It’s no secret that Game of Thrones was one of the most visceral and violent series to have aired on television (even on HBO). It depicted a world, after all, that was full of nobles all scheming to gain power, no matter who they had to hurt and destroy in order to get it. As a result, quite a few of the characters ended up meeting very violent ends.
However, as important as those characters are, it’s also important to pay attention to those characters who, realistically, should have died but somehow, through the magic of television logic, managed to survive.
Jon Snow: Battle of the Bastards
Jon Snow survived quite a lot during his time on the show, including literally dying and being brought back to life by the magic of Melisandre. However, that wasn’t the only incident in which he survived when he shouldn’t have. Fans will remember that he was pretty seriously outnumbered by the forces of Ramsay Bolton. By all rights, Jon should have perished in The Battle of the Bastards long before the Knights of the Vale arrived to save him from his predicament.
Theon Greyjoy: Castration
Poor Theon. Yes, he did some pretty terrible things in his time (and made some pretty big mistakes, too), and his betrayal of the Starks was a grievous sin. However, no one deserved to go through the things that he suffered at the hands of the vicious and sadistic Ramsay Bolton. More than that, it seems like any regular human being would have perished from the torments, most particularly the castration. It really does make a viewer appreciate Theon that he managed to not only live but go on to play a crucial role in the rest of the series.
Tyrion: The Trial at the Eyrie
Viewers could be forgiven, given everything that happened subsequently, if they forgot that once upon a time Tyrion was put on trial at the Eyrie and almost thrown to his death. This is one of those instances where it seems as if, if this were real life, Tyrion would almost certainly have been found guilty and thrown out of the Moon Door.
After all, it’s not as if either Lysa or her son Robert were in any way balanced or fair with regard to their opinion of Lannisters.
Arya: The Fight With the Waif
One of the most suspenseful moments in Arya’s arc came when she was forced to square off with the person known only as the Waif. Though it remains unclear who, exactly, the Waif actually was, it is true nevertheless that Arya managed to defeat her and left her face behind for Jaqen to find. As talented as Arya is with a blade, it still seems like she shouldn’t have been able to survive a full-on confrontation with a person as clearly talented as the Waif was (and this is just one of the several plot holes associated with this character).
Samwell: The Incident At Craster’s
Poor Samwell. He just can’t seem to catch a break, and he always seems to find himself in the middle of armed conflicts that he’d certainly rather avoid and which, quite frankly, he has no right to survive. Take, for example, the incident at Craster’s, when men of the Night’s Watch ended up mutinying and killing none other than Lord Mormont himself. This is one of those times where it seems that Sam is just too lucky to be a normal person.
Davos: The Battle Of The Blackwater
Before the great conflicts of the final season, The Battle of the Blackwater was one of the biggest war setpieces seen on television. During that battle, Stannis Baratheon found a huge part of his army destroyed, largely because Tyrion proved to be a brilliant tactician.
Viewers will also remember that the wonderful Davos Seaworth somehow managed to survive that cataclysmic defeat, even though how he did so remains a bit unrealistic (though of course viewers everywhere were happy that he did).
Jaime: Getting His Hand Cut Off
Jaime, like so many other members of his family, experienced more than his fair share of heartbreak and defeat during the course of the series, most notably when he had his hand cut off. Now, realistically, it would be difficult for someone to survive the bleeding that would happen in such a circumstance, particularly given the rudimentary medicine available. More than that, it remains unlikely that he would have been able to survive the sepsis that would almost certainly have set in.
Daenerys Targaryen: Walking Through Fire
There’s a very good reason that Daenerys starts to believe that she is truly invincible, that nothing will ever be able to bring her down. How could she not believe that, when she managed to walk through fire not once but twice, the second time dealing a death blow to the independence of the Dothraki. It’s highly unlikely that she would have survived either of these instances, let alone the miscarriage that she managed to survive in the first season.
Bran: Being Thrown Out A Window
Of all the Stark children, Bran really got the short end of the stick, considering the fact that he wasn’t even in an entire episode before he ended up being thrown out of a window by Jaime Lannister. Now, considering the fact that Winterfell is known for having very high towers, and given that Bran was clearly very high up, it’s pretty incredible to think that his tiny little body could have survived the fall. It’s a good thing he did, though, since he ended up becoming the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.
Sandor: Being Seriously Wounded by Brienne
One of the most titanic clashes in the entire series took place between the Hound and Brienne. The two were pretty evenly matched, but of course he ended up being seriously injured. Viewers know that he ended up being nursed back to health but a group of pacifists. However, considering how seriously he was injured, it seems like the more realistic fate for him would have been for him to succumb to either his wounds or some sort of infection.