Warning: This article contains spoilers from Game of Thrones Season 6 Episode 6 – Blood of My Blood. You have been warned.
From what can be expected of Game of Thrones, the latest episode this season, titled Blood of My Blood, ended with another pivotal sequence. However, in contrast with Hodor's death last week, this week sees the return of an important character – Benjen Stark (Joseph Mawle), who makes his first appearance since Season 1.
Benjen, who is Ned Stark's brother and former First Ranger of the Night's Watch, disappeared in Season 1 on a journey to the North of the Wall. In the character's last appearance, a much younger version of Benjen was shown during Bran's vision in Winterfell. With his return now, while we the Season 1 Benjen is still in there, he's a completely different version version of himself physically. He's now known as a character called Coldhands in George R.R. Martin's books.
In Martin's novels, Coldhands' return is as Bran's guide to the cave. However, the TV version is Bran's savior in different way, and which you have to admit is a much cooler version.
Isaac Hempstead Wright, who plays Bran Stark, seems to thinks so too.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said:
I think it's much cooler to have him show up now instead of guiding Bran to the cave, because Bran already had Jojen and Meera for that.
Instead he's there to help pick up the pieces when their safe haven is destroyed and to give Bran to have that family connection again [after Hodor dies].
This family connection is also discussed by co-executive producer Bryan Cogman.
Cogman told the site in an interview discussing Blood of My Blood. The Game of Thrones producer was asked whether the Benjen's return had always been planned. He said:
It's hard for me to talk about Benjen's return without getting into the nitty gritty of the adaptation process. But, yeah, season 6 is rife with Stark reunions! That's another thing that's been very heartening to track with the fans. The show is so sprawling and there are so many threads, but – at it's heart – it's largely about this good family that was torn apart. So seeing some of them connect again (Jon and Sansa; Benjen and Bran) was very satisfying to write and to shoot. And it was great to have [actor] Joe Mawle back with us – it must have been a trip for him to step back into the character after so long – but he's also decidedlynotthe Benjen of season 1. So that was fun to explore.
Of course, Hodor's death has to be discussed as well, and the interview brushed upon that big question as to whether Hodor will return, since he wasn't exactly seen dead in last week's episode. Cogman said:
I can't speak for [showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss], but I figured the Hodor sequence would get this kind of reaction. First, simply because the character is so beloved by the fans. And second, because the sequence moves the story and mythology into such a new and mind-bending direction. I'm very pleased that it's been so well received. I watch the show every week in a screening room with a bunch of friends, and it was pretty thrilling gauging their reactions throughout the sequence.
As for whether or not we'll see Hodor again… As you know, I can't comment on anything that may or may not happen in the future.
Another significant scene in Blood of My Blood is Sam's reunion with his family. Cogman discussed how it was fun shooting the scene and showing this side of Sam after all the character has been through. He said:
...That was a lot of fun because Sam might not have a lot of screen time this season, but he's got this big meaty chunk trying to pass off Little Sam as his own bastard son. And as much as Sam has gone through, I love exploring those family dynamics. His mother and sister and brother are all fundamentally decent people but his father is just a cold hearted bastard when it comes to his distant son.
There's a painful part of the scene where his father just unloads on him and tells him every hateful thing he ever thought about him and Sam can't defend himself. We found that fascinating – Sam has killed a man, he's killed a White Walker, he's emerged as such a great hero, but he still can't stand up do his dad.
The producer was also asked if he had any teasers for Episode 7, The Broken Man. Cogman only said:
All I can say about next week's episode is there was a week of shooting a particular sequence/storyline that was my favorite week on set in six seasons of Game of Thrones.
Personally, I think Season 6 is the show's best season yet, and I think every new episode has that mind-blowing scene that will make it at least one fan's favorite.
You can read the full interview here.
Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on HBO.
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