‘Game Of Thrones’: Could Brienne Of Tarth Play A Larger Part In Season 6?

Brienne of Tarth, played by Gwendoline Christie, in HBO’s Game of Thrones became a fan favorite character after she trekked around Westeros with Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). This made season 5 pretty miserable for her legion of fans who only got glimpses of Brienne as she waited patiently for a candle to be lit in a tower window. However, that light may burn brightly in season 6 and Brienne will get more time in the limelight.

WARNING: This article contains speculation about season 6 of Game of Thrones and draws references directly from the book series it is based on. If you do not want potential spoilers, please proceed with caution.

Vanity Fair has delved long and hard into just what Brienne might be up to in season 6 of Game of Thrones, and, if the plot lines still left over from the books are anything to go by, Brienne just may have more action to look forward to. But this may only be the case if one, long-speculated, character makes an appearance: Lady Stoneheart.

Lady Stoneheart is a character from the book series Game of Thrones is based on. When the red wedding occurred and Catelyn Stark (played by Michelle Fairley in the TV series) was murdered by the Freys, in the book she was whisked away and Beric Dondarrion sacrifices his own life in order to resurrect Catelyn. She then goes on a mission to hunt down those who wronged her.

But what does this have to do with Brienne?

Well, as Vanity Fair points out, there have been a few casting calls that could suggest a character involved with the Lady Stoneheart storyline is being cast for season 6. Merrett Frey, the son of Walder Frey (played by David Bradley and already confirmed as returning to Game of Thrones) is the character in question. While the casting call does not name the character directly as such, there are some good character descriptives that could line him up as being of the Frey lineage, a “long nose and skeletal features… perhaps a bit sly,” certainly sounds like a Frey. The fact that the casting call listed on Watchers on the Wall also states the person will be “a son who is unable to live up to the demands of his savage father” is a bit more definite. If it is Merrett, then there is a good chance Lady Stoneheart will be there as the character meets a grizzly end at the hands of the resurrected Stark. And, as also listed in the casting call, this character has no options and is a one-off role. In Game of Thrones-speak that means the character will not be returning because they are dead.

But that still doesn’t account for Brienne does it?

Well, in book four, A Feast For Crows, of the Game of Thrones series, Brienne — along with Pod — actually has a run in with Lady Stoneheart and the group she is travelling with. This run in results in a neat little cliff hanger after Lady Stoneheart mistakes Brienne for a Lannister. As a result of this, Lady Stoneheart then asks Brienne to make a choice between dying or killing Jaime Lannister. While it was unclear in the books which choice Brienne made, according to the Game of Thrones author, George R.R. Martin, she chose the sword which would make a pretty interesting storyline in season 6 of Game of Thrones now that Brienne and Jaime have become friends.

The only major fault with this theory is the fact Michelle Fairley has continually denied she will be returning to Game of Thrones and is currently in London performing on stage in Splendour. Although, this only runs until September 26, 2015, so there might be just enough time after that to head on over to Belfast and film her scenes.

Game of Thrones returns to HBO in 2016.

What do you think, will Brienne get a bigger role in season 6 of Game of Thrones? And will Lady Stoneheart return? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.

[Image credit: HBO Inc.]