Very important character [Potential Winds of Winter Spoilers]

[King Tommen]

Based on the criteria given (that it's a character that is still alive but appears to be written out after ACoK) and the fact that the Battle of Blackwater could really have used a death of an important character to give it more importance (a failing of the book IMO), I think it would have to be Bronn.

If he was going to be taken away from Tyrion's side, it would have been far more dramatic to have him die during the battle (either protecting Tyrion from the Kingsguard attack or perhaps being taken out by the Hound after the verbal joust they had at the beginning of the episode) than simply for him to be banished not to be seen for another 4-5 seasons.

If he does become important later on, I would think the show will find some way to still get him back into the show over the next few seasons.

[freetickles]

Based on the criteria given (that it's a character that is still alive but appears to be written out after ACoK) and the fact that the Battle of Blackwater could really have used a death of an important character to give it more importance (a failing of the book IMO), I think it would have to be Bronn.

If he was going to be taken away from Tyrion's side, it would have been far more dramatic to have him die during the battle (either protecting Tyrion from the Kingsguard attack or perhaps being taken out by the Hound after the verbal joust they had at the beginning of the episode) than simply for him to be banished not to be seen for another 4-5 seasons.

If he does become important later on, I would think the show will find some way to still get him back into the show over the next few seasons.

I'm on board with this. His importance going forward is only to show he doesn't back Tyrion during the trial, but Shae can play that role.

Lancel doesn't work as well because we know he plays a role in Cersei's situation in AFFC.

[Manc Rayder]

Another possibility that no one's mentioned: Loras

He's severely injured off-screen and on the brink of death in the books and doesn't really do anything important after the Battle of Blackwater. So D&D may have wanted to kill him off (perhaps by shadow baby or in its aftermath?) because an off-screen report of his demise wouldn't be very satisfying and filming the siege of Dragonstone just for one minor character is never going to happen.

But if you re-read the chapters about Loras his demise seems very suspicious (there's a thread about it somewhere) and it doesn't quite add up he may not be really injured but planning something. Plus, he actually has the resources to do something major, last seen being put in charge of the Tyrell army and fleet at Dragonstone.

[King Tommen]

Another possibility that no one's mentioned: Loras

He's severely injured off-screen and on the brink of death in the books and doesn't really do anything important after the Battle of Blackwater. So D&D may have wanted to kill him off (perhaps by shadow baby or in its aftermath?) because an off-screen report of his demise wouldn't be very satisfying and filming the siege of Dragonstone just for one minor character is never going to happen.

But if you re-read the chapters about Loras his demise seems very suspicious (there's a thread about it somewhere) and it doesn't quite add up he may not be really injured but planning something. Plus, he actually has the resources to do something major, last seen being put in charge of the Tyrell army and fleet at Dragonstone.

I think the show needed Loras for S3 especially though, for the whole Tyrell plot in King's Landing to work. It seems pretty clear that he's going to be the one that the Queen of Thorns sets up to marry Sansa and this fits in well with the economy of characters strategy the show uses so that they don't have to introduce a brand new Tyrell brother for Sansa to marry, when they've already got one that the audience is familiar with and that has been established as someone who Sansa has a crush on. There is also the whole thing about him being named to the Kingsguard (something I think they'll still do but only after the Sansa wedding plot is foiled) and becoming a role model for Tommen which infuriates Cersei. I doubt they'd be ditching all those developments.

Also not sure at what point in S2 they would have been planning to off him. He's not involved in the Battle of Blackwater outside of charging in with Tywin right at the end. The only other opportunity would have been to have Brienne kill him defending herself after he thinks she kills Renly in the tent, which probably wouldn't have been necessary.

You need to find a character that doesn't die in the books but essentially seems to be written out of the story after ACoK. The only one I can think of that fits is Bronn.

[polarbear]

they cant be talking about a character that can be easily substituted by some new character. In a future season Mago can be replaced by his twin brother Nago, just like Rakharo and Irri (still alive in the books) will have their roles taken over by Kovarro and some new handmaid.

[J. Stargaryen]

they cant be talking about a character that can be easily substituted by some new character. In a future season Mago can be replaced by his twin brother Nago, just like Rakharo and Irri (still alive in the books) will have their roles taken over by Kovarro and some new handmaid.

It's been mentioned a few times already that the OP is mistakenly thinking of the Mago situation from season 1. He/She has claimed otherwise, saying there is a video on youtube, but has yet to produce said video.

As a skeptic, it's interesting to me how so many people have completely ignored evidence that casts doubt on the accuracy of the OP, and continued guessing.

[Brienne Of Bombay]

My guess would be Bronn..

[J. Stargaryen]

Lol.

[King Brandon Ice Eyes]

The OP sounds suspiciously like the season 1 situation where TV Drogo killed off Mago against GRRM's advice, because Mago still has something important to do in the books.

Yeah, GRRM likes to remind us of that but I don't get it. They can put any other Dothraki in the role of Mago for now on and problem solved. Hell, they replaced Vargo Hoat, introduced Roose Bolton (who still isn't in Harrenhal) in the second season like he was always there and GreatJon is out of the series thanks to Real Life Writes Plot. Who cares about the Dothraki?

[Arkash]

I dont think it would be a major character ! The showrunners wouldnt want to kill someone like Loras, Davos, Bronn like that.

We have to search in minor characters the same scale as Doreah, Rakharo...

The only "major" character that may work would be Lancel.

[Baratheon3508]

I think the show needed Loras for S3 especially though, for the whole Tyrell plot in King's Landing to work. It seems pretty clear that he's going to be the one that the Queen of Thorns sets up to marry Sansa and this fits in well with the economy of characters strategy the show uses so that they don't have to introduce a brand new Tyrell brother for Sansa to marry, when they've already got one that the audience is familiar with and that has been established as someone who Sansa has a crush on. There is also the whole thing about him being named to the Kingsguard (something I think they'll still do but only after the Sansa wedding plot is foiled) and becoming a role model for Tommen which infuriates Cersei. I doubt they'd be ditching all those developments.

Also not sure at what point in S2 they would have been planning to off him. He's not involved in the Battle of Blackwater outside of charging in with Tywin right at the end. The only other opportunity would have been to have Brienne kill him defending herself after he thinks she kills Renly in the tent, which probably wouldn't have been necessary.

You need to find a character that doesn't die in the books but essentially seems to be written out of the story after ACoK. The only one I can think of that fits is Bronn.

I was thinking Loras too. Supposedly is already irrelevant, but may make a big comeback after not dying at Dragonstone

But then again they do flesh him out in the show compared to the book, so maybe it wasn't him

Agree that it could be Loras that Sansa will be asked to marry, I thought it was interesting that they ignored Loras asking to join the Kingsguard at the end of Season 2. I hope they do put him on the Kingsguard though, some of the interactions between him and Jaime are amusing

[J. Stargaryen]

Yeah, GRRM likes to remind us of that but I don't get it. They can put any other Dothraki in the role of Mago for now on and problem solved. Hell, they replaced Vargo Hoat, introduced Roose Bolton (who still isn't in Harrenhal) in the second season like he was always there and GreatJon is out of the series thanks to Real Life Writes Plot. Who cares about the Dothraki?

GRRM created these characters, so he sees a bigger distinction between Mago and some random Dothraki than D&D or the audience.

BTW, the OP is our only source that this character was 'very important', but he/she hasn't provided any sources to substantiate this claim, so I wouldn't get hung up on that point.

[freetickles]

As a skeptic, it's interesting to me how so many people have completely ignored evidence that casts doubt on the accuracy of the OP, and continued guessing.

I think we're just treating it as a fun hypothetical, whether or not it relates to anything GRRM actually said.

[King in the North Carolina]

He's not due to be seen til Season 6(?) onwards, and thats a good few years for the person who played Theon to grow up, it's unlikely he'll look exactly the same in 5 years from now. Also, if they kept him on without mentions, people would wonder what happened.

I think it's safe to assume we'll be seeing Theon this season.

[CKPS63]

Xaro is dead. His role in aDwD isn't worth saving him for.

Right. But wasn't the OP referring to a role that the relevant character will play in WoW? I agree that Xaro's action in ADwD is unimpressive, but we know nothing about what he (or any of the charcters, really) are going to do in the next book that might be critical. For this reason, I don;t think it's any of the characters we already KNOW will do important things in books 3-5 (like Davos, for example). Lancel is a good bet, and even Xaro makes some sense.

[CKPS63]

Another possibility that no one's mentioned: Loras

He's severely injured off-screen and on the brink of death in the books and doesn't really do anything important after the Battle of Blackwater. So D&D may have wanted to kill him off (perhaps by shadow baby or in its aftermath?) because an off-screen report of his demise wouldn't be very satisfying and filming the siege of Dragonstone just for one minor character is never going to happen.

But if you re-read the chapters about Loras his demise seems very suspicious (there's a thread about it somewhere) and it doesn't quite add up he may not be really injured but planning something. Plus, he actually has the resources to do something major, last seen being put in charge of the Tyrell army and fleet at Dragonstone.

I thought of Loras, too. His arc in books 3-5 is pretty pedestrian and would have been easy to cut. But there's clearly something going on with him towards the tail end of ADWD.

[freetickles]

Right. But wasn't the OP referring to a role that the relevant character will play in WoW? I agree that Xaro's action in ADwD is unimpressive, but we know nothing about what he (or any of the charcters, really) are going to do in the next book that might be critical. For this reason, I don;t think it's any of the characters we already KNOW will do important things in books 3-5 (like Davos, for example). Lancel is a good bet, and even Xaro makes some sense.

I meant that I think Xaro is truly dead on the show.

[King in the North Carolina]

I think we're just treating it as a fun hypothetical, whether or not it relates to anything GRRM actually said.

Agreed. It may well be a misconstrued reference to Mago, but that's not really the point anymore. It's just an interesting question on which to speculate.

[StarkRedrum]

Ummm...I remember reading this article, and think GRRM made it sound like they did kill the character in the show?

I understood it as Xaro Xhoan Daxos. Correct me if I'm wrong, I have a shit memory.

[King Tommen]

From now on, when we're speculating on something that Martin (or anyone else involved with the show) has said, can we include the sourcing? Pretty much every word uttered by Martin in an interview is available online (whether in print or in video form). I hate talking about something that I haven't heard the original words about. It's very easy for a third party to confuse or misinterpret the meaning and/or context of something they heard (and a lot of times it's not even firsthand, it's just something they have heard another fan say at one time).

I can't recall Martin saying anything like this when referring to Season 2 so until someone can actually come up with the spot where he did say it, I'm going to consider this simply a bad game of telephone.