Forgotten characters who will return to play a part in S7
This season, as the plot lines come together, we shall see the return of forgotten characters to tie up loose ends and take us forward into the finale.
GAME Of Thrones famously has many characters and many plot lines and keeping track of them across the last six seasons has been a nightmare.
But, with everything coming to a crescendo, it’s time to check up on some of these forgotten characters, who have the potential to play a massive part in seasons seven and eight.
GENDRY
Gendry is the blacksmith’s apprentice blissfully unaware he is one of King Robert Baratheon’s bastards. He befriended Arya when they were both sent on the run from the Lannisters with Yoren’s recruits for the Night’s Watch. Eventually the Brotherhood without Banners captured them and sold Gendry to Melisandre. He was last seen in Season 4 when Ser Davos freed him and sent him back toward King’s Landing in a rowboat even though he can’t swim. Apparently he has been rowing in circles for the past two seasons but leaked footage from filming shows him return. In a boat.
Why is he important?
Although he only learnt the truth from Melisandre late in the game, he is now the only Baratheon left after the deaths of Renly, Stannis and Shireen. Now that all of the Robert’s “legitimate children” are gone, he has a strong claim to the Iron Throne. he may not want it but there are still plenty of Baratheon bannermen wandering around who would be happy to declare their allegiance to Robert’s son. Plus he owes Ser Davos his life. And who does Ser Davos work for now? Jon Snow. Another bastard son of a great lord. (Well, actually he’s not, but nobody in Westeros bar Bran Stark actually knows that). Could be a match made in heaven.
SALLADHOR SAAN
The pirate lord who rescued Davos in the Battle of Blackwater returned his 30 ships to the Baratheon side after Stannis borrowed money to pay him from the Iron bank of Bravos. He was also last seen in season four.
Why is he important?
The Greyjoys and the Ironborn fleets are going to play a huge role in Season Seven. Yara and Theon have signed up to help Daenerys, while Euron has gone over to Cersei’s side. The battle between the two fleets will help define the war in Westeros. We suspect, based on leaks from filming (as well as sea battles in the trailers) that things don’t go well for either Yara’ fleet or Theon’s fleet. Jon Snow might need his Hand Ser Davos to recruit them another fleet.
ROBIN ARRYN
Robin of Arryn is the only son and heir to the original Hand of the king John Arryn. He was overly-attached to his mother Lysa, Catelyn Stark’s sister, who was tossed through the moon door by her new husband Petyr Baelish after Littlefinger used her to poison her husband and start the whole Stark-Lannister feud.
Why is he important?
It’s highly unlikely that young Robin will survive the series, but he still Lord of the Eyrie and commander of their knights. You know, the ones that thundered to Jon Snow’s rescue when he was about to be chopped into pieces by Ramsay Bolton. At the moment these knights are a hugely valuable part of Jon Snow’s army and the only reason why Littlefinger is tolerated in Winterfell. So you have to wonder what plans his scheming “uncle Petyr” has for Robin.
HOWLAND REED
Howland Reed was a good friend to Ned Stark and is father to Meera and Jojen Reed. Jojen tells Bran of Howland’s reaction to Ned’s death so we know he is probably still alive. He appeared on screen in Bran’s vision of the battle at the Tower of Joy at the end of season six. He was the one who saved Ned’s arse when Ser Arthur Dayne was about to skewer him.
Why is he important?
For unexplained reasons, Howland never told his children about Robert’s Rebellion. Howland is the only possibly living person to witness what really happened to Lyanna Stark’s baby, so when Bran probably reveals everything about Jon Snow’s parentage, Howland Reed will suddenly become one of the most important people in Westeros.
NYMERIA
Direwolves are not normally found south of the wall, so the discovery of the dying mother and her pups near Winterfell was seen as an omen. Nymeria, named for a warrior queen, is one of the six pups adopted by the Stark children in the first episode. Nymeria was last seen early in the first series shortly after attacking then Prince Joffrey.
Why is she important?
Direwolves are the sigil of house Stark so are expected to feature in a Stark revenge. Nymeria and Jon Snow’s Ghost are the only other direwolves still alive in the series. Originally the unfinished sixth book in the series was rumoured to be named “Wolves of Winter”, leading fans to speculate that Nymeria will turn up again and even fight one of Daenerys’ dragons. In a big hint, Maisie Williams (Arya) was spotted filming in Canada while Instinct Animals, which trains many of the animals used in the series, posted — and then took down — a picture of wolves, using the hashtag ‘Winter is coming”.
BENJEN STARK
Ned Stark’s younger brother and a First Ranger of the Night’s Watch, he embarks on a ranging mission north of the wall in season one, and does not return. When he finally surfaces again in season six, he saves his nephew Bran and his travelling companion Meera Reed from wights after they escape from the cave of the Three-eyed Raven. He tells them he was stabbed in the gut with a sword of ice by a White Walker, but the Children of the Forest saved him by shoving a blade of obsidian in his chest to prevent the magic from taking hold. He then leads the pair to the wall explains he cannot pass through it due to the magic woven into its foundations and his undead status.
Why is he important?
His “undead” status and his fighting skills as a Ranger make him a formidable ally against the Night King’s army. But the reappearance of his character also delivers a clue as to how the armies of the dead may get through the wall. When the Night King leaves his mark on Bran during his vision it breaks the magic protecting the Three-eyed Raven’s cave. Could this also be the case for the wall when Bran travels through it opening the way for the army of the dead to march south?
EDMURE TULLY
Edmure is the son and heir of the late Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun and the new head of House Tully. He is the younger brother of Ned Stark’s wife Catelyn.
It was his wedding to Walder Frey’s daughter Roslin that led to the murder of Robb Stark at the Red Wedding in season three and left Edmure languishing in Frey’s dungeon.
Frey is rewarded by the Lannisters with Lordship over the Riverlands and Riverrun.
In season six, Edmure’s uncle Brynden Tully “The Blackfish”, who managed to escape the carnage of the Red Wedding, has now managed to rally what remains of the Tully forces and recapture his family home, Riverrun. We next see Edmure being used as a bargaining chip by the Freys to try to convince the Blackfish to relinquish the castle. They threaten to hang his nephew if the Blackfish doesn’t surrender, but he refuses.
It’s not until Jaime Lannister arrives from King’s Landing with an army to retake Riverrrun that the siege is broken. Jaime threatens to kill Edmure’s son unless he orders the Tully forces to stand down. He agrees and Jaime retakes Riverrun for the Freys and the Blackfish is killed.
Edmure is returned to Walder Frey’s dungeon.
Why is he important?
With the death of Walder Frey at the hands of Arya Stark, Edmure will likely be freed from the dungeons. But other than that his future is unclear. Although he is the rightful Lord of Riverrun and the head of House Tully, his humiliating surrender of Riverrun to Jaime Lannister would likely not have gone down well with his soldiers. Still, he could be hungry for revenge and the Tullys have long been allies of the Starks.
BERIC DONDARRIAN
He is the Lord of Blackhaven and the head of House Dondarrion. We first see him is season one when Ned Stark, acting as Hand of the King, orders him take 100 men and execute “The Mountain” Gregor Clegane for murder and treason. During the battle of Mummer’s Ford Beric is killed when Clegane drives a lance through his chest. He is resurrected by Thoros of Myr, a red priest of the Lord of Light. The survivors of the battle form the Brotherhood Without Banners.
He is not seen again until season three when he reunites with the Brotherhood who have taken “The Hound” Sandor Clegane and Arya Stark prisoner. When Arya accuses The Hound of murder, Beric sentences him to trial by combat and volunteers himself as The Hound’s opponent. The Hound wins the fight mortally wounding Beric and he is again resurrected by Thoros. In all Beric has been resurrected six times by Thoros and as he explains to Arya, each time he loses a bit of his memory and does not recover from his physical wounds.
The next time we see Beric is when The Hound runs into the Brotherhood after two of its members raided the religious community he was living in and killed his friend Brother Ray. He tracks the men down for revenge. After the men are hanged for staining the good name of the Brotherhood, Beric offers Sandor a place in Brotherhood.
Why is he important?
Beric and the Brotherhood, with The Hound in tow, will have a big part to play. Beric also gave us one of the greatest scenes of the recently-released trailer, when his sword lights up in preparation for fighting White Walkers. As big fans of the Lord of Light, their sworn duty is to tackle the White Walkers. But how will a man who keeps coming back from the dead, go fighting the dead? It could be fascinating ...
Thoros of Myr.
THOROS OF MYR
He is Beric’s unconventional Red Priest, a former hard drinking fighter and a member of the Brotherhood Without Banners. He is responsible for resurrecting Beric six times so far in the series and his feats however “accidental”, inspire Melisandre to resurrect Jon Snow at the wall.
Why is he important?
As Thoros tells the Hound in season 6, “we’re here for a reason. The Lord of Light is keeping Beric alive for a reason. He gave a failed drunk priest the power to bring him back for a reason.”
Just what that reason is remains to be seen. But we rather suspect it has something to do with the Night King.
ILYN PAYNE
The king’s mute executioner who hasn’t been seen since Season two. As Sandor Clegane explains to Arya, “He hasn’t been very talkative these last 20 years. Since the Mad King had his tongue ripped out with hot pincers.” Apparently it was punishment for suggesting Tywin Lannister, the Hand of the King, was the true ruler of Westeros, not King Aerys II.
Why is he important?
Ilyn Payne is still on Arya Stark’s kill list so you would expect we will see his character again so the young Stark can deal out some more of her extremely violent but poetic justice. But it remains to be seen whether Wilko Johnson, the actor who plays him, will return as he was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in 2013. Thankfully, his cancer was less severe than doctor’s first thought and after undergoing lifesaving surgery, he is in remission.
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