Warning: The following contains possible spoilers for HBO's "Game of Thrones" and George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series.
Over the summer, fans of "Game of Thrones" discovered that actor Ian McShane ("John Wick") had been cast in the upcoming season of the hit HBO fantasy series. At the time, there was no information about his role. While a bit more background has come out since, it still hasn't been confirmed just who McShane will be playing, though he did offer a few interesting clues.
"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 as that," McShane told CinemaBlend.
At first glance, one would assume he was referring to Jon Snow, who was stabbed repeatedly during the season five finale "Mother's Mercy." As "Thrones" fans have learned, followers of R'Hllor (The Lord of Light) such as Thoros of Myr and possibly Melisandre have the ability to bring people back from the dead. Naturally, we all assume McShane will resurrect Kit Harington's fan-favorite character.
However, that may not be the case at all. In addition to a handful of long-absent or long-dead characters, Sandor Clegane AKA The Hound has been rumored to be making an appearance in season six as well. In fact, actor Rory McCann has even been seen near the set. The Hound was last seen in the HBO series being left for dead by Arya after his fight with Brienne (which does not happen in the books), though fans never actually saw Clegane die.
While McShane could very well be a Red Priest brought in to do some magical doctoring (Lady Stoneheart, anyone?), it's also possible that he plays someone much more earthly.
We've learned that McShane's role is only for one episode but is expected to be quite memorable. This has led many to believe that his character is a combination of Septon Meribald and the Elder Brother, the former of which receives a stellar monologue in the books and the latter of which is the leader of the religious community on the Quiet Isle.
In the books, the Elder Brother tells Brienne that The Hound is dead and that he helped bury him himself. Off in the distance, though, she notices a large man with a bandaged face. Many book readers believe this man to be a reformed Sandor Clegane who has found some modicum of peace on the Quiet Isle and has purged himself of all his hatred and pain. In that sense, McShane's character could "bring back" Sandor Clegane, albeit in a more metaphorical sense.
What do you think, "Thrones" fans? Let us know in the comments below!
