With filming well underway for season six of Game of Thrones, speculation is rising as to what we can expect as David Benioff and DB Weiss head fully off-piste from George RR Martin’s books with every day seemingly containing a new hint from on set. Here’s our guide to the best of the rumours.

Warning: this article is full of spoilers and speculation. Do not read it if you want to come to season six unspoiled.

Jon Snow Lives. Or does he?

The biggest speculation regarding season six concerns the fate of Kit Harington’s Jon Snow, last seen being stabbed, presumably to death by his erstwhile band of brothers in the Night’s Watch. And we all know that Game of Thrones is a show that doesn’t mind killing off leading characters, so that makes Jon deader than dead right? Particularly given reports that his funeral scene was filmed in Iceland, aka at The Wall.

Not so fast … we also know that Red Priestess Melisandre abandoned her former lord, Stannis, to his fate and headed back to The Wall and the Red Priesthood just so happen to have a convenient sideline in resurrections – just ask Lord Beric Dondarrion if you’re not convinced. Add to that repeated sightings of Harington in Belfast with long Snow-esque hair and a leaked shot of him apparently fighting in Stark gear, and it’s fair to conclude: Jon Snow Lives (at least for now).

Stannis is definitely dead

The greatest rule of Game of Thrones is that if you don’t see the body then they’re not definitely dead. Thus when the show cut away from Stannis’s demise at Brienne’s hands hundreds of fans presumed that their favourite grim grammarian might yet have survived. Hate to say it but we’re out of luck here guys – the episode’s director, David Nutter, has confirmed Stannis is dead, telling San Diego Comic Con that “from the very beginning, and through the script process, that was the intent – he’s dead”, a fact apparently confirmed by a new tie-in book Game of Thrones: The Noble Houses of Westeros Seasons 1-5 which states Stannis was “killed outside of Winterfell by Brienne of Tarth, who wished to avenge Renly’s death”. There have been no sightings of Stephen Dillane in Belfast or any of the many other Game of Thrones’ locations.

Where’s Stannis? Extras and actors in the Spanish village of Pechina for filming on the sixth season of Game of Thrones. Photograph: Jorge Guerrero/AFP/Getty Images

What is dead may never die

Stannis might be dead and done for but even death is not always the end on Game of Thrones: intriguing reports from set for this season have hinted at a possible flashback appearance for none other than dead Ned Stark (Sean Bean), who infamously lost his head at the end of season one. Bean has denied that he’s coming back but that doesn’t rule out an earlier incarnation.

Also apparently back from the dead – Rory McCann’s Hound, last seen being left for dead by Arya at the end of the fourth season and Tyrion’s deceitful love Shay – actor Sibyl Kekilli has been spotted on set in Spain talking to Conleth Hill, aka Varys … more flashbacks, or did she recover from Tyrion’s strangulation attempt and flee with the spider’s help? Certainly Varys is a busy man – Hill has also been snapped with Diana Rigg, fuelling speculation that the Queen of Thorns and the Master of Whispers are in Dorne to deal with Doran Martell.

Heads up … Is Sean Bean coming back? Photograph: Allstar/HBO

The Tower of Joy is happening

Rejoice book readers everywhere. This might be the first season where we are as much in the dark as our TV-only friends, but the Tower of Joy is definitely happening.

For those who don’t know: the scene, which an imprisoned Ned Stark flashes back to in the first book, focuses on his discovery of his sister Lyanna at the Tower of Joy where she is being guarded by a trio of Kingsguards including Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. It’s not only one of the most resonant in Martin’s series – it’s also the scene with the biggest hints about Jon Snow’s parentage.

In September the show filmed at the Castillo de Zafra in Campillo de Duenas, Spain for what is widely taken to be a Tower of Joy scene. Adding to the good news – casting calls for what sounds very like a young Ned, his older brother Brandon, a young Robert Baratheon, a young Howland Reed (father of Jojen and Meera) and even possibly a young Hodor, meaning we could be delving deep into the past for season six.

Daenerys is in Westeros?

When we last saw our lady of dragons she’d just run into a rather large bunch of Dothraki which didn’t bode well, however speculation has truly gone into overdrive with the release of a picture apparently showing Dany, Margaery and Cersei (complete with brutalist crop from the final episode of the season) in full costume – will we have a meeting of Westeros’s three Queens?

Mother of Dragons … Emilia Clarke as Daenerys. Photograph: AP

Sadly not – it turned out the picture was for a photoshoot, but here’s what we do know about the show’s leading ladies: Cersei has been pictured on set in the company of the resurrected Ser Gregor (last seen carrying her after the walk of shame) presumably plotting dark revenge against the High Sparrow. Pictures have also leaked of Dany on a white horse with Daario Naharis by her side, which suggests that he’s been successful inhis mission to track her down while Tyrion and Jorah are (presumably) still trying to hold things together in Meereen. As for poor Margaery – as far as we know she’s still languishing in that dungeon …



And so is Arya?

By far the most unlikely spoiler, however, concerns Maisie Williams’ Arya who certain reports have returning to Westeros. Given that when we last saw her she had been poisoned by the Faceless Men and woken up blind, it seems unlikely to say the least but this is Game of Thrones so who knows…

Jaime is in The Riverlands

There are more characters returning from exile, as pictures have leaked of Brynden Tully aka The Blackfish (Clive Russell) with Jaime Lannister and Bronn suggesting that we’re about to find out what’s been going on in that part of the world since the Freys unleashed hell with the Red Wedding. Edmure Tully (Tobias Menzies) has also been spotted, leading to speculation that the season will focus in part on the Siege of Riverrun. Does this mean that a certain Stonehearted lady will also appear?

Also returning: Walder Frey (David Bradley) and Bran Stark who it’s been confirmed will be getting his advice direct from the Max Von Sydow font of all wisdom (Von Sydow has been confirmed as The Three-Eyed Raven). It may also be that Bran is the source of the promised flashbacks as he heads deep into events past and possibly future. As to the Littlest Stark aka Rickon – no word yet, so let’s just presume he’s still wandering the badlands with Osha and learning how to be the wildest Stark of all.

The battle to end all battles

There have also been spoilers suggesting that we’re going to get the battle to end all battles between The Wildings and The Boltons in the north. On top of that it’s been confirmed that Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan) is returning, so can we expect a reunion between her and brother Theon? Assuming he and Sansa survived their leap from Winterfell that is …

Other casting news

Everyone’s favourite dodgy spin doctor Pilou Asbæk, aka Borgen’s Kasper Juul, will be turning up as the piratical Euron Greyjoy, uncle to Yara and Theon. Ian McShane has been cast in an unconfirmed role that most people think is probably the no-nonsense Septon Meribald, former soldier turned rural priest. Meanwhile, Sam’s superhard battle commander of a dad, Randyll Tarly will be played by James Faulkner (aka Downton Abbey’s cold-hearted Lord Sinderby), his mother by Samantha Spiro and his brother, Dickon, by UnREAL’s Freddie Stroma. Richard E Grant is the leader of a theatrical troupe, which also includes The Babadook actor Essie Davis and Kevin Eldon (who apparently, and awesomely, plays Ned Stark in a Cersei-bating play). Luke Roberts, aka Wolf Hall’s Harry Norris, is reported to be playing Arthur Dayne.