George R.R. Martin
Author George R.R. Martin, photographed during a SundanceTV Q&A in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Feb. 23, 2016, says no character — main or otherwise — should be spared from death on “Game of Thrones.” Getty Images

It’s George R.R. Martin’s world. We’re all just living in it. The “A Song Of Ice and Fire” author recently opened up about killing off vital characters on HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” and it’s becoming increasingly clear that anyone on the cast could be the next to die.

In an interview with Galaxy’s Edge Magazine, Martin said writers shouldn’t be using death to push along a story, but rather because it’s “the truth.” He explained that in shows like “Game of Thrones,” that center around times of war, death is inevitable and should be depicted as such. The 67-year-old added there is no reason that particular characters — be they a star of the show, a love interest or a close friend — should be exempt from being killed just “because you are a cute kid of the hero’s best friend or the hero.”

“It doesn’t happen that way,” he said. “They go into battle and their best friend dies or they get horribly wounded. They lose their leg or death comes at them unexpectedly. Death is so arbitrary. It’s always there. It’s coming for all of us. We’re all going to die. I’m going to die. You’re going to die. Mortality is at the soul of all this stuff.”

Martin told Galaxy’s Edge he applies this reasoning to his writing. He shared that while he has a deep connection to each and every one of his characters, he sees no point in sparing main characters. In fact, he finds it unrealistic telling the publication that viewers and readers alike have “read this story a million times” in which only arbitrary characters are killed off.

“I love all my characters so it’s always hard to kill them, but I know it has to be done. I tend to think I don’t kill them. The other characters kill ‘em. I shift off all blame from myself,” he said.

As the old adage goes, “When one door closes, another one opens.” The constant barrage of death on “Game of Thrones” allows more room for viewers to follow along with new characters — like Kinvara (Ania Bukstein), for example. On Wednesday it was revealed a second red woman will be introduced to the show in Season 6, episode 5. Little is known about Kinvara right now, but it seems she and Tyrian Lannister (Peter Dinklage) will be teaming up for the greater good of Meereen. Much like Melisandre (Carice van Houten), the scarlet sorceress will take a particular interest in finding the Azor Ahai though they don’t seem to see eye-to-eye on who that may be. Melisandre took a gamble on Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) and is now putting her faith in Jon Snow, whom she revived in Season 6, episode 2. Kinvara, however, believes the Azor Ahai is none other than Daenerys Targaryen.

Tune in to “Game of Thrones” Sunday at 9 p.m. EDT on HBO. Check out a preview of the episode below.

RELATED STORIES