The Return of Rickon Stark

[LynnS]

Does anyone have any speculation about Rickon's return to the story or the important part he has to play?  I know there is nothing to really go on, but what would make it interesting for you? 

[Jaenara Belarys]

Probably going to be a mess. You have RamStan (or RoStan) waiting, potentially the Night Lamp, Manderly scheming vs LF scheming....wouldn't be surprised if Rickon had an "accident" and that helps Sansa get rid of LF.  

[Jon leaves the Watch]

This could be a bit of a stretch, but Does anyone think that Rickon, Osha, ShaggyDog, and Davos could possibly win over the Skagosi and get them to join the fight against the Boltons? I don't think that Rickon will serve a big part in the overall storyline outcome in the North, but do think that he has to play more of a role than just introducing and giving us a look at Skagos.

[Groo]

Rickon is only 5 years old. Even by Martin's crazy standards that's too young to be doing anything. He could be the focal point of Northern politics, though. This would be like all the Vale politics going on around Sweetrobin.

[LynnS]

I'm not sure about the politics or if Rickon will be a kind of wild child; what influence Osha will have on his development; how a warg will be received by the Skagosi.

Then there is Rickon's latent magical talents.  All the direwolves seem to connect to Rickon at Winterfell. 

Quote

 

A Game of Thrones - Bran IV

In the yard below, Rickon ran with the wolves.

Bran watched from his window seat. Wherever the boy went, Grey Wind was there first, loping ahead to cut him off, until Rickon saw him, screamed in delight, and went pelting off in another direction. Shaggydog ran at his heels, spinning and snapping if the other wolves came too close. His fur had darkened until he was all black, and his eyes were green fire. Bran's Summer came last. He was silver and smoke, with eyes of yellow gold that saw all there was to see. Smaller than Grey Wind, and more wary. Bran thought he was the smartest of the litter. He could hear his brother's breathless laughter as Rickon dashed across the hard-packed earth on little baby legs.

 

I wonder if Rickon will run with Nymeria's pack; Martin's version of the Warg army from LOTR or given Shaggydog's eye's like green fire; if Rickon will have some connection to the Green Men on the God's Eye.

Or if Bran will have contact with Rickon and use him as his instrument in some manner.

 

[Lord Lannister]

I always figured Rickon was the Stark that Martin just kept out of the way on the backburner in case he needs another one for plot reasons.

[LynnS]

50 minutes ago, Lord Lannister said:

I always figured Rickon was the Stark that Martin just kept out of the way on the backburner in case he needs another one for plot reasons.

D&D wanted to kill Rickon off because his story didn't go anywhere; but Martin said he had important plans for him (Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon).  The show did kill him off of course; so I wonder what Martin intends.  We can only guess of course.

[BlackLightning]

I think Rickon Stark will survive the series as being the future of House Stark

But I do think he will be the focal point of northern politics in the back half of The Winds of Winter and throughout A Dream of Spring. I think he and Davos might be held captive by one of the surviving Boltons at the Dreadfort in the final book. So, it'll be a three-way confrontation between the Starks and the rest of the northmen vs. the Boltons vs. the Others

Bran will be King of Westeros but the Starks of Winterfell will continue for another couple generations (or millennia) through Rickon.

[Lord Lannister]

Just now, LynnS said:

D&D wanted to kill Rickon off because his story didn't go anywhere; but Martin said he had important plans for him (Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon).  The show did kill him off of course; so I wonder what Martin intends.  We can only guess of course.

I could see him ending up as Lord of Winterfell once the dust settles. 

[Willam Stark]

I think he has become a wild child, overwhelmed by his warg ability and will need a teacher to learn him how to handle his wolfish nature.

He's the future of House Stark so I don't think he will die at the end of the Saga.

[Rondo]

5 hours ago, LynnS said:

Does anyone have any speculation about Rickon's return to the story or the important part he has to play?  I know there is nothing to really go on, but what would make it interesting for you? 

The lad will be as savage and as demonic as Euron Greyjoy.  Living with cannibals while possessed by the mind of his direwolf will turn him into something as wild as Euron.  

[chrisdaw]

I think it plays out like the other media, except Jon takes the actual decision and so it is character growth.

There will be a show down between Jon and Ramsay for the North. Ramsay gets a hold of Rickon, he tells Jon he will execute Rickon unless Jon submits, Jon refuses knowing full well it means Rickon's death, Ramsay executes Rickon. Jon defeats Ramsay.

People will whisper and wonder that Jon really wanted Rickon to die because Rickon's claim to Winterfell and the North could usurp his own. That people may perceive him this way is a fear of old (current) Jon's. New Jon will have outgrown that fear, Rickon's life is not of greater importance than the survival of the North, and Ramsay is no fit leader of the North given the circumstances of the Others imminent invasion. The North is Jon's responsibility. What people may think and say of Jon doesn't matter. The personal loss of a brother whilst sad, given the stakes, can't matter. Armoured all in ice, kill the boy and let the man be born.

[Seams]

Shaggydog's eyes are green fire. And Shaggydog bit Maester Luwin, who was one of the few maesters to obtain the Valyrian Steel link for his chain (signifying the higher mysteries). 

I think Rickon will end up being a pyromancer or some kind of dark magic warlock. He was a creepy little kid who spent too much time in the crypt, and now he's lost his family to a range of violent incidents. He has also been hanging out with a wildling nanny and cannibals. I expect he will have figured out his warg powers as he grows older, just as Bran did. When he returns, he's going to be more warped than he was by nature. 

When Tyrion was leaving the Wall and planned to stop at Winterfell on his way south, Jon Snow said he should tell Rickon that he could have his (Jon's) stuff. So Rickon may fill some role that Jon was filling earlier in the Winterfell family circle. 

[Haus Berlin]

I expect his POV but not his return. Something between Jungle Book and The Little Prince, Rickon may turn philosophical instead of savage. So when Osha has finally politics arranged (in what she believes is) in his favour, she learns that Rickon considers the continent to be uncivilised and that he prefers to stay in Skagos. She won’t let him though and this could bring out something really bad inside of him.

[Egged]

Wild theory: Cannibal left at least one egg on Skagos before dying of old age. The dragon is by now around as big Drogon, black with green eyes like Cannibal was. When Rickon eventually dies, he will second-life this dragon, and become Jon's.

Less wild theory: the Skagosis are trying to do with him what Bloodraven is trying to do with Bran and the FM with Arya; to turn them into all-seeing beings who can skinchange anyone for their own needs. And like Bran and Arya, Rickon will "flee". All of them will end up together with this share reality, of others trying to use their powers for their own ends.

I believe Arya, because of the wildlings in Braavos, will decide to head back to Westeros, and make her way first through Skagos, where she will join with Rickon and the Davos plot before later joining Jon's.

[WhatAnArtist!]

I think that it's likely that his return to the North will roughly coincide with Sansa's return to the North, and that it'll cause division between which lords support which Stark child. Rickon would have the better claim being a male, but Sansa would likely have better support because of the Vale lords and, you know.... not being a five year old.

[Mad King Bolton]

Well Skaggs has been 100% rumour and innuendo, so I won’t be surprised if there aren’t unicorns (or if there are), if the Skagosi aren’t cannibals (or if they are), or nearly anything else. We really don’t know much about it. I think Osha must have had an understanding of it if that’s where they planned to go (assuming Wex is correct). So I’m guessing it’s not what we’ve been led to believe it is like and that Rickon would not only be safe there, but would have support or comfort as well. 
I expect to see Skagosi reintroduced to the realm and have a savage force of badass wildling style fighters interested in carving out a piece of mainland North for helping the remaining prince of the North recapture the kingdom.  Meeting with Davos would be timely as he’ll have ships to ferry a force to a strategic location, maybe meet up with Glover, and join the fray…not Frey.

[BlackLightning]

15 hours ago, chrisdaw said:

I think it plays out like the other media, except Jon takes the actual decision and so it is character growth.

There will be a show down between Jon and Ramsay for the North. Ramsay gets a hold of Rickon, he tells Jon he will execute Rickon unless Jon submits, Jon refuses knowing full well it means Rickon's death, Ramsay executes Rickon. Jon defeats Ramsay.

People will whisper and wonder that Jon really wanted Rickon to die because Rickon's claim to Winterfell and the North could usurp his own. That people may perceive him this way is a fear of old (current) Jon's. New Jon will have outgrown that fear, Rickon's life is not of greater importance than the survival of the North, and Ramsay is no fit leader of the North given the circumstances of the Others imminent invasion. The North is Jon's responsibility. What people may think and say of Jon doesn't matter. The personal loss of a brother whilst sad, given the stakes, can't matter. Armoured all in ice, kill the boy and let the man be born.

I doubt it.

The Ramsay from the D&D show and the real Ramsay from the books are pretty different. And Roose Bolton is even more different.

I don't see that happening in the books largely due to the time table involved. In the show, the Pink Letter was written and sent after Jon Snow was murdered and resurrected AND after Jon had reunited with his sister/cousin. In the books, the Pink Letter is the inciting incident for Jon's murder and the "Stark" girl  in question has already come and gone.

7 hours ago, WhatAnArtist! said:

I think that it's likely that his return to the North will roughly coincide with Sansa's return to the North, and that it'll cause division between which lords support which Stark child. Rickon would have the better claim being a male, but Sansa would likely have better support because of the Vale lords and, you know.... not being a wild, bad-tempered and slightly creepy five year old.

Fixed that for you.

I agree. I think Rickon and Sansa will be returning around the same time (which is either after the Battle of Winterfell is over or in the eleventh hour) but I think that Sansa will ultimately defer to and support Rickon and work as his regent

11 hours ago, Egged said:

Wild theory: Cannibal left at least one egg on Skagos before dying of old age. The dragon is by now around as big Drogon, black with green eyes like Cannibal was. When Rickon eventually dies, he will second-life this dragon, and become Jon's.

Less wild theory: the Skagosis are trying to do with him what Bloodraven is trying to do with Bran and the FM with Arya; to turn them into all-seeing beings who can skinchange anyone for their own needs. And like Bran and Arya, Rickon will "flee". All of them will end up together with this share reality, of others trying to use their powers for their own ends.

I believe Arya, because of the wildlings in Braavos, will decide to head back to Westeros, and make her way first through Skagos, where she will join with Rickon and the Davos plot before later joining Jon's.

I like this theory.

Except for Arya coming to Skagos to help Rickon. She has her own battles to fight (the FM are going to be hard to get away from) and I doubt she'll be  headed that far north. Do ships from the Free Cities even go to Skagos? Most likely, the furthest north she'll end up is in White Harbor--and even that I doubt.

I think Davos will be the hero of that story

I do think that there is a secret dragon somewhere in the North. I'm not saying that there is a dragon in the crypts but I actually think a dragon might've been the beast who killed the stag back in the first chapter of Game of Thrones. It's not just Cannibal to think about it; it's Silverwing.

[Moiraine Sedai]

Rickon will be the only Stark to survive. He will inherit Winterfell after Jon melts away. 

[Jaenara Belarys]

Just now, Moiraine Sedai said:

Rickon will be the only Stark to survive. He will inherit Winterfell after Jon melts away. 

What happened to Sansa and why did Jon just "melt away"?