Spoiler Alert:Game of Thrones Actor Had No Idea That His Character Would Return

HBO’s Game of Thrones is known for its surprises, but the return of Edmure Tully—a character we hadn’t seen in three years—shocked more than just viewers.

In an interview with EW, actor Tobias Menzies said his character’s appearance went unannounced in part because the producers hadn’t told him he’d be back. “I’m not sure they knew themselves,” Menzies said. “I think they’ve sort of found their way and chose what bits of the book they are doing. They just got in contact a little bit before we shot to see whether I was available, whether they could fit me in.”

Menzies currently stars in the AMC miniseries The Night Manager and Starz’ Outlander, so his big GoT moment was also up in the air for scheduling reasons. “It was a question of fitting in amongst my other commitments. But I’m a big fan of the show and was keen to make it work if I could.”

As for where Edmure’s been the past few years, Menzies says his prison time might have totalled three years or less. “I mean they wouldn’t be drawn on the sort of time scheme. It’s possible that it has not been as long as that. It might have only been like a year or something. It’s unclear how much time has elapsed.”

Menzies also teased what he thinks is happening in Edmure’s future: “He is still a prisoner of the Freys and then the Freys try and use him as bait to reclaim Riverrun, which is his ancestral home. And then Jamie Lannister gets involved. [Edmure] becomes a pawn in a large political fight. He ends up having to make a very difficult decision over whether to betray his family.”

Read the full interview at EW.com