[NO SPOILERS] Art Parkinson tries to upstage RW.

[YourMomsBox]

To be honest I don't see a reason to have Rickon and Osha to just be absent until seasons down the road. Is it so bad to have a small scene here and there? If Rickon does have a role to play way later on, I doubt people will remember that there was a Stark after Bran.

If hell happens to befall all our other Stark children, hopefully we see Rickon become a badass. 'The Last Wolf' :)

[DarkAndFullOfTurnips]

It's much harder to have them straight up disappear and then reappear later on television, and considering little Art probably gets paid in candy, and Natalia seems like someone who would actually request to be paid in candy (jk), they can throw in a few scenes here and there that can also tie in what's happening with the post RW north. The question is whether or not those scenes will seem like pointless filler to the audience and ultimately boring/not plot relevant.

And on another note did anyone notice how Rickon said "coming" like a true Northerner? I'm not sure if that's his native accent but I loved it.

[go joff go]

I prefer they keep Rickon hidden. You get the feeling in the book his being off screen is pretty deliberate.

[DarkAndFullOfTurnips]

Deliberate in the sense that George couldn't afford to write more slow paced plot irrelevant stuff in either aFfC or aDwD and had no desire to world-build Skagos? Then yes it's deliberate :) There's a reason he disappears until someone of interest (Davos) is sent to go fetch him back to a place anyone cares about.

My thoughts are they can use Rickon/Osha to introduce some Northern lords like Wyman Manderly to flesh out the story of the conspiring northerners. But again I have no idea if it will be interesting or even necessary. For all we know Rickon was eaten on Skagos

[BreastplateWithNipples]

To be honest I don't see a reason to have Rickon and Osha to just be absent until seasons down the road. Is it so bad to have a small scene here and there? If Rickon does have a role to play way later on, I doubt people will remember that there was a Stark after Bran.

If hell happens to befall all our other Stark children, hopefully we see Rickon become a badass. 'The Last Wolf' :)

I got the feeling that Rickon and Arya are actually much more like "the Starks of old" than any of their siblings, or their father. Cruel, hard people with wolves by their side and swords across their lap... not moralizing simpletons like Eddard or wannabe southerners who deny their animalic side like Robb.

[BreastplateWithNipples]

I actually thought the opposite after viewing this episode. In that non-book scene, written by two guys who know the ending to the series, we got the following hints about Rickon's future:

1. Rickon telling his older brother "I have to protect you."

2. Bran telling Rickon he'll be the heir if Bran and Robb die.

3. Rickon telling Osha "I know how to swing a sword."

4. Rickon getting all up in Osha's face about how "We're not southerners!"

5. Osha saying of Rickon "He'll learn to walk in darkness."

Not to mention there's an "Heir to Winterfell" theme on the Game of Thrones Season 3 soundtrack, and that was the track that was playing during Bran and RIckon's farewell. You could also say it's important that the scene with Bran telling Rickon about him being the heir to Winterfell if anything should befall Robb and himself was placed in the same episode where Robb dies.

If that doesn't scream "Rickon is going to be badass future Lord of Winterfell/King in the North," I don't know what does.

I think you're overanalyzing this. The track titles aren't a hint at anything, they're just titles that someone picked based on early cuts of the different scenes. Also, the TV doesn't do subtle foreshadowing of things that are far into the future. There's no point in searching for hidden meanings in the show material ;)

[lostinwesteros]

Caution: Spoiler contained below goes up through the end of ADWD.

This was the scene I was most touched by. Heartbreakingly superb performance. And as much as I :crying: , it was at the same time a point of hope for the Starks, looking at how the line could be carried on

since we know Bran won't be back in a non-warging/non-raven state for a long, long time - if ever. And since we don't know when Arya might be back or even if she can ever come back in a non-FM state. And since the last time we see Jon he's being stabbed in the back. OK, getting ready to close the 'spoiler' tab, and I realize that now, as usual, I've completely left Sansa out of the Stark line-up. Hmm . . . telling.

[The Fourth Head]

Art Parkinson did a brilliant job- I felt too numb to be able to cry during the RW, and I never cry watching TV, but I was welling up with tears when Rickon took centre stage. Good work!

TBH, he did a decent job in seasons 1 and 2 as well- it all felt believable. He delivered his lines with attitude- not just saying the words. I don't think he would have been cast if they didn't think he could act.

Honourable mentions to Osha and Bran as well. They were both fantastic that episode as well, although their talents have long been acknowledged. Osha's display of loyalty certainly played a part in my welling up, and Isaac totally sold me on the whole ashamed, embarrassed "what the hell am I?!" front- much like the innocent traumas we all go through during the onset of puberty. It brought those feelings all flooding back!

[Lady Arwen]

I only had one thought during his scene... "WHERE THE F**K WAS THIS KID WHEN WE NEEDED YOUNG ANAKIN SKYWALKER???" Seriously, great job by the young actors.

:agree:

My biggest hope at the moment is for Rickon to rapidly grow up and become a large, fierce, angry warrior riding his massive black wolf into battle, slaying all enemies of the Starks and reclaiming Winterfell in a blaze of ferocious Northern glory.

[grrmforreal]

I have some inside info: Rickon comes back in the last book as a young adult played by Tom Cruise (cgi is used to make him look young); he is now a fully trained Jedi with white lightsaber and he rides upon Shaggydog who is now bigger than a horse. He shows up in the last scene just like Gandalf did at the end of the Two Towers, storms down upon the white walkers, but is caught in a net at the last minute and hauled off to the Dreadfort for a proper skinning.

[DolorousKim]

I totally agree, my biggest emotional reaction to the episode was triggered by Master Parkinson's farewell to Bran, and not by the Red Wedding. My immediate reaction was "Wow, they're finally going to let the kid speak!!!" Followed by "Oh, DAMN...SNIFF, SNIFF...." The little man got me to shed more than a few tears. I was quite frankly astounded by how well he delivered in this scene, having fallen victim to the erroneous preconception that he mustn't be a very good actor since he had been given so few lines previously. He's my co-MVP of the week, along with Michelle Fairley, of course.

Edited to add David Bradley as my co-co-MVP of the week. He was too perfect as Walder Frey to not earn a mention here.

[Greywolf2375]

I prefer they keep Rickon hidden. You get the feeling in the book his being off screen is pretty deliberate.

I'd prefer he stay hidden as well - people can be reminded of him via other conversations about the Starks, etc. if he is actually needed later on Unfortunately since attention spans seem far shorter than they should be, we'd need to see him about every 3rd episode so that he isn't forgotten.

[King Tyrion I]

Rickon's actor did a great job, and I hope to see more of him in the future.

[Tyria Targaryen]

My biggest hope at the moment is for Rickon to rapidly grow up and become a large, fierce, angry warrior riding his massive black wolf into battle, slaying all enemies of the Starks and reclaiming Winterfell in a blaze of ferocious Northern glory.

I don't think GRRM has been building up Rickon's anger and fierceness since Book 1 for nothing. ;) This kid is going to be nothing like the well-bred maister-trained Stark children. So yeah!!! And it would be great to see Rickon ride a full-grown Shaggydog into battle.

I was quite frankly astounded by how well he delivered in this scene, having fallen victim to the erroneous preconception that he mustn't be a very good actor since he had been given so few lines previously. He's my co-MVP of the week, along with Michelle Fairley, of course.

Edited to add David Bradley as my co-co-MVP of the week. He was too perfect as Walder Frey to not earn a mention here.

Those were my standout actors for the week as well.

[So1ar]

when he said "i'm your brother, i have to protect you" it made me tear up.

also, i loved when he stood up to Osha and said "we're NOT southerners"

[lizziebeth]

I got the feeling that Rickon and Arya are actually much more like "the Starks of old" than any of their siblings, or their father. Cruel, hard people with wolves by their side and swords across their lap... not moralizing simpletons like Eddard or wannabe southerners who deny their animalic side like Robb.

Absolutely agree with this.

My biggest hope at the moment is for Rickon to rapidly grow up and become a large, fierce, angry warrior riding his massive black wolf into battle, slaying all enemies of the Starks and reclaiming Winterfell in a blaze of ferocious Northern glory.

Can we please have that happen? Rickon Stark, KING IN THE NORTH!

[Jorah the Explorer]

Rickon speculation: Remember that the series was inspired by the War of the Roses. As said war came to a close, Henry Tudor married Elizabeth of York, uniting the houses of Lancaster and York. Perhaps Rickon will marry Myrcella.

I guess Tyrion married Sansa already, but that is what it is.

[Greywolf2375]

Rickon speculation: Remember that the series was inspired by the War of the Roses. As said war came to a close, Henry Tudor married Elizabeth of York, uniting the houses of Lancaster and York. Perhaps Rickon will marry Myrcella.

I guess Tyrion married Sansa already, but that is what it is.

That could be, but that is a little too buttoned up tight, we all get along in the end for what the story has been. I do not see in any way a voluntary marriage between Stark and Lannister - especially considering we don't even know Myrcellas current status, who knows what has been happening in Dorne with her.

[Mammothsbane]

Room got really dusty during this scene.. I got something in both my eyes at the same time.

[HouseHarrison]

My fantasy conclusion for Rickon: As Bolton-Frey victory seems inevitable in the North, the heir to Winterfell appears riding a unicorn and leading an army of savage Skagosi who he has rallied to his cause, landing from ships provided by the Iron Bank of Braavos. The Umbers, Manderlys, Mormonts, and Glovers are all quick to pledge themselves to him. Word of the "Young Wolfs" return spreads throughout Westeros, and many smallfolk and superstitious lords mistake it to mean that Robb's ghost has arisen to exact vengeance on the Freys.