If you have not read at least up until the end of Storm of Swords, or you’ve only see the the show and like to be surprised- stop reading. If you don’t care about potential spoilers or you’ve read through the books skip passed the nodding Mace.
What happened is that after the Red Wedding Catelyn’s body was thrown into the river where it was discovered by the Brotherhood a couple days later and she is revived by Beric Dundarian. Thing is, just like Buffy season 6, Catelyn has come back… wrong. She is very one minded and wants only revenge for what’s happened to her and to her family. She becomes known as Lady Stoneheart. Pretty awesome right?
For years now the show runners, David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, have repeatedly said that Lady Stoneheart would not appear on the show. Up until now it seemed that could very well be the case. There wasn’t really a good place for her to fit in. For the SRM listeners you know I’ve been a pretty big Lady Stoneheart truther. I said last season that if she was going to appear it would be in Season 6 because of how far passed the books many things have gotten and they can be more creative with how they go about doing things. So let’s look at why I think we might see Catelyn before season’s end…
The Case Against:
- Season 6 is great already. One of the best of the entire series. The rate at which things are moving is insane, satisfying and at times overwhelming. To bring in something of this magnitude could be overload.
- D & D have repeatedly said that she would not be appearing. Though they also said Jon Snow was dead for year.
- Michelle Fairley has said she will not be returning though that was a while back.
- Sansa’s storyline can sort of pick up some of what the Lady Stoneheart storyline has covered. Same deal with Arya. Some even think that Arya will be resurrected and fill this role in coming weeks. I am not one of the people, nor do I think anyone on the podcast is.
- Jon just came back. How many times we gonna dip in the resurrected Stark pool? We’re probably going to get Arya reborn in some way in coming weeks.
The Case For:
- Walder Frey has been very heavy handed about reminding us what a shit he is, about the events of the red wedding, and specifically about Catelyn’s death. We even have the Frey doofus that slit her throat back on the show (side lock: this dude is captured and put to death by Catelyn and the Brotherhood).
- We know from earlier episodes that the Brotherhood is out and about doing damage. Walder Frey said as much a couple weeks back. This week we get our eyes on the Brotherhood Without Banners ourselves. We know from at least the end of Storm of Swords that Catetlyn has been traveling with them on her revenge tour of the Riverlands.
- The Brotherhood (likely) slaughtered Sandor “the Hound” Clegane’s festival friends. Why is this a possible clue? I know from my co-hosts that the Brotherhood gets increasingly violent after bringing on Lady Stoneheart. They weren’t exactly duty and honor bound before, but they are decidedly more violent it would seem.
- The Riverlands is getting crowded with friends and enemies alike. Jaime Lannister is in the area and word of this would certainly reach the Brotherhood. We have sure seen a change in Jaime, but a resurrected – hell bent on killing Lannisters and Freys – all revenge all the time – Lady Stoneheart couldn’t give two shits about his character arc. She only cares about Season 1-3 Jaime and Season 1 -3 Jaime was the worst. Let’s not forget he pushed Bran out the window, crippled Ned, simply has the last name Lannister and I think that’s all it takes for Zombie Cat to want some brains.
- Brienne is headed to the Riverlands. We know from the previews that she meets up with Jaime, though she’s no on a different side. That’s interesting in itself. She’s showing up to court the Tully’s to help with the retaking of the North while wearing Lannister armor and carrying Oathkeeper, melted down and forged from Ice, the sword of Ned Stark. Brienne in the Riverlands could lead to a clash between her and Jaime, but could it also lead to a reunion between her and Catelyn? That reunion could go any number of ways, but if she’s caught with all that Lannister swag it might not go well.
- It’s been confirmed that Brotherhood Without Banners’ Red Priest, Thoros of Myr, who resurrected Beric Dundarian no less than 6 times, would appear in Season 6.
- I’ve been saying it for years. In our PreGame of Thrones episode “The Iron Bank of Braavos Presents: The SRM Stone Cold Locks of 2016” I included that we would see the Brotherhood Without Banners and Lady Stoneheart in Season 6. Clearly this last point is the most compelling evidence.
There’s probably more to support the case, but I haven’t read books 4 or 5. With what I do know… the confluence of events currently taking place in the Riverlands creates too easy an opening to not be leading to, among other things, the introduction of Lady Stoneheart. At this point I don’t know how much life the storyline has if it’s brought into the show, but for at least that moment I’m going to be damn glad to see it. I’d warn you and myself that I don’t think the show would give us this without also taking something away. Who or what that is… I don’t know. Bottom line- it’s not a question of IF Lady Stoneheart appears this season, but when.
