Will Ramsay Be Cut?

[David bc]

People are missing the point.

I'm not saying that Ramsay isn't a vital character.

I'm saying that Roose is not that important and we know that he has been cast. If they want to make House Bolton seem as badass as it is, why not combine the two into one evil sonofabitch. Having the same person

Spoiler

sack winterfell and kill robb stark and flay theon and kill stannis

would make for one ultimate villian in the Westeros.

[Tyrionthebest]

People are missing the point.

I'm not saying that Ramsay isn't a vital character.

I'm saying that Roose is not that important and we know that he has been cast. If they want to make House Bolton seem as badass as it is, why not combine the two into one evil sonofabitch. Having the same person

Spoiler

sack winterfell and kill robb stark and flay theon and kill stannis

would make for one ultimate villian in the Westeros.

Because that would be crap and it wouldn't make sense ?

[TrevorLahey]

I don't know why everyone's so up in arms about this suggestion. It's certainly possible. It would be crap, as the OP himself said, but it's certainly possible. If the writers decide certain rewrites help better translate the story to the screen, then they will make those rewrites. Don't ask me why that rewrite would help, cause I have no idea, but MAYBE they decided it would. They're concerned about Season 2 right now, not DWD. Season 2 is far more important than Seasons 5 or 6, since, you know, Season 2 actually exists.

And I don't see how the fact that Ramsay doesn't appear until the second half of the book has anything to do with why his casting hasn't been announced yet. They don't film the scenes in chronological order.

[Tyrionthebest]

I don't know why everyone's so up in arms about this suggestion. It's certainly possible. It would be crap, as the OP himself said, but it's certainly possible. If the writers decide certain rewrites help better translate the story to the screen, then they will make those rewrites. Don't ask me why that rewrite would help, cause I have no idea, but MAYBE they decided it would. They're concerned about Season 2 right now, not DWD. Season 2 is far more important than Seasons 5 or 6, since, you know, Season 2 actually exists.

And I don't see how the fact that Ramsay doesn't appear until the second half of the book has anything to do with why his casting hasn't been announced yet. They don't film the scenes in chronological order.

It's one thing to cut The Blackfish or any other minor character but if they cut Ramsay who is very important to the whole twist at the end of book two plus ADWD with Theon i will quit watching the show .

[WillWork4NinjaPowers]

They need both Boltons so we see Roose and Fat Walda, making the betrayal that much more evident, as well as the Jeyne/Arya marriage to Ramsay and what that will set into motion later in the series.

[House Snow]

The fact that JP hasn't been cast really adds some fire to the idea that there might not be a Ramsey. HAven't they already shot a lot of theons scenes too? If you cut JP out then really you could just have Roose take Ramsey's role.

[SerArthurHeath]

Although he hasn't been revealed yet, the earlier point about revealing who is actually Ramsay ruining the surprise is a great one.

[Kingslayer]

If Ramsay is cut, we don't get this scene...

[Dusk, WINTERFELL COURTYARD]

THEON: "Open the gates for our friends."

[Hard-looking men on horse ride through the gate, led by a man in elaborate armor depicting a screaming face. Leering closeups on this armor and the banners-- a flayed man]

THEON: "How many men did you lose?"

FLAYED MAN [laughing]: "Five or six, I think."

THEON [incredulous]: "But Ser Rodrik outnumbered you 5-1!"

FLAYED MAN: "He had peasant boys. I had soldiers."

FLAYED MAN REACHES FOR SOMETHING ON HIS SADDLE AND TOSSES A SEVERED HEAD AT THEON. BOLTON MEN LAUGH AT HIS REACTION.

FLAYED MAN: "The old fool thought we were friends. A common mistake *laughs*. So when he offered me his hand, I took his head instead."

FLAYED MAN REMOVES HEADGEAR, REVEALING... REEK.

THEON [shocked/disgusted]: "Reek!? How..."

REEK: "Reek was my servant. When the Stark men caught us with that girl, I gave him all my lovely clothes and my father's ring, and told him to ride for the Dreadfort, and bring help, quick. *laughs* They shot him full of arrows. By the time they came back for me, I was wearing his rags and I'd smeared myself with shit. I was lucky they didn't kill me anyway. *laughs*

THEON [realizing]: "You... you're Ramsay Snow. Lord Bolton's bastard son."

RAMSAY [smile vanishes, tone becomes ice-cold]: "That's what my wife called me before I killed her. I'm his son and heir. And now I want my reward. Prince. Bring me your woman."

THEON [furious]: "Remember who you're talking to, Bastard, or..."

RAMSAY BREAKS THEON'S FACE WITH A SAVAGE BACKHAND, KNOCKING HIM TO THE GROUND. BOLTON MEN START CUTTING DOWN IRONMEN. THE BASTARD SHOUTS ORDERS: "Burn this fucking castle to the ground! All of it! Bring me the women... and the children! *laughs* Kill the rest! Kill them all!" *fade to black*

(Next scene- last in the season- will be Bran/Rickon/Osha/Hodor emerging from the crypts and seeing the carnage and desolation. Maester Luwin monologue, plan forms, etc, then Bran closeup... "Winterfell isn't broken. And neither am I.")

Right?? :)

[TrevorLahey]

It's one thing to cut The Blackfish or any other minor character but if they cut Ramsay who is very important to the whole twist at the end of book two plus ADWD with Theon i will quit watching the show .

Fair enough, but at the end of the day, the writers need to decide how to best fit the most important elements of the story into 10 1-hour episodes. They did a nearly flawless job with season 1, but as the story gets more complex, we need to prepare for certain elements that we love not making it onto the screen. If Ramsay needs to go in order to fit in Jaime's storyline or stuff beyond the Wall or whatever, I'll be okay with it. I'll admit though, if they cut Ramsay in order to give more screentime to someone like Roz, or add Robb scenes that aren't in the book, I'll be pretty annoyed.

To be honest, I think we will see a Ramsay, since the only alternatives I can think of is to make Roose a ridiculously influential character, or to completely rewrite Theon's entire storyline. From what I saw in season 1, Benioff and Weiss aren't in the business of rewriting the story. So, I remain optimistic, but won't go nuts if things work out a certain way.

[The Anti-Targ]

Theon needs his Reek, plain and simple. Quite when Reek gets revealed as Ramsay is another matter. Roose didn't get a mention in season 1, no reason Ramsay should get a mention until season 3.

If they ditch the...er Jeyne Poole switcheroo plotline then I agree Ramsay is rather superfluous. Reek could just be Reek and be killed off with Roose taking over the role of Ramsay at the point in the story where Ramsay would have revealed himself to Theon

[Tyrionthebest]

Theon needs his Reek, plain and simple. Quite when Reek gets revealed as Ramsay is another matter. Roose didn't get a mention in season 1, no reason Ramsay should get a mention until season 3.

If they ditch the...er Jeyne Poole switcheroo plotline then I agree Ramsay is rather superfluous. Reek could just be Reek and be killed off with Roose taking over the role of Ramsay at the point in the story where Ramsay would have revealed himself to Theon

But if they do that the whole Theon storyline would be ruined and that was the best part in the book :bang:

[Chris77]

Roose and Ramsay should not be combined, because the two of them are two totally different kinds of badguys. Roose is cunning, scheming and clever, whereas Ramsay is sadistic and egocentric. He is only toleraed by Roose, because he is his son. Ramsay being the only other notable Bastard (aside from Gendry) is a perfect Contrast to Jon.

[Todd Sand bastard of AZ]

Ramsay will be cut...

*puts on sunglasses*

Into pieces by Theon.

YEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

[TeaRose]

Ramsay's role seems to be a bit too large and important to cut.

Though he doesn't really look right, from the description in the book, I think Cillian Murphy would be perfect for the role. Something about that guy just creeps me out every time I see him, and noone is creepier than the Bastard of Bolton.

Agree. That guy has evil eyes.

[mediocre cheese]

I think they are gonna cut the role honestly. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm betting roose becomes Ramsay. They've already changed Jeyne Westerling and cast her in season two, while putting roose in the west with robb, rather than in the riverlands. From my understanding arya becomes tywins cupbearer rather than roose's.

They also have yet to cast the reeds which is frightening. The best I hope for is that they are altering the timeline and putting the whole theon takes winterfell act in season 3, but I'm thinking the reeds might be replaced by osha.

[House Snow]

One alternative is that Roose can give Ramsey theon at a later time (different season) and thus they wouldn't have to cast him now. There doesn't really have to be a specific person to override Theon or if they wanted too they could "reveal" ramsey orders the burning after we meet him later on. There are definitely ways around casting Ramsey now without definitely cutting him out of the series.

Ramsey really is too important/good of a character that if you keep him in the show it becomes an issue to cast a strong enough actor who would be willing to possibly wait awhile before the character reappeared. You are kind of better off waiting until you really get to see the guy for extended stretch before casting someone to play him. The more I think about it the more I think it makes sense not to cast him at the moment.

[Galen M]

loving this idle speculation about a character whose first appearance will not air for 8 months

[Sasha Steelsong]

People are missing the point.

I'm not saying that Ramsay isn't a vital character.

I'm saying that Roose is not that important and we know that he has been cast. If they want to make House Bolton seem as badass as it is, why not combine the two into one evil sonofabitch. Having the same person

Spoiler

sack winterfell and kill robb stark and flay theon and kill stannis

would make for one ultimate villian in the Westeros.

Because there is no way the same person could cross the amount of distances needed for Roose to accomplish alone what Ramsey and Roose do together. Not to mention I can't remember how

Roose gets north after the Red Wedding since the Iron Men still hold Moat Cailin and my understanding was that they need to get that back to get North

but that

occupation

presents a big logistical issue at least for the part of the show that covers the second half of COK and first of SOS.

[Aegnor]

Because there is no way the same person could cross the amount of distances needed for Roose to accomplish alone what Ramsey and Roose do together. Not to mention I can't remember how

Roose gets north after the Red Wedding since the Iron Men still hold Moat Cailin and my understanding was that they need to get that back to get North

but that

occupation

presents a big logistical issue at least for the part of the show that covers the second half of COK and first of SOS.

Roose gets back north in book 5 when Ramsey gets Theon to go into Moat Cailin and convince the iron men to give up. Which of course ends very very badly for them.