Brienne of Tarth actress Gwendoline Christie has been keeping busy outside of Game of Thrones with the other fantasy franchises of Star Wars and The Hunger Games. Yet, the return of the HBO series on April 24 will hopefully show Brienne in a bigger role for Season 6 of Game of Thrones. Christie recently danced onstage with Madonna and it was announced she will be joining Elisabeth Moss in Season 2 of Top of the Lake, but that doesn't mean that the toughest lady in Westeros has been neglecting her Game of Thrones duties.
While Season 4 had Brienne failing to save Arya, Season 5 focused on Brienne's attempt to save the other Stark daughter, Sansa. After discovering Sansa traveling with Littlefinger, she journeyed to Winterfell with her squire Podrick to keep tabs on the eldest Stark girl. Sansa was told by a helpful Northerner that if she placed a candle in a window, help — aka Brienne — would come to her. Unfortunately, vengeance for Renly Baratheon got the best of Brienne and she abandoned her post by the window just before Sansa placed the candle. While Brienne didn't succeed in helping Sansa, she was (most likely) successful in killing Stannis Baratheon in the Season 5 finale, and that kind of leaves her story line wide open for Season 6.
Since the female warrior is one of my favorite characters, here are six potential interactions Brienne of Tarth could have in Season 6 with other characters — some based on the books by George R. R. Martin (beware book spoilers ahead) and some based on pure hopeful speculation.
Help Sansa & Theon
In my dream scenario, after killing Stannis in the woods outside of Winterfell, Brienne would encounter Sansa again, this time without Littlefinger, but with Reek/Theon Greyjoy. After Sansa and Theon jumped off of the wall at Winterfell to escape the sadistic Rasmay Bolton, they will need all of the help that they can get. Brienne may not be in a safe spot either, so this vulnerable trio could meet up and fulfill at least part of Brienne's promise to Catelyn Stark.
Encounter Lady Stoneheart
Speaking of Sansa's mom Catelyn, fans of Martin's books have been hopeful that the dead Catelyn would return to the TV series in the resurrected form of Lady Stoneheart, like she does in the novels. While I'm not sold on the fact that Lady Stoneheart will appear (especially since Michelle Fairley isn't on the Game of Thrones contract for Season 6), this zombie-ish version of Catelyn, who does not recognize Brienne's efforts in saving the Stark girls, would provide a rich plot for Brienne.
Meet The Brotherhood Without Banners
They were in Season 3 of Game of Thrones when they captured Arya, Hot Pie, Gendry, and the Hound. In Martin's books, Lady Stoneheart becomes the leader of the Brotherhood Without Banners and in a continuation of the last point, they threaten Brienne and Podrick after running into them in the Riverlands. Lady Stoneheart and the Brotherhood give Brienne an impossible choice in the fourth book in the series, A Feast of Crows: "Sword or noose." This ominous choice means that Brienne and Podrick will hang unless she agrees to kill a character that is very near and dear to her heart.
Hurt Jaime Lannister
That someone special that Lady Stoneheart demands that Brienne kill is none other than Jaime Lannister. In the third part of this epic Brienne-Lady Stoneheart plot from the books, Brienne decides at the very last moment to save herself and Podrick and agrees to kill Jaime. I adored the dynamic of Brienne and Jaime back in Season 3, and, though I kind of love the idea of them being romantically involved, let's be honest: A battle between the two is a much more realistic scenario for Game of Thrones. Since this plot hasn't been resolved in the books yet, there is no way to look at Martin's writing to see what will happen if Brienne on Game of Thrones follows her book counterpart's footsteps and attempts to off her favorite Lannister.
Reunite With The Hound
Another resurrection plot that Brienne may encounter on the HBO series is that of the Hound possibly being a gravedigger. Brienne last saw the Hound when she defeated him in a fight for Arya, and she pretty much left him for dead. This whole gravedigger theory — or even if the Hound is actually still alive — has not been confirmed by Martin or anyone else, but Hound actor Rory McCann was spotted in Belfast, Ireland, where Game of Thrones Season 6 was filming. And, if the Hound is alive and back on Game of Thrones, I require that he has another meeting with Brienne.
Hook Up With Podrick
Fans already know that Podrick is skilled in bed, and no one can deny that it would be good for Brienne to be with an emotionally available man since her last two unrequited love interests were 1. homosexual and 2. in love with his twin sister. Although Brienne doesn't have time for such nonsense as a romance with her squire, the two bonded in Season 5, and it's a fun plot to consider with so much disaster and death surrounding Brienne — and every other character — on Game of Thrones.
Images: Helen Sloan/HBO; Giphy (4); fseventh, crayjoy/Tumblr
