Game of Thrones returns on Sunday and we’re pretty frickin’ excited. Over the course of the series so far, there have been ninety named character deaths, many of which were people we had grown to know and love, or at least find really interesting. While we don’t want to get into the logistics of how we’d bring most of these people back (as many of them are lacking their heads and/or bodies), today we’re listing the characters we’d love to have back on the show, in some capacity.
Note, this post isn’t about preventing their deaths. All of these characters would have still died on the show. This is about magically resurrecting them, or finding some other way to see them again, during the show’s final 13 episodes. Which means that while some deaths may have been especially painful to watch, we wouldn’t necessarily bring the characters back, because we just don’t see much for them to add to the series going forward.
And it probably goes without saying, but, massive spoilers ahead.
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Lauren
5) Tywin Lannister
Okay hear me out. Tywin was awful, but he was interesting, and while he was ruthless, he wasn’t a psychopath. As long as he was pulling the strings in King’s Landing, it was like watching a masterful game of chess (or… a strategic game that’s a lot more fun to watch than chess). Now that Cersei is in charge, I feel like it’s going to be more like watching a toddler throw blocks around a room. Plus, as I said in our season seven prediction post, I truly believe the longer we can keep the human antagonists around, the more intriguing the show will be, and Tywin has been my favorite human antagonist. He’d definitely have to die again, but I wouldn’t mind watching him squeeze in a few more devious machinations before he goes.
4) Grenn and Pyp
I’m counting Grenn and Pyp as one, because really what I want is for Jon to have some more of his friends back. He’s seemed so lonely since they died protecting Castle Black from the Wildlings, and while I am certain that he will eventually be reunited with Sam (and that’s great), I miss Jon having a few more Brothers of the Night’s Watch that he could both trust and also genuinely liked. Sure, by now Jon will probably never be part of the Night’s Watch again anyway, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t have friends. Plus I just liked these guys. And still would like to hear Pyp sing a song.
3) Syrio Forel
While we never technically saw Syrio Forel die, it’s been pretty well accepted that he’s dead. Still, he is the one character the show theoretically could bring back this late in the game, if they wanted to. Is he a Faceless Man? Has he been helping Arya out all along? Does the First Sword of Braavos have another battle left in him after all? Only time will tell, and while it’s highly unlikely that he will show back up, I would be so happy if we eventually saw someone utter the phrase, “Valar Morghulis…”
… and then smile, remove their mask, and reveal Syrio Forel, alive and well. “But not today.”
2) Oberyn Martell
The death of Oberyn Martell was, for my money, one of the greatest tragedies thus far on the show. He was so close to winning his fight with the Mountain, and then got cocky and lost in the worst possible way. We had him for less than a season, but he added so much charisma and charm and sass that I’ve been mourning his loss ever since. Dorne hasn’t really had a huge role to play so far, and with older-brother Doran gone, it would be fantastic to allow Prince Oberyn to return and rule his people, as well as see what he would do with an alliance with Olenna Tyrell.
1) Margaery Tyrell
I miss Margaery so much, and we technically haven’t even had an entire episode without her yet. Similar to Tywin Lannister, Margaery was such a master of the game, to the point where the only way to get rid of her was to literally blow up the entire city. But unlike Tywin, while I believe that Margaery was absolutely power-hungry, she was also a legitimately good person and would have made a great Queen. Even though the post-Margaery episodes haven’t yet begun to air, I am certain that we (or at least, I) will feel her loss acutely going forward, and if there was absolutely any way for her to not be dead after all, no matter how far-fetched, I would be fully on board.
Sarah
5) Jeor Mormont
The war with the White Walkers is coming and no one is prepared. While the Night’s Watch is being temporarily led by Edd, they could certainly use someone more experienced to help hold the wall against the White Walkers. Jeor was an incredibly capable and fair leader of the Night’s Watch and he will be a much needed asset in the upcoming battle against the Night King and his army. And in the very real chance that the wall comes down (probably sooner rather than later), they’d need someone that understands how to lead outside of the confines of the wall. Jeor would be able to fall back to Winterfell or Bear Island, taking the men with him and providing some much needed strategic help for Jon on the battlefield.
4) Lady the Direwolf
The deaths of the direwolves have hit me harder than most of the human deaths on the show. They are so loyal and they love the Stark children so much and none of them deserved to die. Sansa has been through a lot on this show. Her experiences have rightfully left her jaded and able to can count the number of people she trusts completely on one hand (and she hasn’t seen two of them in who knows how many years at this point). Sansa deserves the comfort, security, and safety that Lady will provide, especially as the battle for the Iron Throne continues to rage on. Lady will be her constant companion and she will be comforted by the knowledge that no one will ever attempt to touch her again without her explicit consent with a full grown direwolf standing at her side.
3) Ned Stark
Ned’s death has remained far and away one of the worst of the series; partially because it happened so early on and partially because he was genuinely good and honorable. There’s no question that he didn’t deserve to die, and most especially did not deserve to die in the way that he did. When he comes back he’ll allow Jon to remain Lord at Winterfell, as he died and the lands rightfully reverted to the next heir, and instead, he will make his home with Catelyn at the Tully’s stronghold of Riverrun. He’ll rally the men and throw his support behind Jon in the battle against the White Walkers.
2) Catelyn Stark
While the showrunners have made it perfectly crystal clear that we will not be seeing Lady Stoneheart grace our screens, in this fantasy world we’ve created it’s possible for Catelyn to make a full, triumphant return. While it won’t be the easiest for her knowing that Robb and Rickon are gone, she’ll still have Ned, the girls, and Bran and she will do everything she can to keep them safe. Catelyn’s political mind will prove incredibly useful as Westeros struggles to adjust now that most of their Great Houses have all but disappeared.
And as the only surviving Tully, she and Ned live can live out their days at Riverrun in perfect happiness, because honestly, there’s no way Edmure lasts through the end of the show.
1) Ygritte
It should come as no surprise to anyone that Ygritte is my number one pick. I mean, she’s a feisty, red-headed, badass archer. I love her almost as much as Jon loved her and I miss her so, so much. She did not deserve to die. And now that Jon is no longer a member of the Night’s Watch, bringing her back means that she can reunite with Jon and maybe get her happily ever after. Although, before that can happen she will need to help him defeat an army of White Walkers, but once they’ve done that, would anyone tell the King in the North that he can’t take a Wildling as his wife? Especially a Wildling that bright down as many White Walkers and wights as any man on the battlefield?
Also, as Lauren mentioned, Jon is just so lonely and Ygritte coming back would give him another person he could place his trust in.
Teija
5) Irri and Doreah
Irri and Doreah were Daenerys’s handmaidens, and while their characters were not at all necessary to the plot, I would bring them back because Daenerys is severely lacking in lady friends. She has Missandei, but her handmaidens provided her companionship, advice, and guidance when she was new to Essos. They helped her in many ways. Bringing them back would give Dany more personal support and friendship to add to the political advisement she’s already receiving from those currently around her.
4) Shireen Baratheon
If ever there was an unfair and infuriating death on this show, it was Shireen’s. As a book-reader, I have a lot of opinions about what went down there, but to avoid writing a novel here, I’m just going to talk about what would happen when she reappeared. As her mother and father are now dead, she would join Davos, who would absolutely be delighted to see her and would happily step into the father figure role for her. She could keep being a delightful light in his life and he could raise her up to be the smart and caring woman we all wanted to see her become.
3) Mance Rayder
So many of my choices on this list are informed by my being a book-reader, and I don’t even feel sorry about it. Mance’s storyline on the show is pretty significantly different than his book story, but what is common between both is his value as a leader for the Wildlings as well as a strategist and a mentor for Jon Snow. I would bring him back purely to stick him at Jon’s side and further strengthen his forces.
2) Khal Drogo
Oh, Khal Drogo. I think of all my choices, he’s the one that would most easily be done. Not canonically, but based on the actor — if you follow Jason Momoa’s social media at all, you know that he’s Dany’s biggest fan, and it’s not hard to believe that he would come back to Game of Thrones in a heartbeat if given the chance. There was a prophecy given upon his death that he would return only when the sun moves the wrong way in the sky, when seas dry up and mountains blow in the air like leaves, and when Daenerys has a child. Basically, Mirri Maz Duur’s way of saying, “when pigs fly.” If he showed up in the final season of the show, it would purely be for the payoff of getting to see Khal and Khaleesi reunited.
1) Barristan Selmy
Once again, my being a book-reader influences my choice here. The showrunners made the inexplicable choice to kill him off and the way they did it was just so underwhelming for a knight of his purported skill. He was old, yes, but he was a seasoned fighter, and for him to go down in a pathetic alley fight with unnamed Harpy foes was beneath him. If they were going to get rid of Barristan the Bold, it should have been in a blaze of glory. I’d bring him back so that when the Lannisters inevitably lose the Iron Throne, he could once again pledge his sword to the ruler of Westeros, and once again be part of the Kingsguard where he belongs.