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'Game of Thrones' fans are still hoping a character killed during the Red Wedding might come back

Robb Catelyn Stark and Talisa Game of Thrones
Robb Catelyn Stark and Talisa Game of Thrones

HBO

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Game of Thrones" season six, including speculation of future events. 

It's that time of year again! You know, the annual hyping-up for the appearance of Lady Stoneheart on "Game of Thrones." Confused? We'll explain. But before you get too excited, know that there's a good chance all the hype is for naught. 

In George R.R. Martin's book series, Catelyn Stark is resurrected after being murdered at the Red Wedding after the Boltons and Freys betrayed her son Robb. Catelyn's body is found by a group of outlaws called the Brotherhood without Banners. The leader of this group is Beric Dondarrion, a Ned Stark loyalist who has been resurrected multiple times by a red priest named Thoros of Myr. 

Beric chooses to pass his life source along to Catelyn, permanently dying and bringing her back from the dead. She takes the name Lady Stoneheart, and begins exacting vengeance on the Freys by luring them into traps in the Riverlands and then hanging them.

lady stoneheart Game of Thrones by zippo514
lady stoneheart Game of Thrones by zippo514

HBOEver since season three episode nine when the Red Wedding took place, book readers have been expecting her to turn up on the series. But, despite rumor after rumor, there has been no sign of her. 

Why Stoneheart might finally appear

In the books, Stoneheart spends most of her time around the Riverlands killing Freys with the help of the Brotherhood. Brienne and Podrick are in the area as well, looking for Sansa Stark, while Jaime is traveling the Riverlands on diplomatic missions. Stoneheart eventually meets Brienne and Podrick, and orders them to bring Jaime to her.

Sound familiar? 

Jaime, Brienne, and Podrick were all just in the Riverlands together. Though the circumstances around their arrival to Riverrun (the castle that was temporarily held by Brynden "Blackfish" Tully) are totally different in the show, book readers couldn't help but notice the similar storylines. 

Plus, episode six had a convenient mention of the Brotherhood "attacking" Freys, and then we actually saw Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr again. We also saw a glimpse of Catelyn Stark's death in a vision Bran had. Everything has been aligning for the potential introduction of Stoneheart.

This Stoneheart set up has fans — many of whom never lost hope for the appearance of Stoneheart — excited to see her return at some point in the coming episodes. 

Catelyn Stark dying Game of Thrones
Catelyn Stark dying Game of Thrones

HBO"The Brotherhood Without Banners mentioned all aboard [Lady Stoneheart] hype train," Redditor Wallacewade04 wrote in a discussion thread

Fans on Twitter were stoked as well.

Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/737113424379793409
That Next Week On reeks of Lady Stoneheart. It is known.

Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/737111504550531072
Brotherhood w/o Banners was mentioned for the first time in forever. Hoping that means Lady Stoneheart #ThronesYall pic.twitter.com/XoixLPaXuR

Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/737107886787022848
Brotherhood without banners are fighting Freys. Brienne is going to Riverrun. Lady Stoneheart please! #GameofThrones #LadyStoneheart

Tweet Embed:
https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/737105009993621505
If tonight isn't a Lady Stoneheart set-up, then I figure nothing ever will be. #GoT #ThronesYall

Just another tease?

Personally, I'm not sold on Stoneheart's return. Yes, the circumstances are more "teasing" than ever, but it doesn't mean Stoneheart is a sure thing.

If the show was following the exact timeline of the books, she should have been introduced around the season three finale or the very beginning of season four. Time and time again, we've had hints and teases which surmounted to nothing. 

Book readers speculated Stoneheart may appear in the season three finale, which was titled "Mhysa" — a Valyrian word for "mother." But no dice. Enthusiasts settled, figuring season four would be as good a time as any to see Stoneheart unleashed.

Catelyn Stark Game of Thrones
Catelyn Stark Game of Thrones

HBOThe show had begun diverging from the books' timeline anyway, so it made sense. Then season four aired and fans got pumped when actress Lena Headey

 (Cersei Lannister) posted a photo on Instagram with the caption "My stone heart."

The photo appeared around the middle of season four, with just three episodes left in the season. Book readers were convinced this was it. Stoneheart was finally coming. The final episode for season four was titled "The Children." Stoneheart's revenge is motivated by her dead children. It was all coming together.

But the season came to an end, and still no Stoneheart. The director of the finale, Alex Graves, had to explain to viewers Stoneheart was never even on the table for season four. The actress who plays Catelyn, Michelle Fairley, said in an interview about the Stoneheart letdown: "Yeah, the character’s dead. She’s dead."

Undeterred, some Stoneheart hopefuls still believed it was all a ruse. Surely she would come in season five.

Catelyn Stark Game of Thrones
Catelyn Stark Game of Thrones

HBOSame story, slightly different ending. The final episode of season five was titled "Mother's Mercy." Fans felt like the showrunners know fans are on the lookout for any possible signs of LSH. One Reddit user, CerealSlayer, pointed out in the appendix of "A Feast for Crows," Lady Stoneheart's entry states she is sometimes called Mother Mercy. 

Once again, the hype train rolled into the station and fans jumped aboard. Season five ended. No Stoneheart. 

So there's something redundant about getting excited for Stoneheart, yet again. Plus, her character feels a bit pointless at this time in the show.

Is now really the time for Stoneheart?

Stoneheart's purpose in the books, at least from what we've seen of her so far, seems to be centered around Stark vengeance. So far in the written series, none of the Stark children are empowered to the point of battling against the Boltons or Freys. Sansa is still in the Eerie with Littlefinger, Jon is currently dead (and awaiting resurrection), and Arya is still in Faceless Man training while Bran is beyond the Wall, and Rickon is M.I.A. 

The show has surpassed the text at this point and made several changes which put the Starks into perfect position for revenge — without the help of Stoneheart. Jon and Sansa are together, rallying the North and prepping for battle against the Boltons. Brienne and Podrick are working on behalf of Sansa to recruit the Blackfish. Arya just abandoned her role as "no one" and is poised to return to Westeros.

Sansa Stark Game of Thrones trailer
Sansa Stark Game of Thrones trailer

HBOThe Stark kids seem to have the whole "avenge Robb and Ned" thing under control. What would Stoneheart add at this point? Her character in the books is like a secret Stark agent, working covertly to take down the Freys and, eventually, the Boltons. Stoneheart gave book readers a sense of hope when it came to seeing the Starks get revenge. 

Show watchers aren't in need of her the way book readers were, and it's this point which has me doubting she'll appear.

Not to mention the reappearance of Beric Dondarrion means (to me, anyways) that Stoneheart won't be entering the storyline. In the books, Stoneheart is revived when Beric chooses to give her the "kiss of life," sacrificing his own resurrection powers to bring her back. If Beric is still alive and leading the Brotherhood, that means Catelyn's dead body has been rotting this entire time. We can assume at least two years have gone by since the Red Wedding in the show universe. If Beric hasn't resurrected her yet, there's no way her corpse is in decent enough shape for her to be revived. 

Of course, I may need to eat my words by the end of season six. And I will gladly book a last minute ticket on board the hype train if Stoneheart pops up. That would be a huge shock to everyone who has lost hope, and vindication for those who never stopped believing. 

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