There's a christmas episode coming up with a pretty interesting storyline (with Stewie). It focuses on him trying to get the "one and only thing he wants."

Brian was Seth's first ever creation on television. Before Family Guy, a character who was exactly alike Brian was on Seth's only previous show. It's got nothing to do with Seth wanting to disassociate himself from Brian's voice, he decided to voice Brian nromally for a reason.

Yes it was a great episode, because of the heart-wrenching storyline that revolved around Brian. But that's one in the last two seasons! Brian and Stewie are the only characters who regularly create good stories and have some chemistry with each other.

Yes, but this is Brian. He isn't comparable to Diane and Jillian's fiance! What about Lois? When she supposedly died!?

Sooner than that, he's got three more confirmed episode appearances this season!

It doesn't anymore, any way, why use Wikipedia? Anyone can put anything up there.
Also, what about the three confirmed episodes later this season with Brian in!?

Shut up, aside from being a bit douchey, Brian was always a really nice guy to everyone on the show. He was a great companion to Stewie, and I'm sure he will continue to be, as I'm sure he'll return.

Stewie is a genius, he'll find another way to bring back Brian.

Brian will probably return, and despite being on TV for 14 years, he's still only 8 (2/3 of his life). So he'd have something to live for if he returned.

The wouldn't have whole episodes of flashbacks. Anyway, those episode titles have been registered with the US Copyright Office, they can't just edit them whenever they feel like it.

At a stage where Family Guy is struggling to get more than 5 genuinely good story-based episodes out per season, it is moronic to kill off one of your best characters.

If Brian returns after a long struggle by Stewie to save him, then it'll be a good inter-episode storyline.

Time does pass but the characters don't age. That's basically how Family Guy works.

He won't be gone forever. He's in 3-4 more confirmed episodes this season. And there's a Christmas episode where Stewie apparently "devises a master plan to get the one and only thing he wants for Christmas".

Why would Brian's permanent death raise the grade. It would just make the rest of the show all the worse, not change this episode.

Yeah but next year isn't 2015, is it. That's when Family Guy will go on to (at least), unless they get cancelled because Brian's gone.

Family Guy's not ending next season, they're contracted until 2015, and already have three confirmed Season 13 episodes (including the Simpsons one, and one with Brian definitely in).

That makes no sense if Seth wanted more time, surely he'd kill off the minor characters that he voices (eg. Carter, Tom Tucker, even Quagmire), he wouldn't just kill off Brian.

Not even for a whole season, he's in confirmed episodes this season, the pre-season trailer showed him sitting with Cleveland, (hasn't aired yet). And also a picture for the 'Grimm Job' episode clearly shows Brian as the wolf.

You may also notice that Brian is in a confirmed story for season 13 (2014)