The Winds of Winter: GRRM Plans a Tragic Fate for Tyrion and Sansa But Does that Make Sense?

Just when you thought Game of Thrones trauma was behind us, George R.R. Martin reminds everyone that the books are a different beast. In a recent interview, Martin suggested that some characters who survived the HBO series may face much darker endings in The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring (if that ever comes out). And yes, that includes Tyrion Lannister and Sansa Stark. This is not clickbait chaos. This is classic George.

What George R.R. Martin Actually Said

Martin has been clear about one thing. The show and the books are not ending the same way. He admitted that there are characters he planned to kill in The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring who survived the series. He also said that some deaths in the show would not happen the same way on the page. Most importantly, while talking to THR he revealed that he does not see a happy ending for Tyrion and Sansa.

I was going to kill more people. Not the ones they killed [in the show]. They made it more of a happy ending. I don’t see a happy ending for Tyrion. His whole arc has been tragic from the first. I was going to have Sansa die, but she’s been so appealing in the show, maybe I’ll let her live…

That single sentence was enough to send the fandom into full spiral mode.

Tyrion Lannister And The Tragedy That Never Ends

Tyrion has always been one of the most tragic figures in A Song of Ice and Fire. From birth, he is rejected by his father, blamed for his mother’s death, and treated as a monster by his own house. In the books, Tyrion is darker than his show version. He is more bitter, more angry, and far more self-destructive. Also his journey after killing Tywin is largely uncharted in the books and it was clear that even HBO didn’t quite know how to deal with his character ever since he left Westeros.

A tragic ending for Tyrion would not come out of nowhere. It would complete a character arc built on pain, survival, and the cost of intelligence in a violent world. It makes sense narratively, even if it hurts emotionally.

Sansa Stark Was Never Meant To Be Safe

Here is the shocking part. Martin has previously said that Sansa was originally going to die. Her survival was not guaranteed in early plans for the story. Over time, her character evolved. Sansa became a symbol of endurance rather than innocence. She learned politics the hard way, through abuse, manipulation, and loss. By the later books, she is no longer naive. She is observant, strategic, and quietly growing powerful.

Martin has hinted that performances in the show, particularly Sophie Turner’s, influenced how he now views the character. That does not confirm her survival, but it does suggest her role became more important than originally planned.

Why The Book Endings Will Feel Darker Than The Show

The HBO series had to wrap things up. The books do not. Martin has always favored realism over comfort. He believes war does not reward goodness and power does not guarantee survival. That philosophy shapes his endings. Characters do not live because fans love them. They live only if the story demands it.

That is why The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring endings may feel harsher, slower, and more tragic. They are not designed to please everyone. They are designed to feel true to the world of Westeros. So Does This Tragic Plan Actually Make Sense? Yes. Painfully, yes.

Tyrion’s story was never about victory. It was about endurance. Sansa’s story was never about romance. It was about survival. Whether they live or die, Martin wants their endings to reflect what they have lost and learned. The real tragedy might not be who dies, but how long we have been waiting to find out. And somehow, we will still read every page.

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