Back in August, we learned that Deadwood actor and all-around badass Ian McShane will be joining the cast of Game of Thrones during Season 6. At the time, we weren’t sure what sort of character the actor would be playing, although we made plenty of guesses. We still don’t know exactly which character McShane is signed on as, but this week the actor gave us a huge tidbit related to the individual he will be playing. Apparently, he’ll be someone with the skills to bring someone back we never thought we’d see again. Here’s the idea, straight from the horse’s mouth:
I’ll give you one hint. I am responsible for bringing somebody back that you think you’re never going to see again. I’ll leave it at that.
The obvious inference here is that McShane could have something to do with Jon Snow, who may or may not be alive on the series and could even be brought back to life during Game of Thrones’s upcoming sixth season. However, we also expect Melisandre will be around and could fulfill some of that function if Kit Harington’s character does end up returning to the show. In addition, rumors have also intimated that a few other dead characters will be popping up on Game of Thrones when the show makes its big return, either via flashbacks or through bringing people back from the dead. It’s hard to guess when it’s a show where magic could be involved.
Included among these other names are The Hound, who has been seen near the set of Game of Thrones while the show has been filming this season. In addition, Tyrion’s dead lover, Shae, was also spotted in costume on the set earlier this year, although since Game of Thrones employs the use of flashbacks now, it’s entirely possible that any of these appearances may not have anything to do with the role Ian McShane will occupy on the popular HBO drama.
While we haven’t learned a ton about McShane’s gig on the show, we do know several other details about the character. The actor also told Pop Goes The News that his Game of Thrones role is actually rather brief. The actor is only signed on for one episode of the hit series, although his character is expected to be memorable.
I think it’s important to note that McShane only hints that he will be “bringing someone back,” not necessarily bringing someone back from the dead. Plenty of character have gone missing on the series (here's looking at you, Uncle Benjen) or have simply been missing from the plot for a while, including Bran and Hodor, who were out for the whole of Season 5. Regardless, the dead characters are the ones we don't expect to see again, leading credence to that theory. Whatever ends up happening, it's pretty fun to think about.
If you want to know what else is going on regarding the upcoming sixth season of Game of Thrones check out what we know so far.
