Cotter and the Cannibals

[Duranaparthur]

Saw this on another thread and I kind of want to discuss this particular part in depth.

Apology if this has already been discussed. Searched first but couldn't find anything.

11 ships left Eastwatch for Hardhome. 6 arrived. In the letter 4 were described with some sort of disablement but that leaves 1 ship unmentioned.

Ships with problems
Blackbird - Lost with all hands
2 Lyseni ships - aground on Skane
Talon - taking water

Ships presumably at Hardhome
3 Braavosi ships
Storm Crow
2 Lyseni ships

The initial Cotter Pyke letter mentioned 4 Night's Watch ships but only 3 are mentioned. Talon, Storm Crow and Blackbird. If Talon is one of the 6 ships at Hardhome that leaves up to 2 ships unaccounted for. Regardless, the unmentioned ship could assisting Talon (taking on water) and was overlooked. Or was there a secret mission for the unmentioned Night's Watch ship?


Also Cotter Pyke's Outcome

Melisandre I believe says something like Jon won't see the fleet again. Which I do not think means they are doomed. Just won't return to Eastwatch. I think there are 3 possible outcomes to the fleet at Hardhome

1. Remnants of fleet end up at Skagos merging with Davos plot.
2. Braavosi ships insist on returning to Braavos leading to something terrible in Braavos.
3. The fleet is dead and thread is concluded.

Or something completely different.

So, Pyke's fleet, materially at least, is pretty much doomed. However, it's the Skagos connection that makes me curious.

We know, right now, that the closest Stark to Jon Snow, one of the brothers he thinks is dead, is Rickon on Skagos.

We know that Pyke was reporting "dead things in the water" which imply to me that the Wights may now be gaining aquatic capabilities, which in and of itself is a frightening scenario.

We know that Davos is headed for Skagos to link up with Rickon, thus tying two Starks (or one Stark and a Snow) together again for the first time in a long time.

So, I think there's a good chance that Skagos does play a part in rescuing Pyke's men. we've got an island that still sees the type of traffic that brings slavers to the North and we know Wildlings can raid over the sea, so the Skagossi probably have a minimal navy but a closer base to the action than East Watch, and if wights are starting to swim, they're probably just as aware of the real threat as Pyke and Snow. In fact, depending on how far their boats go out to sea on any given day, they may be just as aware of the threat of Hardhome as anyone else. Plus, it would be hilarious if the Black Brothers and their Ironborn leader were forced to seek shelter from undead zombie hordes with known cannibals on the land of the Stone-born.

Davos seems like one of the most genre-savvy characters in the series, as well as being a rather blunt but still lucky diplomat. So I figure that sometime in Winds of Winter, Pyke's remaining forces will return to the Wall with Rickon, Davos, and any possible Skagossi allies. We've been batting around the idea of where and if the cannibals of Skagos will actually play a part in the story, with one popular theory tying them to the GNC, possibly as maritime allies to the Manderlys. But I think it would make more thematic sense that if the Skagossi are loyal to House Stark, that they will want to stick with their liege lord, and if Jon does overcome his fatal case of stabbing, he's one of the few commanders in the series who seems to meet the logistical challenge of radically different units and cultures with some skill.

So i'm calling it now: At some point, the Wall will be manned by Black Brothers loyal to cotter Pyke and Jon Snow, Baratheon King's Men and Queen's Men, wildlings both in black and out of black, two Direwolves, and a scary bunch of supposed Cannibals and their unicorns.

[Fire Eater]

I think the ships of Pyke have been used to make the timber wall seen in Mel's vision. In Ancient Greece, the Oracle at Delphi said that the Greeks would hold off the Persians with wooden walls, and the Greeks defeated the Persians with their fleet.

Davos having the Skagosi aid Pyke and the wildlings at Hardhome is a possibility as House Magnar does have good relations with Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, and Davos would be smart to aid the LC who helped Stannis.

I can't wait for Davos and Jon to meet.

[King Pellinore]

You had to throw in the unicorns. I realize they are supposed to be there but, it makes the theory seem really out there by saying 'unicorns'. I don't know what would make the Skagosi take part unless they're reputation has been wildly exaggerated. Really, for all we know Rickon has gone completely native and has dined on roasted Pyke.

[Roddy the Ruin]

I think the ships of Pyke have been used to make the timber wall seen in Mel's vision. In Ancient Greece, the Oracle at Delphi said that the Greeks would hold off the Persians with wooden walls, and the Greeks defeated the Persians with their fleet.

Davos having the Skagosi aid Pyke and the wildlings at Hardhome is a possibility as House Magnar does have good relations with Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, and Davos would be smart to aid the LC who helped Stannis.

I can't wait for Davos and Jon to meet.

:agree: They are gonna bro it up