The Winds of Winter Author George R.R. Martin's Ex-Assistants Already Know Secret Ending to Game of Thrones

For millions of fantasy fans, the wait for the conclusion of A Song of Ice and Fire has shifted from eager anticipation to a form of cultural endurance art. Since the release of A Dance with Dragons in 2011, readers have meticulously picked apart every blog post and interview from George R.R. Martin, searching for a glimmer of hope that the saga's end is in sight. However, a startling revelation suggests that while the books remain unwritten, the ending may not be as much of a mystery as we think.

It has emerged that Martin reportedly shared the definitive conclusion of his epic tale with his former collaborators, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck. During a recent episode of the Game of Thrones Podcast via Red Team Review, it was noted that the duo — who co-write under the pseudonym James S.A. Corey — allegedly received a full briefing on the saga's resolution.

According to reports, Martin 'flat out told them the ending' to A Dream of Spring while providing notes for a comic book adaptation, ensuring they knew which plot points were vital to preserve. Abraham later confirmed that he was specifically tasked with including a seemingly 'insignificant line' of dialogue in the early comic scripts, because Martin revealed it would be the 'last word' of the entire book series.

A Secret Trust and the Future of The Winds of Winter

The connection between Martin and the pair is deeply rooted in personal and professional history. Franck served as Martin's personal assistant for several years, witnessing first-hand the sprawling complexity of the Westeros narrative.

This intimacy led many to believe that if anyone were to help cross the finish line, it would be the creators of The Expanse. In fact, the duo famously won a long-standing bet with Martin in 2021 when they finished their own nine-book series before he could deliver a single volume of his sixth.

The delay of The Winds of Winter — which is now nearly 15 years late — has understandably sparked morbid speculation regarding Martin's ability to finish the series. While fans have suggested that the 76-year-old author should follow the precedent set by Robert Jordan and hand his manuscripts to another writer, Martin has historically remained firm. He has famously stated that he wants his notes burned rather than finished by another hand, a sentiment that has not amused fans who have already begun writing his 'obituaries'.

Interestingly, Franck hinted in a 2020 social media post that the pair could have potentially completed the work had the right compensation and permissions been in place. However, he has since clarified that those doors are firmly shut.

Franck noted that 'there was a time' they could have been paid enough to take over the project, but following the divisive reception of the HBO finale, that window has officially passed. If it is true that Martin has entrusted them with the 'holy grail' of fantasy spoilers, and they have no intention of putting pen to paper, the pressure on the original author only intensifies.

The Grim Reality Behind The Winds of Winter

The mystery of why Martin might have shared his ending with Abraham and Franck may have been solved by the author himself. In a candid interview with The Hollywood Reporter in December 2024, Martin confessed that he is no longer certain he will ever finish the final two volumes. 'A lot of people are already writing obituaries for me,' he remarked, acknowledging the skepticism while insisting he remains 'pretty vital'.

Despite his optimism, he admitted to being '13 years late', explaining that the delay happens 'a day at a time'. In his most recent progress update, Martin admitted he has written roughly 1,100 to 1,200 pages — the same number he reported in 2022 — meaning the manuscript has seen little growth in over two years.

For a fandom that has spent over a decade constructing elaborate theories, the idea that the ending is known by two writers who will never share it is a bitter pill to swallow. It suggests that Martin may have shared the secret as a form of insurance — a way to ensure his vision lived on in some capacity, even if the prose never reached the printer.

While Martin continues to resist the idea of a successor, the scale of The Winds of Winter remains daunting. The manuscript is expected to exceed 1,500 pages, and with Martin's attention often diverted by HBO's expanding television universe, the 'winds' feel as distant as ever. For now, the millions of readers who made Game of Thrones a global phenomenon can only hope that Martin finds the spark to finish the story himself, before A Dream of Spring becomes nothing more than a memory.