Game of Thrones isn’t afraid to kill off its most popular characters, as last night’s episode (season 6, episode 5) further proved. Note that spoilers follow.
No one is safe in Game of the Thrones’ fantasy universe. The manner in which the show systematically kills off major characters is the talk of water coolers everywhere on Monday and Tuesday mornings – “Can you believe so-and-so got axed?” being swiftly followed by “Who’s going to shuffle off next week?”
But while it’s impossible to predict the next shocking plot twist in GoT – other than Jon Snow’s resurrection, which was always on the cards – big data boffins at the Technical University of Munich are certainly giving it their best shot.
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Their project, A Song of Ice and Data, uses machine-learning and AI to rank the likelihood of various characters having their heads crushed in the near future.
So who’s going to be next?
According to the site, which draws on social sentiment as well as using an algorithm to trawl through the books and show, Tommen Baratheon is 97% certain to leave Westeros’ mortal coil next, while the increasingly assertive Sansa Stark is ranked as the most likely survivor of the show at just 3%.
It’s obviously not perfect. Last night’s victim, Hodor, was ranked as being only a 51% fatality risk and the distinctly dead Roose Bolton was given a nearly 30% chance of survival.
But it’s as fun as big data applications are going to get any time soon.
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Who’s going to get it next in Game of Thrones? Let us know your theories in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.