The original version of this character’s death in “Game of Thrones” told us a LOT more about him

We’re on pins and needles waiting for the new season of Game of Thrones. Season 7 starts July 16th. These four months are going to feel as long as a Westeros winter. Waiting is so hard!

To tide us over, an A+ Reddit user/ Game of Thrones fan has bequeathed upon us a super delicious deleted mini-scene.

As we all remember, King Stannis Baratheon was self-controlled even in the face of his own death.

Before Brienne dispatched with Stannis and finally avenged the death of King Renly, she gave Stannis the opportunity to say a few final words. “Go on, do your duty,” Stannis said. Dude was stoic ’til the end.

We recently learned that there was an original draft of this scene in which Stannis allowed himself to be a smidge more emotional. Actually, a little more than a smidge…

As GOT internet fandom Watchers on the Wall reports, Reddit user clouddragon94 found an Emmy-submitted script for the Season Five finale in which Stannis has more dialogue in his death scene. And that dialogue turns out to be SUPER REVEALING.

In this original version, when Brienne asks if Stannis has any last words, he asks her “Do you believe in the life to come?” When Brienne nods, he continues:

"I don't. But if I'm wrong, and you're right... tell Renly I'm sorry when you get there. I don't imagine I'll see him wherever I'm going. (beat) And my daughter. Tell her... tell her..." 

The stage directions that follow read:

"('Sorry' doesn't even begin to cover what he feels about Shireen. The thought of it brings tears to his eyes, and he's not going to die weeping in front of a woman he doesn't know. Stannis stares up at her.)"

And then we’re back to the scene that was finally shot, with Stannis telling Brienne to “Go on, do your duty.”

Oooh, it’s so hard to decide which version we like better.

Points for keeping Stannis solidly in character, but we love this rare display of emotion. Plus, we learn that Stannis never fully bought the Red Woman’s whole spiel about the “Lord of Light,” etc. He was following a means to an end. And that end kind of sucked, for him.

But we LOVE getting peeks at the proverbial cutting room floor. More deleted pages please! They’ll keep us semi-content until we can get our grubby little hands on new Game of Thrones this summer!