(Spoilers for GoT TV series and books.)
Ever since season five ended (and even before), fans have been speculating as to what will happen in the next season of Game Of Thrones. Will Jon Snow be back? How much Hodor will we get? And will we get more scenes with Podrick driving all the women crazy? With each new announcement for season six, the internet has analyzed and debated endlessly, such as a possible Jon-Ramsay-giant stand-off. Another slice of big news came in the form of Ian McShane joining the cast in a small but vital role. Although he’s teased who his character is, he’s remained fairly tight-lipped. So who will McShane play?
Book readers might think that McShane would be playing meatier roles like the three-eyed raven or a (much older) Euron Greyjoy, but the only clues the actor has given about his character is that he won’t have much screen time and he’ll be bringing back someone that we think we’re “never going to see again,” most likely a fan favorite. And since the show has a habit of killing off anyone deemed to be a fan favorite, that list is pretty extensive. Possible theories include someone who will help bring back The Hound or Septon Maribald (Brienne’s guide on her Stark retrieval mission), while crazier theories include Lady Stoneheart (because fans just can’t give up on that dream). I can only hope that he’ll be bringing back lady charmer Ilyn Payne, because who’s a bigger fan favorite than him?
Who do you think McShane will play? And don’t just say Al Swearengen. We won’t be that lucky.
