Characters to Return (spoilers)

[ckal]

This may contain some spoilers for those who have not completed the book yet.

I know many more will die in future books, but let's just stick to the ones who die/disappear in AGOT. If anyone has any spoilers or info pertaining to these characters in future books, please do not share it here.

GRRM is known by many to be someone who kills off a lot of characters. As far as I know, he hasn't actually brought any characters back yet in the books after AGOT, but what if he were to surprise some people and switch it up for the last couple books of the series? It is obviously tough for characters like Ned Stark to come back =P but there are others who have a chance. And for characters who return, do you think they will play any kind of significant role?

Not likely or won't happen:

Ned Stark

Robert Baratheon

Khal Drogo

Viserys Targaryen

Likely/Possibility:

Syrio Forel

Benjen Stark

I have this feeling that I am missing a character or two, but what about characters that didn't even actually appear in the book, but may have only been mentioned or seen in flashbacks? Someone like Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning is seemingly dead, but due to the whole vagueness of the Tower of Joy flashback, who really knows?

Due to the whole fantasy/magical nature of the series, is it really that impossible for Khal Drogo to make a return? I haven't finished reading AGOT, only about 140 pages to go, so I haven't read Khal Drogo's death in the book and what I know about it is from the HBO series. His death seemed shrouded around rituals and magic, and there has been many mentions of magic in Essos. What is Khal Drogo were to be reincarnated or revived through some kind of sorcery?

Ned Stark, Robert Baratheon, and Viserys Targaryen all obviously won't come back, and they really shouldn't. Their roles and purposes in the series have concluded.

Now here are the interesting two. I'm sure this has already been talked to death and I know GRRM has even spoken in regards to these two, but I'd like to hear your opinions. Syrio Forel is not confirmed dead as far as I know, and Benjen Stark is not either, although everyone seems to believe he is. If either of these two were to return, do you think they would play a major role or be important in any way? It seems like GRRM has set up Benjen so that he will make a triumphant bad ass return in some way shape or form, and Syrio Forel could pop up somewhere randomly.

Are there any other characters I've missed from AGOT? Minor or major? Any characters mentioned in flashbacks or spoke of that could make an appearance? Do you actually think it would be a good idea and something you would like for GRRM to bring any characters back?

[Crown]

Benjen Stark HAS to return, for closure.

[ckal]

I agree. It seems fitting he would make his return in the book entitled "The Winds of Winter" or even "A Dream of Spring".

I wonder if he will be pivotal in events beyond the wall.

[your grace]

bringing back dead characters cheapens any and all deaths in the story. if you take away the forever-ness of death, then it means nothing when someone dies. they could just come back in the next book.

storm of swords spoiler:

Spoiler

except for dondarrion, obviously. he was never killed off by martin like ned or robert. his death/revival makes him badass, shows there is some legitimacy in the god of light or at least powers associated with fire, and legitimizes the opposing rumors that he is dead or alive. it would have been kind of cheap to have him show up and be like nah someone that looked like me died.

that being said, i would be okay with ned's 'spirit' or 'soul' coming back. maybe he comes back as a direwolf, fights alongside nymeria and co, and maybe bran and/or other starks interact with him through skin changing?

drogo should stay dead, he served his purpose. dany went from frail little girl afraid of drogo to a khaleesi ready to take on anything in part because of her relationship with him. also, i want dany to end up with jon in the end.

i dont think robert was ever meant to be a part of the story, only a part of the history and obviously making the bastards.

viserys is a little bitch. if any of the characters we know to be dead in GoT should come back, it should be him. I/we wanted him dead, so it wouldnt be "cheap" to bring him back like it would with ned.

as far as syrio and benjen, ive just assumed arya and syrio would be reunited. benjen can't not be significant to the story. if he wasnt gonna play a part martin could have just made him a friend of the starks or something.

[Bib Fortuna]

Syrio and Benjen fall under the "if you don't see their body, they're probably not dead" category. I remain optimistic that both of them are alive, but it's still unlikely.

[bede]

I agree with the poster who mentioned that, generally speaking, bringing back characters seemingly in limbo cheapens the deaths of other characters. Syrio was last seen battling a KG with a broken wooden sword. I doubt he survives that ordeal. Benjen is seemingly lost beyond the Wall. The other rangers in his party came back as wights. Both characters fates were left in ominous limbos. Odds are they did not survive IMO.

[your grace]

I agree with the poster who mentioned that, generally speaking, bringing back characters seemingly in limbo cheapens the deaths of other characters. Syrio was last seen battling a KG with a broken wooden sword. I doubt he survives that ordeal. Benjen is seemingly lost beyond the Wall. The other rangers in his party came back as wights. Both characters fates were left in ominous limbos. Odds are they did not survive IMO.

i think you misunderstood my point. people like ned, viserys, drogo, etc. were killed off by grrm. they shouldnt return unless its ned's spirit communicating with his kids and nephew. people like benjen and syrio really should be alive. stringing us along just to say oh yea those guys died two books ago would be a shock, but one that is beneath grrm. if they arent going to make another appearance you really need to just kill them and move on. also if benjen really is dead theres no point in making him a stark. make him someone close to the starks but dont give him the name.

just had a thought about benjen. he must have left for the wall just before jon did. he could have talked to ned about jon before he left. ned had been asked to accompany robert to KL already, so he could have made the decision to let jon go while benjen was there. then when jon does get there (im assuming shortly after benjen returned), uncle ben is gone. this, along with other theories i've seen here lead me to believe that ben is up to some shady business on the other side of the wall. benjen could know about jons parents, skin changing, bael the bard, etc. and he could be 'protecting' jon from all this truthiness he wasnt ready to hear. if that were the case, its possible only aemon and mormont knew what he was up to, which could be big later in the series.

[bede]

Okay, I think I understand your point better now. And I do agree that characters explicitly killed off should not come back unless in spirit or flashback form. The only problem I have with this idea, generally speaking, is when an author uses this as a deus ex machina. Comes across as sort of gimmicky. I don't necessarily belive that Syrio and Benjen SHOULD be alive. On one hand, it would be good to get closure on the fates of these two characters, who are seemingly in limbo the way the events have transpired in the books. Elseways, it can be vexing to the reader who may feel he/she is being strung along. However, it kind of fits within the sphere of harsh realism of the fantasy world GRRM has created (as well as give the author the option to reintroduce these characters later on the series) in ASOIAF, if that makes any sense?

I am not sure I follow your point about Benjen? IIRC, Jon left Winterfell for Castle Black with Benjen, Tyrion, and company. I have little doubt that both Stark brothers talked about Jon whilst the King was in Winterfell, but since it occurred offpage, it would be too speculative to pinpoint exactly what was said and whether or not it portends to something big later in the series. It very well may be shady business, as some of the theories you've alluded to are doubtless quite intriguing.

One thing I find really interesting is Mance Rayder's admission to Jon that he was present at the feast at the Great Hall in Winterfell that transpires early in AGOT. Perchance he had hidden agenda there? And did it involve Benjen? It makes me speculate whether Mance and Benjen had contact, which is possible due to Benjen being First Ranger and spending long periods of time beyond the Wall as well as Mance's status as a former Black Brother, and what the nature of their relationship (if there even was one) was?

I still think that seemingly, both Syrio and Benjen were left with slim odds of survival, but I have not closed the door on the unexpected pushing through.

[your grace]

Maybe you're right about Benjen going north with them, for some reason I was thinking Jon never saw him after the feast. And whoa you just blew my mind. That little detail makes me certain Benjen was up to something.

[Lord Elrosir]

About Syrio and Benjen:

I'd bet my claim to the throne that Benjen shows up in the last quarter of TWOW or early ADOS.

Syrio is dead. GRRM pretty much confirmed it in an interview.

[bede]

Maybe you're right about Benjen going north with them, for some reason I was thinking Jon never saw him after the feast. And whoa you just blew my mind. That little detail makes me certain Benjen was up to something.

It is speculative for sure. But there are interesting theories regarding Benjen's fate floating around here and/or the internet. Spoilers abound, so be warned. :)

[bede]

About Syrio and Benjen:

I'd bet my claim to the throne that Benjen shows up in the last quarter of TWOW or early ADOS.

Syrio is dead. GRRM pretty much confirmed it in an interview.

Yeah, I recall reading something where GRRM mentioned that. I always imagined that if one of those characters shows up, it will be Benjen.

might be he already has **cough**coldhands**cough**

[Theon Rules!]

I posted this elsewhere here, I think, but I'll post it again because it's relevant.

Reading book 1, it appears like one of the major mysteries in the series is going to be the truth behind Jon's parents. We are going to find out eventually you would think, and since Ned is dead, who are we going to find out from?

That would be where I think Benjen is going to come in. I don't think Ned told too many people the truth about Jon, but it would make logical sense for the one person for him to confide in to be his brother. I can picture Jon ranging beyond the wall, finding Benjen near death or something, and then finally learning the truth about who he really is.

[Sphinx The Riddle]

who are we going to find out from?

Bran will more then likely be the one to reveal this mystery when he is watching the past like a old tv show from a weirwood tree

[Penny and Dime]

The way I see it, Benjen is most certain to return at some point in the future. I don't think he would be such a mentioned and important character throughout the book if his fate didn't come to a foreclosure somehow (good or bad). And that leads me to think we might get to see what happened to him BUT we still might find him done for good :dunce:.

That would be the end of my little party. I really think he has a major role to play in the future of the story, most likely in the last book.

And well, I've got my hopes up.

As for Syrio...(even with GRRM saying he's dead) well, there are some theories floating around. We didn't really see his "ending" and that leaves an opening for that.

I