When we left Jon Snow (Kit Harington), the wayward steward of the Night’s Watch, and his new friend/saviour/love interest Ygritte (Rose Leslie) he was gazing down upon the Wilding camp, the capital – if you will – of King Beyond The Wall Mance Ryder (Ciaran Hinds). Speaking exclusively to SciFiNow, Harington reveals that it all goes a bit Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Nights Watch.
“Season 3 is the one David and Dan were really looking forward to,” says Harington. “There’s a moment I’m really looking forward to seeing it because it was amazing to film. As far as my character goes there’s a really interesting storyline where I have to become a spy within the Wilding camp, then there’s that whole spy dilemma of when you forget who’s side your on.
“I suppose for Ygritte,” Leslie adds, “it’s trying to work out whether Jon Snow is on Team Wildling or whether he still is Team Castle Black.”
Life among the Wildlings promises to be an education for the duty-bound Jon Snow, who although a bastard from the North, grew up around one of Westeros’ oldest houses, House Stark.
“[They’re] vicious,” says Leslie.” I think that they are ruthless, to be fair. They are ruthless, they are killers, and because they’ve only ever known the harsh environment that is beyond the Wall, they are themselves incredibly harsh. But definitely with Ygritte she balances it out with her playfulness as well, she’s not just like a ruthless strongwilled woman.”
“I’ve always thought of them as the Scottish,” adds Harington. “Way back when, in kings and queens time – not the Scottish now. I’m thinking Braveheart – you’ve got Hadrian’s Wall to keep them out…”
“Keep them out!?” interjects Leslie in mock outrage.
“Everyone in England thinks of them as savages, and rape and pillagers, but actually you get across the wall and they’re a much freer society. I don’t know where I’m going with this,” he trails off.
After the sparring of Season 2, where first Ygritte was Jon Snow’s captive, and then the other way round. Season 3 sees them on near equal footing, albeit in the Wildling Camp.
“Especially throughout the last four episodes of Season 2 the relationship develops with her interest in him – and she’s incredibly intrigued by this character, as I’ve said before, she’s never really come across anybody like him before. It’s kind of like a bonus point [that he’s a Stark] because she knows Mance Rayder will be interested to meet him and use him to his advantage, so it gives her time to get to know him better, and for them to let the relationship develop in whatever way.
“It ticks a box, definitely, and she fights for him as well because he’s going to have his head chopped off – so now the playing field is level because they’ve saved each other’s lives once before. So it kind of balances itself out again.”
Game Of Thrones will return to Sky Atlantic on 1 April at 9pm. Pick up Season 2 now on DVD for £28 and Blu-ray for £36 from Amazon.co.uk.
Game of Thrones – Season 3 – Inside the Wildlings by AllThats_Bueno
