The photos and episode description confirm it: this Sunday, May 1, we’ll finally see Bran Stark return to Game of Thrones after a season-long absence. Actor Isaac Hempstead Wright seems thrilled be back. Here’s how he outlined Bran’s story to Entertainment Weekly:
"His first two seasons he was reacting to other people’s storylines. Then he started to get his own thing with his dreaming and journeying north. But we weren’t sure what was going on. Now we’ve learned his storyline is pretty damn important. I love this season so much. His been very insular in his storyline. Now he’s realized he’s been having his dreams because he’s got to save Westeros. It’s such a cool storyline now."
Maybe it was the year off, but Wright seems more enthusiastic than some of the other cast members.
Then again, maybe Bran’s story really is just really awesome this year. A big part of it will involve Bran gaining control of the mysterious powers he’s been developing since Season 1, powers that allow him to look into the past. Wright likens Bran to a Game of Thrones fan, as the character is basically “watching the show.”
"It started off with these disturbing dreams and finding he could control direwolves. Then he discovered he could warg into humans. Then he started to have these weird visions. Now he’s starting to make use of the visions and starting to discover he can interact with the past — he’s like Doctor Who. It’s Doctor Bran!"
Wright echoed some of these sentiments in a video interview with Rappler.
“I haven’t had my entire family murdered and turned into a tree wizard.” Well said.
Meanwhile, Aidan Gillen (Littlefinger) sat down for an interview with Esquire, and while much of the interview was dedicated to how often he gets asked about Jon Snow (a lot), Gillen did offer some poetic insight into Littlefinger’s end goal. “I want everything,” he said. “Definitely power and influence, but the thrill of seeing plans open up like dangerous origami. I didn’t prepare that phrase.”
Over on Good Morning America, several of the female cast members (Sophie Turner, Emilia Clarke, Nathalie Emmanuel, Maisie Williams, Lena Headey, and Hannah Murray) sat down to talk about Season 6, an answer to a similar interview with the guys. Like that interview, it’s pretty loose and fun, although it’s nice to hear that Sansa will be taking some “me time” this year.
Finally, Season 6 media frontman Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth) dropped some choice sound bites over at Rolling Stone. I particularly liked the bit around 1:31, where he talks about the time new Game of Thrones cast member Ian McShane shamelessly revealed spoilers about the new season.
As for Season 6, Cunningham is characteristically descriptive: “There is amazing stuff. There is disgusting…it’s a complete and utter joy to be a part of.”