Who will die? Jaime or Brienne?

[SkaggCannibal]

Let's hope both, Jaime because he deserves it and Brienne because she's boring. Fingers crossed for LS!

[sapphire_lion]

I'm hoping for Brienne to kill LS tbh. It would be incredibly intersting for her character, and for Jaime as well, as that would be basically mirroring his own story. Also, it's fitting, feels 'natural' somehow.

Brienne sacrifying herself for Jaime would be rather dissatifying, and a horrible fall into the 'fridging' trope, and I don't see Jaime die just yet.

I doubt GRRM will kill Brienne off for the sake of Jaime’s redemption arc. If he truly wants to subvert clichés and tired tropes (as he has claimed!), why would he resort to the hackneyed ‘women in refrigerators’ trick? It’s a bad plot device. I’ve seen enough of the hero (or anti-hero) losing a woman he cares about and that motivating him to become a better person.

Anyways, I really don’t see Brienne dying before Jaime, seeing as GRRM has foreshadowed otherwise:

As he raised the sword a finger of pale flame flickered at the point and crept up along the edge, stopping a hand’s breath from the hilt. The fire took on the color of the steel itself so it burned with a silvery-blue light, and the gloom pulled back.

…

Brienne’s sword took flame as well, burning silvery blue. The darkness retreated a little more.

“The flames will burn so long as you live,” he heard Cersei call. “When they die, so must you.”

…

The fires that ran along the blade were guttering out, and Jaime remembered what Cersei had said. No. Terror closed a hand about his throat. Then his sword went dark, and only Brienne’s burned, as the ghosts came rushing in.

-ASOS

Also, this is what GRRM said about Brienne’s journey at the Season 4 Premiere of Game of Thrones. This should settle the debate regarding Brienne’s imminent demise, at least for any reasonable person.

She's very idealistic. At least in the beginning but you know her journey still has a way to go.

- GRRM (on Brienne)

lol really?

its pretty obvious that jaime is cersei's valonqar i think

Yes, because GRRM always does what is obvious. Jaime's weirwood dream does not foreshadow his being the valonqar. He only has one hand which he can use to wrap around a neck and squeeze. The prophecy says "the valonqar", not "your valonqar". It's not a sure thing.

[TheHouseHB]

Brienne and I think her death will cause Jaime to revert back to his old ways for a short while. A slight relapse for Jaime before he sides with Jon.

[trthie]

The fact that everyone assumes one or both will die, makes me think neither will. Why would GRRM play into peoples banal expectations by writing the most predictable outcome? I hope something original and unexpected happens instead.

I hope neither dies as well. Jaime and Brienne's story are the ones I'm most looking forward to in TWOW.

[barmyscouser]

The following are undead sock-puppets of Thoros.

Beric after the Battle at the Mummer's Ford.

Lady Stonehart.

Brienne after being hung, but before leading Jamie to his death.

Jamie if we ever see him again.

So I vote both.

[jaimecersei]

I doubt GRRM will kill Brienne off for the sake of Jaime’s redemption arc. If he truly wants to subvert clichés and tired tropes (as he has claimed!), why would he resort to the hackneyed ‘women in refrigerators’ trick? It’s a bad plot device. I’ve seen enough of the hero (or anti-hero) losing a woman he cares about and that motivating him to become a better person.

Anyways, I really don’t see Brienne dying before Jaime, seeing as GRRM has foreshadowed otherwise:

Also, this is what GRRM said about Brienne’s journey at the Season 4 Premiere of Game of Thrones. This should settle the debate regarding Brienne’s imminent demise, at least for any reasonable person.

Yes, because GRRM always does what is obvious. Jaime's weirwood dream does not foreshadow his being the valonqar. He only has one hand which he can use to wrap around a neck and squeeze. The prophecy says "the valonqar", not "your valonqar". It's not a sure thing.

the maggy the frog prophecy is supposed to be all about self-destruction. while jaime being the valonqar maybe obvious to readers, its not obvious to cersei...the thought has never even occured to her. that is why i think its jaime.

[sapphire_lion]

The following are undead sock-puppets of Thoros.

Beric after the Battle at the Mummer's Ford.

Lady Stonehart.

Brienne after being hung, but before leading Jamie to his death.

Jamie if we ever see him again.

So I vote both.

I’m not sure if you’re being serious or not, but I’ll address this stance since I’ve seen enough people suggest it in the past.

GRRM said that, “Brienne had made the decision to swear her sword to Stoneheart in order to save the innocent Podrick Payne from the noose.”

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/67929-twow-spoilers-miscon-reading-two-winds-of-winter-chapters/

IMO, this statement implies that Pod was saved, seeing as Brienne gave her sword to LS in exchange for Pod’s life.

If Pod is still alive, then it’s likely that Brienne is too as she was hanged for less time.

In addition, Brienne being undead would remove the drama from her oncoming interaction with Jaime. It would be an odd choice.

Lastly, GRRM can’t have Brienne go on a moral journey that will test her ideals if she is undead. She wouldn't be the same person and the whole thing would be pointless.

the maggy the frog prophecy is supposed to be all about self-destruction. while jaime being the valonqar maybe obvious to readers, its not obvious to cersei...the thought has never even occured to her. that is why i think its jaime.

Cersei can self-destruct without Jaime’s help.

Jaime might be the valonqar. But it’s not a done deal. There are discrepancies in the books that hint that it might not be him, such as no foreshadowing his prophetic dream and his having only one choking hand when the prophecy called for two.

Cersei thinks the valonqar is Tyrion and the YMBQ is Margaery.

The reader is meant to think the valonqar is Jaime and the YMBQ is Dany.

The outcome may be something that neither party sees coming.

[nanoute]

For being someone who thinks Brienne's pov was just filler, you sure talk an awful lot about her. Maybe you might want to consider occupying your time talking about characters you ACTUALLY like, no?

I disagree anyway. And I don't believe grrm gave her that many chapters for "filler" either. He must have something in mind, obviously.

thank you for " protecting " Brienne's character ! she is not boring or useless , i think G rr martin has something in mind and she is so linked to Jaime , and there are so many parallels like you said ;

[The Black Kraken]

Most likeyly Brienne, I hope Jamie lives

[Red Wedding Cake]

How about a reanimated Jaime sent to kill Cersei and Tommen? UnCat cares more about killing Lannisters, Freys, and Boltons than she does finding her children, and it gives new meaning to" a Lannister always pays their debts" as well as Jaime's title of Kingslayer. UnCat has done remarkably little for a major character that was unceremoniously killed and reanimated, and death of the Lannisters would be a suitable development.

[Knight of the fallen]

Probably Brienne. I doubt Jaime's story will be over without him sticking the final nails in Cersei's coffin

[laguna80]

I really think George is setting us up BIG TIME with this whole redemption arc b.s. I don't know when Jaime or Brienne is going to die (I actually hope they both live), but I get the feeling that it's going to happen.

[Light a wight tonight]

meh brienne's pov chapters in affc were mostly filler imo. her chapters is one of the reasons why affc is the weaker book in the series. GRRM goes way too far when it comes to worldbuilding imo

i do think that jaime has more plot armor than brienne

Brienne's POVs give us an eyewitness view of an area that has no major-major characters in it. We see Gendry at the inn, we see (probably) Sandor on the Quiet Isle, we see how Randyll Tarly operates at Maidenpool, we run across the Mad Mouse, who will be important soon. Not so much filler as blanks getting filled in. Crows is actually a pretty good book, just lacking in as much excitement as earlier ones.

[SecondTridentBattle]

Jamie would live..

[Tall Tyrion Lannister!]

I'd say that if one where to die it'd be Brienne, but i don't think it's a forgone conclusion that either are going to die. I think the only one who for sure doesn't make it out of the confrontation would be Lady Stoneheart.

[complexphoenix]

The fact that they both look so doomed makes me think that they are going to live, although I'm pretty sure we are looking at a "transition moment" for both of them, and nothing will be the same after. They may not die, but a major sacrifice or loss is almost surely in the offing, knowing GRRM.

[Lady Blizzardborn]

Both by the end of the final book. Not sure which one will go first though.

[IRON BANK]

Brienne will probably let Jaime kill her in one on one combat considering the last word she yelled was sword. With Jaime story arc going the way it has he will then finish the task he swore to lady LS personally not wanting to forsake any more vows like he did while being younger. This will bring Jaime story arc full circle and also lead him to interesting places.

[RoamingRonin]

Jaime.

Brienne will most likely survive. She fits the "best 'man' for the job" theme. Hopefully she survives and helps train the next generation of knights. But she will probably die.

[Nictarion]

Honestly I have no idea how Jaime is going to get out of his current predicament with LS. I can't see him dying yet either though, so it's actually one of the things im looking most forward to in WoW.

If I had to pick one not to survive the encounter, Brienne. Maybe she sacrifices herself to save Jaime somehow. Jaime has his Cersei/valonqar (yes I think it's Jaime) storyline to finish out.