Game of Thrones has been running for seven seasons, with a colossal total character casualty of 174,373. This seems to be in line with the second season’s High Valkyrian motto “Valar Morghulis”, which roughly translates to “All men must die.”
The inhabitants of Game of Thrones’ fictional land of Westeros are always threatened by death. Not even intelligence or high status can protect the characters from death by fire, water, poison, sword, arrow or even wild animals.
However, a new study by researchers from Macquarie University in Australia found the most lethal thing in Westeros: loyalty.
By evaluating the deaths of all important GoT characters, researchers found that switching allegiances enhance the chance of survival for the characters, reported dpa International. Tyrion Lannister, who switches between the houses Lannister and Targaryen, has been doing it right.
Read also: Ice meets fire in ‘Game of Thrones’ final season teaser
The study also found head and neck wounds are the most common causes of death in Game of Thrones, with 13 decapitations. Maester Aemon and Old Nan are the only two characters so far to have died of natural causes.
Burns come next with 11.8 percent, followed by poisonings (4.8 percent). Meanwhile, assault is the most common death circumstance (63.0 percent), with operations of war (24.4 percent) and legal executions (5.4 percent) right after.
“These statistics may help us to speculate about who will prevail in the final season,” Australian Institute of Health Innovation’s injury epidemiologist and the study’s author Reidar Lystad said.
Game of Thrones will return with its eighth season in April next year. (iru/kes)
