[SPOILERS for Game of Thrones season give ahead.]

-

The Game of Thrones panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2015 might not have given us any longed for season six spoilers, but it did provide some interesting discussion, critiques. And of course, it also reminded us yet again that Jon Snow is “deader than dead"... or is he?

Leaving Kit Harington and his hair behind for a moment, the HBO TV show's SDCC 2015 panel also gave those in attendance the chance to watch something special: an audition reel for certain Game of Thrones cast members (trying out for their now famous roles).

Game of Thrones actors Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth), Pedro Pascal (Oberyn), Liam Cunningham (Davos), Carice Van Houten (Melisandre), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Michiel Huisman, (Daario), Natalie Dormer (Margery), Rose Leslie (Ygritte) and more, give all they’ve got to the auditions which eventually landed them their roles, as you can see above. It makes for fascinating viewing, especially because some of the reel is interspersed with actual footage from the show.

What’s also interesting about the video is that so many of the actors seem to have their characters down from the start. Ben Compton, for example, as Dolorous Edd gives the cold detached pessimism we have come to expect when discussing digging latrine pits. Pascal likewise manages to portray a menacing Oberyn Martell while Emmanuel pretty much nailed “Valar Morghulis” from the start, delivering the line with style and panache. Meanwhile, Dormer floors us all with her beauty and charm and Huisman completely slays his Daario lines, casually offering to kill a man. This is Game of Thrones, after all.

Brienne drawing her sword in Game of Thrones.

There are definitely four standout clips though. Van Houten is far less terrifying when she fluffs her lines and then laughs about it, though I suspect Melisandre wouldn’t see the funny side. Then there is Kristofer Hivju (Tormund Giantsbane) eating a carrot. It’s short and sweet, but interspersed with show footage it works perfectly. Finally, Christie proves she has always owned the role of Brienne of Tarth; she is truly intimidating as she sneers about knocking men into the dust.

But it falls to Rose Leslie to deliver the best line of the whole reel, and it is utterly perfect. “You know nothing, Jon Snow.” Meanwhile, we know nothing of Jon Snow, either. Will he come back?

NEXT: Game of Thrones Jon Snow Fan Theories

Game of Thrones season six will air on HBO in 2016.

Source: HBO