Personally, I've never thought, not even for a second, that he died. The way he vanished into the light during the End of an Era is just to much of an eyeroll for me. As far as I remember, we've seen NPCs die during quests, so SE doesn't shy from showing us death loud and clear. I have a nagging feeling that they're going to go all Gandalf on him, and I hate it. I do hope that I'm wrong.