Who will win, who will die as 'Game of Thrones' returns for its final round
The long wait is over for fans of the HBO hit, whose final season debuted Sunday. Who will take the Iron Throne?
Cersei Lannister knew how to play the game all the way back in Season 1. But the odds are pretty good that you die.For seven seasons, viewers have tuned in to the HBO adaptation of author George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" saga and watched their favorite characters drop like flies. As the story line went beyond the completed source material, fans of the books have been in the dark as to what twists awaited their favorite characters. (We're still a bit salty over poor Hodor's fate.)So as the final season debuts at 8 p.m., Sunday on HBO, how will the remaining players fare? Since even Martin hasn't read the final scripts — and he wrote the books — the best we can offer is this educated guess as to who might live to see another summer, and who will join the ranks of the dead.Valar morghulis.Cersei Lannister knew how to play the game all the way back in Season 1. But the odds are pretty good that you die.For seven seasons, viewers have tuned in to the HBO adaptation of author George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" saga and watched their favorite characters drop like flies. As the story line went beyond the completed source material, fans of the books have been in the dark as to what twists awaited their favorite characters. (We're still a bit salty over poor Hodor's fate.)So as the final season debuts at 8 p.m., Sunday on HBO, how will the remaining players fare? Since even Martin hasn't read the final scripts — and he wrote the books — the best we can offer is this educated guess as to who might live to see another summer, and who will join the ranks of the dead.Valar morghulis.
- Tyrion Lannister Always the underdog — and always in trouble — Tyrion has talked his way out of imminent doom more times than he can count. And this time he has dragons on his side. ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 95%
- Daenerys Targaryen The Mother of Dragons has been burned (twice), shot out of the sky and had her heart broken. It's going to take a lot more than the Lannisters and an army of the dead to defeat her. ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 85%
- Samwell Tarly Everyone in Westeros is quick to pick up a sword and start swinging, but the one man smart enough to crack a book is going to be the one who saves them all from the Long Winter. ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 75%
- Sansa Stark She survived the Boltons, Lannisters and Littlefinger. Few people have had a harder road than the Lady of Winterfell. There's a good chance she could be the last Stark standing. ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 70%
- Jamie Lannister For a guy who started off with a lot of bad decisions, Jamie has made a turn toward redemption. Odds are 50/50 that his sense of honor lands him in the ranks of the White Walkers. ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 50%
- Arya Stark The fan favorite tomboy-turned-assassin has a list of enemies to kill, with a lot of names still to cross off. If she's going to meet the God of Death, she's taking a lot of people with her. ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 40%
- Bran Stark He may not be able to physically join the fight, but the Three-Eyed Raven is potentially the most powerful person in Westeros. How he uses that power will determine his fate. ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 30%
- Cersei Lannister The queen is going to win or die trying. Given the track record for rulers in King's Landing, the smart money is on "die trying." ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 20%
- Theon Greyjoy That which is dead may never die. Unless you're a coward who has sold out his loved ones at every turn. Expect Theon to finally make good, but he will pay the Iron Price. ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 15%
- The Night King Not even author George R.R. Martin would let the Walkers win, right? Expect this guy and his cold friends to be dispatched early so the survivors can fight among themselves. ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 10%
- Everyone Else Not all of these characters will die — surely Davos has earned a pass — but as secondary characters, their odds of survival are much, much slimmer. The body count will be high. ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 5%
- Jon Snow The King in the North always puts others before himself, which puts him in harm's way. Besides, he's technically dead already. ODDS OF SURVIVAL: 0%
Tim Walz appears to learn of Taylor Swift endorsement on live TV
