Game of Thrones Book Deviations Bring a Major Death, a Surprise Return, and a Big Step Up 

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Book Deviations Bring a Major Death, a Surprise Return, and a Big Step Up

Sophie Turner and Aidan Gillen, Game of Thrones

We already know that HBO\'s fantasy drama returns this season with major changes from the original book series by George R.R. Martin that includes deaths for characters who are still alive in the novels. In fact, one of those deaths will be a major player and will take place in the very first episode back. This therefore eradicates this character\'s entire remaining story line, which was not inconsequential in the books.

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But the surprises are just beginning. One face we certainly didn\'t expect to return is Jaqen H\'ghar (Tom Wlaschiha), the mysterious Braavosi who killed three men for Arya (Maisie Williams), gave her a coin and then changed his appearance in the blink of an eye. If anything, we thought we\'d see the return of the actor who was Jaqen\'s new face.

"That\'s really tricky. I thought, \'Maybe I will be back, but not with my face,\'" Wlaschiha tells TVGuide.com. "I was totally surprised. I\'d always hoped to be back at some point, but with

you can never be sure," he says. "I think at some point in the season, [Jaqen and Arya] will meet."

Martin himself weighs in on how major the changes could be and even drops a hint that one existing character could take part in a pivotal plot point that they never had a part of in the books. The author says, "As far back as Season 1 when people asked me about the adaptation, I talked about the butterfly effect... Some of these changes may seem very small, like stepping on a butterfly, but when you drop a character from Season 1, then when that character becomes crucially important in Season 5, you don\'t have that character because that character has never been present. So then you have to make a bigger change and then possibly a much bigger change than that."

And while fans of the books chew on that, Martin speculates on the endgame of showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for the series versus his own. "I think their endgame will be the same in broad strokes, but it will be very different in an enormous amount of detail," he says. "We\'ve discussed the ultimate ending of the book and the fate of many of the major characters. But as you know, there are many, many secondary characters, tertiary characters. I haven\'t sat down with David and Dan and done a list of the top 150 characters and what\'s going to happen to them in [the] books, so in some cases, the fates are going to be quite different."

Who do you think is going to die in the premiere? In what capacity will Jaqen return? Who will have to step up their game this season to make up for a missing character? Share your theories below (and please indicate spoilers for non-book readers.)

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Arya (Maisie Williams) has started on a new path. But at least Needle is with her.

Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) has gone in hiding ... and grown a beard!  Varys (Conleth Hill) still seems follicularly challenged.

Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) plots her next move

Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) and her trusty squire Pod (Daniel Portman) still haven\'t found Sansa Stark.

 Sansa (Sophie Turner) is still transformed with that dark hair and confidence. Let\'s see if Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) can handle what she\'s become.

Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) may be the new queen, but how much power will Queen Regent Cersei (Lena Headey) let her have?

Let\'s keep Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) as far away from Margaery as possible, shall we?

Cersei (Lena Headey) and Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) don\'t look as close as they once were

Cersei (Lena Headey) has a task for Meryn Trant (Ian Beattie)

Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma) is not happy with Areo Hotah (Deobia Opaeri)

Behold Doran Martell (Alexander Siddig), Prince of Dorne

What sexy wickedness is Melisandre (Carice van Houten) up to now?

Ah, it seems that Jon Snow has business with Stannis (Stephen Dillane) and Davos (Liam Cunningham).

Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) is apparently still a prisoner of the Night\'s Watch.

Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton) is the proud papa to the newly legitimized Ramsay (Iwan Rheon).  New wife Walda Frey (Elizabeth Webster) completes the picture.

Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) just can\'t understand Grey Worm\'s (Jacob Anderson) pain!

But there\'s nothing like the Lord of Light to keep the Red Woman warm

Obara Sand (Keisha Castle-Hughes) is the vengeance-seeking daughter of Oberyn Martell and Ellaria Sand. Their daughters are known as the Sand Snakes. Get it? Obara\'s weapon

Obara Sand (Keisha Castle-Hughes) is the vengeance-seeking daughter of Oberyn Martell and Ellaria Sand. Their daughters are known as the Sand Snakes. Get it? Obara\'s weapon of choice is the same as her dad\'s: the spear.

Tyene Sand (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers) prefers the double daggers

Nym Sand (Jessica Henwick) has deadly aim with that whip!

If you think Joffrey\'s little sis looks a little different, you\'re right. Nell Tiger Free has taken over the role of Myrcella from Aimee Richardson.

Trystane Martell (Toby Sebastian) is the heir to Dorne. Could a political marriage with Myrcella be in the works?

Jaime and Cersei haven\'t seen eye-to-eye for a while. Where will this leave them?

Kit Harington as Jon Snow and Ciaran Hinds as Mance Rayder

Tags: Spring Preview 2015, Mega Buzz, Spring TV, Spoilers

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Photo Credits: Helen Sloan/HBO; Macall B. Polay/HBO; Helen Sloan /HBO; Corbis; HBO