Could This Small Detail Have Sealed Tormund's Fate in The 'Game Of Thrones' Season 7 Finale?

The Game of Thrones Season 7 finale, "The Dragon and the Wolf," was a nail-biter of an episode. With some big surprises taking place of the show's nearly feature-length run, the biggest surprise of them all was saved for the final scenes, when the White Walkers finally bring down the Wall. As the Night King's dragon flew to the Wall, countless fans started fearing for the fan-favorite Tormund as he was atop said wall when Viserion began spitting out his icy fire.

Yet, it seems that #HBO was content to leave his fate up in the air until Season 8, despite being a beloved character fans were rooting for. Even Kristofer Hivju, who plays Tormund, doesn't know at this point if his character survived the destruction of the wall. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, he had this to say about that fateful scene:

I honestly don't know. It doesn't look good, though, does it? Realistically speaking, if you're on top of an ice wall and it's many hundreds of meters tall... I was a competitive climber when I was younger, and that fall, I must say, it doesn't look good, man. It really doesn't look good.

I wish that [Tormund] could have whispered something into one of those crows' ears before it happened. But, you know, when the Wall is down, they won't need the Night's Watch of the Free Folk at the Wall anymore. It's a hell of an ending.

If Tormund truly met his ending in that way, it would surely be one wild way to go, especially considering considering how many fans adore his character.

Does This Mean Tormund Survived The Wall's Collapse?

If you watch the scene closely, it appears that he and Beric made it safely to the part of the wall that did not collapse. When Viserion attacked, Tormund and Beric began racing across the top of the wall rather than trying for the stairs. It's possible that this is how they survived based on the section of the Wall that is now destroyed.

The shot above clearly shows part of the wall still standing, and it's likely that that is where Tormund and Beric reached before the men behind him fell to an icy death. It's difficult to track exactly since everything feels hectic and we're seeing several camera angles, but once you piece it together fans should let out a small sigh of relief and cross their fingers for Tormund's return in Season 8.

If I were a betting man, I'd imagine that Tormund did indeed survive the collapse of the Wall for the simple fact that killing him off as part of the season finale would have been such a let down for such a beloved character. #GameOfThrones has thrown countless fans off the trail with the intense twists and turns and now countless fans are anxiously waiting to learn of his fate when the show finally returns.