Jason Momoa's Latest Instagram Hints That Khal Drogo Could Be In 'Game Of Thrones' Season 8

Game of Thrones fans, it's time to pray to the old gods and the new, because Jason Momoa is hanging out with David Benioff and D.B. Weiss in Belfast. Again. The actor, whose character Khal Drogo was last seen during Daenerys' vision quest in the Season 2 finale, was previously spotted hanging out with his old co-stars during filming for Season 7. At the time, it turned out that he was simply visiting his friends, and the same is probably true this time. But, what if it's not? What if Khal Drogo is in Game of Thrones Season 8? A brief appearance by the Dothraki warrior could bring Daenerys' story full circle — and it could be rewarding and heartbreaking.

To be fair, at this point, it feels as if every actor who has ever appeared on Game of Thrones has visited the Season 8 set. From Faye Marsay (who played the Waif) to Tom Wlaschiha (who played Jaqen H'ghar), reports of visits from familiar faces have run rampant. There's an excellent chance that some of these set visits have been done intentionally to throw fans eager for spoilers off the scent. Never forget that Benioff and Weiss once had a visiting Sibel Kekilli (Shae) dress up in costume to confuse fans during the filming of Season 6. When an actor who played a now dead character shows up on the show's set, it rarely ever means that they're actually back for filming.

Despite evidence suggesting that Momoa is just hanging out with old friends, the idea of Khal Drogo returning for even a single scene is tantalizing. The character was instrumental to Daenerys becoming the Mother of Dragons, and when she smothered the shell of a man that Drogo had become at the end of the first season, her journey as a Khaleesi began in earnest.

In light of recent comments made by Emilia Clarke, speculation that Daenerys will die before she ever makes it to the Iron Throne is at an all-time high. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Clarke revealed that while there's still filming to be done, she has already filmed Daenerys' final moments. She told the magazine of her last scene,

"It f*cked me up. Knowing that is going to be a lasting flavor in someone's mouth of what Daenerys is..."

That sounds ominous to say the least. Her words suggest that the Mother of Dragons may go full Mad Queen, ala her father, or, as Digital Spy writer Sam Ashurst speculates, that she's going to meet an early and devastating end. Either way, the Iron Throne may be out of reach, and after watching Daenerys transform herself from a frightened young woman into a warrior queen, either end would be hard to watch.

If Daenerys' days are limited, one way to give the character a bittersweet farewell would be to reunite her with Khal Drogo in the Night Lands. The Night Lands represent the afterlife for the Dothraki, and during her quest through the House of the Undying, the Dragon Queen memorably asked her husband if she had joined him there.

When Daenerys asked the witch Mirri Maz Duur when Khal Drogo would return in Season 1, she said,

"When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves. When your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child. Then he will return, and not before."

Now, that could be just a pretty, but cruel, way to say never. In fact, the Mother of Dragons took the words to mean she's barren. But it could also mean that she'll die after giving birth to Jon Snow's child, leaving her to reunite with Khal Drogo and the child she lost. That's not a particularly satisfying ending for such an epic character, but this is Game of Thrones, and the show loves nothing more than subverting expectations.

Ultimately, fans will have to wait until the final season arrives in 2019 to discover Daenerys' fate, but for now, it's interesting to speculate that Momoa might have been in town to do more than share a drink with his pals. His character may be dead, but the role he played in Daenerys' journey has ensured that he remains a pivotal one. Maybe he'll see the moon of his life one more time. Or maybe Momoa just loves to tease Game of Thrones devotees. Either way, there's no denying that the possibility of Khal Drogo returning could be game-changing for Daenerys.