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Game of Thrones panel at Comic Con: Actors talk Shireen's death, Sansa Stark's rape scene and not reading the books

'She didn't fight. She could have, but she chose not to. She is one of those characters who does her scheming in her mind rather than openly'

Jack Shepherd
Saturday 11 July 2015 10:35 BST
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Natalie Dormer, Sophie Turner, Hannah Murray, Carice van Houten, Liam Cunningham, Alfie Allen, and Gwendoline Christie onstage at the 'Game of Thrones' panel during Comic-Con
Natalie Dormer, Sophie Turner, Hannah Murray, Carice van Houten, Liam Cunningham, Alfie Allen, and Gwendoline Christie onstage at the 'Game of Thrones' panel during Comic-Con (Getty)

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Much like the Star Wars panel at the San Diego Comic Con, Game of Thrones brought the masses, many of whom were hoping their questions concerning John Snow and Stannis Baratheon would be answered.

It turns out the cast know as much about the future of Westeros as the presumed dead hero: nothing.

“To be perfectly honest, honey, a lot of us here at the table are in the same position as you guys and I don’t have an effing clue what will happen,” Natalie Dormer, who plays Margaery Tyrell, told an adoring crowd.

Sophie Turner (L) and Natalie Dormer onstage at the 'Game of Thrones' Comic Con
Sophie Turner (L) and Natalie Dormer onstage at the 'Game of Thrones' Comic Con (Getty)

However, even without knowledge of what is going to happen, the panel were still able to answer a variety of questions concerning the season just past.

Notably, Sansa Stark actress Sophie Turner spoke about that controversial rape scene that managed to put off a number of viewers.

"Sansa is still strong despite what she's been through, she is not to blame for any of that," she said. Then, in a joking manner, she added: "I don't know why they focused on Theon during that scene because I was giving a great performance.

Natalie Dormer, Carice van Houten, Liam Cunningham, and Gwendoline Christie speak onstage at the 'Game of Thrones' panel during Comic-Con
Natalie Dormer, Carice van Houten, Liam Cunningham, and Gwendoline Christie speak onstage at the 'Game of Thrones' panel during Comic-Con (Getty)

"Sansa has developed skills from Maergery and Cersei and other folks and is still just as strong as ever. Over this whole series she has been getting by without doing anything radical, because she knows it's dangerous for her. She could die. And that is certainly true with the Ramsays.

“She didn't fight. She could have, but she chose not to. She is one of those characters who does her scheming in her mind rather than openly."

Producer Carolyn Strauss and director David Nutter also answered questions about the controversial death of Stannis Baratheon’s daughter Shireen.

“It was an amazingly powerful moment that I think turned out just right,” Nutter said, while Strauss added: “It hurts more the more you know the characters, but just because it’s painful doesn’t mean it’s not a good point in the story. It wasn’t done because of the pain, but in spite of it.”

Natalie Dormer, Carice van Houten and Liam Cunningham onstage at the 'Game of Thrones' panel during Comic-Con 2015
Natalie Dormer, Carice van Houten and Liam Cunningham onstage at the 'Game of Thrones' panel during Comic-Con 2015 (Getty)

It also turns out that only one of the cast has actually read George R.R. Martin’s books, Gwendoline Christie, who plays Brienne. “I did the homework for once,” she said.

Maisie Williams also added how people would always ask if she knew she would later go blind: “And I’d be like, ‘Yeah, I knew that. I totally knew that.’ Even though I didn’t.”

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