After Two Incredibly Fan-Servicey Episodes, What Loose Threads Does ‘Game of Thrones’ Have Left?

The last two episodes of Game of Thrones, “Blood of My Blood” and “The Broken Man,” have been arguably the two most fan-servicey hours of the series’ six-season run. Whether it’s due to showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss finally being ahead of George R.R. Martin’s books or not, the fact is that Game of Thrones the show has begun to aggressively address the loose ends that had been left over the previous five seasons.

In those two hours, we’ve seen long-awaited returns for Benjen Stark, Sandor Clegane (a.k.a. the Hound), and Brynden Tully (a.k.a. the Blackfish). The Freys were brought back onto the canvass to wage war on the similarly dormant Tullys. Edmure Tully was hauled out of the dungeon at the Twins where he’s been held since the Red Wedding. Even the Brotherhood Without Banners appears to be back (and in an awfully foul mood, given their murder of Ian McShane and his peaceful followers).

This isn’t even getting into how this season brought Rickon and Osha back onto the scene, has revisited the Iron Islands after seasons of neglect, and has placed Bran Stark in a position to observe/remember any number of stray threads that have gone unnoticed. If you’ve been keeping a list of questions that Game of Thrones has yet to answer (and if you do: hats off to your dedication, Ser Weirdo), odds are most of the items on that list have been crossed off.

So after this flurry of fan service, what, if any, loose ends remain for Benioff and Weiss to address. There are still big-picture things, of course. Who are Jon Snow’s real parents? Who will ride with Daenerys upon her dragons into Westeros? These are less loose ends than they are open-ended directions that the show could move towards. Similarly, book developments like Lady Stoneheart (keep hope alive!) that may or may not be on the way don’t exactly count as loose ends either. We’re talking about avenues that the show has begun and left unfinished.

So fingers crossed that Game of Thrones continues its recent run of fan-friendliness and addresses these five loose threads that have been dangling all season, if not for much longer.

Whither Dear Leech Boy?

Gendry is a bastard son of the dead king Robert Baratheon, whom Tyrion helped ferret out of King’s Landing when Cersei starting having all of Robert’s bastards (and thus threats to the crown) killed. Gendry ended up falling in with Arya and Hot Pie, they were all held prisoner at Harrenhal, and ultimately after they got out of there, they fell in with the Brotherhood Without Banners. There, Gendry was found by the red priestess Melisandre, who essentially purchased him so she could conduct magical experiments on him and his royal blood. After using leeches to suck his blood, Melisandre intended to kill him, until Ser Davos caught wind and did the right thing by setting Gendry free, floating him away from Dragonstone in a rowboat. (Ironically, the loss of Gendry as a blood sacrifice is what led Melisandre to have Shireen burned at the stake for the same purpose. So, you know, maybe if Davos had it to do differently he’d have changed his mind.) Gendry hasn’t been seen since. Here’s what’s interesting. If — GOD FORBID — anything should happen to Tommen in King’s Landing, Gendry would have the strongest claim on the Iron Throne. If only someone could find him at sea.

The (Second-)Last Direwolf

Season 6 has been unfathomably harsh for the poor Stark direwolves. Previous to this season, we’d lost two of the six wolves that the Stark children adopted in the series premiere. Ned Stark sacrificed Sansa’s wolf, Lady, as a gesture of conciliation to the Lannisters after it bit Joffrey. Robb’s Grey Wolf met its end at the same time its master did, at the Red Wedding. Then, after two full seasons of peace, Rickon’s wolf, the impeccably named Shaggydog, got beheaded by the Umbers while they were capturing Rickon and Osha to hand them over to the Boltons. And of course Summer, Bran’s loyal wolf, died in the White Walker attack on the tree of the Three-Eyed Raven.

Which leaves us with two direwolves left alive: Ghost has not left Jon Snow’s side, even in death. And then there’s Nymeria. Whom you have almost certainly forgotten. Nymeria, Arya’s direwolf, hit the road when it came time for Lady to die. Which means she’s been M.I.A. since season 1, making her the longest-dormant storyline of the entire series. Considering how important the direwolves have been in the lives of the Stark children, it would be a huge surprise (and disappointment) if we don’t ever see Nymeria again.

Man in a Box

A few weeks ago, when Lord Varys had that tense exchange with the red priestess in Mereen, we were reminded that Varys has a major problem with magic and its practitioners. No one mentioned the reason for that, but sharp viewers may have recalled a scene in season 3 when Varys explained how it is he came to be a eunuch. He was traveling in the free cities when he was sold into the service of a sorcerer, who gave him a paralyzing potion, castrated him, and threw his parts into a brazier, where they burned blue. Varys was haunted by the voice in the flames that answered the sorcerer’s chants. But Varys got his revenge, as he showed Tyrion: keeping the sorcerer locked away in a box in his King’s Landing quarters for what must have been decades. He was still alive when Varys showed Tyrion. Since then, of course, things went tits-up for Tyrion, and he and Varys both had to flee the city. What became of Varys’ man in the box? Is he still in King’s Landing? What became of Varys’ quarters and belongings? Is this where The Mountain lives now? We may not ever revisit ol’ Boxy, but it’s unsettling to know he’s still there somewhere.

About That Coup

It’s only been since the season premiere that we last saw the mutinous ladies of Dorne. Was the Sunspear storyline really so bad last season that the season 6 coup was the last we’ll ever see of the south of Westeros? They did kill Myrcella Baratheon, after all. If Cersei manages to survive this battle with the High Sparrow (big “if”), I can’t imagine she wouldn’t be looking for vengeance.

King’s Landing’s Most Vulnerable

Finally, a personal choice, but a loose end whose fate keeps us up at night. Ser Pounce. WHAT WILL BECOME OF SER POUNCE?? Things in King’s Landing couldn’t be more dangerous, and I spend every week hoping this isn’t the week that Tommen gets killed. But that’s nothing compared to the concern that exists for Tommen’s faithful kitty, Ser Pounce, whom we haven’t seen in a very long time. If that High Sparrow harms one hair on that adorable feline head, no Mother’s mercy in Westeros will be able to save him.