Game of Thrones director weighs in on whether Ed Sheehan's character was burned to death in the Loot Train Battle

His Lannister troop was originally headed to Riverrun

If there was a silver lining to find among all the wanton death and destruction outside Highgarden in Game of Thrones season 7 episode 4, 'The Spoils of War', for many fans it would be that Ed Sheehan's Lannister soldier might have been burned to a crisp by Drogon.

Is it possible he and his troop were diverted from their Riverrun peacekeeping mission to help guide the loot train to King's Landing?

The question was put to episode director Matt Shakman by Mashable, and there's good news and bad news.

"I don’t think literally those soldiers were there," he said, suggesting Sheeran wasn't present as Jaime's train was attacked, but that he won't feature in the show again (otherwise it would presumably have been a definite "no they weren't").

Shakman added that he thinks Sheeran's controversial scene helped with the impact of the episode 4 battle.

"I did not meet Ed Sheeran," he continued, but "I think the earlier scene that was so great with Arya meeting those Lannister soldiers, where we humanise what those Lannisters are like, that they’re generous with her, only helps this sequence because it helps you feel for the men who are shaking in terror as their death is upon them."

Daenerys is set to return triumphantly to Dragonstone in episode 5, which airs on HBO, Sky Atlantic and through NOWTV on Sunday night.