See The Dramatic Return of an Old Character (Video)

Game of Thrones has been killing characters off right and left this season, from the boys down in Dorne in the first episode all the way to last week’s dramatic and traumatic death of Hodor. But as the show taketh away, the show also giveth! All these deaths are simply making room to bring back characters we haven’t seen in years.

Now, to be fair, several of those that have returned—like Osha—have returned only to be killed off for good. But no matter! When a character you haven’t seen in years returns, it’s still good to see a friendly face.

SPOILERS AHEAD.

Well now everything dies baby that’s a fact
But maybe everything that dies someday comes back
Put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty
And meet me tonight in Spoiler City
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This is what we do to people who spoil things

Despite the show doing major work to streamline and simplify the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, there’s really only been two “major” characters who have been seemingly cut from the narrative that distress the book reading crowd. The first, as most surely have heard by now, is the infamous “Lady Stoneheart” the embodiment of vengeance  for the Stark family.  Funnily enough, the second is also believed to be a quasi member of the Stark clan. Who the character known only as “Coldhands” actually was before he was turned into a semi-wight is a subject of deep debate among fans, as is why, though he has clearly been turned from human into something approaching “other-dom” if you will, he is not killing our protagonists. Many theorize that he is long lost Uncle Benjen, somehow stronger than the magic that turned him that he has been able to mentally remain on the side of the Night’s Watch and his nephew. (For the record, martin has supposedly debunked this theory thoroughly in notes to his editor, but not so thoroughly that all fans believe it.)

When we first meet Coldhands in the novels, it is when Sam, Gilly and the baby are struggling to make it back to the safety of the Wall after the disastrous ranging North. He saves their lives from the wights and the White Walkers and helps them back down to the Nightfort, where they run into Bran and company going North. At that point, Coldhands, having done all he can for Sam and Gilly, attaches himself to the Northern traveling band and is instrumental in helping them get to the Three Eyed Raven. Now, this all took place already on the show back in Season 3/4, sans Coldhands’ help. It seemed to book readers that the character was cut for good. Until now.

https://vine.co/v/iVi10dOpKFr

But the show has changed this around. The character is very obviously Uncle Benjen. He even introduces himself as such.

https://vine.co/v/iViTa0DLVPA

He looks half turned, like Coldhands did. But now we know how to stop a White Walker being turned. And we know how Coldhands came to be, even if he turns out in the books not to be Uncle Benjen.