Game of Thrones: Stannis Baratheon's death scene was meant to play out very differently

The character perished in the final episode of the HBO series' fifth season

Original plans for one of Game of Thrones' key death scenes has showed that things were supposed to play out a little differently to what was eventually seen on-screen.

In the final episode of the HBO series' fifth season, Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) was killed by Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) who was fulfilling her sworn oath of avenging the death of his brother, Renly.

As he's about to meet his maker, Brienne asks him if he has any final words, to which he replies: “Go on, do your duty.”

The original scripted version of the scene, however, proved that Stannis was extremely remorseful for his past actions - including the sacrifice of his daughter Shireen to the Lord of Light at the behest of Melisandre (Carice von Houten).

Watchers on the Wall pointed out a Reddit post which reveals Stannis' cut lines of dialogue from the fifths season episode, 'Mother's Mercy.'

The exchange originally read: 

Brienne: Do you have any last words?

[Stannis considers.]

Stannis: Do you believe in the life to come?

[Brienne nods]

Stannis: 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…

[‘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.]

Stannis: Go on, do your duty.

Showrunnners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss attended SXSW earlier this month where they revealed which Thrones death has been the show's most expensive.

The show's return date was recently revealed via a stunt that didn't go according to plan.