Maester Luwin

How it ends for them

On the screen. Killed in the sack of Winterfell (S2┬ÀE10)

Speared by ironborn in Winterfell's godswood during the sack. He lived long enough to counsel the boys he'd raised one last time, and asked Osha for the mercy of a quick end beneath the heart tree.

On the page. Died beneath the heart tree (ACOK, ch. 70)

Speared in Winterfell's burning godswood, the little grey maester dragged himself beneath the heart tree. He counseled the boys one last time, told Osha which roads to trust ÔÇö and asked her for the gift of mercy, which she gave.

Luwin dies of the sack of Winterfell. When the Dreadfort men ÔÇö Ramsay's, wearing rescue's colors ÔÇö put the castle to the torch, the old maester is speared in the godswood and left to die slowly beneath the heart tree, where Osha and the boys find him as they flee the ruin. He spends his last strength as he spent all the rest of it: on the children. He tells Bran and Rickon to split up, tells Osha which roads to trust and makes her swear to protect them, and ÔÇö the books add ÔÇö gives Theon's shattered conscience one final push toward the Watch. Then he asks Osha for the gift of mercy, a quick end under the tree where the old gods he never quite believed in could watch. She gives it. Both tellings agree on nearly every detail, which is its own kind of tribute; some deaths neither version dared improve.