The show had been teasing a descent into madness for Daenerys, but her sudden transformation has may wondering what is to come in the finale. With her assent to the Iron Throne all but guaranteed, Daenerys may not hold onto her seat for long–there are going to be a lot of angry people in her way come the last episode.

Daenerys Targaryen is portrayed by Emilia Clarke.

​Jon Snow

Jon Snow, now known to be the last surviving male Targaryen, and thus having a stronger claim to the throne than Daenerys, has rejected his apparent royal destiny and has bent the knee to Daenerys. Even when told he would make a better ruler in light of her growing instability, John has chosen to remain loyal.

His greater support among the other influential people of Westeros has been a major source of tension between him and Daenerys, and Jon’s reaction to her wholesale destruction of King’s Landing was one of shocked horror with a tinge of realization that the others may have been right about his suitability to rule.

There aren’t many paths out of the finale that leave both Jon and Daenerys alive, but which one will strike at the other remains to be seen.

Jon Snow is portrayed by Kit Harington.

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​Tyrion Lannister

Tyrion, once Daenerys’ trusted advisor, is now anything but. Tyrion, after being informed by John’s sister, Sansa, of Jon’s real identity, shared that information with Daenerys’ spymaster Varys. Varys in turn informed everyone he could think of who may have supported Jon in Daenerys’ stead.

In the penultimate episode Tyrion freed his brother, Jaime, from captivity at the hands of Daenerys’ army, which is sure to put him in even greater danger should Daenerys find out. After all, she did tell him “the next mistake will be your last,” and that was before he freed Jaime.

Tyrion’s survival in the finale isn’t guaranteed by a long shot: In fact, it’s likely he’ll die at Daenerys’ (or her dragon’s) hand if she’s made aware of his betrayal.

Tyrion Lannister is portrayed by Peter Dinklage.

​Arya Stark

Arya barely survived the battle at King’s Landing. She spent the better part of the penultimate episode dodging falling rocks, dragonfire, and the press of fleeing crowds, but ultimately escaped the city on the back of a mysterious white horse.

After killing the Night King and successfully fleeing the destruction of King’s Landing, it seems like Arya is nearly invincible, but that doesn’t mean we’ll see her in the finale. It’s entirely possible–in true Arya fashion–that her escape from King’s Landing was her escape from the great game, and she may never be seen again.

Arya Stark is portrayed by Maisie Williams.

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​Sansa Stark

Sansa remained in Winterfell after Daenerys’ armies moved south, but she hasn’t been without her influence on the current state of things. It was her that informed Tyrion of Jon’s Targaryen lineage, and her tensions with Daenerys may prove to be a major sticking point in the finale.

Sansa was clear on her position with Daenerys: After the war for the Iron Throne was over, the north was to be left to its own devices, with Sansa able to lead it as queen. Daenerys has been noncommittal on her position, which will likely lead to further conflict between Winterfell and King’s Landing.

Whether Sansa will be in the finale remains to be seen, but if she does appear, it’s likely to be in direct opposition to Daenerys’ reign–especially given the destruction the new queen of King’s Landing was responsible for in the last episode.

Sansa Stark is portrayed by Sophie Turner.

​Bran Stark

Brandon Stark, commonly known as Bran, has arguably undergone the greatest transformation in the eight series arc of Game of Thrones. After being pushed out a window by Jaime Lannister and becoming paralyzed, Bran spent several seasons north of the wall becoming the next incarnation of the Three Eyed Raven, a powerful seer who can leap into the past and knows essentially everything about the history of Westeros.

Bran remained at Winterfell with his sister Sansa, and it’s not known what his role will be in the finale of the series. His powers have left him disconnected with the world around him, a nearly emotionless blank slate of overwhelming knowledge and unknown power.

It will be interesting to find out what happens to Bran, but it could be nearly anything.

Bran Stark is portrayed by Isaac Hempstead Wright.

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​Davos Seaworth

Davos has survived despite the odds against him, and he’ll be the first to tell you that. He harbors no misconceptions about his abilities, and knows they don’t lie in combat.

Davos is a smuggler, and one of the best, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t an honorable man. He has faithfully served a number of leaders over the course of the series, and now finds himself in a challenging position: He serves Jon Snow, and Daenerys by extension, but her genocide of the people of King’s Landing isn’t likely to sit well with him.

On top of that, Davos helped Tyrion smuggle Jaime Lannister back into King’s Landing. If Daenerys gets wind of that, Davos’ run of luck may end.

Davos Seaworth is portrayed by Liam Cunningham.

​Grey Worm

Grey Worm has served Daenerys faithfully as the leader of her army of Unsullied–an army of slaves she liberated in the early days of her conquest of Essos, the continent to the east of Westeros.

After the death of Missandei, Daenerys’ advisor who he was romantically involved with, Grey Worm took to the streets of King’s Landing with rage in his heart. When Daenerys ignored the city’s surrender, he quickly reignited the conflict with soldiers who had surrendered by spearing one in the chest.

Grey Worm has had a tense relationship with Jon Snow in season eight, and is completely loyal to Daenerys. He’s a deadly combatant, and may be responsible for standing between Jon and Daenerys if violence erupts in the finale.

Grey Worm is portrayed by Jacob Anderson.

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​Gendry Baratheon

Gendry is the bastard son of Robert Baratheon, who was the king of Westeros in the first season of Game of Thrones.

Having been legitimized by Daenerys after the battle against the Night King at Winterfell, Gendry proposed marriage to Arya Stark, who refused him on the grounds that she wasn’t a lady and would make a poor queen.

Gendry is now the master of the Baratheon holdings, and with Arya fleeing King’s Landing, it’s possible she could return to him with the intention of settling down. That’s unlikely, however, and it remains to be seen what will come of Gendry in the finale, if we see him at all.

Gendry is portrayed by Joe Dempsie.

​Ser Brienne of Tarth

When we last saw Brienne she was in tears: Jaime Lannister was leaving her to return south to his sister and lover Cersei, after a brief romance with Brienne.

Brienne had feelings for Jaime for some time, and when they were finally reciprocated, it appeared as if both characters may have been at peace, but it wasn’t to be. How Brienne will react to news of his death remains to be seen, as does her role in the finale.

Regardless of what she does in the last episode of Game of Thrones, it will be alongside Sansa, who she has sworn to protect.

Brienne of Tarth is portrayed by Gwendoline Christie.

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​Samwell Tarly

Sam has played a pivotal role in much of the politics of season eight: He was responsible for finding proof of Jon’s identity as a Targaryen and was the one who informed Jon of such.

Sam has survived battles, been a member of the night’s watch, fled the citadel of the maesters with a stolen collection of books, and is now the last remaining Tarly. We left Sam in Winterfell, but it’s entirely possible he’ll have made it home and claimed his place as the leader of House Tarly alongside his lover, Gilly, his unofficially adopted son Sam, and his unborn child.

Sam is portrayed by John Bradley.

​Bronn

Bronn’s position in season eight is tenuous: He took a job from Cersei Lannister to kill Jaime and Tyrion, which Tyrion countered by offering Bronn a larger castle than Cersei had promised him, provided Daenerys wins her war against Cersei.

With Jaime and Cersei dead, the war over, and Tyrion alive to make good on his promise, we’ll see if the finale gives a satisfying conclusion (in Bronn’s opinion) to his seasons-long journey to get his own castle. If not, it’s entirely possible he’ll kill Tyrion for betraying him.

Bronn is portrayed by Jerome Flynn.

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​Yara Greyjoy

Yara is the last Greyjoy standing with a claim to the Iron Islands after the death of her brother Theon and uncle Euron. She claimed the Greyjoy’s islands from Euron’s forces in Daenerys’ name early in season eight and hasn’t been seen on screen since.

Her role in the finale is a mystery: Will she support Daenerys despite her destruction of King’s Landing, or will she support a new king, be it Jon or whoever else steps up to challenge Daenerys’ destructive seizing of the throne? Alternatively, will she (in true Greyjoy fashion) simply stay put on the Iron Islands and side with whoever makes it out alive? We’ll find out soon.

Yara Greyjoy is portrayed by Gemma Whelan.

​The bit players

Pictured: Daario Naharis

Daario, left in charge of the city of Meereen by Daenerys when she sailed for Westeros, isn’t the only surviving side character that could make an appearance. There’s Hot Pie, Ellaria Sand, Meera Reed, Jaqen H’ghar, Robin Arryn, and others still alive in Westeros and Essos.

What will become of these forgotten characters? We have one episode to be given closure, and with so many major plot points left unresolved, it’s sadly unlikely we’ll get these threads tied up nicely.

Daario Naharis is portrayed by Michiel Huisman.

Also see

• 36 of the best Game of Thrones fan theories (CNET)
• The 37 most gut-wrenching Game of Thrones deaths, ranked (CNET)
• Game of Thrones Fans Agree on One Thing: This Is Happening Way Too Fast (TV Guide)
• The 25 most underrated sci-fi/fantasy characters (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
• The 26 most underrated sci-fi books (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
• The 51 coolest laptop stickers of all time (TechRepublic)
• The 29 coolest USB sticks for tech pros (TechRepublic)