23 Reasons To Get Excited About "Game Of Thrones" Season 3

Dark wings, dark words.

New Faces!

Including:

1. Clive Russell as Brynden “The Blackfish” Tully.

Catelyn’s uncle is finally on the scene. And he’s had about enough of this Lannister/Stark tussle.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

2. Diana Rigg as The Queen of Thorns, Olenna Tyrell.

She’s basically the Countess Violet Crawley of Westeros.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

3. Ciaran Hinds as Mance Rayder.

King beyond the Wall! No red cloak? Oh well, can’t shoehorn in all the symbolism.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

4. Ellie Kendrick as Meera Reed.

Yes! They didn’t cut the Reeds, they just pushed them back. Thank the Old gods and the New because the daughter of Howland Reed deserves screen time.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

5. Thomas Brodie as Jojen Reed.

As does her obnoxiously accurate Greenseer brother.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

6. Richard Dormer as Beric Dondarrion.

Oh god, Beric. So many feels. I forgive you for not being a ginger on the show. I just want to hug you.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

7. Paul Kaye as Thoros of Myr.

Are none of the ginger boys from the books going to have red hair? Fine, the life of fan is so fraught with disappointment. *flounce*

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

Old Faces Return!

Including:

8. Gwendoline Christie as the wonderful Brienne of Tarth.

If Arya is very, very lucky, she will grow up to be this much of a BAMF.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

9. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau returns as Jaime Lannister.

This season will basically be “Jaime And Brienne Go On An Adventure” which is totally fine.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

10. Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark.

Sansa haters to the left. This girl is 13 and running in the big leagues of murderous intrigue and surviving.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

11. Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister.

I’m pretty sure Tywin had his feelings surgically removed after his wife Joanna died. By the end of Season 3, he will be the most second most hated man on the show. Guaranteed.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

12. Lena Headey returns as Cersei Lannister.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who has the best bitchface of them all?

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

13. Peter Dinklage returns as Tyrion Lannister.

Dat scar. Ladies love scars.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

14. Richard Madden and Oona Chaplin return as Robb Stark and Jeyne Westerling.

I mean, Oona Chaplin as Talisa Maegyr. You can change your name all you want, bitch, we all hate you.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

15. Emilia Clarke returns as Daenerys Targaryen.

The mother of dragons is gettin’ real tired of your shit “free” cities.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

16. Natalie Dormer and Jack Gleeson return as King Joffrey and Margaery Tyrell.

I don’t like how close they’re standing. But hey, take one for the team, Margie.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

17. Michelle Fairley returns as Catelyn Stark.

Look at those fish! She’s on Tully land now.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

18. Carice van Houten returns as Melisandre.

Look at how small she is! You’d never guess she just gave birth to a shadowy abomination! What is her secret?

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

19. Stephen Dillane returns as Stannis Baratheon.

What have you done, Stannis? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

20. Rose Leslie returns as Ygritte.

For all that is good, HBO, please don’t have her say, “You know nothing, Jon Snow” as much as she does in the books. I don’t want to feel the need to punch Rose Leslie.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

21. Kit Harington returns as Jon Snow.

He’s a walking hair care advertisement. I’m shockingly OK with this. (You know more than you know, don’t listen to Ygritte.)

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

22. Maisie Williams as Arya Stark.

Stay strong, kid. It gets worse before it gets better.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

23. Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark.

That’s Bran? He’s so grown-up! Look at him, he’s not a baby anymore. Awwww.

Image by Helen Sloan/HBO

Still waiting on photos of:

- Alfie Allen / Theon Greyjoy
- Iain Glen / Jorah Mormont
- Aidan Gillen / Petyr Baelish
- Jerome Flynn / Bronn
- Conleth Hill / Lord Varys
- Rory McCann / Sandor Clegane
- John Bradley / Samwell Tarly
- Kristian Naim / HODOR
- Sibel Kekilli / Shae
- Natalia Tena / Osha
- Joe Dempsie / Gendry
- Finn Jones / Loras Tyrell
- Gemma Whelan / Yara Greyjoy

And of course, the always forgotten:

- Art Parkinson / Rickon Stark