SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers from George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" novel series. Read at your own risk.
Readers of Martin's novel series, in which the hit HBO fantasy drama series "Game of Thrones" is based, were disappointed when the Season 4 finale of the show did not feature the return of Catelyn Stark as the zombified and vengeful Lady Stoneheart. But is the character out for good? Or might she still appear in later seasons of the show?
Back in June, Michelle Fairley, the actress who played Catelyn in the series, told TVLine that she knew there would be no Lady Stoneheart in the show's Season 4 finale.
But the 50-year-old Northern Irish actress did not actually say that the character's storyline would not be part of the series ever. The actress just knew that Catelyn's resurrection would not appear on that particular episode, Bustle noted.
Alex Graves, director of the show's Season 4 finale titled "The Children," told Vulture that despite viewers' anticipation that the zombie version of Catelyn might appear last season finale, he also knew that "she was never going to be a part of it." But he seemed to suggest that the character might actually be introduced in upcoming seasons.
"I don't think there was room for it this season. I don't know what they're going to do about it, because it is certainly something people attached to," he told Vulture.
Since Graves was a director and not a writer he confessed he had no idea about David Benioff and D.B. Weiss' ultimate plans regarding the character, but he certainly seemed to be telling fans not give up their hope entirely," according to Bustle.
As far as "planting" is concerned, some plot details also suggest the impending appearance of Lady Stoneheart.
"Benioff & Weiss took the trouble to introduce us to Beric Dondarrion (David Michael Scott) in Season 3. Dondarrion is the leader of the Brotherhood Without Banners who kept being brought back to life by the red priest Thoros of Myr (Paul Kaye). What would be the point of introducing the powers of resurrection if they didn't intend to use them on Catelyn?" wrote Bustle.
One of the biggest twists in the novel series is when Catelyn is resurrected from the dead by Thoros of Myr after the Brotherhood comes across her rotten cadaver after the Red Wedding.
In addition, in the books, Brienne of Tarth (Gwendolyn Christie) is the sole character who interacts with the zombie Catelyn, and the TV adaptation has almost caught up to that part of her storyline.
"The fact that Brienne has almost no material left from the books to adapt to the show hopefully indicates that they plan on introducing Lady Stoneheart in Season 5 - if they don't, what on earth is Brienne going to be doing all season?" wrote Bustle.
"Game of Thrones" Season 5 is set to premiere next year.