There’s a lot of jokes about Gendry still rowing on a boat, bearing the missing Rickon, Osha, Men without Banners, etc. But in all seriousness, there are a lot of critical characters whom we have not heard from in a while that hopefully will be returning for season 6. This blog post speculates on those characters that have survived up until this point but are part of the main storylines.

• Yara/Asha and the other Greyjoys – Surprisingly, we did not have opportunities to see Yara or even Balon Greyjoy despite their names showing up on IMDB. I suppose the lesson to take from that is to not trust IMDB as the ultimate source for anything. That said, most people are betting on the appearance of Euron Greyjoy in the very least and that this character will have a major role. Still, that leaves Yara and Balon in an odd state. If anything, most likely we’ll see Balon dead from an “accident” that possibly resulted from the curse that Melisandre and Stannis put on him for being a usurper while Yara might seek out her lost brother Theon.
• Gendry – With Stannis defeated, the only major Baratheon figure left is Gendry (assuming Brienne finished Stannis off). Without Dragonglass nor Valyrian steel lying around, people speculate that at the very least Gendry’s future role will be involved in producing Valyrian steel weapons, especially if Dragonstone is no longer occupied by Stannis (not to mention that there’s reportedly a ton of Dragonglass at Dragonstone). Still, it might be too early to pull the Gendry card.
• Rickon Stark/Shaggy Dog/Osha – According to the books, Rickon and Osha have fled to the Summer Isles which is where Ser Davos Seaworth is sent by the Manderlys. However, the Summer Isles supposedly is filled with cannibals so it’s questionable whether Rickon and Osha are safe. If anything though Rickon will have grown up some and it would be interesting to see what motives Osha had in taking Rickon to that zone of all places.
• The Brotherhood without Banners – In the books, this group is led by Lady Stoneheart. However, since she is notably absent still and more than likely will not show up at all, I’m going to take a stab and say that Sansa will be the one leading this group down the line. Beric Dondarrion sacrifices his life for Lady Catelyn’s in the book. So unless they bring in Lady Stoneheart, this may imply Beric lives a bit longer. Either that or Sansa/Sophie Turner will become a new version of Lady Stoneheart.
• Bran Stark/Hodor/Summer/Meera Reed – Our current assumption is that Bran is training with the Three Eyed Raven. With Jon Snow out of the picture, that only leaves Sansa, Bran and Rickon as the surviving Starks (assuming that Sansa survived her fall which I’m guessing she did). Bran did not invoke himself into Reek while the maimed one was visiting the Godswood. Still because he’s alive and Sansa now knows of it and has managed to escape the Boltons’ imprisonment with Theon, I’m betting that she might go after him unless she becomes involved with the Brotherhood without Banners.
• Benjen Stark – No one knows what happened to him. The fact that the series even brought him up all the way at the end of this season implies that he exist in some format. Perhaps, Jon Snow’s demise in episode 10 of season 5 will pave the way for Benjen to re-enter the picture. If he does, then it’s anyone’s guess as to why he left. Maybe he knew something about Jon Snow’s destiny and helped encourage him to the Night’s Watch to fulfill his role? Maybe he left the Night’s Watch after being broken by something he sees and deserts with the Wildlings? Maybe George RR Martin intentionally lied to his editor to throw everyone off that Benjen Stark really is Coldhands? Either way, you don’t leave everyone on the edge of their seat with name dropping something as big as a Benjen Stark without foreshadowing a huge upcoming event.
• Syrio Forel – Another major character whose fate we never truly know. Our only assumption thus far is that Meryn Trant killed him. But without witnessing Syrio’s death, we can only take it for granted. With Arya murdering a gagged Meryn Trant, we never hear him admit if he finished off Syrio. There is always the possibility that his purpose was to send Arya to Braavos for her destiny and that he is just another mask of the Jaqen Hag’har. Since she never inquires directly to Jaqen, a man does not have to respond to a girl.
• Nymeria – With the exception of Ghost, all the remaining dire wolves have been left out of this season. And even with Ghost, that appearance was a very brief cameo. Yet Nymeria supposedly hunts the lands with a growing pack and it’s quite clear that Arya is tied to Nymeria as having the ability to worg. Still, it would be great seeing Nymeria and her army of wolves. Perhaps, they will be the ones to rip apart the Boltons and Freys…
• Ser Sandor Clegane/The Hound – We can only assume that The Hound is dead. But the person of Ser Sandor Clegane is not. As we heard from him at the end of season 4, Ser Sandor Clegane states that unless a maester was hiding behind some rock, he would be finished. No one has spotted a maester but it’s possible that a group like the Brotherhood without Banners encounters the corpse of The Hound and rebuild him similar to how his brother Ser Gregor Clegane is Ser Robert Strong. The much anticipated Clegane bowl is something I believe many people want to see play out and would be a far more fitting end for Ser Sandor Clegane rather than the sadder ending from episode 10.
• Edmere Tully – Currently, a hostage. Even if Jamie Lannister did not do his Riverlands story this season, Edmere should still be alive under the Frey’s prison. He still has some value and would make a decent ally for Sansa.
• Robin Arryn – I suppose I shouldn’t put him here because he did have a small scene at the beginning of this season. But he’s still a reasonably important character, especially with Sansa freed and looking for allies. Sansa still has a great deal of power as a Stark so having her gain the Vale’s trust and wresting it away from Littlefinger seems critical. And that’s where the mentally challenged Robin comes in as a piece.
• The Freys – Not mentioned at all this season but never forgotten for the atrocities committed against the North. I don’t know if Arya will be the one committing the acts of revenge but certainly there will be some group that will challenge the Freys down the road.

That’s my list. I’m certain there are numerous other characters I’m leaving out. I did not want to talk about Littlefinger despite him being conspicuously absent in the last few episodes. But he’ll certainly show up when he wants to.

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