The long-missingGame of Thronescharacter returned Sunday night after a three-season absence and it’s not just for a cameo.

The bastard-turned-blacksmith has a major role to play this year.

“We almost brought him back in season 6 and it didn’t quite work out.

It made sense that Davos would want to save this boy who’s like a surrogate son.

And Joe is great which is a big positive.”

We spoke to Dempsie on the set last fall about episode five.

It was always in their minds that he’d come back.

So I kind of just left it.

AndThrones, you understand, is bigger than any one of us.

If you’re part of it, great.

If not, you just get over it.

How often did you get the question from fans?

“What’s happening with Gendry?”

became part of my daily life, answering the question.

And I could say with clear conscious that I had no idea.

They even worked a reference into the show of that…

There are some real crowd-pleasing moments this season.

He’s got his father’s blood in him and he’s a natural born fighter.

So I took those three years to get my head down and do other stuff.

But I felt ready to go back.

So it feels like a good time to come back in.

I’m going to look cool doing that!"

Part of this feels like Avengers Assemble coming together, this ill-advised mission North of the Wall.

When you imagine wanting to be an actor, these are the sort of pinch-yourself moments.

Plus you get some cool scenes with Ser Davos.The Gendry-Davos scenes are really good.

He’s sort of a surrogate son and they’re both from the same place.

Davos kind of knows what Gendry has been through.

And Gendry has never had a father figure in his life.

His return and his role have been an interesting addition to the gang.

You do find out a little more about how potentially scarred by the Melisandre experience he is.

He’s not over it yet.

Gendry’s position in this war has to have some kind of constitutional value.

What part he plays in the politics has still to be seen, if anything.

For the moment, I’m pleased to be back involved and be one of these Avengers.

What’s your prediction?If he survives [the North of the Wall mission]…

I know he’s illegitimate, the last known son of the Baratheon blood line.

I don’t know.

He doesn’t seem like the kind of character who would make a play for power.

But then maybe it could be something foisted upon him reluctantly…

I feel like you’re trying not to say: “Gendry Iron Throne!

“Well, obviously!

Everyone is like: “Where do you want to see your character?”

That seems fairly unlikely.

I feel like him and Jon Snow are forming a bond over the bastards thing.

They’re also two of the inherently good characters in the series.