GNC theory: (long) Theon knows snowmen = secret communications to outside troops

[Amoracchius]

No way, even if Roose isn't personally looking that way, he almost certainly has his people keeping an eye on all the doings and transpirings of his dysfunctional little host.

I stand by my claim that if the snowmen dressed as various Lords, is some sort of signal and if logically that signal is widely enough known amongst the Northmen that several Houses would be able to use it in a multi-House conspiracy, then it is certainly something that would be known to Roose.

Roose definitely has his flaws, but he is no Ramsay. He definitely knows the precarious situation he is currently sitting in.

I like this theory a lot and I'll actually argue that Roose would not be aware of the meaning behind the snowmen. I think Roose is so consumed with trying to handle the many issues he is aware of (keeping his crazy son in check, keeping the Freys and the Northern lords from killing one another within WF's walls, rebuilding a ruin as winter sets in, etc.) that what some squires are doing for fun in the snow is probably way off his radar.

As to Roose's "people keeping an eye on the doings and transpirings" in WF, I can totally see Roose having a strategy meeting with his captains and lieutenants, someone raising his hand to mention snowmen, and Roose responding with nothing but his icy death stare before moving on to "more pressing matters."

[gogorath]

From the talk of tunnels inside and outside of Winterfell and Theon meeting the hooded man, I thought it was pretty clear that the Umber forces directly outside of Winterfell are talking to conspirators inside by actually going in and meeting.

Do they really need snowmen?

That said, it could be an indicator of who had turned -- the list is full of potential conspirators. Is this after Lady Dustin went down to the crypt?

But there's a ton of overthinking there. If it is rudimentary communication, I doubt Theon or Roose would know.

[bemused]

Really, I don't think they could be seen from outside anyway. Don't you think they're there as a clue to us ? They're snowmen and will prove to be Snow's men ?

[King Jaime Lannister]

This is good stuff. Not sure if Theon necessarily even has to be aware of the tactic. I think the snow-men ARE being used to communicate. There is a chance that they are Snow's men. But, I am not sure that Theon's behavior shows that he is tied in.

Another thing worth discussing is that the individuals who made the snow-men were "squires." For the most part, the only ones in Winterfell who would worship the seven would be Manderly's men and the Frey men. So only these houses would have squires present. If Frey squires had been on the wall, you would expect a Frey snow-man or two, right?? So why would Manderly squires make snow-men resembling Lady Dustin and her vassal? I agree with the premise that this is a clue that Lady Dustin and Stout have changed sides.

[bemused]

I don't think Lady Dustin changed sides. She has never been on Roose's side. None of them have ever been on Roose's side. They just had to pretend to be compliant until they could gain enough strength to be open about it.

ETA: I agree with Narviin that I don't think either Roose or Ramsay would take kindly to being caricatured as snowmen.. I don't know about the Ryswells - it may be that if you made one , you'd have to make them all..

Good thought about Luwin's myrish lens , but I don't think even it would help in the blizzard.

[Anna Marzo]

I like this theory a lot and I'll actually argue that Roose would not be aware of the meaning behind the snowmen. I think Roose is so consumed with trying to handle the many issues he is aware of (keeping his crazy son in check, keeping the Freys and the Northern lords from killing one another within WF's walls, rebuilding a ruin as winter sets in, etc.) that what some squires are doing for fun in the snow is probably way off his radar.

As to Roose's "people keeping an eye on the doings and transpirings" in WF, I can totally see Roose having a strategy meeting with his captains and lieutenants, someone raising his hand to mention snowmen, and Roose responding with nothing but his icy death stare before moving on to "more pressing matters."

Just like when Varys mentions three dragons in a SC's reunion haha

[Kyll.Ing.]

I think I read somewhere about a theory that there are two kinds of snowmen: The "messengers", snowmen on the walls, built by the squires, and the "distractions", in the yard, some built by squires and others by clueless nobodies, to make it all appear as if it's just children's play.

The snowmen on the wall carry some information of some sort. To avoid raising suspicion, the squires build a few down in the yard too. Caricatures of the lords, as to distract away from the ones on the battlements. They would attract more attention than their brethren on the walls, by virtue of appearing more elaborate. To help further the illusion that it's all children's play to pass time, everybody are encouraged to add their snowman to the count if they so wish; as long as they're not built on the walls they would have no effect on the message, and building the "messenger" snowmen probably took most of the snow on the walls anyway. The Walders are said to have built snowmen of their own, so it seems like they have taken the bait.

Not that it's important or anything, but it's a nice little detail.