What will happen to Brienne?

[The Bard of Banefort]

Of all the POV characters, Brienne is the one whose future I’m most unsure of. She essentially did nothing on the show for the last four seasons, and last we saw her in the books, she was caught in the middle of one of Lady Stoneheart’s plots. Will Brienne survive TWOW? 

[Lord Lannister]

She seems likely for a heroic sacrifice sadly. She's in a bad spot caught between Jaime and Stoneheart right now. She would be the most literal and fitting Nissa Nissa connection if you spun the prophecy to say Jaime was AAR, not that I'm sure about that even with all the golden hand references. 

So if she survives her encounter with Stoneheart, if she survives the (presumed)downfall of the Lannisters with her connections to them now, where she goes is largely a question mark. She could just declare she's the sworn sword of whoever sits the Iron Throne, I guess. For someone who really seems to mean everything they say about honor and loyalty she has jumped from camp to camp quite readily in all of this. Not a stretch to say she just bends the knee to (f)Aegon or Dany before it's said and done. 

[Nevets]

I expect her to survive Lady Stoneheart.  If not, it makes most of her AFFC story essentially pointless, as it is mostly character buildup. 

Given her expressed loyalty to the Starks, her current interest in Sansa, and being accompanied by Podrick, who knows Sansa from his time with Tyrion, I expect her to be protector/mentor to one or both Stark girls.  Sansa is a logical choice, and Arya might be quite fascinated with the idea of a lady knight. 

I have a suspicion Jaime may die sooner rather than later.  But I expect Brienne to survive at least to the end of TWOW.  Whether she makes it into the next book is an open question. 

I also expect her to be an example of a "true knight", and end up having to resolve conflicts involving oaths and doing the right thing.  GRRM isn't through with her yet. 

[Apoplexy]

I am pretty sure Brienne survives TWOW. Only because I think her character arc is nowhere near completion. Brienne starts off as someone who is ridiculed and mocked for being different and I think her story would end with her being at least somewhat recognized for her skills. Her being knighted is a distinct possibility. (Whether other men accept a female knight is another issue) I also think that Brienne eventually either gets married or has a child/children towards the end of the books if she survives. She seems to want a family and a domestic life but her betrothals have led her to believe that that is something she cannot have.

If she dies in the LS encounter, all that time spent fleshing out her character would just be wasted.

[The Bard of Banefort]

I liked Brienne’s AFFC chapters, but I don’t know if there was really much of an arc there. Most of what Brienne experienced were things she already had knowledge of—smallfolk suffering, broken men, etc. The only real “breakthrough” she comes to is that she needs to find Sansa because she can’t bear to let Jaime down. Which then begs the question of whether Brienne has her own story to tell, or if she is a supporting actor in Jaime’s story, the way I’d argue that Barristan and Sam still are for Dany and Jon.

[Apoplexy]

I feel Brienne has her own story to tell. She is a more interesting character (IMO) than Sam or Barristan. She could be the first female knight/battle commander. Barristan and Sam feel like more like supporting characters, Brienne like the underdog protagonist.

[EggBlue]

I think she'll survive Stoneheart(maybe even kill her) and end her story properly but I'm not convinced that she'll survive the winds of winter... whatever she's about to do will be in the winds.  

[Apoplexy]

In Jaime's dream, he and Brienne are fighting with flaming swords. I think those swords are widow's wail and oathkeeper. Since Jaime does not have widow's wail right now, I think both of them will survive LS. (It is possible the dream was about them fighting LS, I just think that's unlikely) As for Brienne, I can see her staying in Sansa's service at the end, or even going back to Tarth and getting married. I am getting a feeling she survives.

[Egged]

She is at risk of becoming “the Hound”. Could be that as she seeks to “become a knight” she just ends up becoming what the Hound had become. Her disfigurement is a hint of it. Will she start wearing a helmet to hide her face? Will she pick up the Hound’s helmet?

I think this is the risk that lies ahead of her. But ultimately I think she is going after Stannis. Kill him with Oathkeeper.

 

Quote

"No, but you have courage. Not battle courage perhaps but . . . I don't know . . . a kind of woman's courage. And I think, when the time comes, you will not try and hold me back. Promise me that. That you will not hold me back from Stannis."

 

Catelyn could still hear Stannis saying that Robb's turn too would come in time. It was like a cold breath on the back of her neck. "When the time comes, I will not hold you back."

Sadly Cat did not promise.

[Apoplexy]

7 hours ago, Egged said:

She is at risk of becoming “the Hound”. Could be that as she seeks to “become a knight” she just ends up becoming what the Hound had become. Her disfigurement is a hint of it. Will she start wearing a helmet to hide her face? Will she pick up the Hound’s helmet?

This would be a little disappointing. I would hope that towards the end Brienne is judged by more than her looks.

7 hours ago, Egged said:

But ultimately I think she is going after Stannis. Kill him with Oathkeeper.

I would hope she does. Otherwise her story would feel anticlimactic, she wants to find Sansa but doesn't, wants to kill Stannis, but doesn't. Unless it is addressed why she lets go of her desire to kill Stannis.

[Lord Lannister]

8 hours ago, Egged said:

She is at risk of becoming “the Hound”. Could be that as she seeks to “become a knight” she just ends up becoming what the Hound had become. Her disfigurement is a hint of it. Will she start wearing a helmet to hide her face? Will she pick up the Hound’s helmet?

That's an interesting parallel that I didn't consider before. Honestly I just can't see Brienne becoming that jaded though. Sandor's grudge against knights was due to the brutish actions of his "true knight" brother. Brienne would seem to hold a grudge against criminals like Biter and perhaps the Brotherhood. If Brienne ends up "falling" I see it paralleling Jaime's slaying of Aerys. Having to break her oath to do what is right, which would seem to be coming into play with their confrontation with Stoneheart. Not to mention Jaime's line, the things we do for love.

[Apoplexy]

2 hours ago, Lord Lannister said:

If Brienne ends up "falling" I see it paralleling Jaime's slaying of Aerys. Having to break her oath to do what is right, which would seem to be coming into play with their confrontation with Stoneheart. Not to mention Jaime's line, the things we do for love.

Do you see Brienne being remembered as someone who supposedly killed Renly and also Catelyn Stark/LS, people she was supposed to protect or do you think she will be remembered in a positive light? Jaime has already mentioned her in the white book, so I think she will be remembered in history and not just be a forgotten character.

[Lord Lannister]

8 hours ago, Apoplexy said:

Do you see Brienne being remembered as someone who supposedly killed Renly and also Catelyn Stark/LS, people she was supposed to protect or do you think she will be remembered in a positive light? Jaime has already mentioned her in the white book, so I think she will be remembered in history and not just be a forgotten character.

It's possible she won't be, and that definitely would be another parallel to Jaime. Potentially killing the monster that is Stoneheart could have her reviled as an oath breaker easily enough. The suspicions of her involvement in Renly's death, her serving the Starks and now seemingly serving the Lannisters, she appears to jump from side to side easily enough, another point against her in the public eye.

But justice is short in supply in Westeros.

[Curled Finger]

Easily 6 times a year Brienne becomes my favorite character.  I read this story for a very different reason than most as the politics while interesting are exhausting.  There is a battle coming.  Life itself from humans depends on characters and weapons being in the right place at the right time to fight.  Swords are appearing and characters are drawing together and moving north.  Being the recipient of 1 of only 15 named Valyrian Swords in story, Brienne's ultimate destiny is to participate as a fighter with Oathkeeper in this end all beat all battle.   Of all the characters in this tale, Brienne really is the oath keeper.  She'll be around to the end of this story.  

[Wisconsin]

George believes in redemption because it creates drama.  Brienne is the means by which Jaime will earn some measure of redemption.  We will see this moment through her eyes.  I said some measure.  Jaime will never be a good person but he might do something useful to stop Cersei's rule. 

[LynnS]

13 hours ago, Curled Finger said:

Easily 6 times a year Brienne becomes my favorite character.  I read this story for a very different reason than most as the politics while interesting are exhausting.  There is a battle coming.  Life itself from humans depends on characters and weapons being in the right place at the right time to fight.  Swords are appearing and characters are drawing together and moving north.  Being the recipient of 1 of only 15 named Valyrian Swords in story, Brienne's ultimate destiny is to participate as a fighter with Oathkeeper in this end all beat all battle.   Of all the characters in this tale, Brienne really is the oath keeper.  She'll be around to the end of this story.  

I would love it if she is the one who writes down Jaime's deeds in the White Book.

[Frey family reunion]

Of course she survives, she has to be around to vote Bran in as King of everything.  

[Apoplexy]

On 1/17/2022 at 8:02 PM, Curled Finger said:

Easily 6 times a year Brienne becomes my favorite character.  I read this story for a very different reason than most as the politics while interesting are exhausting.  There is a battle coming.  Life itself from humans depends on characters and weapons being in the right place at the right time to fight.  Swords are appearing and characters are drawing together and moving north.  Being the recipient of 1 of only 15 named Valyrian Swords in story, Brienne's ultimate destiny is to participate as a fighter with Oathkeeper in this end all beat all battle.   Of all the characters in this tale, Brienne really is the oath keeper.  She'll be around to the end of this story.  

Brienne happens to be my favorite character of the series too  

And the fact that Brienne has a sword that was forged from Ice, the Stark ancestral sword, makes me think she has a significant role to play in the story.

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

On 1/18/2022 at 4:37 AM, Wisconsin said:

George believes in redemption because it creates drama.  Brienne is the means by which Jaime will earn some measure of redemption. 

One can argue that he already has earned redemption, though. 

[Chancho]

Jaime will die later on the last book and brienne will survive carrying a child.