Game of Thrones Spinoff Plans To Bring Back the Show’s Red Wedding Villain (in a Very Different Way)

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HBO’s upcoming Game of Thrones prequel series might feature a major villain from the original show. So far, the franchise has mostly avoided bringing back familiar faces in significant ways. House of the Dragon included brief visions – like Daemon Targaryen seeing characters from the past – but a true crossover seemed unlikely due to the different timelines. However, the new series doesn’t have the same timeline restrictions, opening the door for a returning character – perhaps even someone unexpected like Melisandre.

The new series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, takes place roughly 90 years before the events of Game of Thrones. Though set quite some time in the past, the show will include some characters from the original series, either through cameos or mentions. One notable example is Walder Frey, a key figure behind the Red Wedding, who appears as a child at a wedding in the third story, The Mystery Knight. In an interview with Polygon, the showrunner, Ira Parker, shared an idea for how they plan to include him in the series.

My favorite idea, which appears in the third book, involves a baby Walder Frey. I have a funny thought – though I suspect fans won’t love it – where a runaway horse cart threatens the baby, and Dunk saves him. We don’t dwell on it or make it a big plot point; it just happens, and the story moves forward. That’s the closest we get to exploring that possibility in the three published novels.

Which Other Game of Thrones Characters Could Appear in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

It’s an interesting thought that a young Walder Frey could show up in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It would be darkly ironic, as the heroic Dunk would be saving the life of someone who later becomes a truly terrible person (the books already show him as irritating even as a child). Because he’s already a character in the source material, it would be a natural and simple connection to the main Game of Thrones show, though he isn’t the only character from the books who could potentially appear in the prequel series.

A strong candidate for a cameo is Aemon Targaryen, known as Maester Aemon in the show. Before joining the Night’s Watch, he was a member of the Targaryen family, who play a significant role in the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms storyline. While not directly involved in everything, he’s frequently mentioned in the books, making a brief on-screen appearance relatively easy to incorporate.

We can also anticipate seeing Bloodraven (Brynden Rivers), likely starting in Season 3 if the show continues. He’s a significant character in the books and should appear on screen as Hand of the King. Old Nan is another possibility, as she’s known to have encountered Dunk at Winterfell. While many other characters are part of the broader Westeros history—like Olenna Tyrell, Aerys II Targaryen (the Mad King), Rhaegar Targaryen, and Tywin Lannister—including them would require a very long series. Adding too many connections could overshadow the main story, but characters like Walder Frey would fit well without being distracting.

The new series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, will debut on HBO and HBO Max on January 18, 2026. You can currently watch Game of Thrones on HBO Max.

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2025-10-28 20:17