Michael Mcelhatton in season 4? [Book Spoilers]

[King Brandon Ice Eyes]

Before season 3 the actor who play play Roose Bolton in Game of Thrones, Michael Mcelhatton, wasn't among the actors whose characters were confirmed to appear that season. I was worried that they had recast Roose Bolton but I knew Roose had a big role to play in that season so I wasn't worried about the character.

Now, after the Red Wedding, Roose doesn't appear the books until ADWD. I know that this season will have material from book 4 and 5 but I'm worried Michael Mcelhatton won't show up to delight us with his brilliant performance as the great Lord of the Dreadfort and Warden of the North. I hope they can expand the character's role (if they don't intend to do so they are throwing a big chance out of the window, because they have the perfect actor for the character) considering they did so with Olenna Tyrell, writing new scenes for her practically every episode in season 3.

Roose Bolton's role on the contrary is still minimal, his screen time in season 3 mustn't have been longer than 12 minutes, but they had to hold back to increase the surprise in the RW (I guess... but the result was that a lot of casual fans of the show still don't know who he is).

After his scene with Walder Frey in the aftermath of the RW in episode 10 I even thought he could be upgraded to main character, considering that:

1. they did so with Bronn, Ygritte, Margaery and Shae, all characters who didn't have a bigger role in the series than Roose;

2. IIRC all recurring characters in the series always share scenes with a main character, even Brienne who has more screen time than a lot of main characters, the exception being Roose Bolton and Walder Frey scene, so I thought it was a hint that Roose, who is much more popular than Walder Frey, would be turned into a main character. Now I think this ship is sailed but what do you think: Roose won't show up at all, he will but they will maintain his status with criminally limited screen time or they will expand his role and write more scenes with him?

I remember now that they have cast Fat Walda, Roose's wife so that is a strong indication that Michael Mcelhatton will appear at least in the scenes with her.

[Queen of Whores]

Apparently both Roose and Fat Walda will be guests at Joffrey's wedding, though I can't provide a source for this. I remember reading it a while ago somewhere. Since it would be quite disappointing to have such a great character as Roose appear in only a couple of scenes, I think they might have him head up to the Dreadfort and meet up with Theon and Ramsay before the end of season 4. He's officially the Warden in the North, and him and Walder talked about him moving into Winterfell at some point, so it looks like they are sticking to how stuff happens with him in the books (minus Joff's wedding). I really hope we get the "don't make me rue the day I raped your mother" line sometime this season. It's possibly the one line I want to hear the most from the books.

[Nezzer]

Well, they even cast his wife, so I think he will be appearing even more than he did in season 3. Joffrey and Tywin are biting the dust next season and they have to establish Roose and Ramsay as the new main villains.

[DarkAndFullOfTurnips]

By the looks of things Roose will get some added material before he becomes relevant again in the main story. I think D&D wouldn't want to waste the chance to have a real villainous type as a regular face and Mcelhatton is too good of an actor to just ignore until next season. The invented scene between he and Walder Frey and the reveal of Ramsey at the end of the season are pretty good indicators that we'll be seeing him again, in addition to the things already mentioned above.

[Fightbringer]

i'd definitely like for him to show up in some action south of the wall. Perhaps a few more scens between him and Walder Frey, in order to estabilish the Lady Stoneheart plotline as well as the current political situation up north, and then he could also head to KL to pick up (f) Arya and attend the purple wedding.

[Konradsmith]

Given that they cast his wife (http://www.spotlight.com/interactive/cv/0931-6759-4527, http://www.castingcallpro.com/uk/tvshow_view.php?uid=1022) and that he more than likely signed a multi-year contract and that he is Irish and thus lives near the production, we can assume that he's back. His wife is appearing in ep. 2 or Season 4, which is GRRM's and the Purple Wedding. It either confirms that the newlyweds will be there or, since neither were spotted in Croatia where the outdoor feast was filmed, it could also confirm that the episode is not entirely in King's Landing as some had assumed. We shall see come the dawn.

[Blasted Femur]

I certainly hope they'll give him an increased role - his scene with Walder was great. A few ways to include him:

1) Another scene with Walder, setting up plotlines like the siege of Riverrun, Lady Stoneheart's revenge killings, and Fake Arya.

2) Roose attends Joffrey's wedding, stays in King's Landing to get Ramsay legitimised and have his position as Warden of the North confirmed.

3) Roose returns to the North and tries to secure the loyalty of the Northern Houses. Possibly the show will simplify the political intrigue in the North, and have him dealing only with the Manderlys (uncertain loyalty, eventually revealed to be Stark loyalists), Umbers (Stark loyalists, but they later support Stannis, replacing the Mountain Clans), and Karstarks (Bolton loyalists - Rickard and Roose were friends in the show). We don't really need the Dustins, Cerwyns, etc. Maybe include the Mormonts as well.

4) Roose returns to the North and tries to expel the Ironborn, probably coming into conflict with Asha along the way.

5) Roose returns to the North and hunts for Bran and Rickon to secure his position, once Ramsay informs him that they're still alive.

6) Could also start getting into some of Theon's ADWD material, though it might be too early.

The show does have scenes featuring only recurring characters, although they are rare. Still, I don't think anybody would object to, say, a scene between Roose and the Greatjon (replacing Hother and Mors from the books), as it would show viewers that all hope is not lost for the Stark cause.

[Konradsmith]

I picture him, travelling to King's Landing, maybe to the wedding, maybe and meeting with Tywin. Those two together would be brilliant. After the wedding Roose could suggest giving one of the Stark girls to his bastard. Tywin would tell him that both have escaped and Roose could look at Tywin with one of those silent judgemental looks he gave Robb so often in the second season. He could hang around the capital and then the FArya plan would come to be. I don't know how explicitly they are going to set that up, are they going to explain Jeyne or what (they don't have the best history with Jeynes, I recall).

Then they could have him arrive in the nick of time to drive off the Ironborn. What I would like to see is him speaking to Asha/Yara and him telling her the news of Balon's tumble in that same sinister way he told Jaime about King's Landing. And then he would let her go and hopefully regret doing so when the show catches up to tWoW. Then we'd get some of the early aDwD chapters, his "rue the day" line, and set-up what will be a great season five arc for Alfie, the return to Winterfell to face his ghosts there.

[oprahnoodlemantra]

I like the idea of Roose arriving in King's Landing to get Ramsay legitimized, attending Joffrey's wedding, and then going North to meet up with the newly legitmized Ramsay and Theon.

[King Brandon Ice Eyes]

I picture him, travelling to King's Landing, maybe to the wedding, maybe and meeting with Tywin. Those two together would be brilliant. After the wedding Roose could suggest giving one of the Stark girls to his bastard. Tywin would tell him that both have escaped and Roose could look at Tywin with one of those silent judgemental looks he gave Robb so often in the second season. He could hang around the capital and then the FArya plan would come to be. I don't know how explicitly they are going to set that up, are they going to explain Jeyne or what (they don't have the best history with Jeynes, I recall).

That is almost as good as the "make me rue" line. Roose looking down the most feared man in the realm is awesome.

I'm hoping a lot of predictions here come true. Roose interacting with characters in King's Landing would be a welcome addition.

[joachim]

A scene with Jaime would be excellent. That could set up Locke taking the black.

[Konradsmith]

In the same vein, Roose could catch some hell from Tywin for not ensuring Jaime's wellbeing and for sending Locke to the Wall and Roose could respond calmly without quailing in any way. They have to establish Roose as the successor to Tywin in coldness and ruthlessness but also remind us that he is of a crueller different breed. The only problem for him seeming his equal is the height difference. Charles Dance is about five inches taller than Michael. But then, Roose stood shorter than Jaime but still out-alphad him. So we'll see.

[franko99]

I used to think Roose at the PW would be a terrible idea, but you guys really change my mind, going to KL to get Ramsay legitimized and picking up "Arya" will be good. And a scene with Roose and any Lannister will be pure gold.

[Blasted Femur]

Forgot to mention earlier, I also have a morbid hope that there'll be a scene with Roose's leeches. It might make him seem a bit ridiculous, and might also confuse some viewers and raise a lot of questions (given the scene where Gendry undergoes a leeching), but if it was done right it would be very creepy.

[Ser Tahu]

For a few months I have been quite a fan of the theory that Roose will spend the season in King's Landing. Imagine him and Tywin in a room together...

[Nezzer]

IMHO there's no better material for Roose in season 4 than granting him a visit to King's Landing. It's too early for him to return North and there's nothing for him to do in the Riverlands anymore. Just give the man an invitation to the Royal Wedding and let the fun begin!

It would be even better if Walder Frey went with him to the wedding. Imagine Roose and Walder looking at each other like 10 year olds, barely holding a laughter, the moment Joffrey falls dead on the floor, as if they were thinking about how they can't go to a wedding without seeing a king's death or wondering if the other had anything to do with it.

[Konradsmith]

McElhatton wasn't spotted in Croatia and while that does not necessarily mean he wasn't there, wouldn't we have seen some hint of a Bolton presence with all of those leaked photos? I still think he'll go to King's Landing because they need to make the Jeyne Poole plot point work as well as the legitimization, but there's nothing to suggest he was at the wedding itself.

[Nezzer]

McElhatton wasn't spotted in Croatia and while that does not necessarily mean he wasn't there, wouldn't we have seen some hint of a Bolton presence with all of those leaked photos? I still think he'll go to King's Landing because they need to make the Jeyne Poole plot point work as well as the legitimization, but there's nothing to suggest he was at the wedding itself.

We know that Oberyn will be at the wedding but we haven't seen a single pic of him in costume, so it's still possible that Mike McHat was there as well.

[Konradsmith]

You're right there and I hope he is there because then we could confirm that the whole of ep. 2 would be PW material. Roose and his wife would be a welcome addition. I love the dynamic between them where is she is boorish and he is cold and polite but seems to genuinely have affection for her despite himself.

One thing that would chill my bones would be if the Roose (now loose) spoke to Sansa. What would he say? Would he be polite or would he torment her as he did with Jaime and Brienne? I'd love to see that.

[Ser Tahu]

McElhatton wasn't spotted in Croatia and while that does not necessarily mean he wasn't there, wouldn't we have seen some hint of a Bolton presence with all of those leaked photos? I still think he'll go to King's Landing because they need to make the Jeyne Poole plot point work as well as the legitimization, but there's nothing to suggest he was at the wedding itself.

I thought the same thing, but as Nezzer said that doesn't mean it's impossible. I remember last season there was absolutely no hint the Aemon, Balon or YarAsha had filmed anything, but they were in there. In fact, we are still yet to hear of YarAsha filming anything for this season, but she almost certainly has.