HBO is taking great lengths in maintaining the secrecy surrounding the production of “Game of Thrones” Season 8. To avoid leakage ahead of the release of the new season, there will reportedly be multiple finales. Likewise, casts said that the physical script is under strict surveillance. However, what the network cannot control are the casting announcements, which in a way, also provide some details about the upcoming installment.
Casting call
Take for instance the casting call for a “Mercenary” between the age of 35 and 50. This man is of the military type, who is authoritative and fit yet charismatic and cool.
The role requires that he knows how to ride a horse. The mercenary will appear in two episodes of season 8. Fans immediately guessed that “Game of Thrones” will bring in the leader of the Golden Company.
The Golden Company
Viewers may remember that Cersei mentioned this elite group of sellswords from Essos during her conversation with Jaime in the season 7 finale. She told her brother that she had ordered Euron Greyjoy to fetch the Golden Company and bring them to Kings Landing. When Euron said during the meeting at the Dragon Pit, that he would rather take to the seas than fight the White Walkers, he actually left to carry out Cersei’s orders. The queen of The Seven Kingdoms paid the group’s service to make up for the Lannister’s dwindling army.
She hired the Golden Company to even the odds against Daenerys’ dragons and her supporters, the Dothraki and the Unsullied.
Daenerys’ lover
Initially, fans guessed that Daenerys’ long-lost lover Daario Naharis will lead the Golden Company in season 8. After all, he is a member of the group and the leader of the Second Sons.
However, the mercenary role went to newcomer Marc Rissman (“Vikings”). The German actor landed the part of “Harry Strickland,” who in the “Game of Thrones” books is the leader of the Golden Company.
Regardless, it is likely that Daario will also end up in Westeros in “Game of Thrones” season 8. As a sellsword himself, he is bound to learn about the Golden Company’s venture in Kings Landing.
Nerdist pointed out that Daario would get suspicious since he knows that Daenerys’ does not pay people to fight for her. He would think that Daenerys’ enemy would hire the sellswords and would eventually realize that Cersei paid for the group’s service. This knowledge will no doubt bring Daario to Westeros and back to Daenerys’ side, even if it means he has to abandon her order that he stay in Mehreen.
