Which 'Game of Thrones' Characters Are Still Alive?
Few shows have a bench of characters as deep as HBO's Game of Thrones. It seems that no matter how many players are eliminated each season, the cast still remains impossibly crowded. Looking ahead to the show's Season 6 premiere on April 24th, we've put together a nifty guide to where all the confirmed and probably living favorites might be found, and in what state we last saw them.
In Essos
Daenerys TargaryenLast seen: Getting accosted by an unknown horde of Dothraki riders in the middle of nowhere, and perhaps putting too much faith in the scent-tracking value of a dropped statement ring.
Drogon the Dragon
Last seen: Taking a goddamn nap after flying his ungrateful mother halfway across the world on his wounded back. God, Mom.
Jorah Mormont
Last seen: Navigating the choppy waters of the friend zone on his way to track down Daenerys -- while also slowly dying of Greyscale.
Daario Naharis
Last seen: Instituting an interim government in Meereen and heading off with Jorah to make plenty of innuendos about carpets, drapes, and eyebrows.
In Meereen
Tyrion LannisterLast seen: Reuniting with his bestie Varys and taking charge of Meereen. Not bad, considering that a year prior, he was traveling in a crate of his own feces and wanted for both patricide and regicide.
Varys
Last seen: Appearing with a smirk after yet another mysterious absence to deliver salty dialogue; blaming his "little birds" for any audible farts heard in his vicinity.
Grey Worm
Last seen: Recuperating from a wound that had him on the sidelines for most of Season 5. Shipping Grey Worm and Missandei pretty hard while lacking the anatomy to do anything about it.
Missandei
Last seen: Getting put in charge of Meereen alongside Tyrion and Grey Worm in Daenerys’s absence. Shipping Grey Worm and Missandei equally hard, and intent on doing something about it.
Rhaegal & Viserion
Last seen: Locked in the catacombs to keep them from recklessly burning and roasting people -- only to occasionally be fed people whom Daenerys actually wants burnt and toasted. Pet Care 101, Dany: avoid mixed signals.
In Braavos
Arya StarkLast seen: Working out five years of childhood trauma on Meryn Trant (RIP) with a shiv and getting blinded for violating the House of Black and White's Code of Conduct.
Jaqen H'ghar
Last seen: Blinding Arya as punishment for taking a life from her personal kill list, even though he technically recruited her back in Season 2 by promising that she would learn the skills to do just that. Beware the bait-and-switch internship.
The Waif
Last seen: Reminding the teacher to assign homework five minutes before the bell rings.
Tycho Nestoris
Last seen: Iron Banking, as one does. Trying to get that catchy tune serenaded to him by Mace Tyrell out of his head.
Mace Tyrell
Last seen: Singing the aforementioned catchy tune, unaware that both of his children are in jail back in Westeros.
At the Wall
Jon SnowLast seen: Lying in a pool of his own blood, after the newly-unionized Night’s Watch got stabby with it.
Ghost the Direwolf
Last seen: Nowhere near his owner, Jon Snow, as he was repeatedly getting stabbed, which is just sloppy Direwolfing.
Melisandre
Last seen: Experiencing a loss of faith after burning a child alive didn't have the intended results. Preparing to yet again disrobe seductively in an inappropriate setting, as per the Season 6 trailer.
Davos Seaworth
Last seen: Trying to convince Jon Snow to throw his support behind Stannis Baratheon. Presumably carving something adorable for Shiree -- oh.
Tormund Giantsbane
Last seen: Establishing residence at Castle Black and trusting Jon Snow to look out for him and his fellow Wildlings... Look, they're not the best tacticians, all right?
North of the Wall
Bran StarkLast seen: Beginning his tutelage with the Three-Eyed Raven at the end of Season 3. Now entering his flashback-prompting hemp phase.
Meera Reed
Last seen: Slashing her brother Jojen Reed's throat as an act of mercy at the end of Season 3, and now following Bran Stark because, well, what else is she going to do in the middle of literally nowhere?
Night's King
Last seen: Dropping the mic on Hardhome. As evidenced by the Season 6 trailer, he’s preparing to make at least one meaningful appearance this season, basically saying "boo!" to a surprised Bran.
In Winterfell
Ramsay BoltonLast seen: Proclaiming his intent to go home and rape his wife, Sansa, some more, after stabbing a Baratheon soldier in the spine as he begged for mercy... Yeah.
Just outside Winterfell
Sansa Stark BoltonLast seen: Having an all-around rough year. Narrowly escaping an arrow to the gut by Myranda (RIP) and spitting in the face of gravity by jumping off the walls of Winterfell with Theon, preferring that fate to having Ramsay Bolton as her husband.
Theon Greyjoy
Last seen: Displaying agency for the first time in, like, three seasons! Good for you, Theon. Theon, your name is Theon... rhymes with peon...
Brienne of Tarth
Last seen: Beheading Stannis Baratheon like she swore she would back in Season 2. Generally, just keeping oaths left and right -- even when it means staring at a tower for, presumably, weeks, if not months, waiting for a candle to light up.
Podrick Payne
Last seen: Transitioning from "useless squire" to "borderline helpful squire," according to Brienne's very high standards.
Roaming the North
Rickon StarkLast seen: Saying goodbye to his brother Bran and being escorted to the care of House Umber, loyalists to the Starks, who have all been cast for Season 6.
Samwell Tarly
Last seen: Heading to Oldtown to become Castle Black's new maester and learn all he can about dragonglass and the White Walkers.
Gilly
Last seen: Accompanying adult Sam to the previously unseen "Oldtown" and mothering baby Sam; generally leading the Sam-centric life she's always wanted.
Robin Arryn
Last seen: Beginning his stay as Ward to Yohn Royce and growing into the meek young man we all expected. It can't be a calcium deficiency.
In King's Landing
Cersei LannisterLast seen: Rocking a pixie cut after enduring a grueling Walk of Penance, and now looking ahead to a trial for regicide, incest, and the general usurping of her late husband's throne. Also, her daughter died on her way back home.
Tommen Baratheon
Last seen: Pouting in his room and refusing to eat. No, really: that's literally what the King of the Iron Throne was last seen doing... Yeah, we kind of miss Joffrey, too.
Ser Pounce, the cat
Last seen: Scurrying around Tommen's bed around the time of his Season 4 coronation. Absent since; presumably thrown from the highest tower of the Red Keep the very second Margaery Tyrell disrobed.
Kevan Lannister
Last seen: Leading the Small Council during Cersei's imprisonment. Appearing vaguely bored by the sight of his naked niece crying and bleeding while covered in urine and dung.
Qyburn
Last seen: Spitting on the laws of Gods and Men by introducing Cersei to the newest member of her King's Guard and his greatest creation...
Ser Gregor Clegane (a.k.a. Zombie Mountain)
Last seen: being colossal, purple, and undead, with eyes that scream, "Every moment I live is agony."
Grand Maester Pycelle
Last seen: Appearing vaguely amused by the sight of his naked Queen Regent crying and bleeding while covered in urine and dung.
Also in King's Landing
The High SparrowLast seen: Running King's Landing by more or less leading Westeros's version of the Protestant Reformation.
Brother Lancel
Last seen: Disclosing his family's rich and layered history of incest to the High Sparrow, earning him the status of favorite altar boy.
Margaery Tyrell
Last seen: Imprisoned for lying under oath to the High Sparrow on behalf of her brother. Currently in the dungeons of the Sept of Baelor, with soup-drenched legs.
Loras Tyrell
Last seen: Incarcerated by the faith militant for being gay; getting screwed over by his lover.
Olyvar Frey
Last seen: Screwing over Loras Tyrell, naming names.
Olenna Tyrell
Last seen: Dealing with her imprisoned and ruthlessly incompetent grandchildren. Turning to Littlefinger for help on gaining the upper hand on Cersei...
En route to King's Landing
Jaime LannisterLast seen: Hugging his surprisingly open-minded, incestuous niece-daughter, watching said incestuous niece-daughter die in his arms.
Bronn
Last seen: Getting his ear bitten by a sexually aggressive 19-year-old, and considering an early retirement from sidekicking for Lannisters.
Trystane Martell
Last seen: On a boat to King's Landing with Jaime, Bronn, and his now-deceased fiancée. Kind of screwed, any way you slice it.
In the Riverlands
Walder FreyLast seen: Toasting with Roose Bolton to backs well-stabbed after the infamous Red Wedding.
Edmure Tully
Last seen: Getting carried off alongside his cute new Frey bride in a bedding ceremony, moments before the Red Wedding.
Brynden "The Blackfish" Tully
Last seen: Taking a very timely bathroom break before things turned bloody at the Red Wedding.
Thoros of Myr
Last seen: With the Brotherhood Without Banners in Season 3. Drinking and talking too much, same as ever.
Beric Dondarrion
Last seen: Losing a trial by combat to Sandor Clegane in Season 3. Looking exactly like you would expect a man who has been resurrected six times to look. Gnarly.
On the Iron Islands
Yara GreyjoyLast seen: Accepting life as an only child after deeming Theon's rescue from the Boltons a lost cause in Season 4.
Balon Greyjoy
Last seen: Opening a box from the Boltons that contained his only living son's chopped-off genitals... Also, technically being the last surviving king of the War of Five Kings, so congratulations are in order.
In Dorne
Prince Doran MartellLast seen: Bidding safe travels to Jaime, Trystane, and Myrcella, assuming his house was in order, lol.
Areo Hotah
Last seen: Standing five to 15 inches behind Doran Martell's chair at all times, holding a fancy bedazzled ax he has yet to use on anything. We demand that he swing it in Season 6.
Ellaria Sand
Last seen: Frenching a teenage girl while wearing poison lipstick, after explicitly promising Doran that she would not French a teenage girl while wearing poison lipstick.
The Sand Snakes
Last seen: Standing behind Ellaria Stand, being largely interchangeable and entirely disappointing.
Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish
Last seen: Promising a "handsome young man" to Olenna Tyrell. Given that he technically still governs the Eyrie, his dastardly plans to be made Warden of the North, and his borderline-supernatural traveling abilities, we doubt Season 6 will find him still in King's Landing.
Gendry the Baratheon Bastard
Last seen: Freed from Melisandre's clutches by Davos and rowing toward King's Landing in a bastard-like manner, three seasons ago.
Sandor "The Hound" Clegane
Last seen: Being denied the gift of a mercy-killing by Arya and left to die a slow, agonizing death instead -- dang, Arya -- though we don’t actually see him die, and Rory McCann, who plays the Hound, was spotted near the set, so we likely haven’t seen the last of him.
Nymeria the Direwolf
Last seen: In the second episode of the series, getting Harry and the Hendersons'd by Arya after taking a chunk out of Joffrey's hairless arm.
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Ben Philippe is a writer who lives in New York City. Last seen: making $40 off his roommate after totally calling that Winds of Winter would not be out before the Season 6 premiere. Find him on Twitter: @GoHomeBen.