'Game Of Thrones' Season 5 Spoilers: Ian McElhinney Is Not Happy About His Character's Shocking Death

“Game of Thrones” lives by the mantra that “all men must die,” continually showing a willingness to lose any character at any time. However, it seems one actor on the HBO series did not get the memo. Ian McElhinney – the actor who played the ill-fated Ser Barristan Selmy until the character’s unexpected Season 5 demise at the hands of the Sons of the Harpy – did not seem so happy about the show’s latest twist during an “ask me anything” conversation with fans on Twitter.

During the Twitter dialogue Thursday, McElhinney was awfully candid when asked about his reaction to finding out he was on the “Game of Thrones” chopping back.

See the exchange below:

In fact, it seems like all the actor wants is to be back in the cast.

McElhinney’s disappointment might be more understandable than other actors who have been written off of the popular HBO drama. Unlike some of the other big names fans have watched meet their ends – half of the Stark family, Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), etc. – Ser Barristan was not killed by author George R.R. Martin. The character is still alive and kicking in the author’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series, so it is reasonable to assume McElhinney would have been shocked when he received the fatal script.

Martin had previously warned viewers that surprises were on the way. In February the author told Showbiz 411 that, “People are going to die who don’t die in the books, so even the book readers will be unhappy. Everybody better be on their toes. [‘Game of Thrones’ showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss] are even bloodier than I am.” However, that is likely no consolation to loyal readers.

McElhinney at least seems to have some understanding that deviations from the novels are necessary, telling one frustrated Twitter follower that the “demands of TV are different.” The actor also let slip that he is not as confident that Daenerys (Emila Clarke) would be as fit to rule the Seven Kingdoms as he once thought.

With or without McElhinney’s Ser Barristan, the show must go on. “Game of Thrones” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. EDT on HBO.