Game of Thrones actor John Bradley reveals why Sam Tarly is being kept around

GAME of Thrones actor John Bradley has revealed his underrated character Sam Tarly could be about to step into the big leagues in the upcoming season.

THE resident ‘nerd’ of Game of Thrones could play a vital role in the dying moments of the new season.

John Bradley has suggested his character, the typically under-attack and plagued Samwell Tarly, will have an important part in a dramatic end to season 7, which makes its hotly anticipated premiere in Australia on Monday.

The British actor, who has been starring on the successful fantasy drama since the first season, has been doing the media rounds ahead of the first episode, and let a small hint slip during an interview.

“The thing about Sam is, if he’s still around at this stage, you do suspect there is going to be a point to keeping him around,” Mr Bradley said.

Last season we left Samwell as he was bound for Oldtown with his wife Gilly.

The southern city is home to the Citadel, where Sam will learn how to become a maester and hopes to figure out how to defeat the White Walkers.

He is in possession of his father’s Valyrian blade, the only known weapons that can dispatch a White Walker, along with dragonglass.

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Sam has arrived with Gilly in Old Town. Picture: Foxtel.

Producers have given little away as to what season 7 has in store but the trailer hints at the chilling return of the White Walkers with Cersei, Daenerys and Jon Snow making their way to their respective thrones.

Mr Bradley said his character, despite being an important player in the season, would not get caught up in the fight for power and was complacent with his book smart strategy.

“Sam has an overwhelming sense of achievement going into the new season,” Mr Bradley revealed.

“I think he’s lived his whole life with this burning desire to learn and has a huge respect for knowledge.

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“He’s had doors slammed in his face and people have said to him ‘you want to learn how to swing a sword, it’s the only way you’ll affect the world’ but he’s refused to believe that.

“He’s at this seat of learning where he feels he belongs.”

Sam is most at home among his books. Picture: Foxtel.

Mr Bradley, 29, also talked about the brutal fight scenes his character is involved in, and how he hopes their “ugliness” brings awareness to violence on the streets.

“One thing I like about the violence on Game of Thrones is that it’s balletic, it’s graceful,” he said.

“It looks like a dance.

“But when Sam gets beaten up there’s an ugliness to it. He falls like a sack of shit.

“There’s nothing beautiful about it. There’s no physical prowess, it’s just a man that can’t take that sort of punishment.

“In the fight scenes with him you get a sense of how unpleasant it is to punch someone in the face, similar to seeing it on the street.

“It’s a man who can’t cope with it and there’s something so despicable about it.”

Game of Thrones season seven starts on Showcase on Foxtel on Monday, July 17 at 11am, and repeated at 8:30pm. News.com.au will publish a recap and a podcast analysing each episode following the second screening.

Listen to our preview podcast here, and subscribe for podcasts as they are published.