Rickon Theories?

[Myrish Swamp Thing]

I keep entertaining the thought that he ends up as a good guy Ramsay (hopefully with one of his sister or both as the Roose).

:devil:

[northernshe-wolf]

Unfortunately I can't elaborate much as I only have a vague idea that Shaggy was being too cruel to some wolves I think, that he wanted the kill all for himself, and then Summer kind of made him stop and calm down.

I'll try to search it on the net, doubt I could in the books without a proper look.

edit: I entertain the idea that if Shaggy could be corrected, so could Rickon, that's why I wonder.

Ah, I see! So like Summer was a mentor to Shaggy, Bran could be mentor to Rickon. Interesting.

[Illifer the Penniless]

I would prefer him to be the 'surprise' salvation, but that's my dreamy way of always wanting things to go well with characters I have affection for.

It is very possible he will be the Stark that goes wrong though. Shaggy dog's behaviour, his behaviour, and point to him becoming quite an aggressive character.

A question, in case anybody remembers:

I have a vague idea that Shaggy was put in his place by one of his brothers, Summer I think. He was being too aggressive about food?

When Robb was leaving in the first book they couldn't find Rickon and when they did, Shaggy attacked Maester Luwin. Grey Wind was the only one to calm him down

[jenerationx]

For a long time, I was sure that Rickon had to be the next Lord of Winterfell (or KitN, whatever), as the only Stark male who can still procreate (sorry Bran fans who believe differently), and because it seems that GRRM has different plans for Bran (not sure he's ever going to leave that cave). I didn't think GRRM would allow the Stark name to die out (and given the world they live in, it's not the same for Sansa or Arya, since they likely would take their husbands' names and their children would carry those names). I figured this was the reason Rickon was still alive, despite the fact that he's mostly not even in the books, and when he is, makes very little impact. There had to be a reason he a) existed; and B) was still alive.

Now I'm on the fence. I have to admit that I've been swayed -- slightly -- by the Shaggydog argument. I can't remember who I talked to in another thread about this, but basically, it relies on the assumption that the Stark kids' names for their direwolves have additional meaning. I've seen many suggest that this is why Bran will have a large role to play in the coming war, because his direwolf is named "Summer."

But this thread is about Rickon, so let's take a look at his direwolf's name: Shaggydog. At first glance, this is both appropriate and amusing, because he's named by basically a toddler, and because it's a fairly literal description of exactly what he looks like. But in literature, a "shaggy dog story" is a real thing. It is, per Wikipedia, "an extremely long-winded anecdote characterized by extensive narration of typically irrelevant incidents and terminated by an anticlimax or a pointless punchline." Further, "The expectations of the audience that have been built up by the presentation of the story, that the story will end with a punchline, are thus disappointed."

Given that, and given GRRM's penchant to play with expectations, I'm no longer sure that Rickon is meant for anything. Now I won't be surprised either way. He could become the next ruler in the North, or he could just disappear, never to be heard from again, despite our lofty expectations of him.

One of the reasons I'm more open to the latter idea is because there is really very little canon left. GRRM isn't going to do some massive time jump in the last two books. Rickon will never be more than, say 8-10 years old, which even if he then does become ruler in the North, certainly isn't enough time to establish that he will be a great one, or will be a fearsome warrior, or whatever. I suppose it's possible if GRRM does an epilogue that conveniently jumps ahead in time and tells us how everyone's doing, but I kind of hope that kind of neat wrap up doesn't happen.

[modbelle]

King Beyond the Wall, when all is said and done. He will be a wildling.

[Jessica Rogers]

Theory of Rickard's wife being from Skaggos is interesting because Rickards wife and his mother are unknown females, so I think that may be possible, I was thinking at first maybe they were wildling and that's how the stark children came to there warging abilities.

Ricken is in an interesting position because as many of you have stated he's the only stark male that can reproduce, that we know is truely stark, because jon may yet be a targ. I think he's going to be Brandon stark reborn and I think Shaggy dog is an indication of that. I mean look at Brandon Stark for a minute, he had balls to go to kings landing and challenge the prince, in high and sight it's not the smartest thing ever done but he had the balls to do it.

I think John weather he's a targ or not is ned starks son and Rickon's big brother so I think he will be Castellion/regant for Lord/King Rickon.

[Ludd]

I think thar Rickon would have been a wild child even IF Ned had lived. The first Catelyn chapter had Ned saying the "Rickon must learn to control his fears", suggesting that Ned saw a slightly worrying personality trait in the very young boy. Catelyn defended by saying he was just three, yet I saw it as a warning about the future. Perhaps just something the young boy must learn the hard way. Davos with luck can tame the wild boy.

However do not forget that in mythology the black shaggy dog is also a waring of death and destruction the "Grim," so I fear for Rickon.

[Brown Ben Plumm]

Instated as Lord of Winterfell and soon to be Warden/King of the North when Roose is dealt with (as he will be). I hope for him to be a prickly, proud child that grinds the reader's gears, but you can't help feeling for given his circumstances. I also hope Osha is given a more important role.

[shearstone]

The worst thing I find about the shaggydog argument is that it's a well known trope and GRMM using it as Rickon was an error his direwolfs name is a giveaway sounds far too cheap to me, so I refuse to believe it and if it does turn out to be a shaggydog story then my respect for GRMM will plummet.

[Dead Wolf]

Roose's quote about only the heart trees knowing what happens on Skagos leads me to believe that Bran will reach out to Rickon through the trees and show him how to control his gifts. Davos is as close to a Ned like father figure as one can get, and probably wouldn't have a problem raising Rickon with his own sons, and may even be given the Wolf's Den, which is black since the Talon burned it (foreshadowing mayhaps?) Rickon has shown skill at arms in the past and may turn out to be absolutely fucking badass once he is trained.

[Dead Wolf]

I think thar Rickon would have been a wild child even IF Ned had lived. The first Catelyn chapter had Ned saying the "Rickon must learn to control his fears", suggesting that Ned saw a slightly worrying personality trait in the very young boy. Catelyn defended by saying he was just three, yet I saw it as a warning about the future. Perhaps just something the young boy must learn the hard way. Davos with luck can tame the wild boy.

However do not forget that in mythology the black shaggy dog is also a waring of death and destruction the "Grim," so I fear for Rickon.

Ned saying he wants Rickon to control his fears does not in any way mean he thought his son was unbalanced, rather that Ned wanted him to have courageand not run from his fears. Davos will handle him, and I doubt Osha would have let him turn feral. If Shaggydog does represent the Grim, then fear for Rickon's enemies, not him.

[Grail King]

Instated as Lord of Winterfell and soon to be Warden/King of the North when Roose is dealt with (as he will be). I hope for him to be a prickly, proud child that grinds the reader's gears, but you can't help feeling for given his circumstances. I also hope Osha is given a more important role.

Well your wish may be granted, GRRM was so impressed with Natalia Tenna's Osha that he said he's gonna find some things for Osha in the books.

[Hutch]

Personally I hope Rickon comes back crazy as shit, leading an army of Skagossi cannibals and an equally crazy Shaggydog. I'm talking crazy enough that Ramsey Snow fears him.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Personally I hope Rickon comes back crazy as shit, leading an army of Skagossi cannibals and an equally crazy Shaggydog.

And Unicorns. Don't forget the unicorns. Crazy maneater unicorns.

[Hutch]

And Unicorns. Don't forget the unicorns. Crazy maneater unicorns.

Damn it! I knew I was forgetting something.

[Zebra of KotOR]

I really hope he eats people. We need a good cannibal.

[Margaery's Horse]

...

...GRRM isn't going to do some massive time jump in the last two books. Rickon will never be more than, say 8-10 years old, which even if he then does become ruler in the North, certainly isn't enough time to establish that he will be a great one, or will be a fearsome warrior, or whatever. I suppose it's possible if GRRM does an epilogue that conveniently jumps ahead in time and tells us how everyone's doing, but I kind of hope that kind of neat wrap up doesn't happen.

GRRM doesn't have to make WoW or ADoS follow chronologically. Remember that for Dany and the Unsullied to cross the narrow sea would take a year or more. We might see a time jump, enough time for Davos to POV Rickon's growth past 8-10 y/o

[Khal Shaggydog]

Uh - it doesnt take a year to go from Slaver's Bay to Westeros. Victarion goes from the Iron Islands to Slavers Bay in a matter of months, and that includes sailing all the way around the wastelands and Dorne.

We also have the traders that make the circular route in less than a year, and traders that go from Ib to Qarth and to Westeros in less time.

That is not including the possible use of dragons as a means of either propulsion (hot air blown behind the ships), or pulling (depending on how large they get, or how strong GRRM wants to make them).

But on the topic of the post, Im expecting big things from little Rickon. He's fierce, and he's directly connected to his wolf. He is too young to "not know" that he and his wolf are magically connected - to him at his age, why would he think otherwise. It takes Bran a long time to accept that fact, because he is old enough to know that the wolves aren't magical ("know enough"), and we hardly even see Robb or Jon making the same realization, because they are too old to think otherwise. Rickon, on the other hand, just naturally acts as if him and Shaggy are connected, or at the very least, closer than brothers.

He also has green dreams - he knows when Ned was killed, and is down in the crypts, as a 3-4 year old, looking for his father. Take into account most people are completely freaked out by those crypts, but Rickon, a toddler, is just chilling down there because of his dream.

I am really looking forward to a Davos POV when he sees this Stark kid and a giant black wolf bearing down on him, and he needs to parlay with either the kid, or his rough looking warrior babysitter. Davos is great, and has been all over the world with all sorts of strange people, but this is going to have to be one of his strangest encounters ever.

[The Snark of Winterfell]

I think he will be the Stark of Winterfell in the end because I doubt there will be a happy ending after this is all over. You figure everyones hand will be so dirty that they might get killed off. Obviously Arya is messed up, Sansa's role is not over, and I think she will be the Queen that takes out Cersei via the prophecy and engages in deception in the upcoming book and prob kills LF. Bran has a whole bunch of crap and powers that I think he will favor over the crown and Jon...well if it's not kings landing, it's the wall or death most likely.

The biggest reason I'm thinking this and the biggest problem with this is that it mirrors the end of the Princess and the Queen (worth reading btw)

[Theon {HUNGRY WOLF} Stark]

Well your wish may be granted, GRRM was so impressed with Natalia Tenna's Osha that he said he's gonna find some things for Osha in the books.

Osha and Rickon are also cast in season 4 of the TV series. That will be interesting to see as they are listed as In North characters.