HBO's announcement of the Game of Thrones sequel with the working title Snow caught many fans off-guard, elating some and dismaying others. The response pendulum swings back and forth between wanting more of the fantastic GoT universe versus being completely offput by the ending of the original series.
No matter their initial response, it's human nature for the majority of fans to be interested and willing to watch the premiere of the show (if it ultimately becomes a reality) with the hope it'll be great. A lot of people want to see their favorite GoT characters return in the Jon Snow sequel and the topic made for some lively discussions on Reddit.
Tormund Giantsbane
"So long as we get more Tormund I'm in," states Reddit user mjtwelve, voicing a popular opinion among fans. Since Tormund was last seen accompanying Jon Snow north of the shattered Wall, it seems highly likely his character would be present in Jon's sequel.
Nothing is for sure, but having Jon and Tormund trot off into the North fuels expectations that viewers will get much more of the popular duo and their amusing bromance in Snow. So likely, however, that it seems impossible that George R.R. Martin and Kit Harington would proceed beyond the pitching stage without securing the services of Kristofer Hivju.
Daenerys Targaryen
Redditor loreb4data writes "If the rumors and speculation are true, there'll be another resurrection of Ice (Jon) and Fire (Dany) and (they) will be reunited again in this sequel." As one of the most controversial characters on GoT, there's no denying that the reappearance of the Queen of Dragons in Snow would be a spectacular event. Unfortunately, Emila Clarke has nixed a Game of Thrones return.
Resurrected GoT characters Beric Dondarrion (repeatedly reanimated) and Jon Snow himself prove post-mortem comebacks can be done. Red Priestesses like Kinvara haven't stopped working their magics so the formula is still there. With the dead body of Daenerys having been carried off into the sunset by Drogon, her ultimate extinction is not a certainty. It would be a genius stroke were the Snow showrunners able to convince Emilia Clarke to don the white fur again, considering the massive dramatic potential of her character.
Sansa Stark
User lowlightliving is one of many Redditors wishing for a return of the Stark sisters: "I hope the actors playing the Stark characters agree to an occasional featurette, especially Sansa and Arya." Sansa's character draws mixed reactions from family Stark fans, but there's no doubting that Sophie Turner's presence would add tremendous complexities to the Snow sequel (especially since she was responsible for some of the best episodes the fans had seen).
As the Lady of Winterfell and Queen in the North, Sansa has already proven she can play "the game" well. Considering which way the story winds blow, she could prove an effective ally or nasty foe to Jon. Her determination to keep her Northern realm independent of outside interference could bring her guardsmen to blows with either Jon or Bran.
The Night King
Though the Night King is probably gone for good, he was such a superb antagonist that many fans ache for him (or similar) to make a reappearance in Snow. Redditor I_Wish_I_Was_A_Robot suggests: "... he (the Night King) comes back, forces Bran off the throne, resurrects Daenerys and forges a new Iron Throne."
Fans wishing for the return of the icy, fan-favorite GoT supervillain isn't surprising as no one can forget the blood-chilling scene where he smiled, lifted his arms, and raised an army of the dead at Hardhome. Although it does seem that Arya thoroughly obliterated him, good writers could find a way to generate another Night King or possibly introduce a tantalizing storyline involving the Night Queen.
Arya Stark
"I'm sure they'll work in some of Arya's age of exploration too," suggests Reddit User TheForce_v_Triforce. By and large, Redditors support the idea of an Arya Game of Thrones spinoff show more than her coming back to Westeros to reunite with Jon. With her seabound departure at the end of GoT, there are an endless amount of storylines the writers could go for.
Though it looks like Maisie Williams isn't in the mood for an Arya encore, the possibility of her character reappearing in Snow is enticing. Fans would certainly be fascinated to hear what she has discovered or gotten up to since she departed.
Bran Stark
When the ending of GoT brought Bran to the throne, a lot of viewers thought he was too wrapped up in supernatural affairs to make a practical leader. Channeling the popular Reddit opinion that Bran will be drawn to the dark side, Redditor trtsshl posits: "Here's hoping that Bran is ruling as an all-seeing tyrant and Jon has to fight against the repressive police state he creates."
Considering the brutal track record of fratricide in GoT, it would make dramatic sense if the formerly close Stark brothers ended up at odds in Snow. Bran's character could be overwhelmed by evil forces no one else understands, and he would prove a powerful enemy if Jon were to confront him. Jon would be unwilling to fight against his brother, of course, but if it means saving hundreds of people, he would do what he must to protect them from harm.
Drogon
Dragons are popular characters, especially the ones who let people pet them. "What if Drogon comes back to Jon and he has to bail out Bran at King's Landing?" offers Reddit user Ragtime07, to which user Fittergirl87 responds "I would love to see that!"
There isn't much of an argument to be made against Drogon reuniting with Jon in Snow. The dragon obviously survived GoT, carrying the body of his beloved Daenerys into whatever Valyrian mists he chose to. He's also attached to Jon, so he might well return to the North to team up with Jon or, perhaps more likely, come to avenge Jon's assassination of The Mother of Dragons.
Tyrion Lannister
"Is the rest of the cast up for it (the Snow sequel)?" asks Redditor DarkChen, "At very least we need Tyrion and Bran, maybe Sansa back ..." The real stickler in the Tyrion part of this scenario would be Peter Dinklage himself, who has achieved much career success outside GoT.
No Westeros-based GoT spinoff would feel complete without him making an appearance. Tyrion is one of the smartest Game of Thrones characters, but the sequel showrunners may well have to move forward without Dinklage in their actor bullpen.
Ghost
The majority of Redditors definitely want Ghost back, as exemplified in user Abdul-Ahmadinejad's comment: "... things will be worse on the new show if they cheap out and don't show Ghost." There is a common thread amongst Reddit users fearful that the sidelining of the famous surviving Direwolves by the end of GoT might allow sequel writers to skip them and save money on CGI.
It's likely that the popularity of GoT Direwolves will encourage the Snow showrunners to bring Ghost back into Jon's company. A man needs his loyal wolf in the frozen wastes of the North, plus the way the stern Jon loves Ghost makes him a more likeable character.
Gendry Baratheon
There are always a few real long-shot characters GoT fans can root for to make return appearances. "... maybe Gendry could come back. Correction, Lord Gendry Baratheon," writes Redditor bluehaven101.
Gendry was one of those GoT characters who had weighty storylines during the show's run but were essentially cast off towards the end. His potential to return in the Snow sequel is high, however: as the illegitimate son of the murdered King Robert Baratheon, he does have a legitimate claim to what's left of the Iron Throne.