Iwan Rheon describes a “sheepish” Ramsay Bolton in season 6 and teases insight into Ramsay’s feelings for Myranda

Ramsaysheepish

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Iwan Rheon discusses Ramsay Bolton’s characterization in season 6: “We’re trying to play against what you know.” In another interview, Rheon and Michael McElhatton chat about Ramsay and Roose’s father-son teamwork.

Rheon spoke to Entertainment Weekly about what we can look forward to from his character next season. Though he conceded that Ramsay is “a complete scumbag,” he hinted that season 6 will flesh him out a bit more and “show sides to Ramsay that you haven’t seen before.”

“He’s sheepish. His father is obviously not pleased. Without Sansa, he doesn’t have as much power as having a Stark and an heir. Without her, he is not what he was … we start by finding out how Ramsay really felt about Myranda.”

He explained that Ramsay’s establishment as a villain opens the show up to trying new things with the character.

“The audience knows about Ramsay now, so you don’t need to always be doing evil stuff. You can be really nice and that makes it more sinister – and that’s the fun thing to do with Ramsay. We’re trying to play against what you know.”

In a video interview together, Rheon and McElhatton talked about fans addressing them by their character names and Ramsay and Roose’s father-son dynamic.

“They’re pretty messed up but they are [a good team],” McElhatton said.

“They get stuff done, don’t they?” Rheon added.

147 Comments

  1. Hah! Ramsay “sheepish!” Now that is funny. I gotta see this play out. When Walda names her child, Domeric, I expect him to flip out. (…and the fandom will smile knowingly…) 🙂

  2. Looking foward to Ramsey. Love Iwan’s interpretation of the character.

    I will cheer with joy when Ramsey dies but I will also be a bit sad because Iwan will leave.

  3. One thing I’m excited for, is what will Ramsey do once Roose is gone. I expect him to try and be like his father, most likely unsuccesfull.

    How will he get the northern lords on his side, at least some of them.

    This isn’t spoilers just my speculation that Ramsey will kill Roose, so I don’t know if I should put it in spoiler brackets, if I do need let me know.

  4. I wish Roose was the more central character among the Boltons in the show. I don’t find Ramsay the least bit interesting. I don’t care about his feelings towards Myranda. All I care about is him getting dead this season and making way for a hopefully more entertaining main villain, Euron.

  5. I can’t wait to see another side of Ramsey, perhaps a little humanity? It is good to round out the villains a little. I don’t think there was one Joff scene that he wasn’t a complete ass in.

    Poor Sansa……….

  6. Love both of these guys. As great as Iwan has been portraying Ramsey, Roose has been incredible. Superb job of casting for both of them.

  7. Darkstar,

    We already saw plenty of scenes like that.
    Mostly when Ramsey is with Roose.

    That’s when this sadist and monster turns into a little 5 year old, who looks for his fathers approval and love.
    Roose thinks he can play Ramsey with this. Show him the carrot but never give it to him, kind of thing. But I have a feeling this will backfire on him, very soon.

    The scenes beatween Ramsey and Roose, to me, are always a joy to watch.

  8. I can’t tell how much I resent the idea of fleshing out this character any more than he already has been. I’ve got a ton of respect for Ivan Rheon, but I’m not interested in seeing people becoming sympathetic on his behalf.

  9. Joff gave sansa a necklace & promised to never hurt her again (s1 somewhere).

    Fleshed out villains are better…

  10. Tyrion Pimpslap,

    Yes, Roose is far more interesting to me than Ramsay is. And MM is a brilliant actor – I’m not too keen on the somewhat exaggerated way Ramsay is portrayed. Makes it a bit silly at times, in my opinion.

  11. For the love of god, please don’t make

    Ramsay kill his father. Roose is simply too badass for that to ever happen. Ramsay looks up to him, he’s always wanted his father’s recognition; why eliminate this important character trait?
  12. Iwan is a great guy and actor.
    I understand that he may leave westeros this year and they want to give him a good story, but Ramsay got a lot of attention he doesn’t deserve us character. I don’t really for his feelings and his relationship with Myranda. Not everyone can be Jaime (who by the way needs some character development this season). If they go on trying to humanize Ramsay,Cersei e.t.c it will be not interesting in the end.

  13. Dragonmcmx,

    He’ll finaly break. He tried for years to get his fathers approval. With Sansa escaping Roose will most likely blame it on him.
    I suspect Ramsey will break and kill him.
    Most likely Roose will threaten Ramsey with Walda’s unborn child, saying Ramsey is no longer his heir. This will probaly make Ramsey act.

  14. I thought it was interesting when Iwan was asked about the relationship of Ramsay and Roose he segued from (and I paraphrase) Ramsay’s need for Roose’s approval to a “but” about his ambition.

  15. Can’t bloody wait for season 6
    Really looking forward to the build up for the epic battle!!!!
    More Ramsay and roose is always a plus.

  16. That chick giving the interview was f’kng terrible.

    I am looking forward to see what goes down with Ramsay this year, I always enjoy his and Roose’s scenes.

  17. Darkstar:
    I can’t wait to see another side of Ramsey, perhaps a little humanity? It is good to round out the villains a little. I don’t think there was one Joff scene that he wasn’t a complete ass in.

    Poor Sansa……….

    I kinda like the “villains” who stay true to their nature… not everyone can be grey!!

  18. EYEHATEGOD,

    You know, that female interviewer is probably Chinese. I think she did quite good considering that she’s not speaking her mother tongue.

  19. Mihnea: I have a feeling this will backfire on him

    The one good deed that Roose probably did, was to let his bastard baby live. Yet unfortunately the child turned out to be a murderous psychopath that will be his undoing. Oh, the irony!

    On another note, in the interview Iwan refers to Sansa dissing him by saying that he was legitimized by a bastard. I like that Sansa further shuttered his already fragile ego when it comes to legitimacy. It seems that this might haunt him quite a bit in the new season.

    Also, I think we’ve already speculated about Ramsay being in mourning about Myranda back in february when the photos from S6 came out. There is one where he looks solemn and calm.

  20. singedbylife:
    EYEHATEGOD,

    You know, that female interviewer is probably Chinese. I think she did quite good considering that she’s not speaking her mother tongue.

    I concur.. I thought she asked good questions.. esp the one about who would Michael McElhatton would prefer to marry… that I think took insight in knowledge of the characters. Not just run of the mill questions.

  21. Mihnea,

    You are absolutely correct about Ramsey looking for that fatherly approval. I guess I meant it would be interesting to see Ramsay have some actual feelings for another person, even twisted Myranda. I hope he is truly hurt by her death as opposed to simply pissed off that someone killed one of his favorite toys.

  22. I just think this is one of the strongest talents of D&D and his staff to hire actors who are really amazing. I love almost all of the actors who play villains. They do just an amazing job at being evil when in reality they are more oft quite the opposite.

  23. Hodors Bastard,

    That would be a cool shout out, but I’m pretty sure the following will occur:
    1. Roose will be pissed about Sansa’s departure and very calmly demote Ramsay, by claiming unborn “Domeric” as his heir.
    2. Ramsay will act all emotional and kill Walda

    by poisoning

    .
    3. Ramsay will act smug about the death, looking for emotion from Roose.
    4. Roose won’t really give a shit, because he’s already gotten the dowry from Walder Frey.
    5. Ramsay will be pissed that he can’t get a rise from Roose and flay the crap out of him.
    6. None of it will matter because the Battle of the Bastards will make the Bolton’s of the Dreadfort like the Reyne’s of Castamere.

    ——————————————-
    Off-Topic:
    I’m pulling out my wishful ‘Jump to Conclusions’ mat.
    GRRM hasn’t posted on his blog since March 28th. This lack of blogging clearly means that The Winds of Winter is coming!!

  24. Hodors Bastard,

    Imagine that?

    I can’t imagine Ramsey could handle that. I think he’d lose it and murder his father, step-mother, and infant brother to secure his place as the next Lord of the Dreadfort and, in his head, warden of the north. If that’s the case then the burning flayed people might be Roose and Walda. We all know how kinslaying is viewed too. That might be what pushes the northern hosts over the edge. A Usurper AND a kinslayer!

    I can’t wait to see how this all plays out.

  25. Joffrey’s Cunt: Oh god please don’t postpone it :/

    Yeah i know…it sounds like it has been though. How can the winner be in LA for the premeire on Sunday when the winner isn’t being announced for 3-5 business days? Their site originally said the winnet would be announced on the 7th, which is tomorrow. Now it says 3-5 business days.

    There also hasn’t been anything about the red carpet premiere on the GoT or HBO Twitter/Instagram/FB pages at all. I can’t even find anything on it through Google. Nothing. Just Season 5 red carpet stuff.

  26. Who in their right mind sets a red carpet premiere 2 weeks before the season starts? lol Should be no more than a few days. Like with Outlander, starts this Saturday and the red carpet premiere was yesterday I believe.

  27. At the 19 second or so mark. Check that scene, is that the battle of Robert’s Rebellion? It certainly looks like Ned Stark in the background and you see the men being fought are wearing, breastplate, Targaryen armour.

  28. Joffrey’s Cunt: Oh god please don’t postpone it :/

    I don’t think it will be postponed. They already have the theater and all the invites out and at least two of the GoT’s actors have already showed up in Hollywood for this event.

    But I don’t know why the contest winner hasn’t been announced yet. Or maybe they have been already informed they won, just the website hasn’t updated. If I were to be in LA this Sunday and didn’t know about it yet? Pfffffft. Imagine, this isn’t just throwing a few things in a duffle and jumping on the plane. *shrugs*

  29. phantomstrife:
    Who in their right mind sets a red carpet premiere 2 weeks before the season starts? lol Should be no more than a few days. Like with Outlander, starts this Saturday and the red carpet premiere was yesterday I believe.

    Ummmm….the Season 5 red carpet was 24 days before the premeire last year. The premiere was April 12th and the red carpet was March 17th.

  30. JCDavis: I don’t think it will be postponed.They already have the theater and all the invites out and at least two of the GoT’s actors have already showed up in Hollywood for this event.

    But I don’t know why the contest winner hasn’t been announced yet.Or maybe they have been already informed they won, just the website hasn’t updated.If I were to be in LA this Sunday and didn’t know about it yet?Pfffffft.Imagine, this isn’t just throwing a few things in a duffle and jumping on the plane.*shrugs*

    “We’ll announce the winner in 3-5 business days right here, as well as on our blog and through email. Thanks to everyone who donated – you’re all winners to us.”

    https://www.omaze.com/experiences/GameOfThrones-2

    It says winner will be announced through email as well the website and blog in 3-5 business days, so I don’t think they’ve been notified yet.

  31. Does anyone know if they will have European premiere this year?

    “We’ll announce the winner in 3-5 business days right here, as well as on our blog and through email. Thanks to everyone who donated – you’re all winners to us.”
    Is there since the contest ended, so i guess they will announce it till friday and the winner can come from any part of the word in 24 hours.

  32. Maggie:
    Does anyone know if they will have European premiere this year?

    They’re doing just the one premiere in LA this time.

  33. Maggie:
    Does anyone know if they will have European premiere this year?

    “We’ll announce the winner in 3-5 business days right here, as well as on our blog and through email. Thanks to everyone who donated – you’re all winners to us.”Is there since the contest ended, so i guess they will announce it till friday and the winner can come from any part of the word in 24 hours.

    3-5 business days is Friday-Tuesday.

  34. Agro:
    Jack Bauer 24,

    But is this message in the site new? Like, wasn’t it posted on monday maybe?

    It was posted today. Previously it said that voting ended the 5th, the winner announced the 7th, and the red carpet event was the 10th. Now it just says the winner will be announced in 3-5 business days. Doesn’t even say the event is on the 10th anymore.

    Announcing the winner on the 7th, which is tomorrow, makes sense because that gives enough notice to be ready to fly out to LA for Sunday.

    Now I don’t know what’s going on.

  35. 3-5 business days….easy, counting from today, they will announce the winner on april 8th.

  36. Agro:
    Jack Bauer 24,

    I see… That doesn’t smell very good, indeed. And I can’t find anything about it nowhere in the web!

    I can’t find anything on it either. I know HBO’s film “Confirmation” had its Red Carpet this past Sunday and it premieres 1 week before GoT, so it would make sense for GoT’s to be this coming Sunday.

    This Omaze thing doesn’t add up though.

  37. phantomstrife:
    Jack Bauer 24,

    Who cares about some stupid fan contest?

    The winner of the contest is being sent to LA for the premeire, but if they aren’t being sent this Sunday then there is no premiere otherwise the campaign was a farce, which it isn’t.

  38. phantomstrife:
    3-5 business days….easy, counting from today, they will announce the winner on april 8th.

    Hopefully. It originally said the 7th, so not sure why they changed it.

  39. Jack Bauer 24: I don’t read Spanish. What does it say?

    Game of Thrones Season 6: Trip to Spain – Piece with exclusive images (as in new footage/interview)

  40. mau,

    In a fight with Jon, killed by Arya, torn apart by one of the direwolves, or sentenced to death by Sansa.

    More than likely Ramsay will be killing Roose though, as you believe. I feel like in the books it will be the opposite, with Roose killing Ramsay, mainly due to the line “The son is a shadow of the father”. It doesn’t matter which happens really, so long as only one Bolton is left for the battle. Of course, I’d prefer Roose, but the show seems to be focusing on Ramsay a lot more

    Maybe something completely different will happen though, who knows. Just because a character is absent from some scenes doesn’t mean they are dead. See Grey Worm.

  41. Yes, the one occasion he tried to do something kingly and was shown being quite well-informed and concerned about Dany and her dragons.

    Tywin quashed that quickly, but it was an interesting moment.

    Darkstar:
    I can’t wait to see another side of Ramsey, perhaps a little humanity? It is good to round out the villains a little. I don’t think there was one Joff scene that he wasn’t a complete ass in.

    Poor Sansa……….

  42. They haven’t delayed the premiere. What’s the freak-out over?

    Spain/Canal+ had some of their own promo material last year too. We’ll just have to wait and see what it it looks like, and hopefully get it posted at that point.

  43. KG,

    Joffrey also mentions in season one how there should be one royal army sworn to the king instead of each of the lords.

  44. Sue the Fury:
    They haven’t delayed the premiere. What’s the freak-out over?

    Spain/Canal+ had some of their own promo material last year too. We’ll just have to wait and see what it it looks like, and hopefully get it posted at that point.

    I meant the Red Carpet premiere that was supposed to be this Sunday.

  45. IDEA FOR THE RESURRECTION OF JON SNOW

    All bodies are burned in the North. Thus, Jon Snow, having been killed at the end of S5 must have a funeral pyre. As soon as the first sparks of fire hit the pyre, the scene cuts to Bran’s weirwood vision: A group of men, led by Ned Stark draw their swords atop a hill and begin to fight against Ser Arthur Dayne and the Targaryen kingsguard outside the Tower of Joy. This fight is interspersed with scenes of the fire growing and spreading towards Jon’s body on the pyre. Having defeated Dayne and his men, Ned and Howland enter the Tower and as soon as they enter the room which is holding Lyanna, the fire on the pyre engulfs Jon. Then it cuts back to the reveal that Lyanna has had a son with Rhaegar. Lyanna makes Ned promise to raise baby Jon as his own, and never reveal the secret. Since fire cannot kill a dragon (and it is now established that Jon is a Targaryen), we cut to the image of Jon’s hand in the flame, not burning, even though it is completely engulfed by fire. We then see Melisandre’s face dawn with this realisation that Jon is Azor Ahai and that it was not Stannis at all. Then the hand twitches, and the episode ends.

  46. Sue the Fury:
    They haven’t delayed the premiere. What’s the freak-out over?

    Spain/Canal+ had some of their own promo material last year too. We’ll just have to wait and see what it it looks like, and hopefully get it posted at that point.

    I could just… record it, I guess? I’ll try, anyway.

    I can tell you this, though: Sadly, In Spain we dub EVERYTHING. So the interviews will be dubbed over. Though we will probably be able to hear the original voices underneath, it won’t be clear enough enough to make sense of it all, so il’ll most likely be a distracting pain in the arse for English speakers.

  47. Come on!!! Some people freak out over literally nothing. Why worry about something that doesn’t need to be worried about? Enjoy what we already have, and what we will get very soon, but don’t worry about things you have no control over (and that aren’t even problems anyway).

  48. Do you think there might be some leaks on the 10th after the premiere? There’s probably a chance since this is the internet and nothing is secret anymore lol. Hopefully an episode title for Episode 1, that’s all I’m looking forward to about the premiere.

  49. Luka Nieto: I could just… record it, I guess? I’ll try, anyway.

    I can tell you this, though: Sadly, In Spain we dub EVERYTHING. So the interviews will be dubbed over. Though we will probably be able to hear the original voices underneath, it won’t be clear enough enough to make sense of it all, so il’ll most likely be a distracting pain in the arse for English speakers.

    Hm, maybe they’ll have a secondary original version audiotrack, which they sometimes add, so that at least the interviews are in English… If so, I will use it, of course.

    Now, let’s see if I have the right equipment to actually record this… If it’s too much of a bother, I’ll just watch it and report on it, and hope Canal+ releases it online.

    By the way, that new suit for Tyrion looks amazing. Kind of like his King’s Landing clothes, but with an Eastern touch.

  50. Luka Nieto,

    I just tried to watch some interview which was dubbed over.. That shit is annoying allright.

    Maisie seems to be on Seth Meyers 4/13 too

  51. Connor: Hopefully an episode title for Episode 1, that’s all I’m looking forward to about the premiere.

    Episode titles don’t appear in the intro credits, so they don’t have to actually reveal the first episode’s title during the LA premiere.

  52. Connor:
    Do you think there might be some leaks on the 10th after the premiere? There’s probably a chance since this is the internet and nothing is secret anymore lol. Hopefully an episode title for Episode 1, that’s all I’m looking forward to about the premiere.

    I don’t think we’ll get the premiere title until 4/24.

  53. Jack Bauer 24: I don’t think we’ll get the premiere title until 4/24.

    That makes absolutely no sense. TV channels and magazines need the titles for their schedules. They may delay it as much as they can, but we’ll know the titles (probably more than one) before the show premieres on HBO. Before the Los Angeles premiere, though? Not necessarily.

  54. Jack Bauer 24,

    Yeah I know what you were talking about. And I still fail to see what the drama is over. The LA premiere is this Sunday. There have been no delays. If you haven’t heard from Omaze by now, you probably didn’t win.

    As for the episode titles- they are released every year officially in a press release (usually several at a time) a short while before the premiere. Usually we managed to get a few titles leaked beforehand but obviously we didn’t get lucky this season. So the titles will get released soon enough.

  55. Luka Nieto: Hm, maybe they’ll have a secondary original version audiotrack, which they sometimes add, so that at least the interviews are in English… If so, I will use it, of course.

    Now, let’s see if I have the right equipment to actually record this… If it’s too much of a bother, I’ll just watch it and report on it, and hope Canal+ releases it online.

    By the way, that new suit for Tyrion looks amazing. Kind of like his King’s Landing clothes, but with an Eastern touch.

    His new costume does look nice. Will Jorah ever get new clothes lol?

  56. Luka Nieto: Episode titles don’t appear in the intro credits, so they don’t have to actually reveal the first episode’s title during the premiere.

    Jack Bauer 24: I don’t think we’ll get the premiere title until 4/24.

    Yeah, that’s what I was expecting, not long until the season premiere anyways! 18 more days!!

  57. Connor:
    Yeah, that’s what I was expecting, not long until the season premiere anyways! 18 more days!!

    No, that’s not what I meant (and Jack Bauer 24 is wrong). I meant the LA premiere. By the time the season premieres on TV we will not only know the first episode’s title but probably a few more as well, just as it’s always been.

  58. Luka Nieto: I could just… record it, I guess? I’ll try, anyway.

    I can tell you this, though: Sadly, In Spain we dub EVERYTHING. So the interviews will be dubbed over. Though we will probably be able to hear the original voices underneath, it won’t be clear enough enough to make sense of it all, so il’ll most likely be a distracting pain in the arse for English speakers.

    That would be cool, thanks!
    I understand spanish pretty well, even though I hate any dub, in any language it might be. Good thing we don’t dub anything in portugal lol

  59. Luka Nieto: Yeah, that’s what I was expecting, not long until the season premiere anyways! 18 more days!!

    No, that’s not what I meant (and Jack Bauer 24 is wrong). I meant the LA premiere. By the time the season premieres on TV we will not only know the first episode’s title but probably a few more as well, just as it’s always been.

    Oh yeah, I forgot. My bad. :/

  60. Joffrey’s Cunt: Good thing we don’t dub anything in portugal lol

    I’m envious. I wish that was the case here. The only way I can watch movies on the cinema in its proper original version is in a shitty small cinema.

  61. Since the premiere is just 2 1/2 weeks away then maybe we’ll get an episode title(s) next week then. Hopefully!

  62. Luka Nieto: I’m envious. I wish that was the case here. The only way I can watch movies on the cinema in its proper original version is in a shitty small cinema.

    I know right? I’ve been in Granada just about a month ago, I’ve got some friends studying in erasmus there, and we wanted to see this film, but they said there was only one day of the week in which they will screen it in the OV, like at 21 o’clock or something lol

  63. richarddecredico:
    Roose will have had enough of Ramsey by season’s end.
    Roose will survive.

    I hope so – he’s a silly, tedious villain – but I fear not. They’ve practically set it up for Ramsay to bump off Roose (and Fat Walda?) in the show. Something less predictable would be a nice surprise!

  64. Dragonmcmx,

    Because Ramsay wants to become his father. By killing him after he has been legitimized and before Roose can move to replace him as heir, he would be securing his position forever, and become Lord Ramsay Bolton, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North.

  65. (Scratching and itching frantically all over body) “hey, hey, u got one of those titles? Yeah, a title, I just need one, one to hold me over. C’mon man, u don’t even know how bad I’m joanzin’. I’m hurting, I’m hurting bad. I don’t even need a whole title, just a couple letters……ahhhhhh, that’s the stuff”
    Lol, cool your jets people, it’s gonna be here shortly.

  66. The underlying character trait about Roose Bolton, in both the books and the show, is that he is cold, calculating, and very shrewd to how other people operate. He would not act rashly and tell Ramsay that he is no longer his heir. He knows Ramsay better than any other living person does, so he knows that his child with Walda would never be safe as long as Ramsay lives and thinks the child is in his way. Roose would not de-heir Ramsay him except by killing him.

  67. Saw that shot of Peter and was already freaking out thinking about the scene when they’ll head back fo Westeros.

    Dany’s dress looks like the one from that leaked picture of Dany

    with Daario and her new khalasar

    . She’s in the throne room in Meereen for the interview though.

  68. Ramsey is a rabid dog.
    Roose is a dog with distemper.

    Distemper is way more scary! It seems quiet, and sweet but it’s even more deadly. Only in the right light do you see an unnatural reflection in the eyes and then you realize the animal even has it.

    Iwan is lovely and what he’s done with the character is interesting, but the subtlety of Roose is much more effective as a villain. Ramsey’s relationship with Myranda? Give me Fat Walda instead.

    Just about everyone is worried that Roose is a goner

    (the battle is called the Battle of the Bastards afterall)

    But I want to believe that Roose is not dead by then… he’s cast Ramsey out to get his bride back, and told him not to come back without her… or Roose is on the run back south to get reinforcements from Littlefinger… I can dream for a few more weeks….

  69. Mihnea,

    Fair point but I want people that we’re actually rooting for to put this fuckstick in his place. Him just being killed will not satisfy me. Everything needs to be stripped away from him first and I want Sansa to be the one who does it. D&D please grant me this one shred of fan service and I won’t ask for anything else.

  70. Was flipping channels & landed on Roose legitimizing Ramsay. The Bolton army is enormous. Couldn’t change the channel fast enough before Kuuh! Kuuh! Kuuh! Someone tell me. Is it over yet?

  71. singedbylife:
    Tyrion Pimpslap,

    Yes, Roose is far more interesting to me than Ramsay is. And MM is a brilliant actor – I’m not too keen on the somewhat exaggerated way Ramsay is portrayed. Makes it a bit silly at times, in my opinion.

    Agreed. ‘Goofball’ is the word that always comes to my mind when I think of how to describe how Iwan Rheon portrays Ramsay. Much too broad: the insane B-movie villain with his big evil grin. McElhatton’s more reserved manner is far more chilling, I think.

  72. There’s no way to “flesh out” Ramsay. It’s too late for that. Ramsay would have been an interesting side villain. But as the main non-WW antagonist (if that’s what the WWs turn out to be) he’s just not very interesting. Too over the top, petulant, too much like Joffrey 2.0. There’s a cartoonish to him that has never quite fit with this show. And unlike with Joffrey there’s no Cersei, Tyrion and Tywin keeping the dramatic tension there and adding dimension. Roose hasn’t offered that. So, he’s just been a crazy person on the loose and an excuse for the writers to go full on with the batsh*t crazy in order to make episodes more “entertaining”.

  73. Henry Brounger,

    I wonder where are those people who will be jumping to say that targs are not fire proof what happened with dany is one time thing and grrm quote ….guess people will only start shooting down this claims only if the name is dany otherwise no problem ..

  74. Mihnea,

    Yea man I agree. With Sansa gone, Roose is going to start toying with Ramsay’s emotions and threatening his position as a Bolton and as his heir apparent. Ramsay will snap I think, and kill Roose (and Walda) to put that threat hanging over his head to rest, and secure his position before his father can do anything to take it away.

  75. Tyrion Pimpslap:
    I wish Roose was the more central character among the Boltons in the show. I don’t find Ramsay the least bit interesting. I don’t care about his feelings towards Myranda. All I care about is him getting dead this season and making way for a hopefully more entertaining main villain, Euron.

    I mostly agree with you. I think McElhatton is so good as Roose, evil and cunning. His glance over to Catelyn at the Red Wedding is a classic, chilling moment in the show. Fr whatever reason, maybe its because he was easier to write, but the producers got enamored with Ramsay, and I think Roose has suffered because of that. No offence to Iwan, who I think does his best in the role, but Ramsay got tiresome after S3, and now we’re going on the fourth season with him, long after his character has only one reason left to be on the show: to die.

  76. John Johnston: unlike with Joffrey there’s no Cersei, Tyrion and Tywin keeping the dramatic tension there and adding dimension.

    Good point. What made Joffrey such a cool villain was because of everyone around him, particularly Tyrion, pushing against him, which made him act out even more. Ramsay has been a loose cannon from the first moment he appeared, and the show never gave him enough layers, so he quickly became repetitive.

  77. I still hope the writers realise that McElhatton gives an amazing portrayal of Roose Bolton and keep him for the 7th season at least. I know that he is absent from the trailers and that this spoiled Barristan’s death last season, but Barristan was a bodyguard and him not being at Daenerys’ side was more alarming. The calculating Roose not being there (at the battle) is less implicative of his demise. The only information that is rather alarming is that of Jon/Ramsay (and several others?) meeting up at Winterfell. Either Roose ran back to the Dreadfort or Ramsay did kill him if that scene is of diplomatic origin. Roose seems a bit too clever to be killed by his rather predictable heir.

    Regarding Ramsay’s portrayal, I feel Iwan Rheon has grown throughout the 3 seasons from a bit too cartoonish to a more sinister and subdued villain. Also, actors often exaggarate their characters emotional journey and I doubt Ramsay will be whitewashed in any way. He did seem connected to Myranda, so a bit of emotion there is not much of a surprise and disappointing his father has always been his nightmare.

  78. Damn, season 3 of Silicon Valley premieres on the same day as GOT, and it already has the first few ep titles and summaries released. Now I know they’re deliberately withholding such information about GOT.

  79. koempel,

    Roose is amazing. It will be a sad day they when he leaves.

    One reason why Ramsey got better is definetly because of Roose. Ramsey was alone in S3 so he went a bit over the top. Now that Roose is back, he needs to control himself and prove to his father that he is worthy of him.

  80. Mihnea,

    On my rewatch I noticed how carefully D&D developed Roose Bolton. He is slowly built up into a force to be reckoned with, whilst being true to his character even in his early scenes. I love how Robb constantly ignores his (in hindsight good) advice, alienating a potential ally. Whilst in the books it is clear that Roose was always planning on betraying his liege lord, I like the series version better, simply because it leaves open the option that he simply got fed up with Robb’s antics and sided with the winning team because of the young lord’s incompetence. His trolling of Jaime is one of the third season’s highlights and displays his casual cruelty and intelligence. Additionally, his doubts regarding the Blackfish’s escape in the conversation with Walder shows who is the more dangerous adversary and a certain wisdom to not underestimate anybody. It is that latter trait which makes Ramsay killing Roose a hard narrative to convincingly pull off (not impossible though).

    I fully agree that Roose elevates Ramsay’s character. I think GoT is the only series that ever made me feel genuinely happy for a monster like Ramsay (his legitimisation). His adoration and fear of his father make Ramsay human and are often the center of his best scenes. I think there really is only one scene that momentarily turned Ramsay into a cartoon and that is the sausage scene. They could have easily cut from the ‘seducing Theon’ scene to ‘Balon receiving a gift’ scene, without losing any impact.

  81. koempel,

    Completely agree. Roose is much better in the show. I’m glad they cut the leaches and the whispering.

    Agree on Ramsey as well. I felt so wrong, that I felt happy for him in that scene, where Roose made him a Bolton. Agree on the sausage scene, it was a bit to much, the only scene where I thought he was too ”evil”. I understand that they wanted to show that Ramsey can also torture Theons mind, not only his body.
    But I think they did it better in S5 when Ramsey ”forgave” Theon.

    I also agree, that it will be hard to make it convincing if Ramsey does end up killing Roose. Perhaps in a scenario that Ramsey doesn’t plan to kill Roose, and Roose knows this, so he isn’t that scared and careful, but he says or does something that makes Ramsey snap.

    You don’t know how happy I am to find someone else who likes this complex relation between Roose and Ramsey!!

  82. koempel,

    I think he’s way over the top when he smiles maliciously at what’s not there as Reek undresses in front of him. But hey, in some ways it’s more entertaining to watch than quite a lot of scenes with Joffrey (imo.) The only problem is that a lot of not too bright viewers find Ramsay badass and funny and old Reek nothing but weak and ridiculous and that’s probably not what the showrunners were aiming for… I hope. Well, maybe it was.

  83. Maybe that crackpot theory comes true und Roose Bolton is some sort of a vampire-warg who will sneak himself into Ramsey to live on. Hardly to happen, but it would be fun to actually watch Roose in the body of Ramsey fight the big battle.

  84. BTW:
    Regarding Myranda I fully understand Ramsey. She is the hottest girl on the show. Together with Ygritte maybe.

  85. dragonbringer,

    Lol. Dragonbringer I know you and I haven’t always seen eye to eye but I will admit I find you amusing. In a good way, no snark 🙂 It’s cute how you think everyone hates Dany so you’re always putting in a word for her.

  86. Ygritte,

    That’s what fans are here for and some are really dedicated to it. It’s funny because Dany is in general the most popular character on the show.

    mau:

    I’m 100% sure that they will fight in the books after Stannis dies and Roose is killed by Ramsay.

    I wouldn’t be so sure.

  87. Harsh Gaur:
    At the 19 second or so mark. Check that scene, is that the battle of Robert’s Rebellion? It certainly looks like Ned Stark in the background and you see the men being fought are wearing, breastplate, Targaryen armour.

    This is book spoiler stuff.

    It’s a fight that takes place soon after Robert won his throne, in Dorne in a place dubbed Tower of Joy. Ned and 6 trusted bannermen go to retrieve his sister Lyanna (kidnapped by Rhaegar Targaryen) and fight 3 kingsguard, including the famous Ser Arthur Dayne (Joff mentioned him while leafing through the KG book in S4). Only Ned and Howland Reed (Jojen’s and Meera’s father) survive. Ned finds his sister dying and promises something to her. In the books, Ned has an apparently recurring fever dream about the events and seems to feel very strongly about the events and the promise.

    So, yes, it’s Robert’s Rebellion stuff.

  88. singedbylife,

    Go back and read Ramsay in the books. his character on screen is basically how I picture him in the books. He is always a prick with something smart to say in the books.

  89. Dragonmcmx,

    Well, now that Roose is having a kid with Walda it could easily drop Ramsay to bastard status again. Also, now that he doesn’t have Sansa, his one prize that basically legitimized him, he basically is powerless. Respect of the Bolton soldiers because he isn’t scared of a fight, but is becoming a little less powerful. So how do get that power back. Killing Roose and Walda and becoming Warden of the North.

  90. Maggie,

    Oh I think you will get some character development from Jamie this season. He is going to start taking that commanding role that Tywin had.

  91. Henry Brounger,

    Hey, I really like what you did with Bran vision/Jon rezz at 5:42pm, April 6 (though the write-up was a bit book-spoilery).

    Sadly, I just don’t see how that could happen.

    Firstly, Bran has to be re-established as a character to the casual viewers, and that he’s been training in the cave and learning all this vision stuff, to give his visions a firm footing, make them believable to the viewers. Starting with one of the biggest reveals

    Tower of Joy and possibly Jon’s parentage

    just seems too much like being thrown in at the deep end, and “spoilery” for the rest of the season. That reveal should come later in the season to keep up the suspense.

    Secondly, as to why Jon rezz should be early in the season. Beric Dondarrion, ressurrected 6 times by Thoros, talks of how he loses a bit of himself every time (e.g. memories), but he’s still sane and essentially himself because he was always rezzed very soon after he died. Whereas (book spoilers),

    Cat Stark had been dead for days, had begun to decompose, and Thoros would not rezz that corpse, but Beric gave her the kiss of fire and finally got to die himself. Cat rose as Lady Stoneheart, with almost nothing of the real Cat left, only vengeance.

    So it seems time is a factor, or perhaps state of the corpse?

    Maybe Jon could be stuck into an ice locker (freezer… book spoiler:

    Bran has a vision of Jon sleeping alone in a cold place, becoming cold himself

    ) for a while, so his body would not decompose. But who would do that? Why? And what’s the meaning of the trailer scene with Jon’s corpse and Davos pulling a sword (and not just any sword but Longclaw)?

    We have hints, filming spoilers, speculation that Jon will be present at the grand battle in E9

    Because of book stuff, I think Jon has to be rezzed soonish, early Ep2 latest, and it’s difficult to see how a major reveal by Bran’s vision could come by then, let alone be let out of the bag so soon.

    Or maybe I’m totally wrong and the showrunners find a clever, plausible way to do it. Because, Henry Brounger, I really loved your “storyboard”.

  92. John Johnston,

    Yes. I’m not a fan of the performance but he’s had to cope with some pretty thankless writing. The problem with Ramsay on the show is that they’ve largely used him to keep other, more important characters on screen, namely Theon and Sansa. That put him front and centre but at the service of other characters’ development, which doesn’t make for an interesting character. Less would have been more with Ramsay: that’s the only reason he works in the books. I’d like nothing more than for Roose to turn the tables, and for us to see just how shrewd he is, but alas I don’t think that’s the direction they’re heading.

  93. I like the guy that plays Ramsey but I always pictured him looking more like a Russell Brand. Tall, pasty and skinny is the way he’s portrayed in the books if I recall. I’m thinking Ramsey will survive this season but I don’t think Roose is going to survive Ramsey, Umbers, Mormonts, Karstarks or Lady Brienne.

  94. Stargaryen:
    Dragonmcmx,

    Well, now that Roose is having a kid with Walda it could easily drop Ramsay to bastard status again.Also, now that he doesn’t haveSansa, his one prize that basically legitimized him, he basically is powerless.Respect of the Bolton soldiers because he isn’t scared of a fight, but is becoming a little less powerful.So how do get that power back.Killing Roose and Walda and becoming Warden of the North.

    In the books, it’s pointed out (by Catelyn) that once a bastard is legitimised by the king (in this case, Robb, King in the North, and talking about Jon Snow), he/she cannot be de-legitimised. In the show, Sansa points out to Ramsay that he was legitimised by a bastard (King Tommen). (Oooo, Sansa doesn’t recognise the legitimacy of the “Baratheon” king!)

    The order of succession is unclear. It seems, by custom, trueborn sons and daughters come before a legitimised bastard regardless of age, but it’s not set in stone and circumstances like age and possible military power play a role. Basically, a legitimised bastard might be able to “leap-frog” trueborn children if the trueborn are very young and the legitimised bastard has the bannermen with him. This is the situation Ramsay finds himself in with Walda’s pregnancy.

    It should be pointed out that the Boltons only hold their position as Wardens of the North as long as the Lannisters are in power in King’s Landing, and that’s crumbling… And they have a hard time bringing all the other Northern (many of them Stark loyal) houses to heel. That’s why losing the grand prize of Sansa Stark and her potential Stark+Bolton children is so serious.

    I mean, lots of GoT fans envision escaped Sansa rallying the North against the Boltons. Roose is right to be worried. I hope he berates his son for treating his prize wife so badly that she ran away and landed them in deep shit.

  95. Stargaryen:
    Maggie,

    Oh I think you will get some character development from Jamie this season.He is going to start taking that commanding role that Tywin had.

    I hope. Because Jaime had an amazing story in S3, and after that he’s been bumbling along off-book, wasting all the build-up and missing most of his interesting book story.

    Some of Jaime in S4-S5 is good (his scenes with beloved brother Tyrion and his trials), much of it bad (that scene by Joffrey’s body – in the books it was clearly consensual, and showrunners, director, actors say it was consensual in the show too. They just failed to convey that to the viewers.) Some of it was just WTF? Dorne? OK. Sort of entertaining, Bronn’s fun, but it felt mostly pointless. Maybe the significance will come out in S6.

    As to Jaime becoming Tywinesque… He’ll try, but he’ll never be able to match his father. He’s too concerned about love and honour. His beloved younger brother is far more ruthless and Tywinesque.

    Oh, and he’ll die before the end. (whaah, whaah, whaah!)

  96. msd,

    Less? He was in only 3 episodes in S4, and he was a minor character in S3.

    Only after S5 he became the antagonist for the Starks.

  97. Stargaryen:
    Maggie,

    Oh I think you will get some character development from Jamie this season.He is going to start taking that commanding role that Tywin had.

    Jaime will get “some” character development?

    So the place in which he ended S5 (hugging his own daughter) was the same place he left S3? Nothing changed?

    I think Jaime had developed in every season. His relationship with Tyrion in S4 showed a complete different side of his character. And his interactions with Myrcella in S5.

    I think that some people like to ignore everything only because Jaime didn’t break up with Cersei. Yet.

  98. As to Roose and Ramsay. I’d like to give a shout to Koempel and Mihnea and others above. I broadly agree with their take.

    For me, Roose is a far more scary villain than Ramsay. He’s smarter and sees the big picture, he’s far more cold and calculating. It’s evident in how he uses his bastard son.

    Ramsay torments and tortures those at hand for personal pleasure. Roose doesn’t get entangled in such petty things, he moves armies and kills thousands. He’s got his pale eyes firmly fixed on the bigger picture and the bigger prize. He doesn’t have Ramsay’s problems (seeking approval of daddy etc.) so he can forge ahead unfettered. He thinks nothing of killing or even torturing people but it’s not personal to him, just expediencies in pursuit of the greater prize. Ramsay’s weakness is that it is personal for him.

  99. Geralt of Rivia:

    I wouldn’t be so sure.

    Well, I’m sure, but there is no point in arguing because we don’t have the book yet.

    I’m not sure that TWOW will ever be finished, but someday I hope we can read what GRRM has done with those characters.

    I believed that Stannis would be killed by the Boltons long before S5. I just didn’t make any sense to me that the Starks won’t have any role to play in their own restoration.

    And I believed also long before S5 that Ramsay will kill Roose because it was fitting for GrrM to do something like that.

    And with the show now going in this direction I’m 100% sure that will happen in the books also. Because they said that the key elements will be the same.

    And there really was a set up for Jon-Ramsay conflict in ADWD.

  100. mau:

    And there really was a set up for Jon-Ramsay conflict in ADWD.

    Yeah, I think S6 will see a Ramsay-Jon Battle of Bastards. I don’t know how we’ll get there. Roose has to be out of the way for Ramsay to command the Bolton troops and bannermen, Jon has to have had convinced at least some northmen to fight on his side + the wildlings. Plus the fact that he’d actually have to be alive 😉

  101. talvikorppi: He doesn’t have Ramsay’s problems

    He may not have Ramsay’s problems, but he sure has Ramsay as a problem IMO. In not being able to or wanting to make Ramsay control his urges, he helped creating the situation they are in now.

    Roose is not shown to be a loving a father like good old Ned. Interaction with Ramsay feels more like training a dog to me. If he does things right, he gets a treat, if he doesn’t, or gets too cocky, he gets a nose smack.

    IMO Roose walks a very very thin line in trying to deal with a psychopath and it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if that backfired somehow.

    As I wrote above, letting baby Ramsay live may have been the one good deed Roose ever did. That child turning out to be his undoing, I think, would be very fitting both for ASoIaF and GoT.

  102. Darkstar,

    I don’t think there was one Joff scene that he wasn’t a complete ass in.

    Maybe the one where Cersai is bandaging his wolf bite and he tells her he doesn’t want to marry Sansa. When she tells him he can make the truth anything he wants, he gives her a look as if she’s mad. Then the dinner with the Tyrells, where he insults his mother…him struggling to break away from her cloying embrace.

    They’re a stretch, I know.

  103. Well I like the “scumbag” Ramsey. The series need such a character. It will be very interesting to see his other side…obviously he seems to be very complex personality.

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