Spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 3 are discussed and disclosed below.
Game of Thrones’ Jorah Mormont is no longer with us. Daenerys’ beloved friend and mentor was one of the few significant characters killed off during the Battle of Winterfell. He gave his life saving his queen as the duo faced an onslaught of wights. Arya Stark managed to give the Night King the death blow. For Jorah and his cousin Lyanna, it was too late.
With Jorah as one of the first of Game of Thrones’ major characters to die in the final season, actor Iain Glen is speaking out. It turns out Glen is “happy” to play a character whose future is closed off from speculation with a final finish. Glen told EW:
You could be a question mark or conclude as a character. The question mark ending is where you get to the end of the whole thing and people try to project forward what his future is that you’ll never know. I’m happy to conclude — particularly, as you say, as somebody who teetered on the edge of going out earlier. I remember when I got greyscale I asked [the producers] if this is it and they said, 'No, not this season.' So I thought I was definitely fucked next season. But they were joshing. It has been a great gig.
Jorah ended up surviving greyscale, only to have the wights take him out. Before getting killed off, Daenerys had thanked Samwell Tarly for saving Jorah’s life. It was a life-saving procedure only Sam was willing to do.
Two episodes after her "thank you" and Jorah’s journey is officially at an end. There could be quite an emotional funeral for Ser Jorah Mormont and the other fallen in the next episode.
Daenerys has lost the leader of her army and as Episode 2 highlighted, a devoted friend, counselor, and supporter. Having appeared on the show ever since the beginning, Iain Glen had the full Game of Thrones experience. Or did he? When asked if there is anything he wishes Jorah had gotten the chance to do, Glen said:
Other than the painfully obvious one of making love to Daenerys, way back when, in all honesty, no. It would feel churlish and ungrateful even if I could conjure up something. I’ve always felt very looked after. The whole greyscale journey was not in the original books, and that was something they gifted the character. I could say I wish Jorah expressed himself more, but that’s just not who he was. [The showrunners] always said, slightly joshing, 'You’re great in silence. We always like having you in a scene when you’re not speaking.' But they were being sweet. But no, there’s nothing.
Jorah endured a lot to get cured. One key motivation was the promise of his eventual return to Daenerys’ side. Jorah and Daenerys’ relationship throughout Game of Thrones was pretty much the definition of courtly love. He wanted there to be something more romantic between them. However, she had friend-zoned him long ago. Still, there was a deep and abiding love between them.
The loss of Jorah makes me wonder what is next for Daenerys. She did not seem to be missing a beat in the trailer for Game of Thrones’ next episode. However, Jorah had always been the one to calm her down.
He often offered tranquility in response to Daenerys’ fiery nature. Without him, there is no one else that can really soothe her. Will Jorah’s death make Daenerys’ descent to the “dark side” complete? It is feasible.
Jorah had lived a full life, especially by Game of Thrones’ standards. He made it just shy of the finale. The equivalent of being voted off just shy of the freestyle on Dancing with the Stars. Due to his death at the Battle of Winterfell, Jorah will miss the biggest battle of all: the one for the Iron Throne.
Will Daenerys win the throne even without Jorah? Tune in and find out. New episodes of Game of Thrones’ final season air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
