At Castle Black, the mutineers from the Night’s Watch have left Jon Snow's dead body where he fell. Jon’s direwolf Ghost is scratching at the door in grief and howling, which gets the attention of several people, including Ser Davos, who leaves his room to investigate the commotion. Davos then finds Jon's dead body just before Eddison Tollett and some other Black Brothers arrive. They take the body inside where Edd clears a table and angrily curses Alliser Thorne after closing Jon's eyes. Davos asks if Eddison trusts any of his brothers, and Edd replies, "the ones in this room". Davos convinces Edd to go bring Ghost in, deciding that they need all the help they can get. Melisandre then arrives in shock, stating that in the flames she saw Jon fighting in Winterfell. Davos rhetorically states his doubt that the dead Lord Commander could now do such a thing and she solemnly returns to her room. Afterwards, Alliser Thorne holds a Night’s Watch meeting and explains their reasoning for killing Jon, which most of the brothers come to side with the mutineers. Back inside the room, Davos notes Thorne is sure to have made his move by now. In response, Edd states he doesn't care and will rally the loyal brothers to take out Thorne in revenge. Davos responds they are hopelessly outnumbered, stating that Ghost isn't enough when Eddison brings him up. He then reminds them that there are others nearby who owe Jon their lives. Realizing he means the wildlings, Edd instructs them to bar the door and not let anyone in while he sneaks out to get help.

Later on, Alliser Thorne and senior members of the Watch approach the room as he speaks to Ser Davos through the locked door and promises full amnesty for the members of the Watch who remain inside. To Davos, Thorne offers safe passage for him and Melisandre, but Davos mocks what he knows to be an insincere offer by requesting mutton. Thorne says the offer is available as long as everyone in the room surrenders by sundown. Meanwhile, alone in her bedroom, Melisandre feels betrayed and led astray again by the Lord of Light. On a table next to her bed are various containers, some small that contain potions and other liquids. She removes her dress and stands nude before a mirror. When Melisandre then removes her large crimson necklace that she always wears. As she does so, the gem loses its glow and in the mirror Melisandre's reflection now shows she has transformed back to her true appearance as the four-hundred-year-old woman she has been said to be. She solemnly stares in the mirror at her frail and elderly body with sagging breasts, leathery skin and thin wispy white hair. Fully nude, with her head bowed down in a despondent manner, Melisandre slowly climbs into bed and pulls the fur blanket on top of her before falling asleep.

Some time later, Ser Davos visits Melisandre, who is donning her youthful glamor as usual but is still gripped by the crisis of her faith. Davos asks her if reviving Jon is possible, saying that he cares nothing for Red Gods, Drowned Gods or the Seven, but he does believe in her power. Melisandre admits to having seen it done, but insists that she cannot do it, having lost faith in the Lord of Light due to the failure of her predictions regarding Stannis Baratheon to come true. After Davos implores her simply to try, she reluctantly agrees and joins Davos, Eddison and a wildling friend of Jon’s named Tormund Giantsbane in the room where Jon’s body lies. Melisandre washes his wounds clean and then after cutting and burning his hair, she attempts to revive Jon using murmured High Valyrian incantations. However, it seems that they have no effect, as Jon still lies there lifeless. After a few moments, Tormund frustratedly leaves, and Melisandre offers a final "please" in the common tongue, but leaves the room, despondent. Eddison and finally Davos follow her a moment later, with all hope dashed. Once the room is empty, however, the direwolf Ghost, who had been sleeping underneath the table upon which Jon was lying, perks up when Jon suddenly awakens in panic, gasping for air.

Moments after his resurrection, a shocked Jon Snow still finds his breath as he slowly sits up and scans the room. He then looks down and is horrified by his stab wounds. Ser Davos, having returned to the room upon hearing the commotion, is also shocked but relieved to find him alive. Davos quickly helps Jon as he struggles to walk and then if he remembers anything. Jon, still processing the trauma, says that he does. An astonished Melisandre then enters and asks Jon where he was after his death. Jon replies he saw nothing, much to her disappointment. However, with her faith restored, she insists that the Lord of Light brought Jon back for a reason. Davos asks Melisandre to leave them alone so Jon can adjust to his revival. After some time, Melisandre stands on the ramparts to witness the revived Lord Commander oversee the public hanging of the traitors responsible for the mutiny. Alliser Thorne says he had a choice: to betray his Commander or the Night's Watch, adding that Jon bringing the wildlings was a dangerous problem and had to be stopped. Alliser then warns Jon that he will be fighting their battles forever. Jon then cuts down the rope, killing all four traitors. He then takes off his cloak and hands it to a confused Eddison, informing him that can do whatever he wants with it, unofficially designating Edd as the new Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.

Some time later, as Jon packs up his things after his recent resignation, a new visitor arrives through the gates: Sansa Stark, Jon’s half-sister. She is accompanied by Brienne of Tarth, who once served as Kingsguard to Renly Baratheon. Later on, Davos asks Melisandre whether she will stay at Castle Black and she replies she will do as Jon commands. Davos asks what happened to Stannis and she replies that he was defeated in battle by House Bolton. When he then asks about Princess Shireen, Melisandre is reluctant to speak. Their conversation is interrupted by Brienne, who recognizes them both as Stannis' former entourage. Still bitter over the death of Renly, Brienne warns Melisandre that she does not forget or forgive. She also confirms to them that she was the one who executed Stannis after he admitted using blood magic to assassinate his brother. Afterwards, the ever-growing war council discuss the need for more men to defend them, since the Karstarks and Umbers, two vassal houses in the North, have now declared for Ramsay Bolton. Jon points out that they can summon the rest of the minor houses in order to rival their enemies. Sansa states that "the North remembers", adding that the people of the North are still loyal to her house and will risk everything for the name Stark. After preparing for departure, Melisandre joins Jon, Davos and Sansa as they ride out of Castle Black to recruit more Northern support for their battle against House Bolton.

Several weeks after recruiting the minor houses of the region, the combined Northern army set up camp in the same spot where Stannis and his men were stationed before their failed attempt at taking Winterfell. The night before the battle against House Bolton commences, Ser Davos and Tormund Giantsbane discuss their time serving Stannis and Mance Rayder respectively, with both acknowledging that they may have been serving the wrong king. After parting ways, Tormund goes to drink and Davos takes a walk. Meanwhile, Jon meets with Melisandre and asks for her advice provided her absence at the war council. She advises him not to lose, which is met with a small laugh from both. Jon then orders Melisandre not to bring him back if he should fall in the battle. She contends, however, that she will try anyway, and that it was not her gift that has brought Jon back but the Lord of Light's. She adds that only the Lord of Light can decide Jon's fate as she then ponders that R’hllor may have brought Jon back only to die in tomorrow’s battle. As the sun rises, Davos comes across the same pyre on which Princess Shireen was sacrificed, and in the remains, finds the wooden stag he carved and gave to her the last time they were together. He finally then realizes how she died.

The next morning, as the battle is in full swing, Jon is trampled by his own forces, nearly suffocating under a group of men crawling on top of him, but is eventually able to get back to his feet. At this point, when the Stark forces face imminent destruction, a horn sounds out in the distance as Sansa Stark arrives with the Knights of the Vale. On horseback, they begin to cut down the Bolton soldiers from behind to disrupt the encirclement. Ramsay Bolton then decides to retreat inside Winterfell, but Jon and Tormund give chase. A giant named Wun Wun is able to break down the castle gates, allowing wildling archers to pour into the castle and the last vestiges of the Bolton garrison are then quickly slaughtered. The giant is nevertheless overwhelmed by arrows and finally killed by Ramsay. Despite defeat, Ramsay taunts Jon and fires three arrows at him with his bow but Jon blocks them all with a shield. Before Ramsay can fire another, Jon gets close enough and smacks the bow out of Ramsay's hands before striking him with the shield in the chest and to the ground. Before Ramsay can stand up, Jon proceeds to beat him with his fists, while Ramsay does not attempt to fight back, grinning maniacally through the beating, convinced Jon won't kill him. Jon stops pulverizing Ramsay and has him locked up as a prisoner. Afterwards, Melisandre witnesses the Bolton banners torn down from Winterfell’s courtyard and replaced with House Stark banners.

Some time after settling into Winterfell, Melisandre and Jon are in the Great Hall when Ser Davos angrily strides in and tosses Princess Shireen’s burned wooden stag to the Red Priestess. At first, she is silent, but as Davos loses his composure, she admits that she convinced Stannis to sacrifice his daughter to the Lord of Light. Melisandre defends herself by saying that it needed to be done as Stannis' forces were stranded by the storms, adding that both of Shireen's parents made the decision as well. Davos quickly dismisses this defense and goes on to exclaim that her god is evil and tearfully admits that he loved Shireen as his own daughter. Fighting back tears, Melisandre concedes that she made a mistake. Davos states that because of her mistake, not only did an innocent child die for a lost cause, so did many soldiers. He then demands Jon to execute Melisandre for her actions. She insists that she only followed the Lord of Light, who she implies is also responsible for bringing Jon back to life and insists she can still be of use in the battles to come against the Night King, the leader of the army of the dead. Greatly displeased, however, Jon exiles Melisandre and tells her to ride south, or he will hang her as a murderer. Davos adds that he will personally execute her if she ever shows up in the North again.

Some months later, the dragon queen named Daenerys Targaryen travels from the eastern continent of Essos with her large army in order to invade the Seven Kingdoms and restore House Targaryen to the throne. After Queen Daenerys settles into her ancestral home of Dragonstone, Melisandre returns to the castle she used to call home under Stannis’ reign. Daenerys is surprised by the arrival of Melisandre, though she is welcomed due to the number of Red Priests who had supported Daenerys in the city of Meereen. Melisandre explains to Daenerys in the throne room that she may have something to do with the prophecy of “The Prince That Was Promised.” Daenerys, however, points out that she is "no prince," prompting her advisor Missandei to explain that the prophecy, written in High Valyrian, is gender-neutral. Melisandre further states that the King in the North, Jon Snow, also has a part to play in the prophecy. When Daenerys asks her Hand, Tyrion Lannister, if he knows Jon, he explains that he once traveled with him to Castle Black. Daenerys learns of Jon’s role in unifying the Northerners and wildlings against a common enemy. Tyrion insists that Jon will prove himself a valuable ally in Daenerys' bid to claim the Iron Throne. Clearly intrigued by the sound of Jon, Daenerys requests that Tyrion write a letter, asking him to come to Dragonstone and bend the knee. Melisandre remains silent through the political discussion.

Some time later, when Jon and Ser Davos finally arrive at Dragonstone, Tyrion and Missandei greet them on the shore. Their entourage hand over their weapons to Daenerys' Dothraki guards. As they is escorted along the causeway, Melisandre witnesses their arrival from the cliffs of the island. Lord Varys, an advisor to the dragon queen, approaches Melisandre along the cliffs and intuits that she's done something to anger the King in the North, unaware that she has been exiled from Winterfell. Melisandre then declares that she has brought “ice and fire” together and that her work here is done, further stating that she will stay away from both Jon and Daenerys as her days of "whispering in the ears of kings" are over. Varys asserts his disbelief by stating that when common folk get a taste of power nothing is ever as sweet again. Melisandre confirms that neither Jon nor Davos are fond of her due to the “terrible mistakes” she’s made. Lord Varys is delighted to hear that she will depart for the Free City of Volantis soon, and advises her not to return to Westeros, as he himself does not trust Red Priests. However, Melisandre states that she cannot follow that advice, as she must return to Westeros once more to face her end. She states that like Varys himself, it is her fate to die in Westeros.

Several months later, Jon successfully convinces the dragon queen Daenerys to join his cause and travel north to fight against the White Walkers and the army of the dead. After making preparations over the course of several days, the united armies brace for battle as night has fallen at Winterfell. Daenerys and Jon ride the dragons Drogon and Rhaegal away from the castle, so as not to alert the enemy to their presence. The moonless darkness is impenetrable and eerily silent - until a lone rider appears moments before battle: Melisandre. The Red Priestess rides up to Ser Jorah Mormont and asks him to command the Dothraki soldiers in their language to raise their arakhs. When they do, she starts praying to the Lord of Light in High Valyrian. The army's arakhs suddenly burst into flame, sweeping from one side of the field to the other. Melisandre then withdraws within Winterfell, as Ser Davos intends to kill her for the death of Princess Shireen. However, Melisandre tells him not to bother, as she expects to be dead by dawn anyway. Before she departs inside the castle, she stares intently for a few moments at Arya Stark. Emboldened, the Dothraki cavalry charge ahead into the night, their fiery arakhs visible in the distance - until they crash into the seething horde of wights. In the shadowy distance, Dothraki war cries turn to screams of terror and the flames from their swords are quickly extinguished. The army of the dead advance in earnest and like a tidal wave they quickly overrun the defenders. A savage melee sees most of them surrounded: they are killing wights with their dragonglass weapons, but not nearly enough, as the undead overwhelm the defenders through sheer weight of numbers. Joining the fight on dragonback, Daenerys and Jon make strafing runs on the undead army, just behind the faltering human forces. Thousands of wights are incinerated: for a short time this stems their tide, but more keep coming. a full retreat into the castle is ordered. Grey Worm commands the Unsullied to form a rearguard to protect the withdrawal of their few remaining forces. The wights gradually force their way forward in slaughter, even as Unsullied reinforcements step forward to take the place of each that falls. Grey Worm orders that the entrenchments around the castle - which have been filled with flammable pitch - be set on fire. Attempts by Arya and the other archers to shoot the pitch with flaming arrows are blown away by severe winds while the snowstorm prevents Daenerys and Jon from seeing Ser Davos’ signal to light it. Melisandre appears again on the battlefield, laying her hands on the trenchworks and repeats her prayers to the Lord of Light, straining with the massive effort. At the last moment, the entire trench ringing Winterfell bursts into flames. Instead of the hordes of wights rushing through the fiery trenches, the Night King psychically directs them into a concentrated charge across one spot: many hundreds burn, but eventually their sheer mass extinguishes the flames, breaching the defenses. Thousands of them start swarming around the base of Winterfell and climb over each other in a mass up the castle walls. Meanwhile, an overwhelmed Arya seeks momentary refuge from the battle inside Winterfell, only to find herself evading more wights who are shambling about looking for survivors to pick off. Arya slowly sneaks past all of them but they eventually find her and give chase. As she races through the corridors of the castle, Arya runs into Sandor Clegane and Ser Beric Dondarrion. The trio make a running retreat through the narrow hallways, however, Beric is stabbed multiple times and barely manages to drag himself to safety into the Great Hall. While Beric succumbs to his wounds, Arya and Sandor find Melisandre, who remarks that in saving Arya, Beric has fulfilled the purpose the Lord of Light had for him. Melisandre reminds Arya that she once told her that she would close many eyes forever, including blue ones. When Melisandre then asks her, “what do we say to the God of Death?,” Arya replies: “Not today.” With this, Arya runs out of the Great Hall. Meanwhile, in the godswood, the Night King stares down in triumph at his age-old nemesis, the Three Eyed Raven. As the Night King draws the sword sheathed on his back for the killing blow, a sudden wisp of wind catches the attention of one of his lieutenants. Arya Stark manages to slip past the other White Walkers and launches a surprise rear attack with her Valyrian steel dagger. Though the Night King reacts swiftly enough to whip around and catch her by the neck and arm, Arya drops her dagger from the arm he is restraining. She catches it with her free hand and then plunges it into his heart, causing the Night King to shatter into ice. As predicted, with his death, the White Walkers and the entire army of the dead begin to fall, as the magic animating them dies with their king. Viserion, the reanimated dragon, drops dead in the courtyard, saving Jon at the last minute. Afterwards, when dawn finally breaks around the devastated castle, Melisandre walks out of the gates and towards the empty field, passing by hundreds of dead bodies. Ser Davos follows, ready to kill her. Melisandre, however, removes her magical choker and the glow from its gem fades. Davos is then astonished to see her transform into her true, centuries-old appearance. Now having used all of her magic defending Winterfell, she takes a few more faltering steps, then collapses, and her body crumbles away into dust- fulfilling her promise to Davos that she would die before dawn.

*In the aftermath of her death, follow Jon or Davos’ journey throughout the rest of the series.