A Big ‘Game Of Thrones’ Spoiler Was Just Dropped By Ian McShane

Ian McShane appeared on BBC Breakfast this morning and dropped a major Game of Thrones spoiler! Take a look (but be warned).

So, when asked to provide a Game of Thrones spoiler, McShane says that he can’t talk about it, but then he talks about it. It’s a gutsy move given HBO’s decision to not even give out press copies for review. But hey, we’ll take it. But before you jump to the conclusion that the “much-loved character everyone thinks is dead” is Jon Snow, let’s step back and take a look at what we know.

As reported by Vanity Fair,the casting call for the Game of Thrones character Ian will be playing said 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 salt-of-the-earth man who has weathered many battles.”

Those who have read the books upon which HBO’s Game of Thrones is based caught this spoiler first because they know that this description fits that of the character Septon Meribald, with a bit of another character called Elder Brother. In the books, Brienne goes to the Quiet Isle to look for Sansa and meets up with the Elder Brother. He proceeds to tell her that The Hound is dead, that he buried him. But readers also know that in this Game of Thrones scene there is also a gravedigger in the background, a gravedigger who has not yet been identified in the books, but whose description gives us another spoiler and strongly suggests his identity.

This Game of Thrones gravedigger is an enormous man, larger than Brienne. A scarf covers his face and he has injuries much like those of The Hound. Some believe that the Septon/Elder Brother character is speaking metaphorically when he says he buried The Hound. When the Elder Brother speaks of The Hound, he calls him by name, Sandor Clegane. Some believe that the Septon “buried” the angry, brutal side of Sandor, The Hound. They believe that he means that the dangerous man everyone knew is dead and a more peaceful man, Sandor Clegane, remains. Or did he literally die and the Septon brought him back? We don’t know. But when you consider all this along with the fact that McCann, who plays The Hound on Game of Thrones, has been seen on the set, and the likelihood that Ian McShane’s character will bring The Hound back to life is even greater.

Ian McShane Drops 'Game of Thrones' Season 6 Details, Accidentally Proves a Huge Fan Theory https://t.co/n9U3rvXzyS pic.twitter.com/5KaDzJhqLu

— /Film (@slashfilm) March 3, 2016

Huffington Post reports that McShane did say a bit more about the new Game of Thrones season in that BBC Breakfast interview.

“But also I have nursed a loved character, a much loved character, back to life, and it reintroduces, I won’t say him or her. But it’s a character that’s much loved who everybody thinks has died, and he’s not dead.”

Of course, one of the hosts had to follow up on this Game of Thrones spoiler and push for a bit more. She tells him that he can mean one of only two characters, The Hound or Jon Snow. To this McShane responded cryptically.

“I’ll leave you with that one. I think you might’ve guessed which one it is. If it’s not the latter, it might be the former.”

So, all signs point to the return of The Hound in season 6 of Game of Thrones. And there are hints that Jon Snow may not remain dead either. April 24 is the big day we will all get to tune in to new episodes of Game of Thrones on HBO and find out once and for all what’s coming next. It can’t get here soon enough.

[Photo by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images]