What George R R Martin Won’t Tell You: Scientists Study ‘Game Of Thrones’ To Arrive At Optimal Survival Strategy

Scientists at the Macquarie University in Australia, evaluated the deaths of all crucial characters across the seven seasons in the global hit series ‘Game of Thrones’ in a study to reach at an optimal survival strategy, Indian Express has reported.

The study was published in the journal ‘Injury Epidemiology’. Scientists studied over 300 deaths to see who is likely to survive in the final season.

The researchers collected data on the character’s sex, social status, type of occupation, religious affiliation and allegiances, along with survival time, and the circumstances of their deaths.

The characters who are loyal are dying early when compared to people who switch allegiances. Case in point is Tyrion Lannister who escaped his death by moving his loyalty to House Targaryen from House Lannister. This factor is also part of a theory that the death occurred less in highborn/ royalty than in the lower classes.

Lystand says they identified several factors that may help with survival till the final season.

It showed that 80.1 per cent of the deaths occurred in Westeros with the most common place to die being the home. There is a 14 per cent chance of dying in the first hour of appearance, with the survival time ranging from 11 seconds to 57 hours and 15 minutes.

73.7 per cent of the deaths were because of the head and neck injuries, comprising of 13 decapitations. The remaining deaths were because of burns (11.8 per cent) and poisonings (4.8 per cent). The circumstances of the dead ranged from assault (63.0 per cent), operations of war (24.4 per cent), and legal executions (5.4 per cent). Only two natural deaths occurred, that of Maester Aemon and Old Nan.