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[BOOK SPOILERS] Roose Bolton's Favourite Hobby


The BlackWolf

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Something I never considered until today, even in light of ADwD, was how Roose Bolton will be portrayed - do any of you think we'll actually get to see someone being flayed?

I'm assuming the most logical place for it to happen is Harrenhal, but whilst flaying could be implied in certain scenes (screaming off camera etc.) I hope it's shown - call it morbid curiosity! It'll be interesting to see if/how both flaying and Roose Bolton generally are portrayed, because Roose appears to uphold flaying as the family tradition more than enjoying it, but it's importance (particularly regarding Ramsay's fascination) is crucial IMHO.

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It wasn't really shown onscreen in the books either (thank George), so I'd guess no.

They'll (almost certainly, imo) show Theon's escape attempt with Kyra, and a few other "offpage" events that look like they're pulled from a French Grue Wave film... it's necessary to maintain Theon as an active character.

So yes. Exactly how graphic they'll make it is another question.

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Roose Bolton's Favourite Hobby Will it be in the show?

Showing some leeches shouldn't be that much of a pro...

Oh...you meant THAT hobby....

Well, there were people being flayed alive on Buffy, so I think it's a safe bet they'd show it on a premium cable show.

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They could do it if they wanted to.They wouldn't need to show the whole thing,just a couple of seconds of it and then cut to the victim's face.

After all,Rome had some pretty graphic stuff too,including Titus Pullo biting someone else's tongue right from their mouth...

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Well, there were people being flayed alive on Buffy, so I think it's a safe bet they'd show it on a premium cable show.

Dexter S3 also had a flaying scene. Was very disturbing.

I think this would be an interesting choice. The thing about Roose is that we are led to assume he is just as much a sadist as his bastard son, but we are never given proof. Roose keeps these things to himself, among civilized society.

Showing it on HBO would be the proof we never had, and introducing him, say, flaying someone at Harrenhal would be an effective way to give him a big old "I'm a villain" badge from the get-go. I wonder if it wouldn't be better to leave it at rumor for now, though. Sometimes subtlety is nice.

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That was nasty but cartoonish. In a more realistic show it'd be horrific. I imagine it might be some sort of "camera pans away to the sound of screaming" sort of representation.

This is what I'm expecting, but hoping they decide to go for a more gruesome version. Granted it's different than skinning a deer but still, it'd be one damn impressive scene.

Dexter S3 also had a flaying scene. Was very disturbing.

I think this would be an interesting choice. The thing about Roose is that we are led to assume he is just as much a sadist as his bastard son, but we are never given proof. Roose keeps these things to himself, among civilized society.

Whilst I agree that subtlety can be nice, who wants subtlety here? :P I think it sets up the RW better to show how sinister he is - especially if he doesn't do it for thrills. If it's punishment, for me it's perfectly reasonable!

I thought this topic would be about leeches... which I totally want. Shirtless Roose? Hell yes.

I assumed the leeches were a given! There'll be scenes dedicated to Roose and Arya and whilst Roose will have a book in his hands, I'm pretty sure the leeches will feature. Apologies for not considering leeching a hobby, more of a necessary health thing :laugh:

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I doubt they will show him flaying anybody, at least not in the second season. From what I remember, in the books he's never shown flaying anyone; at most at Harrenhal it was implied he flayed some of the serving staff (I think). I think subtlety would work better here; Roose with his leechings, whispery voice, and rumors about flaying (in the show the staff or someone can mention it to Arya) would create a creepy aura around him. Showing him flaying a servant staff might just seem cartoonishly villainous and evil; plus it provides too big of a clue that he's evil, because at this time he's creepy but teh audience should still think he's on Robb's side.

Also, it would diminish the creepiness of a great moment in the 3rd season (ASOS SPOILERS) where Roose presents Robb and Catelyn with Theon's flayed skin as a present. I think a moment like that is more effective at showing how coldly sinister he is than one that literally depicts him flaying a servant's skin.

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I doubt they will show him flaying anybody, at least not in the second season. From what I remember, in the books he's never shown flaying anyone; at most at Harrenhal it was implied he flayed some of the serving staff (I think). I think subtlety would work better here; Roose with his leechings, whispery voice, and rumors about flaying (in the show the staff or someone can mention it to Arya) would create a creepy aura around him. Showing him flaying a servant staff might just seem cartoonishly villainous and evil; plus it provides too big of a clue that he's evil, because at this time he's creepy but teh audience should still think he's on Robb's side.

When I read the books for the first time, I loved that one of Robb's bannermen was shown to be an evil fuck. We may like the Starks when they fight monsters, but they look the other way when the monsters are fighting for them. This should also be implied in the show.

I do agree that no flaying should be shown at Harrenhal. It would be enough to show Bolton whispering death sentences for every servant who commits a minor infraction. Spill m'lord's wine? Your head is gonna be on a wall. Servant girl asks a question without permission to speak? M'lord is feeling generous, so he won't have her tongue ripped out. Create a terrified air of silence around him in every scene, with people scared to even look at him. Gods, this will be so cool on screen. :devil:

But definitely show some flaying in The Reek & Ramsay Show, so we can see the Boltons are actually worse behind closed doors.

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i don't recall anywhere in the books suggesting that roose bolton was an active flayer. certainly not at harrenhall. the iron born at moat cailin perhaps. there was a scene in a dance with dragons where they surrendered to the boltons and afterwards theon/reek could hear their screams. later it is mentioned that their flayed corpses were pit on display.

and i thought this thread was about leechings, too, since lord roose seems to like to start his day with a good leeching.

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i don't recall anywhere in the books suggesting that roose bolton was an active flayer. certainly not at harrenhall. the iron born at moat cailin perhaps. there was a scene in a dance with dragons where they surrendered to the boltons and afterwards theon/reek could hear their screams. later it is mentioned that their flayed corpses were pit on display.

and i thought this thread was about leechings, too, since lord roose seems to like to start his day with a good leeching.

We don't know that Roose is flaying people. How would we, from within a limited PoV narration scheme, unless we knew someone who was flayed by him? But unlike his bastard Roose is a very careful man. He wouldn't want anyone to think he's not civilized.

But there are long-standing rumors of the dungeons at the Dreadfort, that he keeps people there, and when he's done with them, he holds on to their skins as mementos. I don't think you really get to be a Bolton without doing some flaying.

I actually think he is even more sadistic than his son - just much better at controlling himself. He's like Hannibal Lector - Ramsey is just Buffalo Bill.

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