There’s been a ton of speculation about who Ian McShane is playing in Game of Thrones season 6 and he may have just given us a major clue….
Ian McShane will join the cast of Game of Thrones season 6 but he’s now revealed a few details including the fact that he’ll only be around for one episode but it’s a very important role that he’s filling.
According to McShane via Pop Goes the News, his lone appearance will bring a character long thought dead back to life but that’s all he would say (while saying so much!).
“I’ll give you one hint,” McShane said. “I am responsible for bringing somebody back that you think you’re never going to see again. I’ll leave it at that.”
Now we can absolutely speculate about who McShane is playing and who he’s likely bringing back to life but that may be a spoiler for some non-book readers so only go further if you understand that something major might be revealed below….
SPOILER — ONE LAST WARNING
So the casting call for season 6 had a couple of parts that seemed perfect for McShane but after other roles were filled, the only one left was this —
Priest, in his 40s or 50s. A gruff ex-soldier who found religion. Now a no-nonsense rural priest who ministers to the poor of the countryside. He’s a salt-of-the-earth man who has weathered many battles.
Now judging by the progression of the story and the mention of bringing somebody back to life, it sounds like McShane might be playing the Elder Brother.
In A Feast for Crows, Brienne of Tarth and Podrick Payne meet the Elder Brother where he tells them about finding the body of Sandor Clegane aka The Hound and how he died from wounds received in battle. It’s hinted in the story that the Elder Brother, who is rumored to be a great healer, actually brought The Hound back to life and he’s currently serving as a monk at the monastery where the Elder Brother stays.
Now the story may have changed slightly because in the books Brienne is not the one who nearly kills The Hound but the other parts of the story matchup. The casting calls for ‘a gruff ex-soldier’ and the Elder Brother was apparently a soldier for House Targaryen at the Battle of the Trident so it all fits. Whether or not this is the part that McShane is playing remains unknown but it certainly looks that way!
Game of Thrones season 6 will debut in the spring of 2016.
