Game of Thrones was one of the biggest pop culture sensations in decades, and despite many fans feeling let down by the final season, its mark on society won't soon be forgotten. When the show began airing, audiences thought they knew what they were in for until Ned Stark's head came off, and they realized this was an entirely different kind of show.
From that point on, fans knew that anyone could die at any point. In some ways, this made it more surprising that so many characters survived the finale than anything else. Audiences held their breath through the final battles as powerful characters fell, watching to see who survived and who, if anyone, would claim the Iron Throne.
Jaqen H'ghar
It is hard to precisely say who Jaqen H'ghar was, as a Faceless Man (or perhaps the alias of several Faceless Men), but by all appearances, he seems to have survived. The character had plenty of mysteries, which made fans desperate for Jaqen to have a Game of Thrones spin-off of his own, but which also kept him out of the line of fire of most major battles.
When he was finished training Arya, Jaqen disappeared, not to be seen again in the show. It would have broken the mythos of the Faceless Men to see them get overly involved in the fight for the throne, so they managed to survive the Game of Thrones by not playing.
Bronn
Bronn is an interesting character because while he was in every season of Game of Thrones, he wasn't particularly concerned with the success of any party. He had frequent associations with the Lannister brothers, but while those associations often seemed like something approaching friendship, he generally was just motivated by money and the promise of a castle.
In the final season, Bronn turns on the Lannisters, as they have frequently kept him from the debt they owe him. However, when promised by both that he will become Lord of Highgarden, he leaves, planning to return after the war has ended to claim his bounty from whoever survives. After the war, he finally gets what he is owed, becoming Lord of Highgarden, Lord Paramount of the Reach, and Master of Coin.
Gendry Baratheon
Gendry spent much of the series ignorant of his heritage, as a pawn to it, or running away from it. As the last living son of Robert Baratheon, he had a claim to the throne that few others could beat. Though he did not personally want the throne, many wanted to claim power through him.
Gendry returns in the final season to craft weapons for the fight against the White Walkers and has a fling with Arya. Daenerys legitimizes Gendry and makes him the Lord of Storm's End.
Robin Arryn
Robin is the cousin of the Stark children and is the Lord of the Eyrie, the head of House Arryn, the Warden of the East, and the Defender of the Vale. Which is a lot of titles and power, despite his character not being overly significant in the series.
Robin is easily swayed by others, which makes him an important pawn in the major player's games. In season 8, he comes to King's Landing after all of the fighting is over to help determine who should claim the throne, using his power to confirm the council's decisions regarding Bran, Tyrion, and Jon.
Samwell Tarly
Samwell Tarly is a beloved character, but not one known for his fighting skills. Despite having been the first person to kill a White Walker on his own, he typically stays out of the politics and the battles, just trying to protect Gilly and little Sam. He is a good friend to Jon, but tends to help by providing knowledge, rather than military assistance.
In season 8, Sam gets more involved in politics as he deals with his family's deaths at Daenerys's hand, as well as the knowledge of Jon's true parentage. His efforts earn him a happy ending, becoming the new Grand Maester and cherishing his Gilly, who is now pregnant with his son.
Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion Lannister is often touted as one of the smartest characters on Game of Thrones, which is a large part of how he managed to survive repeated trials and betrayals, becoming the last living child of Tywin Lannister. While the series doesn't strictly speaking have a main character, Tyrion is in the most Game of Thrones episodes, 67 of the show's total 73, which makes him the closest fans have.
In the final season, Tyrion tries to find a solution to the problem of many kings and queens desperate for the throne, but continually fails as ambition wins out. When all is said and done, Tyrion proposes that Bran become king, a solution which is accepted by the Lords of the Seven Kingdoms, and he becomes his Hand.
Bran Stark
Bran Stark: the boy who was pushed out of a window, developed the ability to see visions and warg into other creatures, and ultimately became King of Westeros. It was certainly unexpected for him to survive the finale, much less gain the title he did, but that's what happens when one character has more abilities than all the others.
While Bran had an interesting journey on Game of Thrones, few would call him a fan favorite. Most of his powers and character development happened to him, rather than him taking control over them. His survival was thanks to others, as well as his rise to power, making him an unusual kind of survivor.
Sansa Stark
Sansa Stark had one of the best character arcs on Game of Thrones, growing from the entitled little girl to a powerful ruler in her own right. Every season seemed to bring new suffering for Sansa, but rather than being crushed by the weight of it, she learned from every hardship.
While Sansa did not take part in the battles in season 8, she had an important political part to play, sowing doubt in Daenerys and dealing with the practical matters of ruling while everyone else worried about who would come out on top. Sansa eventually took on the role of Queen of the North at the end of the show.
Arya Stark
Arya Stark was undoubtedly the bravest Stark on Game of Thrones, constantly jumping into trouble feet first and learning new ways to defeat her enemies, which actually makes it a bit of a shock that her willingness to fight didn't cause her to meet a grimmer fate.
Arya was less concerned with politics than her siblings but was determined to kill all those who hurt her and her family. In season 8, Arya was responsible for killing the Night King, a task many assumed would be accomplished by Jon, and she set off to kill Cersei. She was eventually persuaded to not let her quest for vengeance ruin her life, leaving King's Landing before Daenerys fully destroyed it.
Jon Snow
Jon Snow was the character many fans understood to be the hero of the show, and while he technically was not alive through the entirety of the story, he was alive at the end of the finale. Jon was set up to be the rightful king of Westeros as the child of Lynna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, the champion of the Wall, and one of the most moral characters on Game of Thrones.
It was no surprise to fans that he would be at the center of each battle in season 8, and his actions after the end of the Battle of King's Landing fit into his eventual rise to power, of the rightful Targaryen taking the throne. However, as he stated multiple times, Jon doesn't want to be king, and to keep the peace, he happily accepts his exile to the Wall.