"Game of Thrones" kills a lot of characters. Everyone knows this, everyone accepts this. Character death is practically the show's tagline. Hell, even the author of the book series (who is no stranger to the guillotine himself) balks at the sheer amount of bloodshed.

And season six is no different. The seven episodes have seen the end of many an actor's job on the show, and the last three episodes promise more of the same. But season six is different from the other previous seasons in one striking way: it's bringing back a high number of characters that the show seemed to have dropped, killed, or simply forgotten about.

(If you clicked on an article about "Game of Thrones" and did not expect spoilers through the latest episode, episode seven, then I don't want to know you.)

First, they brought Jon Snow back. Sure, everyone had been speculating about it since the end of season five, and many people expected it, but it gave us our first glimpse to the apparent theme of the season: resurrection.

Episode three sees the physical return of Rickon Stark and Osha, whom we last left in season three. The latter of which promptly dies an episode later, but still, we can count it.

Episode six provided us with a triple whammy. First, we see Uncle Benjen Stark, a character that most fans assumed was dead after not seeing him since the third episode of season one. Then the show brings back one of it's most hated characters ever, giving us the OHMYGOD-I-Want-To-Punch-Him-In-The-Face face of Walder Frey. And for good measure, they even throw in Lord Edmure Tulley (Remember him? The guy who's wedding was the setting for the Red Wedding? Yeah, turns out he's been in Frey dungeons all this time. Who would have thought?).

Finally, episode seven brought back the friendly, if not disfigured, face of the Hound himself, Sandor Clegane. Yeah, book readers were probably expecting it (Gravedigger and Cleganebowl anyone?), if not hoping for it, but everyone still let out tiny squeals of excitement at his reveal. Episode seven also gave us our first look at the Blackfish since the Red Wedding, after setting up his return in episode five. But mostly: The Hound.

The theme of resurrection, of the rebirth or reappearance of characters, is not just literal and physical. This idea is threaded into every episode of season six in some way or another.

The second episode resurrected Arya in a way, as Sansa learns from Brienne that her presumed-dead sister was still alive. Episode Four brought about a more symbolic resurrection of Theon, as he made the prodigal return to the Iron Islands, starting his own "recall to life", as a famous British author might put it (*wink wink* Dickens, what's good?). Interestingly, while Theon's return to his home seemed to be the beginning of him returning to his formal glories, it looks like episode seven is where we first see the hints of the old Theon. The look of pure determination he gives Yara in Volantis might be the final step in him finally shedding off the Reek persona for good. One can only hope, because frankly, I'm getting tired of him cowering.

Then, there's the resurgence of faith in Melisandre, AKA The Red Woman, AKA The Real MVP, after she brings Jon Snow back from the dead (like I said: MVP).

Even Ramsay can claim a piece of the pie, as he re-brands himself as Lord Bolton in the first few episodes of the season. Sure, he's still his old, twisted self, but titles mean something. He went from a bastard, to a Bolton, to The Bolton.

Season six even saw the resurrection of the original "Game of Thrones" protagonist, Ned Stark. Through Bran's visions of the past, we get to see him in his glory days, when he was young and not Sean Bean. Heck, the fact that we even get to see Bran this season, after completely abandoning him all together in season five is a testament to how much this show seems to be picking up it's loose ties and forgotten plot lines.

Sansa is reinventing herself, no longer the Lannister's prisoner, no longer the Bolton's prisoner, Sansa is, for the first time since early season one, a Stark through and through. She doesn't have to hide her identity or her love for her family anymore. And every episode, you can see her becoming more and more like a cross between her mother and Littlefinger. I reckon by the end of this season, she's going to dawn that kick-ass dress again and be serious this time.

There's more resurrection stuff too. We won't even get into Euron Greyjoy being drowned and then popping back up (What is dead may never die), Margarey and Tommen re-establishing the relationship between the Crown and the Faith, the notion that Arya is giving up this whole "no-one" crap and dawning the Stark name again, the return of Bronn, and the Daenerys throwing back to season one and proving why she's got the "Unburnt" title.

Next up for season six: showing us the adventures of Gendry!