‘Game of Thrones’ season 4 debate: Will a ‘dead’ character return?

We want to start off this “Game of Thrones” article with a very important warning: If you want to avoid any and all spoilers from this season of the HBO show, and also a particular event from a future George R.R. Martin novel, stop reading now. This post is mostly for the diehard fans or those who don’t mind being scooped on something producers could do.

We don’t figure it has been enough time just yet to fully get over “The Rains of Castamere.” Even if you knew the Red Wedding was coming, there is still a very significant difference between actually visualizing this terrible event in your head and actually seeing it play out on the screen. By far, it was one of the most horrifying pieces of imagery we’ve ever seen on broadcast television, in particular what happened to both Talisa and Catelyn Stark. It also happened to be one of the show’s best episodes ever.

But have we really seen the end when it comes to these characters just yet? As some of you may know, at least one of the people who died during the Red Wedding returns in the future, but not exactly in a way in which they are accustomed to. This was an important part of the story within this medium, but we also have to remember that there are some differences between the two properties. After all there was also a particularly gruesome scene involving Catelyn’s face in the books that was cut out from the HBO product.

One other wrinkle that could cause the whole returning theory to go up in smoke is that two of our actors here have already booked substantial roles elsewhere. Michelle Fairley has actually been filming a role on “Suits” in secret for weeks, and it has been well-known for some time that Richard Madden was set to co-star in “Cinderella” alongside “Downton Abbey” actress Lily James. If someone is coming back, scheduling will have to be worked out, given that this is a show that is not particularly easy to get two when it comes to location.

It should be noted that neither Fairly nor Madden were asked directly about their future on the show in exit interviews, largely because of a fear that HBO would stage a verbal massacre against the journalist who asked the very question.

If you are a fan of Martin’s books, you surely know what we are talking about here: Do you think that we will see this story happen in season 4 or beyond, or do you think that we really have seen the end of the dearly departed on the show? If you want to read more about Sunday night’s “Game of Thrones” finale, you can do so over here.

Photo: HBO