There were rumors about Gendry returning this season to “Game of Thrones” when he was spotted on the set of the show in September. The rumor further heightened when Joe Dempsie, who plays Gendry on the show, showed up at the season 7 premiere in Los Angeles. Finally, in the latest episode “Eastwatch,” Gendry has returned.
Arya Starks’ friends have recently returned this season, including Hot Pie and Arya’s direwolf Nymeria. But unlike them, who just returned for a quick appearance, Gendry has joined Jon’s quest to travel north of the Wall to capture a wight.
Out of the boat
Gendry escaped with the help of Ser Davos and was last seen in season 3 rowing away from Dragonstone and Melisandre. In “Eastwatch,” Ser Davos was in King’s Landing to smuggle in Tyrion Lannister. While Tyrion went to talk with Jaime, Ser Davos went around King’s Landing and found Gendry working as a blacksmith.
Ser Davos was delighted to see Gendry doing well after Dragonstone and even joked that he thought he might still be rowing. Gendry immediately told Ser Davos that he’s fed up with making armor and weapons for the family that murdered his father and he’ll be going with him. He brought with him a war hammer with a stag sigil, similar to Robert’s weapon of choice.
Upon their return to Dragonstone, Davos wanted to keep Gendry’s true identity a secret, but he immediately introduced himself to Jon Snow as Robert’s bastard son.
He noted that their fathers were good friends and fought together. He offered Jon his company on the quest beyond the Wall.
In Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, Gendry is reunited with the Brotherhood. He quickly warned Jon not to trust them as they were the ones who sold him to Melisandre. In the end, though, Jon made up his mind that they must all work together despite their bitter pasts to fight the common enemy.
In Dempsie’s interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said that fans always asked him what happened to Gendry. He always honestly replied that he had no idea. The actor also said that shooting with Jon Snow and the other characters feels like an Avengers Assemble coming together with a mission North of the Wall.
Gendry’s role
“Game of Thrones” writer Dave Hill revealed that they always wanted to bring Gendry back since he rowed out. Hill continued that Gendry almost returned in season 6, but it didn’t quite work. They wanted Gendry to return to be a part of a big mission.
It is known that Gendry is a skilled blacksmith and not a great swordsman. According to the books, there are only a few living men who know how to manipulate Valyrian Steel, and Gendry might be one of them. Tobho Mott, the blacksmith who mentored Gendry, was the one who turned Ice (Ned’s sword) into Oathkeeper and Widow’s Wail.
The big mission right now is the fight against the White Walkers. The two things currently known to kill them are dragonglass and Valyrian Steel. Gendry’s talents could come very handy to forge weapons made of dragonglass and Valyrian Steel if there are more found in time for the war against the Undead.
