Ed Sheeran's bizarre 'Game of Thrones' cameo hits sour note
We now interrupt your regular fantasy drama to bring you a red-headed singer/songwriter crooning to Arya in the woods.
- Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
Warning: Spoilers for "Game of Thrones" ahead.
If you were watching "Game of Thrones" on Sunday night and aren't up on your red-headed singers, you might have been confused. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) has just slaughtered a room full of Freys, and while riding her horse, she hears the dulcet tones of a melody she doesn't recognize. It's singer Ed Sheeran in the most bizarre cameo in the HBO hit's history.
"That's a pretty song," Arya Stark tells singer Ed Sheeran, to which he replies, "It's a new one."
In almost any other "Game of Thrones" episode, a group of Lannister soldiers sitting in the woods seeing a young woman ride by would almost certainly end in a bloodbath, or at least a desperate chase. That's why it seemed so odd when Arya -- who has more reason to be paranoid of strange Lannister men than about anyone -- dismounted her horse and settled in around the fire with Sheeran and his backup band, companionably noshing on their cooked rabbit.
Let's just say Sheeran's cameo hit a sour note with some.
If Arya kills Ed Sheeran this will be the best Game of Thrones ever
— Sam Adams (@SamuelAAdams) July 17, 2017
If Arya doesn't burn Ed Sheeran he'll come back as a white walker and be playing Westeros Glastonbury for thousands of years. #GoTS7
— Zack Jones (@ZackJ0nes) July 17, 2017
Arya Stark: It's a pretty song. I've never heard of it before.
— Shivam Verma (@shivam13verma) July 17, 2017
Ed Sheeran: It's on Spotify.#gameofthrones
Since we got Ed Sheeran that means the door is open. I want Kanye in the next episode leading a music troupe at an inn Arya stops at
— Bobby (@SullivanBobby) July 17, 2017
Nymeria to Arya next week:
— Marc Faletti (@MarcFaletti) July 17, 2017
YOU HAD ED SHEERAN IN YOUR HANDS AND YOU LET HIM GO
WTF pic.twitter.com/0mhSuwpMIf
When Arya’s like “I guess I’ll stop for an Ed Sheeran concert on my way to murder a bunch more people.” #BagofSwords #GameOfThrones
— David Figueroa (@davidfig93) July 17, 2017
ed sheeran offering arya rabitt like #GOTs7 pic.twitter.com/Y8P0iMI3r5
— Lindsay Taylor (@Tayasani) July 17, 2017
#GameOfThones writing room:
— Kyle Ethan (@kesnyder42) July 17, 2017
"Ok we're beyond the books, we have creative control"
"Concept: Ed Sheeran camping in the woods singing a song"
"Hello it's me, ed sheeran, and i'm here to remind you none of this is real! It's just a tv show haha, I'm ed sheeran"
— Max Landis (@Uptomyknees) July 17, 2017
Goddamn Ed Sheeran has a new single out in Westeros. #GameOfThrones
— Ica (@msjessicagail) July 17, 2017
That Ed Sheeran cameo was on the level of Jimmy Fallon randomly appearing in Band of Brothers for exactly NO reason
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) July 17, 2017
The Ed Sheeran scene was actually an interesting moment/departure that was overshadowed by putting Ed Sheeran in it
— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) July 17, 2017
Ed Sheeran appearing on game of thrones but not being brutally disemboweled was very disappointing
— Brandy Jensen (@BrandyLJensen) July 17, 2017
things i cant forgive GoT for, ranked
— select bitch (@caseyjohnston) July 17, 2017
5. killing margery
4. killing oberon
3. red wedding
2. ramsey rape
1. ed sheeran
Although some viewers were on Sheeran's A-Team.
Arya just murdered an entire house and then met Ed Sheeran. Truly living out the dreams of every teenage girl.#WinterIsHere #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/tvBJBsiivO
— Trisha Dulku 🇨🇦 (@TrishaDulku) July 17, 2017
what an unexpected cameo by Ed Sheeran but damn his voice is so good! And Arya Stark woohoo. #GoTS7 #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/7tXmjLOOsk
— Jon Winterfell (@JonWinterfall) July 17, 2017
Arya cleared house Frey and got a free Ed Sheeran concert for her efforts.
— #OTAPshow (@TheRealSchitty) July 17, 2017
I SWEAR TO GOD IF ED SHEERAN DIES RN I WILL ACTIVELY ROOT FOR ARYA'S DEMISE
— jubjub (@aquafreshXTREME) July 17, 2017
Sheeran himself was pretty proud of his role on the huge HBO hit show.
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