As filming for Game of Thrones continues in Northern Ireland, more rumors pour in concerning the characters and set pieces we’ll see come Season 6. For example, fan site Watchers on the Walls claims to know the identities of a couple characters described in the Season 6 casting calls:
"Lord of Noble Northern House: This lord is a savage warrior who rules a house in the very far North. HBO is looking for someone with a Northern English accent and a powerful physique who can tower over other cast members. He must be at least 180 cm tall, which is around 5 feet 11 inches…He’s also described as having a beard and a violent temper. He’ll be appear in two episodes.Lord of Northern Stronghold: This northern lord is in his thirties or forties and rules a vassal house household with a castle stronghold. He’s “ruthless and calculating” and will appear in three episodes."
If sources at Watchers can be believed, these characters are Jon “the Smalljon” Umber and Lord Karstark, no-first-name provided, respectively.
The news about the Lord of a Nobel Northern House being the Smalljon isn’t terribly surprising. There are a lot of signs that we’ll be getting to know the Umbers better in Season 6. After all, Osha and Rickon went to stay at the Last Hearth, the seat of House Umber, back in Season 3. With Osha and Rickon reportedly returning for Season 6, it makes sense that we’d visit the Last Hearth and spend some time with members of the Umber family.
It should be noted that the Smalljon is dead in the books, a victim of the slaughter at the Red Wedding. The Smalljon has never appeared on the show, though, so the producers are free to use him in this capacity. The fate of the Greatjon, the Smalljon’s father, is a little more murky. The Greatjon was played by Clive Mantle in Season 1, but hasn’t appeared since. Unlike his son, he didn’t die at the Red Wedding in the books, but was only taken prisoner. He didn’t attend the event at all on the show, and is still alive so far as we know. Might we see a return in Season 6?
The news that “Lord Karstark” will appear in Season 6—and for three episodes, no less—is a little more surprising. The last time we saw a Karstark, Robb was executing family patriarch Rickard Karstark for killing a couple of Lannister hostages out of turn. On the show, all of Rickard Karstark’s sons are dead, so it’s unclear who might take up the mantle of “Lord Karstark,” although surely there’s some nephew or something eager for the opportunity.
In A Dance with Dragons, the Karstarks are still holding a grudge against the Starks for executing their leader, so they side with the Boltons in the war to retake the North. It’s possible they’ll be Bolton allies on the show, too.
Unfortunately, this news would seem to put an end to speculation that the “ruthless and calculating” lord would be Lord Wyman Manderlay, a Stark loyalist who cozies up to to the Boltons while secretly plotting to undermine them in the books. Hopefully, the producers are keeping Manderly in their pocket.
Next: Check out pics of the almost-completed sets for Braavos in Girona