Why Didn't Lady Stoneheart Appear in Game of Thrones Season 4 Finale?

The Season 4 finale of Game of Thrones ended with a shot of Arya Stark on a boat headed for Braavos. Many fans of the series and of the books expected a much different ending in light of the way the third book, A Storm of Swords, ends. Lena Headey's seemingly spoiler-filled Instagram post a while back added more credence to the theory. What ending is that, you ask?

[WARNING: SPOILERS FOR GAME OF THRONES SEASON 4 FINALE AND GEORGE R.R. MARTIN'S BOOKS BELOW]

The epilogue of George R.R. Martin's third book features the return of Catelyn Stark as an angry, zombie-like creature named Lady Stoneheart, who swears revenge on all those involved with the Red Wedding. Fans were certain Lady Stoneheart would appear as the final shot of Season 4 to give fans that jaw-dropping moment that has them counting the days until the Season 5 premiere.

So why didn't she show up in the finale? In an interview with EW, director Alex Graves explained that a Lady Stoneheart scene was never even on the schedule:

"It's a great question, because it's all I asked about last year when I was doing [the episode with Brotherhood Without Banners leader] Beric Dondarrion  - who ultimately is the person who finds Catelyn and turns her into Lady Stoneheart. But no, they didn't do it. It was never on the docket to do this season - ever."

Catelyn's resurrection was a controversial happening for fans of the books, and Graves seemed to touch on that when he expanded upon his answer:

"They [showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss] have such a challenge adapting the books into a really focused television experience. It's very hard, it's very complicated, it's much harder then they've been given credit for, I think - and they do a brilliant job. But to bring back Michelle Fairley, one of the greatest actresses around, to be a zombie for a little while - and just kill people? It is really sort of, what are we doing with that? How does it play into the whole story in a way that we're really going to like? It just didn't end up being a part of what was going to happen this season. And finally one [more] reason: In case you didn't notice, a lot happens this season...To add that in is something they opted out of. But what's funny is that it was never going to be in the season, yet it took off on the Internet like it was going to happen."

EW also asked Graves if Lady Stoneheart could appear next season:

 "As somebody who's worked deep inside the show, begged to have an answer and wants more than anybody, I have no idea. They won't tell me. They're very good at being secretive."

Finally, Graves confirmed that The Hound is in fact deceased after Arya left him to die from his wounds:

 "As far as The Hound, as I told the story ... he's gone. How is he going to survive that? The real point of it was that she walks away, it wasn't that it's left open ended."

Do you think Lady Stoneheart will appear next season? Should she have been in the finale? Let us know in the comments below.