Why did Thoros of Myr keep resurrecting Beric Dondarrion?
Game of Thrones
Updated Aug 30, 2026
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Contains spoilers: Major spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 8 and A
Direct answer
Thoros kept reviving Beric because he was his friend and the Last Kiss prayer of R'hllor kept working. He did not initially understand or choose a grand plan; he believed the resurrections were miracles. In HBO's Game of Thrones, Beric's eventual purpose is strongly implied to be saving Arya at Winterfell, allowing her to kill the Night King.
## HBO Game of Thrones canon
After Beric's first death, Thoros prayed over him out of grief and friendship, using the Last Kiss. Beric unexpectedly returned to life. Thoros repeated the prayer after later deaths because Beric was his friend and because the power appeared to come from the Lord of Light, not from Thoros's own design. Beric himself says neither he nor Thoros knows the full reason he was brought back.
The show's final explanation is functional rather than fully explicit: Beric survives until the Battle of Winterfell, where he protects Arya from wights. Arya then reaches the godswood and kills the Night King. Melisandre says Beric's purpose has been served after he dies.
## A Song of Ice and Fire novel canon
The books give Thoros a similar motivation at first: he administers the Last Kiss to Beric out of love and sorrow, and is shocked when Beric returns. Thoros never claims to know why R'hllor's power works through him or why Beric keeps returning.
The books have not reached the television show's ending, so there is no novel-canon confirmation that Beric was revived to save Arya or help defeat a Night King. Instead, Beric ultimately gives Catelyn Stark the Last Kiss, dies permanently, and Catelyn returns as Lady Stoneheart.
## What Thoros knew versus what viewers learn
Thoros knew he could attempt the Last Kiss and that it had restored Beric before. He did not know the divine purpose behind it. The television series later supplies an apparent purpose for Beric's continued survival, but even there, the show does not directly state that R'hllor specifically planned every step leading to Arya killing the Night King.
After Beric's first death, Thoros prayed over him out of grief and friendship, using the Last Kiss. Beric unexpectedly returned to life. Thoros repeated the prayer after later deaths because Beric was his friend and because the power appeared to come from the Lord of Light, not from Thoros's own design. Beric himself says neither he nor Thoros knows the full reason he was brought back.
The show's final explanation is functional rather than fully explicit: Beric survives until the Battle of Winterfell, where he protects Arya from wights. Arya then reaches the godswood and kills the Night King. Melisandre says Beric's purpose has been served after he dies.
## A Song of Ice and Fire novel canon
The books give Thoros a similar motivation at first: he administers the Last Kiss to Beric out of love and sorrow, and is shocked when Beric returns. Thoros never claims to know why R'hllor's power works through him or why Beric keeps returning.
The books have not reached the television show's ending, so there is no novel-canon confirmation that Beric was revived to save Arya or help defeat a Night King. Instead, Beric ultimately gives Catelyn Stark the Last Kiss, dies permanently, and Catelyn returns as Lady Stoneheart.
## What Thoros knew versus what viewers learn
Thoros knew he could attempt the Last Kiss and that it had restored Beric before. He did not know the divine purpose behind it. The television series later supplies an apparent purpose for Beric's continued survival, but even there, the show does not directly state that R'hllor specifically planned every step leading to Arya killing the Night King.