Jon Snow was stabbed by the men of the Night's Watch and left for dead at the end of season five. Photo / HBO
Game of Thrones is renowned for its cut-throat cast eliminations with death a constant presence from the show's beginning.
But dying a horrible death in the HBO fantasy series may have led to some actors landing killer roles after their time on the series.
For others the spotlight of GOT was just too much. Here's what happened to 14 of your favourite characters after Game of Thrones.
It was Brienne of Tarth that swung the sword that killed Stannis Baratheon, played by Stephen Dillane in Season Five. But Dillane's work on the small screen is far from over, with the actor already working on series two of The Tunnel.
The legendary knight and trusted advisor to Daenerys, Ser Barristan Selmy, played by Ian McElhinney went down fighting after a gang of insurgents overwhelmed him in the city of Meereen. The actor whose career spans three decades is now working on film, A Patch of Fog alongside fellow GoT star Conleth Hill.
Sean Bean is renowned for his on screen deaths in big time hits. In Lord Of the Rings he was skewered by arrows. He was shot in the face in Equilibrium and of course as Ned Stark in season one of GoT where he was beheaded under the vicious order of King Joffrey Baratheon. The star packed his bags early in the TV series to star in TV drama, Missing.
One of the most controversial scenes in the series, Princess Shureen, the daughter of Stannis Baratheon played, by Kerry Ingram, is sacrificed to the Lord of Light as she is tied to a pyre and burned alive. The actress has since starred in an eight-part docudrama on the rise and fall of the Roman Empire in Barbarians Rising.
The unpopular and psychotic King Joffrey Baratheon, played by Jack Gleeson, collapsed to his death during the Purple Wedding in season four, creating a stir of speculation as to who poisoned him. Gleeson later told The Irish Independent that he has decided to retire from acting following the death of his character.
The ruler of the Seven kingdoms, Robert Baratheon, played by Mark Addy died in season one after getting drunk on extra helpings of wine served to him by Lancel Lannister and attempting to hunt on a wild boar on his own. The King failed to dodge the boar's attack and was fatally stabbed by it's tusk. Addy, otherwise known for his role in The Knight's Tale has since starred in BBC series Atlantis and TV drama Remember Me.
The Dornish Prince Oberyn Martell, played by Pedro Pascal, was brutally killed in combat with The Mountain, when he served as Tyrion's champion in season four. Despite the unforgiving death, where his eyeballs where squeezed until his head burst, the Chilean-born American actor was quick to score a role in new Netflix drama Narcos, which focuses on the battle of the spread of cocaine in America.
In what was probably one of the more tear-jerking deaths, the red-haired wildling Ygritte, played by Rose Leslie, died in the arms of Jon Snow after she was skewered with an arrow shot by young Olly. The award-winning Scottish actress was cast as the female lead in The Last Witch Hunter opposite actor Vin Diesel.
Husband to Daenerys Targaryen, the powerful warrior Khal Drogo, played by Jason Momoa, died at the end of season one after his wound from a challenged fight festered. The actor has since appeared in Bullet to the Head and Road to Paloma as well as starring in Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice.
In what was by far the most overwhelming and upsetting murder, Jon Snow, played by Kit Harington, was betrayed by the men of the Night's Watch in the season five finale. Snow was stabbed and left bleeding to death. But it is unclear as to whether or not it will be the last time Snow appears on the hit TV. Rumours are afloat the star is set to return whether his is dead or alive, or in flashbacks.
The devoted and fiercely protective mother Catelyn Stark, played by Michelle Fairley, gave the Red Wedding its title, after she was massacred along with her son Robb and his pregnant wife Talisa during the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey. Fairley has since joined the cast for season two of Fortitude, alongside Golden Globe nominee Dennis Quaid.
The english actor and musician Thomas Brodie-Sangster made a small cameo as a First order officer in Star Wars: The Force Awakens after his character Jojen Reed was killed off Game of Thrones by Wights, who attacked his crew, Bran, Hodor and Meera in the season four finale.
Shae, played by Sibel Kekilli become a regular character in the show in the role of Tyrion Lannister's headstrong lover. But love didn't stop Shae from pulling a knife on Tyrion, who eventually strangled her to death with her necklace. It seems the German born actress is still hurting from her lover's betrayal, with no roles currently in sight.
It seems Shae isn't the only one to die at the hands of Tyrion. The begrudged Tywin Lannister, played by Charles Dance was shot twice by his son with a crossbow in the privy chamber. One of Britain's most distinguished actors, the 69-year-old is set to star in a new role as a World War One general Sir Ian Hamilton in Deadline Gallipoli.
For the record, Game of Thrones has killed off more than 5000 characters during the first five seasons of the show.
- AAP
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