New Characters Revealed For GAME OF THRONES Season 3
Spoilers, I guess, for Game of Thrones. If you're a big pussy spoilerphobe this article will upset you; if you're a functioning human you'll be okay.
As season two of Game of Thrones draws to an end we begin our impatient, whining and churlish wait for season three. The third season will be based on half of the third book, A Storm of Swords, and will introduce a whole bunch of new characters. Among these new characters will be some folks who were in book two but didn't make it into season two, in an effort to keep things streamlined and to not overwhelm audiences. By which I mean: here come the Reeds!
EW has a list of some of the new characters (apparently there are still more), and here they are. My commentary after.
– Mance Rayder: We’ve heard about him all season. A former member of the Night’s Watch who became the “King Beyond the Wall,” the leader of the Wildlings.
– Daario Naharis: A confident and seductive warrior.
– Jojen Reed; Meera Reed: A teenage brother and sister duo with special insights.
– Edmure Tully: A brash young member of the Tully family.
– Ser Brynden Tully (The Blackfish): Catelyn Stark’s uncle.
– Lady Selyse Florent: Stannis Baratheon’s wife.
– Shireen: Stannis’ daughter.
– Olenna Redwyne (The Queen of Thorns): Margaery Tyrell’s sharp-witted grandmother.
– Beric Dondarrion: A skilled knight who is the leader of the outlaw group Brotherhood Without Banners.
– Thoros of Myr: A red priest who follows the same religion as Melisandre.
– Tormund Giantsbane: A Wildling raider.
Lots of these folks make sense for the story that is brewing. I'm interested in seeing how Beric and Thoros are portrayed, and the Reeds being in the show will be a relief to fans. They need to cast somebody very cool as Mance, and I hope they keep Daario's hair and beard blue. We can make some guesses as to how the book will be divided since Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper of Dorne, doesn't make the list. And sometimes the show gives us an idea who will be important in later, yet unpublished books - Stannis' daughter gets called out as a new character when I had assumed she was just another background player in the novels. Maybe she'll end up being more.
