11 Game of Thrones characters who should’ve survived to the end

4) Khal Drogo

Before he was striding the ocean’s depths as Aquaman, Jason Momoa scorched the screen as the indomitable Dothraki chieftain Khal Drogo on Game of Thrones. Fierce, formidable, and the commander of a powerful army, Drogo was the embodiment of warrior royalty. But despite his invincibility in battle, a wound inflicted during a fight with one of his own men led to a fatal infection, culminating in his premature exit at the end of the very first season.

The ripple effect of Drogo’s demise propelled Daenerys Targaryen, his queen, onto a path of power and self-discovery. Yet one can’t help but speculate on the alternative storylines that could’ve unfurled had he survived. Daenerys and Drogo, who begin their union on a rocky foundation but became partners, could have just parted ways instead. Perhaps Daenerys would have chosen to break free of Drogo on her own. Such a scenario would allow for Drogo to remain in the show, either as one of Dany’s adherents or an adversary.

In the end, Drogo died, and Dany carried him in her heart. But it’s not to want for him to be there in person.

3) Varys

Varys, the enigmatic spymaster who served several monarchs, was a fixture in the halls of power in King’s Landing, using his knowledge of the comings and goings of the realm to make himself indispensable. Varys’ rivalry with Littlefinger was the perfect embodiment of what it meant to play the game of thrones. The ongoing tête-à-tête between the two cunning operators felt like a cryptic duel where secrets were currency and information weapons. all in the service of obtaining the ultimate prize: the Iron Throne.

Varys shrank more and more into the background as the show went on, his nuanced and meticulous designs left behind in favor of beautiful dragons and grand battles. In the end he was abruptly executed by Daenerys for trying to undermine her rule, cutting short what could have been an enthralling narrative trajectory.