'Game Of Thrones' Star Art Parkinson Shoots Down Shaggydog Theory

This is a ruff one.

"Game of Thrones " gave us one of the most shocking moments of Season 6 on Sunday when it was revealed that the Umbers, a house supposedly loyal to the Starks, handed Rickon Stark over to Ramsay Bolton. Then, even more upsetting, they proved it was Rickon by presenting the decapitated head of everyone's favorite direwolf, Shaggydog. 

(Oh, helllll Snow!)

Theories about Shaggy actually being alive immediately started popping up online, with many thinking Shaggy's head was just too small to be a direwolf's. So was it actually Shaggy?

"Uh, yeah, I’d say so," Rickon Stark himself, actor Art Parkinson, told The Huffington Post in an interview. The actor continued, "It was a little bit disappointing because, you know, looking at the dogs we had on set ... and that you'd never really get to hang out with them again. When I read that Shaggydog was dead, I was definitely a little upset."

R.I.P., Shaggy. As fans have said, what is dog may never die.

Since Rickon's absence from the show, Parkinson starred in movies such as "San Andreas " and "Love, Rosie" and appears in the upcoming animated feature "Kubo and the Two Strings ." The 14-year-old actor opened up to HuffPost about his career and return to the show, the theory that the Umbers are plotting against the Boltons and reminisced about working with the shaggiest dog of them all:

What was it like working with Shaggydog?

I didn't actually get to see him before he was decapitated. But years ago, whenever we were doing the show before my storyline went off, it was great because they actually brought the dogs down to my house, and we got to hang out with them and have a bit of a bonding session, just so I wasn't intimidated because [I was] working with them from a young age. It was great to experience not just working with humans but dogs, as well.

Sophie Turner adopted her dog. What was your relationship like with Shaggy?

I felt quite close to him, but mom wouldn't -- we were all sort of offered the chance to adopt the dogs and take them home, but we have two dogs ourselves, and mom thought the other dogs wouldn't get along with a big giant husky running about the house.

Speaking of your mom, you've said she kept you from watching the show before. Can you watch it now?

Nowadays, I'm allowed to watch it a little bit more. I'm allowed to watch it because I think it's gotten to an extent where I have to sort of know what's going on in the show. I'm not completely caught up. I'm only on the second season at the minute, but I have a lot of friends who watch it, and they sort of keep me up to date on what's been going on.

When did you find out you'd be coming back?

I think it’s a couple months ago now. We started talking about it and the storyline that I'd have, and they finally said, "Yeah, we’ll definitely be bringing you back." It was exciting.

So why is Rickon still in the North?

Yeah, I'd say you will find out, but again, there’s not too much I can give away at the minute.

Are we going to get an explanation for Rickon's huge growth spurt?

Maybe, you know? I'm not too sure [laugh].

How else has he changed?

I think because he’s been away for so long -- the show hasn't stated where yet -- I think he’s a lot more independent and a little bit more feral.

A bunch of fans are thinking because Smalljon Umber didn't bend his knee, the Umbers could be plotting against the Boltons . What do you think?

Well, you know, the show is so full of twists and turns, so it is possible, but it would be disappointing if Jon Umber did really betray us.

You're Ramsay's captive now. How's that going?

Well, it was cool to find out that I was captured and to find out I was going to be working with Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton ). It was great to work with him ... it sort of puts [the viewers] in the mind of Rickon when he was captured because Iwan is such an intense actor.

Rickon has a fiery personality. If this is the end, is he going down swinging?

I think if Rickon does go down, there will definitely be a fight in it. Rickon's quite a tough character, so I would definitely expect a fight.

You were in "San Andreas" with The Rock. Could Dwayne Johnson win the Iron Throne?

Well, looking at The Mountain now, I think it would be certainly hard for him [laugh].

Since you played Ollie  in the movie, what was it like seeing a fellow Olly die in Sunday's episode?

It was a little bit weird. All the actors on it are really, really nice, so it was strange to sort of experience watching the show and seeing the hatred backlash onto such a nice person.

What's worse, earthquakes or White Walkers?

Oh, I'd say the White Walkers all day. The earthquake is something you can outrun to an extent, but the White Walkers are very freaky.

What should fans expect from Rickon the rest of the way?

It’s definitely going to be an interesting season, and to keep an eye out for the little details.

It's been a few years since your bro Robb Stark was killed, and now Shaggy is dead, does the North still remember?

I'd say so. Hopefully, there will be some sort of revenge at some point.

The North will always remember ...

"Game of Thrones" airs Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.