Every Game of Thrones Spoiler We Know for Season 7

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Alys Karstark joins the cast

Back when the photos from the Linen Mills Studio shoot were coming out, fans were confused by the one above, which features an actress named Megan Parkinson. Who was this sword-wielding, red-headed new Northerner? Early speculation had it that she might be a stunt double for Sophie Turner, but that didn’t make much sense — when has Sansa ever done anything that needed a stunt double?

It ends up that Parkinson is playing an entirely new character: Alys Karstark. Book-readers will know that Alys, the only daughter of Lord Rickard Karstark, showed up in at Castle Black in A Dance with Dragons before the Night’s Watch mutineers murdered Jon Snow. Jon married her to the Magnar of Thenn in an attempt to help her resolve a family quarrel and normalize wildling-Northern relations.

What might she do on the show? Well, her father is dead — Robb took his head in season 3. Jaime killed two of her brothers — Harrion and Thorrhen — in season 2. And her other brother, Harald Karstark, joined up with Ramsay in season 6. We don’t know exactly what happened to Harald, but if he didn’t die in the Battle of the Bastards, Jon and Sansa may execute him for treason, or at least strip him on his lands and holdings.

The upswing of all this is this is that, by the time season 7 starts, Alys is likely the heir to House Karstark. Sansa and Jon will surely be interested in what she plans to do with that title. An early casting call for season 7 mentioned a 16-year-old Northern girl who would be part of “a high-stakes scene with leading cast members.” Alys is very likely that girl, and Jon and Sansa may be the leading cast members.

One theory is that Jon and/or Sansa will arrange for Alys to marry Tormund Giantsbane. That would roughly parallel what happens in the books, but would switch out the Magnar of Thenn for another prominent wildling we actually know.

Whatever happens, Alys will appear in at least two episodes of season 7, according to Parkinson’s agency resume. We’re eager to see what she brings to the table.

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