While Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) may have wound up as Game of Thrones’ most valued player in Season 8, it seems that she almost didn’t make it past Season 7, according to Ed Sheeran.
The famed musician made this startling revelation after he was questioned about his cameo in the hit epic fantasy series.
Arya Stark killed the Night King in Game of Thrones
Arya spent the vast majority of her time on Game of Thrones on the run after her father, Eddard “Ned” Stark (Sean Bean), was beheaded by Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) all the way back in Season 1 of Game of Thrones.
Along the way, she spent some time at the House of Black and White in Braavos. It was here that she learned how to swap faces and honed her fighting skills.
Eventually, though, she wound up back home at Winterfell and reunited with what few members of her family remained. Then, at the visually dark and bleak Battle of Winterfell in Episode 3, she downed the Night King (Vladimir Furdik) in a surprising twist that many didn’t see coming.
So, to have this character bow out in Season 7 would have made the final installment of Game of Thrones an entirely different game altogether.
Ed Sheeran reveals Arya was supposed to die
According to a recent interview that Ed Sheeran did with Armchair Expert’s Dax Shepard and Monica Padman, the final season of Game of Thrones could have been drastically different thanks to the death of Arya.
When questioned about his cameo in Season 7, his answer was that it was to be a surprise for Maisie Williams, who was a huge fan of his.
Most people knew this already. However, they most likely didn’t know what he spoke of next.
“[Maisie Williams has] always been awesome,” Sheeran said.
“I don’t think they had written the ending yet. It was meant to be her last season but it wasn’t. And as a surprise for her, [they got] me on. So, she was meant to turn up on set and I was by the fire.”
While Sheeran did admit the writing had not yet been completed on the final season of Game of Thrones, he did not elaborate any further regarding why he thought Arya was meant to be killed off in Season 7.
Thankfully, though, the writers had a change of heart, and Arya ended up with an epic role in regards to the death of the Night King.
All seasons of Game of Thrones are available on HBO Max. Season 1 of House of the Dragon will premiere on HBO at a later date.