We kicked off our coverage of the sixth time of year ofGame of Throneswith a wall bracket - style tournament that Melisandre perfectly would have approved of , which call for you a simple dubiousness : which reference would you most like to see tax return toGame of Thrones ? We did n’t admit Jon Snow because everyone know he ’d be back , butthere are so many other characters who have died on the show , never to return .
After five brutal round that featured many upsets – Ros beat Joffrey ! – top - seeded Ned Stark emerged as your slushy option to give back . Yes , the Stark paterfamilias has actually generate this time of year in the form of flashbacks – but not the Sean Bean adaptation … yet . Your votes are tallied , now let ’s hope showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are reading . Even Bean himself wants to retort ! Come on , Thrones !
Scroll down to see how the tourney played out .
Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Final Round
Ned Stark (1) vs. Oberyn Martell (3)
When we first fare up with the idea for this bracket , we believe the final match-up might finish up being a showdown between good and wickedness . Then you , the voter , criticize most of the dead villains out in the very first unit of ammunition , proving thatGoTfans are n’t quite as sadistic as the show ’s creative brain trust . or else , voters reinforce good guys – disgraceful , I know – and our last battle pits two of the best poor boy ever to lose their heads in Westeros . Ned Stark vs. Oberyn Martell : beard vs. moustache , the North vs. the South , nobility vs. swagger .
After shoot down Ygritte to reach the final , Ned has prove that he ’s open of knocking out a Tumblr favorite . He ’s going to demand all his wits to defeat the suave , sexy Dornishman . He ’ll be fueled by revenge : Oberyn made short work of Ned ’s son Robb in the previous round , so this time it ’s personal . Which one of these case do you require to see get the Melisandre haircut - and - leech - bath spa treatment ? Who deserves one more breath and a shot at pose on the Iron Throne ? The choice is yours .
Who Should pass to ' Game of Thrones ' ?
Round 4
Ned Stark (1) vs. Ygritte (2)
The game has changed . Jon Snow is alive , revived ( presumably ) through the Lord of Light ’s patented magic , and now the mere idea of him flee unaccompanied makes us spill a frigid teardrop . Enter ( or , reenter ? ) Ygritte , his equal in battle , and sole comfort in the glooming macrocosm he escaped for a few hours . This Romeo and Juliet couple deserves a second prospect . Or they would , if Jon ’s beheaded dad ( we ’re still calling him that untilR + L = J is affirm ! ) was n’t so dear . And lease ’s face it : that niggling gustatory perception of Kid Ned in this week ’s instalment made us nostalgic for the days of his reason out politics and seedy wisdom . Now if only they could figure out how to bring Sean Bean back to the show …
Robb Stark (3) vs. Oberyn Martell (2)
First off , let ’s pullulate one out for Grey Wind , the brave direwolf who was bested by his own headmaster Robb Stark in the previous bout . It takes real skills to kick upstairs in a bracket without ever verbalise a line of dialogue more complex than a growling . Oberyn Martell defeated a monosyllabic brute , too : the mighty Kahl Drogo , who will have to comfort himselfwith all thatAquamanmoney . Anyway , on to the battle at hand , which should be a close one . While Robb is a brilliant military tactician with a royal temperament , Oberyn is more of a classic villain , cocky as hell but pure at ticker . It ’s like opt between G.I. Joe and Robin Hood , and the result fight should be moderately brutal . chief will roll .
Round 3
Ned Stark (1) vs. Mance Rayder (3)
Here ’s a minuscule , potentially spoilery Season 6 tease : early on casting callssuggestthat a younger interlingual rendition of Ned Stark will seem in a flashback picture in an approaching episode . We mention this because , as purists , we ’re not count that as a logical return of the Ned Stark we eff and loved . We want the real thing : Mr. Sean Bean , in all his hoarse , guttural glory . But Eddard Stark , who bested Jeor Mormont and Syrio Forel to get to the third turn , faces some rigid competition ( not a corpse wordplay ! ) in the wildling king . The older God are n’t even cast poor Mance a flashback this time of year , even though only one of the two survived being burned at the stake in the book , thanks to a bit of Melisandre trickery . As much as we love Ned , maybe Rayderdeservesto return to the show more?Who Should Return to ' Game of Thrones ' ?
Grey Wind (5) vs. Robb Stark (3)
Oh boy . Grey Wind has already squared off against his direwolf baby Lady in this tournament , and now he has to face off against his overlord , Robb Stark , who was also butcher at the Red Wedding ? Nuts . Grey Wind might have the border here , though , since Robb had to battle his means past the Hound in the previous round and might be a little worn down . But even fans of the slain King in the North have to ask themselves : do I really have the warmheartedness to vote against a cuddly furball?Who Should Return to ' Game of Thrones ' ?
Catelyn Stark (1) vs. Ygritte (2)
Granted , Game of Thronesoffers a lot of options when it come to numb female theatrical role ; perhaps it was inevitable that two of the strongest would wind up going foreland to head . Catelyn Stark well gloat over her babe Lysa in Round 1 and innocent little Shireen in Round 2 , potential because we look up to Cate ’s fierce dedication to mob and the fact that she expire push backhardagainst Walder Frey . Ygritte , meanwhile , won fans ' favor over the nefarious Locke and then Robert Baratheon , the freaking queen . She ’s fierce . But without a wildling army at her back , does Jon Snow ’s fierce gal buddy have what it need to encounter off a bathetic lover favorite?Who Should take back to ' Game of Thrones ' ?
Khal Drogo (1) vs. Oberyn Martell (2)
After stomping puny petty Jojen in the last round , break the tiny fondness of # TeamJojen , Khal Drogo is out for blood . you could tell he want to bring home the bacon this angle bracket . He sees those other khals on the show now getting so much attention online and wants in on the action . But he ’s got passably stiff competition in the form of Oberyn , who made fleet work of Maester Aemon . This is a match - up that pits nous against brawn , or to put it inPrincess Brideterms , Mandy Patinkin ’s Inigo Montoya versus Andre the Giant ’s Fezzik . develop to die !
Round 2
Ned Stark (1) vs. Syrio Forel (5)
Game of Thrones fan have serious time of year - one nostalgia . But it ’s warranted because of who we lost , notably Ned , a honest - minded , hard-nosed loss leader decapitated far too before long , and Syrio , Arya ’s balletic fencing teacher in King ’s Landing ( whose fate on the show has only recently been confirmed ) . The latter made it to this matchup against the Stark paterfamilias after edging out Barristan Selmy in a first - round narrow escape , but will the darling minor character be capable to say " not today " to the god of death this clip around ?
Mance Rayder (3) vs. Maester Luwin (7)
Our tourney ’s two drained Maesters – Luwin and Aemon – have emerged as the sentimental favorites of this wall bracket . mayhap it ’s their slayer combination of ancient knowledge , dry humor , and wrinkly tegument ? vote against one of them can feel like voting against your granddad . Whatever it is , everyone bed a Maester ! So you might intend that it would be tough for the less granddaddy - y Mance Rayder , the leader of the spare folk and King - Beyond - the - Wall , to win out here . Then again , he does kinda reckon like he could be a cool uncle . Which ill-tempered sometime man do you want to bring back ?
Ros (8) vs. Grey Wind (5)
Nowthatwas a huge overturn . Really , we ’re shocked Ros made it to the second round . Maybe it ’s because she was paired with King Joffrey Baratheon , the most hateable scoundrel inGame of Throneshistory , who also just happened to pour down her on a sadistic whim ? Sure , it was fun to root against the terror , but Ros ' triumph shows that we viewers are n’t coolheaded with ( mostly ) innocent characters getting tie up and crossbowed in macabre style . But now Ros is up against Robb Stark ’s sweet , cuddly direwolf , who coincidently also met his end via the crossbow ( and who strap his sis Lady to get here ) . And depend who may expect him in rotund three : his good pal Robb . Aw .
Robb Stark (3) vs. The Hound (2)
Last prison term we saw the Hound on the show , he was leech out – which is somewhat much how he left his first - round rival , Benjen . Now we ’re pitting ol' Sandor Clegane against Robb Stark , who get in after easily topple married woman Talisa . While Robb was a valiant fighter and able swayer who ’d have made his father gallant , we find ourselves missing the Hound ’s irregular gush more . Vote for whichever you care , but remember : Cleganebowl Get Hype .
Catelyn Stark (1) vs. Shireen Baratheon (4)
Catelyn made a takeoff of her sister in the last circle , as elector said " I want to see her fly ball ! " by pick out Lysa a sententious two percentage of the metre . And it was nice to see Shireen exact revenge on the father who torched her . So how to vote here ? It ’s a no - brainer for anyone who is Team Lady Stoneheart , but a bit sly when you recall the screams of the wee Baratheon lady friend as she burned at the stake last season .
Robert Baratheon (3) vs. Ygritte (2)
Unlike that time he battled a barbaric wild boar , Robert Baratheon survived his fight with his brother Renly . But it was a unaired pate , and it ’s heavy to imagine the slovenly Robert emerging winning from a similar do with Ygritte , whodestroyedthe lispy Locke in pear-shaped one . The wildling ’s got fighting skills , a heart of amber , and a quiver full of catch - phrasal idiom ; all King Robert has is a mighty thirst . But will harden - one nostalgia victory again ?
Khal Drogo (1) vs. Jojen Reed (5)
This is what brackets are made for . Khal Drogo , with his tribal tattoo , hulking musculus , and James Hetfield goatee , has no business mistreat in the ring with a tiny Hogwarts student aspirant like Jojen . It ’s a honest David vs. Goliath compeer - up . With the replication of the Khals in the first instalment of the new season , it ’s easy to see Khal Drogo picking up some steam here and riding a wave of Dothraki love to the next round . But never weigh out Jojen sports fan ( or , as I wish to call them , the Jo - beehive or Jo - fountainhead ) ! This one should be a nail - biter .
Maester Aemon (6) vs. Oberyn Martell (2)
Sorry , Myrcella and Viserys : looks like you two towhead are gon na last out drained . Now it ’s time to choose between the older Targaryen maester and the Dornish retaliator . On the one hired hand , Old Man Aemon might have had mickle of history to discuss with Melisandre , now that we make out she ’s as older as hell . But countenance ’s get actual : Oberyn ’s the most watchable Throner in the game , whether he ’s getting jam ( literally ) in battle , bedding one-half of Westeros , or simply holding court in the modest council .
Round 1
Ned Stark (1) vs. Jeor Mormont (8)
Both Ned and Jeor were respected fighter who mentor Jon Snow and both break under treacherous circumstances . The Lord of Winterfell was beheaded in front of his own daughter , while the Old Bear was stabbed to dying by a mutineer who completely disregarded the Night ’s Watch bro codification . Wo n’t you help oneself play one of these self-respecting military force for undecomposed back into evil , malefic Westeros ?
Barristan Selmy (4) vs. Syrio Forel (5)
Much like inHighlander , here we have two imposing swordsmen , but there can be only one . Will the exiled Kingsguard caption , bump off last season by the Sons of the Harpy in the alley of Meereen , victory over Arya ’s balletic Braavosi instructor ( who we never actually saw dice in Season 1 , mind you ) ? Maybe . Or possibly not . disregardless , there can be only one .
Mance Rayder (3) vs. Mag the Mighty (6)
Together , Mance and Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg , world-beater of the giants , raided the Wall in Season 4 ’s epic " Battle of Castle Black . " Mag rode in on a mammoth – badass – and perished after breaking through the logic gate ’s force . Mance hold up the battle but was put away by Stannis Baratheon out of mercy – only to be sentenced to burn at the stake after declining an offer of alliance . But you take : doesGame of Thronesneed another plot leader - type , or does it need more giant ?
Tywin Lannister (2) vs. Maester Luwin (7)
They were both wise old white guy and they both have -win names . The destruction of Winterfell ’s maester , in front of the two youngest Stark son , was unquestionably sorry , give that maybe the elder Lannister got what he deserved when Tyrion shoot him on the privy . But it does kind of stench that Tywin the tactician is n’t on the show any longer , good ?
Joffrey Baratheon (1) vs. Ros (8)
Joffrey is a dick . But , at the same , the little stumblebum was responsible for some of the most electrifying , agonizing , and iconic moments on the whole show and the series has scramble to recover a worthy villain to fill his tiny , evil shoes . In comparison , Ros was a welcome tertiary character who was frivol away to last by Joffrey with a crossbow because … well , like we enjoin , he ’s a dick . If you ’re a Ros - Tyrion - shipper , right to vote for Ros ! If you ’re a putz , then you credibly already voted and stopped reading this blurb . We understand .
Lady (4) vs. Grey Wind (5)
The world ofGame of Thronesis dog - eat - dog , but this first - round matchup is direwolf - eat - direwolf . Sansa ’s statuesque positron emission tomography was among the show ’s first casualties , having been sentence to destruction because of cunt - face Joffrey . Grey Wind died along with his master Robb Stark at the Red Wedding . Freaking Lannisters !
Robb Stark (3) vs. Talisa Stark (6)
Robb and Talisa would have made a beautiful , righteous couple ifGame of Throneswasn’t such a sadistic SOB . By the prison term of the Red Wedding , Robb was watch to play the " game " and Talisa was pull out a few of his string – while also dribble a future prince . But the bride and ostler are long dead now . Unless you revive one of them .
The Hound (2) vs. Benjen Stark (7)
Not allGoTdeaths are equal – some of them are n’t even death . Both The Hound and Benjen Stark are rumored to still be alive somewhere , both surviving on the edges of the vast fabricated universe that lives underneath George R.R. Martin ’s fatal fisher ’s pileus . We do n’t just see either pop off on screen door , though they ’ve both been presumed dead by some . Which one do you want to remerge from behind a rock somewhere ?
Catelyn Stark (1) vs. Lysa Arryn (8)
We always thought Lysa was a number misunderstood : she was a devoted mother to her son , Robin – but more devoted to her lifelong love , Petyr Baelish . If she ’d kept better priority in mind , or simply realized how slimy Littlefinger was , she might have watched her back . rather , she wound up flying through the Sun Myung Moon doorway . But ol' Lysa had already served her purpose to Littlefinger ( and the show ) ; when Catelyn lost her life , we feel like she still had study leave to do .
Stannis Baratheon (4) vs. Shireen Baratheon (5)
This is pretty brutal and a potential first - turn upset . In this couple - up , we ’ve got a deeply blemished , unimaginably barbarous father vs. a seraphic , almost nauseatingly innocent girl . Shireen was cauterize awake under orders from Stannis , who was under the influence of Melisandre , so it would be fun to see the Grayscale - infect moppet return and get revenge on the red woman and re - unite with her pseudo - swelled sis Gilly . But , at the same clip , Stannis was such a changeless presence on the show for the last four seasons that it ’s heavy to imagine the serial without his military art and depressing interactions with his family unit .
Robert Baratheon (3) vs. Renly Baratheon (6)
We ’ve got a real family feud here . Renly is the younger crony of the brutish Robert , and bring back either one of these characters would make thing pretty complicated in the Seven Kingdoms . For one thing , both characters would have a lot of payback to seek . Renly would obviously be gunning for Melisandre , who killed him with her sour magic , and Robert would in all probability have some selection words for the full Lannister gang . Who deserves their sweet revenge more ?
Ygritte (2) vs. Locke (7)
Is anyone go to really vote for Locke ? Ygritte was a badass warrior and female parent of1,000 GIFs . Locke on the other hand was a calculating jolt , and not even in the play Joffery direction – he was just unpleasant . The only real competition here is who had the better death . in person , I ’m fond to Locke getting his neck snapped by a Bran - controlled Hodor .
Khal Drogo (1) vs. Xaro Xhoan Daxos (8)
Everyone ’s favorite Dothraki warrior keeled over in the ugliest elbow room possible and turned into a vegetable by unusual magicks . Daenerys smother him out of deference – but Khal Drogo could return , if you will it . Or maybe it ’s time for the charismatic , Qarthian merchandiser Xaro to bunk his vault incarceration and mount a Mother of Dragons resistance ? A longsighted shot , but …
Shae (4) vs. Jojen Reed (5)
All the Jojen fans raise your hands ! No ? Just the one guy at our post who ’s really into the mystical Bran plot line ? If you ’re pro - Jojen ( or a " Jojenhead " as the one guy wire at our place who ’s really into the mystical Bran plot line wish to say ) your time is now . But rival ’s starchy in Tyrion ’s backstabbing romantic interest group . Shae had a elusive life ! She made some bad choices , but who would n’t need to see her redemption ? That Jojen fan , that ’s who .
Viserys (3) vs. Maester Aemon (6)
Maester Aemon , proves that someone dying from old age can be just as sad as the lurid , trigger-happy ends so manyGame of Thrones - ers brass . The forgotten Targaryen was Viserys ' great - uncle and far , far wise to , so he ’d belike hold with us that the so - called Beggar King was born to wear that pot of liquified amber on his head . But c’m on – you make out Viserys would make a great slave to Khaleesi .
Oberyn Martell (2) vs. Myrcella Baratheon (7)
Myrcella expire off the seashore of Dorne last season after returning from a long absence seizure from the show , and many fans felt her decease at a vernal age further minimized her part unfairly . Oberyn , too , had but a brief fourth dimension to make an impression : he was in just eight episodes of the show ’s 4th season . But his command over Westeros was undeniable : Pedro Pascal ’s performance land some much - want honor , sexiness , and levity to the series . But alas , he conk out . unforgettably . And hard - to - watch - ly .
Sign up herefor our daily Thrillist email , and get your kettle of fish of the dear in food / drinkable / play .
Thrillist
Thrillist
Thrillist
