With so many characters being introduced and killed off, it can be hard to remember every face that has appeared on the show. However, one Game of Thrones character, Gendry is actually pretty important. He's the last true descendant of former King Robert Baratheon, although he is a bastard, that allows him to possibly challenge the throne and take power away from Tommen, and the rest of the Lannisters. For a character that could possibly bring a change to the status quo in Westeros — it's been an awfully long time since Gendry has appeared on the show which begs the question, Is Gendry dead on Game of Thrones?
Gendry was last seen sailing from Dragonstone in a rowboat that he didn't know how to operate, across an ocean that he didn't know how to swim in. Characters have died over decisions that are not nearly as ill-advised as Gendry's desperate journey across the narrow sea, so it's possible that Gendry could have drowned in the ocean on his journey away from Dragonstone, but it's also just as likely that he'll reappear after a long absence as many other characters have done in Season 6 of Game of Thrones. How likely is it that fans will see Gendry once more?
The case that Gendry may still be alive comes down to one key fact: It's not certain that he is dead. In a season where Jon Snow has come back to life from death, The Hound is revealed to have survived his fall, and Benjen Stark is revealed to be something resembling alive, Game of Thrones is letting fans know that there is nothing in this show that they can trust, not even death. Gendry could reappear in a variety of new locations, but if there's any storyline that needs Gendry right now it is Arya's. The lonely Stark has no friends and the Faceless Men are after her. Arya needs Gendry or any friendly face she can find right now.
If Gendry were to re-appear, he might find himself on the wrong side of a Lannister's sword, but the Lannisters have got much bigger problems to deal with at the moment. There are plenty of ways that the show could incorporate Gendry, but chances are it will be in a new plotline that won't mirror book-Gendry, who joined the Brotherhood without Banners and was last seen having a chance encounter with Brienne of Tarth.
The case for Gendry's death is much simpler: It would make sense. It's been three seasons since he's been seen, and he was last witnessed sailing off into a foggy ocean on a rowboat. It's been established that an off-screen death isn't automatically a ticket to come back to life sometime in the future, as shown by Stannis' demise. Gendry still being alive would be nothing short of a miracle, but miracles aren't uncommon in Game of Thrones. However, if Gendry is still alive then that means he has to survive wherever he lands completely on his own. It's very difficult to be alone in Westeros, so unless show-Gendry made like book-Gendry and joined up with the Brotherhood without Banners, chances are Gendry became a fatal victim of circumstance.
The actor who plays Gendry, Joe Dempsie, has been plenty busy outside of Game of Thrones and there have been no rumblings of Gendry reappearing in Season 6. There have already been a number of massive character returns this season, and if Season 6 has any more up its sleeve it's probably being reserved for a lady with a heart of stone. In fact, maybe it's better if Gendry doesn't come back to Game of Thrones. Maybe he put his past behind him and settled down in a nice cottage and started a family. Maybe Gendry will be the one person in all of Game of Thrones who gets a happy ending at the end of all this.
Image: Helen Sloan/HBO; Giphy (2)
