'Game of Thrones' Producer Comments on [Spoiler's] Shocking Return!

Spoilers! Don’t continue reading if you haven’t watched tonight’s episode of Game of Thrones.

Sandor Clegane, aka The Hound, returned to Game of Thrones for the first time since season four during the latest episode on Sunday (June 5).

“He was always going to come back, it was just a matter of how,” executive producer Bryan Cogman, who wrote the episode, told EW about The Hound.

He continued, “It was my favorite week on Game of Thrones because it’s a beautiful little three-act play. Very much on purpose it tonally doesn’t really feel like Game of Thrones until the end when everyone gets slaughtered. Ian McShane (Brother Ray) is a New Age ex-warrior with a painful history of violence, and he’s found his own flock trying to rebuild their lives. He sees Sandor as a candidate. He recognizes in Sandor a bit of himself. The Hound, apart from being grateful, starts to open up to him. He’s the first and only friend he’s ever friend in his life. And that was an interesting relationship to explore. The scenes have a light touch and gentleness and humanity and humor that you don’t find on the show – then the raiders ride in. The Hound is few miles away chopping wood and they come back and slaughter everybody, pushing him back into the cycle of violence.