Iwan Rheon is a sad villain for Red Nose Day; fans respond to “Hold the door”

Hodormeme

In this week’s lighter-side Game of Thrones highlights: Iwan Rheon sings a song about the downside of playing an iconic villain and the internet pays tribute to Hodor through memes, videos and music.

Rheon sang a song with Danny Trejo and Steve Buscemi for Red Nose Day lamenting how they’re mistaken in real life for the villains they play on screen.

Meanwhile, Benioff and Weiss were right when they told us on Jimmy Kimmel that the phrase “hold the door” has been changed forever.

Yogcast CEO, Mark “Turps” Turpin filmed an “awkward” encounter with Kristian Nairn while leaving a screening of Warcraft.

And the internet has erupted in memes and visual gags regarding the once-casual phrase behind Hodor’s name.

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@oldvicpenny Yes! #signs #got #gameofthrones #holdthedoor #hodor #signspotting

A photo posted by ❣? (@faylc5946) on

In Hodor’s honour… @kristiannairn we will miss you xxx Regram @therealdjmk

A photo posted by alfieallen (@alfieeallen) on

#holdthedoor

A photo posted by Ryan Hunter Murchie (@flex_nerd) on


There have also been some more poignant reactions, of course.

Hodormeme

102 Comments

  1. Seeing Iwan in the Red Nose day sketch, I can now see how he was runner up to play Jon Snow. He looks so much different when not trying to be psychotic.

  2. A hero can be anyone. Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as holding a door for a young man to let him know that the world hadn’t ended. – HODOR

  3. The sheer epicness and tragedy of Hodor’s phenomenal door holding won’t soon be forgotten. It has in fact totally overshadowed the other tragic but epic instance of self-sacrifice, which was when Grenn “held the fooking gate” against Mag the Mighty in 4.09.

  4. Radio keeps playing L.A. Woman, Light My Fire, Break on Through, Riders on the Storm…ad nausem.

    FFS “Hold The Doors!”

    I’ll get me coat

  5. It’s still sad, even a whole week later 🙁 But I love the elevator button 🙂

  6. Markus Stark:
    The sheer epicness and tragedy of Hodor’s phenomenal door holding won’t soon be forgotten. It has in fact totally overshadowed the other tragic but epic instance of self-sacrifice, which was when Grenn “held the fooking gate” against Mag the Mighty in 4.09.

    And Summer 🙁 Usually the wolves get the most love (imo), but even Summer’s death has been eclipsed!

  7. ROFL

    Who would have thought some mind-screw idea of GRRM’s over 20 years ago and planted into his book would turn into the phenomenon it is today

    Love the “Had one job…Did it” meme

    Will look through the Red Nose and Warcraft awkward videos now

    Saw Alt Shift X before, good video as is usually the case. Had to wait a bit longer but it is quite understandable this week

    There’s some interesting debate about the degree to which Bran has violated Wylis/Hodor and how much autonomy there was

    I did think Hodor had some autonomy for my part at the time, but the actors aren’t entirely clear and I’m not sure we’ll get a full picture until later

    Either way this just seems to be build-up develop to more extensive use of Brans powers

    Eg I was surprised they included Wun Wun when watching Hardhome last season given the CGI cost in such a thing. It occurred to me then that Bran would warg him at some point so there must be some important development in the grand scheme of things

  8. Gravemaster,

    Don’t know about these, seem possible but also too obvious… I expected something more original than ‘Battle of the Bastards’. At least it will be epic.

  9. Rhaenys Stark:
    Gravemaster,

    Don’t know about these, seem possible but also too obvious… I expected something more original than ‘Battle of the Bastards’. At least it will be epic.

    That’s why I think they may be fake. It’s really not D&D style.

  10. Gravemaster,

    I like “No One” and “The Winds of Winter”, so I hope they’re legit, even if “The Battle of Bastards” is kinda flat.

  11. Arkash,

    No one means a big arya episode which is so exciting if true

    And winds of winter means the the WW are making their way south people !!!!

  12. Gravemaster,

    Those titles are soo obvious, uncreative and spoilery… I want to call BS, but if they are from SkyTV chances are that they’re real.

  13. I could definitely see “No One” as an episode title. “The Winds of Winter” also works, though the show has never used book titles before, despite many suggestions. “Battle of Bastards” (I expect it would be “The Battle of the Bastards” in English) is definitely on-the-nose, though.

  14. How it works the spoiler tag thing?

    I put the spoiler exactly how it says but doesn´t work.

  15. It’s a bad translation. Die Schlacht der Bastarde means The Battle of the Bastards, no Battle of Bastards

  16. Sean C.,

    The dance of dragons is the closest they have come right?Also I’m curios have they ever name dropped clash or storm cause I know they have with the others but i don’t remember these two?

  17. Nothing against Iwan, but I’m so tired of Ramsay … I want him dead already. I hope we don’t get many scenes with him … A scene where Rickon kills all his dogs would be nice.

  18. What the fuck is a Lommy?,

    [ spoiler ] your spoiler comments [ / spoiler]

    copy and paste. then cut the ‘your spoiler comments here’ and type what you want. take out the spaces in front of and behind the first ‘spoiler’ between the [ ] take out the space between the [ and the / AND the / and the word spoiler. that part isn’t mentioned. you see a lot of spoilers that are posted with the [ / spoiler] on the end of it.

  19. Gravemaster: That’s why I think they may be fake. It’s really not D&D style.

    Why? They were always obvious when it comes to titles.

    The House of Black and White. Sons of the Harpy. Hardhome, The Mountain and the Viper, The Bear and the Maiden Fair. Blackwater,..

  20. Gravemaster,

    Sky already got the name of one episode wrong this year, and the Battle of the Bastards is surely too spoilery and sounds “fan made”. The other two sound good but very predictable.

  21. mau,

    “The Watchers on the Wall” wasn’t called: “Wildling Assault on Castle Black”

    “Blackwater” wasn’t called “The Battle of Stannis and Tyrion”

    “Hardhome” wasn’t called “The Massacre of the Wildlings”

    By this logic, 609 should be called “Winterfell” or “Wolfswood”.

  22. mau,

    True, but Battle of the Bastards really is a bit too obvious for my taste.

    “No one” is the worst one, imo though. If it’s a big episode for Arya, it will most likely be about how she is anything but that.

    “Winds of Winter” seems fine. Finally a finale with a title that doesn’t make LSH fans go crazy 😛

  23. Dragonmcmx,

    No, by that logic, the episode should just be called “Bastards.”

    However, people are assuming that there is a universal rule for naming episodes based on the plot of the episode. There is not. Sometimes there is a thematic root, sometimes there is a specific element as the root: it simply varies from one episode to the next.

    Some geekier baseball fans have started using “Hodor” when relief pitchers are brought in for a “Hold.” This leads, of course, to both ends of it: 1) get a life, nerds, and, 2) read real books, nerds! 😀

  24. Rhaenys Stark,

    This person posted a link to something that he said was a big leak at the end of the episode but someone here has said it was fake
    They didn’t do the spoiler cover right and the link title had a spoiler in it.. I didn’t even need to click the link to see it

    Spoiler below (what I got spoiled lol)

    it said lady stone heart – I haven’t read the books but I know who that is
  25. Dee,

    Oh okay thanks. I know about that link, the video seemed weirdly legit but the person in it was definitely not LSH.

  26. I wonder where they got those. I looked it up on Sky (which is the go-to provider of GoT here in Germany, so it’s a legitimate source, and the other episode titles on there are near-as-possible translations of the English titles) and I can see the episode titles up until “No one” (Niemand) , but nothing beyond that. Where did they find the other two?

  27. Dee,

    I have seen that and I highly doubt that it is real, so I don’t think you’ve been spoiled this time!

  28. r-hard,

    Yes your points are valid. I just meant that he is too much of a Hollywood type of actor to participate in GoT. They don’t usually cast that famous actors. I don’t even think we’ll see Rhaegar (this season at least). Was there any casting notice for him? Well I don’t remember any for Ned’s father too but he was in episode 5…So I guess anything is possible. I could easily picture Tom Hiddleston as Rhaegar though, since he kinda looks like Harry Lloyd.

  29. Classic Turps. Love the Yogscast.

    Kristian was a fan of theirs from way back, and they interviewed him on their YogPod podcast just before GoT started airing in 2011.

  30. Crannogman Matt:
    Gravemaster,
    Sky already got the name of one episode wrong this year

    Oh? Which one was that?

    Die rote Frau – The Red Woman (exact translation)
    Zuhause – Home (an exact translation, if not checked against the episode, as it means home as in “at home” (“I’m home”) not as in “to home”)
    Eidbrecher – Oathbreaker (exact translation)
    Das Buch des Fremden – The book of the stranger (apart from the article it’s the same)
    Das Tor – The (large) door/the gate (this is the least exact of them, and it was most likely done so that you can get from “Halt’ das Tor” to Ho-dor; if they had used the word for a regular-sized door – Tür – that would have been harder)
    this week: Blut von meinem Blut – Blood of my Blood (exact translation)

    So where did they get it wrong so much so that you would think they make up fake titles?

  31. testing

    Oh dear lord do I feel dumb. I have been wondering the last two years why I keep screwing up spoiler posts. Ive been using the old brackets for code not paying attention to which brackets I shold be using. Oh man some of us are a little slow, then there’s me !

  32. Mag,

    Honestly, I’m the exact opposite. I love the guy. Hell, he’s my favorite antagonist next to Tywin. Maybe, it’s because of my inner sadist, but I get giddy every time I see him. Sometimes one needs a gleefully sadistic villain amidst the morally-conflicted and level-headed types, and GoT provides lots of each.

  33. Who gives a crap what the title is? It’s not even shown onscreen.

    dragonmcmx:
    Gravemaster,

    Those titles are soo obvious, uncreative and spoilery… I want to call BS, but if they are from SkyTV chances are that they’re real.

  34. Mag,

    I am sick of Ramsay as well… And not in a “I love to hate him” way like Joffrey.
    I just find his scenes dull and repetitive.
    Iwan is a great actor and does really really well, but I find him miscast as Ramsay.

  35. dragonmcmx:
    Gravemaster,

    Those titles are soo obvious, uncreative and spoilery… I want to call BS, but if they are from SkyTV chances are that they’re real.

    Battle of the Bastards isn’t really spoilery. It’s known that Jon is looking to try and take back Winterfell from Ramsay.

  36. Just saw Charles Dance and Gemma Whalen are in Bucharest……
    I would have gone if I knew earlier…. My mom lives there..
    Damn missed a great opportunity!

    Dee,

    Can’t wait for the game tonight!!!

  37. HelloThere:
    Mag,

    I am sick of Ramsay as well… And not in a “I love to hate him” way like Joffrey.
    I just find his scenes dull and repetitive.
    Iwan is a great actor and does really really well, but I find him miscast as Ramsay.

    I agree and disagree at the same time. I don’t think he’s miscast and I think he’s brilliant at being Ramsay but the problem is, it’s all become a bit predictable….psycho Ramsay slaughters everyone in his path in vile ways. Time to turn the tables.

  38. Mihnea:
    Halfman,

    Agreed.

    ”The viper and the mountain” was more spoilery.

    It was indeed. After all, do the titles need to be cryptic? Doesn’t a title indicating a dramatic scene invite interest too?

    I’m not saying these titles are correct but if they are, then it creates hype I think.

  39. Halfman,

    I guess I always imagined Ramsay like a silent, deadly, scary, horror film character… someone who sends chills down your spine when hes in the room… and I guess Iwan just doesn’t have that look or presence for me.

    But to each his own 🙂

  40. Halfman,

    If not for Iwan I would feel the same…

    But god I love Iwan, just love him as Ramsey. I never liked Ramsey in the books, to cartoonish, ugly and simply to much a joke. I was never scared or even thought of him as a human being.
    But Iwan made me interesed in the character, his scenes with Theon were great but the highlight for me were his scenes with Roose, that way the crazy madman turned into a little 5 year old when Roose talked, the way he tried to make his father proud…. I just love what Iwan did.

    I still ”hate” the character but I don’t hate him for being a poor character like in the books. When Iwan departs, it will be a very sad day for me…

  41. Dee,

    Hala Madrid ! So awesome to see fellow Real Madrid fans among the Watchers 😉 Tonight is gonna be epic !

  42. Dee:
    Halfman,

    Agree
    He’s great for the role
    But I won’t miss him when he’s gone. I did “miss” Joffrey

    I know exactly what you mean. I couldn’t wait for them to kill off Joffrey and then I missed him. I don’t really know why though!

    On reflection, perhaps because with Joffrey, there were moments when he showed other sides of his nature, albeit briefly. There were more facets to Joffrey. He was genuinely upset at King Robert’s bedside. He actually did rather like Sansa as a prospective bride in the beginning. He also sought out Cersei’s counsel. Somehow, he was more human whereas Ramsay is just a lunatic with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The “mad dog” as Roose succinctly put it.

  43. Gravemaster,

    All 3 of them were guessed by fans. Finally.

    So I think we can safely assume Winter will arrive in the finale, and we may get another look at the White Walkers. The Wall falling seems a bit soon, but it has been set up…

  44. Mihnea,

    Me too, hell I even missed his presence in 6.05 ! I find him to be a very captivating villain, more complex than his book counterpart, though I did find the book version more terrifying.

  45. HelloThere:
    Halfman,

    I guess I always imagined Ramsay like a silent, deadly, scary, horror film character… someone who sends chills down your spine when hes in the room… and I guess Iwan just doesn’t have that look or presence for me.

    But to each his own ?

    I confess, I didn’t feel convinced myself in the earlier episodes but he’s sort of grown on me as more believeable and now I see Iwan as the ideal Ramsay so perhaps the actor deserves credit for an interpretation that wasn’t originally what I had in my head.

    Looks wise I find him rather cartoonish so I think that’s what put me off initially. Good for Iwan, he’s got me now lol

  46. Halfman,

    The reason I like him, is because he did show some humanity. Not much of course, that is simply not in his character and story.

    The scene at Mount Cailin when Roose makes him a Bolton is still the highlight for me.
    The way he says ”Mount Cailin is yours father” then I saw a little boy simply trying to make his father proud of him and his face when Roose makes him a Bolton….Amazing acting and moment.
    The scene before in the Dreadfort, with him trying to prove again to his father.

    When he stabs Roose, the sadness in his voice before he does it, and the way he doesn’t even look at Roose when he dies, he can’t watch it, he is a madmen but he still loved his father, perhaps he was the only one he truly loved, that moment afterwards, how he shakes when he cleanse the knife and needs a moment to gather himself…

    Iwan giving Ramsey a bit of humanity, not much because it’s simply not the character, is the biggest reason I am a huge fan of him.

  47. Markus Stark,

    Ramsey in the show is also a bit smarter, he doesn’t just break Theon’s teeth asnd cuts his..thing..

    He also plays games with his mind. In S5 when he ”forgives” Theon is a great example.
    I actually find him preaty terrifying because he is smarter and much more able to control himself then in the books.

    In the books he is ”scary”, I myself didn’t find him scary at all simply couldn’t take him seriously, in a brute way. In the show it’s in a much more subtle way, he is still just as cruel and mad but he can also hide and he’s also a decent soldier/commander.

  48. Mihnea:
    Halfman,

    If not for Iwan I would feel the same…

    But god I love Iwan, just love him as Ramsey. I never liked Ramsey in the books, to cartoonish, ugly and simply to much a joke. I was never scared or even thought of him as a human being.
    But Iwan made me interesed in the character, his scenes with Theon were great but the highlight for me were his scenes with Roose, that way the crazy madman turned into a little 5 year old when Roose talked, the way he tried to make his father proud…. I just love what Iwan did.

    I still ”hate” the character but I don’t hate him for being a poor character like in the books. When Iwan departs, it will be a very sad day for me…

    That’s really interesting. In the books he worked for me but I found Iwan cartoonish and very unattractive (forgive me, it’s only personal taste. I know many find him hot)

    Yes I agree. I also saw that he craved his father’s approval but fundamentally, he’s too psychotic for that to act as a brake.

    The bottom line is, GRRM’s characters and a huge depth of talented actors have given us a rich tapestry to revel in 🙂 I shall feel the loss when the story is finally told in its entirety. As Kit said in an interview, every narrative has to have an end and so it will be with GOT/ASOIAF.

  49. Mihnea: I never liked Ramsey in the books, to cartoonish, ugly and simply to much a joke. I was never scared or even thought of him as a human being.

    heh, I always heard Book!Ramsay speaking in a New York Italian American accent, as he comes across as a complete thug there. I prefer the Show!Ramsay take of happy psychopath. Doctor Who did something similar when they brought back the Master: he went from “evil” to psychopath, and Rheon’s portrayal of Ramsay is along those lines. (The current portrayal of the Master is, somewhat ironically, not far from Rheon’s portrayal of Ramsay.)

    Mihnea: Ramsey in the show is also a bit smarter, he doesn’t just break Theon’s teeth asnd cuts his..thing..

    Book!Theon is short a Tormund (or a Euron or a Trump), also. But you do spot a huge difference: Show!Ramsay is much less impulsive in his cruelty: it is as if he is constantly working a long con in his depravities.

  50. The song for Red Nose day is funny, but nothing will top the Coldplay GoT musical for me.
    Particularly the Red Wedding song
    “You don’t mess around with Walder Freeeey” 🙂

  51. Halfman,

    Well I guess the first part is preaty subjective…. Him looking like a real person instead of a cartoonish ugly ogre, plays a huge part for me. It’s the very first thing I liked about Iwan.

    But this is way to subjective to truly debate.

    I agree on the last part though! 🙂

  52. Mihnea,

    I take your point and yes, perhaps not completely cold and self serving. Somehow though, those moments only made me feel he wasnt redeemable when I often felt Joffrey was.

    Still, nothing like a baddie to get us hooked even if I do want the good guys to triumph 🙂 Kudos to both Jack and Iwan there.

  53. Wimsey: heh, I always heard Book!Ramsay speaking in a New York Italian American accent, as he comes across as a complete thug there.I prefer the Show!Ramsay take of happy psychopath.Doctor Who did something similar when they brought back the Master: he went from “evil” to psychopath, and Rheon’s portrayal of Ramsay is along those lines.(The current portrayal of the Master is, somewhat ironically, not far from Rheon’s portrayal of Ramsay.)

    I had a similar reaction. Whenever I think of Book!Ramsay, I think of Ted Levine from Silence of the Lambs (hell, aside from the hair, Ramsay’s physical description isn’t that different from Buffalo Bill’s). Iwan’s take is more memorable, due to both his acting ability and that creepy smile of his.

  54. Halfman,

    He, I felt the exact same thing but with Joffrey!

    I didn’t mean it that these moments can redeem him. He can’t be redeemed. His story, in my opinion is about the complete opposite.
    But I did think it brought much needed humanity, what little it was, I never expected them to give him much, but the little they gave him did wonders for me!

    But lets not get into this too much, we simply see things differently here, nothing wrong with that, art always does this!

    But I too will rejoice with the rest when Ramsey at last meets his end, only I will also feel sorry for loosing one of my favourte actors!!

  55. Mihnea:
    Halfman,

    Well I guess the first part is preaty subjective…. Him looking like a real person instead of a cartoonish ugly ogre, plays a huge part for me. It’s the very first thing I liked about Iwan.

    But this is way to subjective to truly debate.

    I agree on the last part though! ?

    Agreed, it’s all subjective. One man’s meat is another man’s poison. Makes for great discussion.

  56. Mihnea:
    Halfman,

    He, I felt the exact same thing but with Joffrey!

    I didn’t mean it that these moments can redeem him. He can’t be redeemed. His story, in my opinion is about the complete opposite.
    But I did think it brought much needed humanity, what little it was, I never expected them to give him much, but the little they gave him did wonders for me!

    But lets not get into this too much, we simply see things differently here, nothing wrong with that, art always does this!

    But I too will rejoice with the rest when Ramsey at last meets his end, only I will also feel sorry for loosing one of my favourte actors!!

    Absolutely!! 🙂

    This is a great story, and let’s face it, we don’t get epic storytellers combined with truly great on screen interpretations that often. My all time favourite character is Jon but at the end of the day, should he fail to be standing tall at the very end, then it won’t mean I haven’t throughly enjoyed and appreciated the whole story and ALL of the many faceted characters who have made up the story.

  57. I’m sweeter than a sweet that you’d really like to suck….

    I bet you are, Iwan. I just bet you are.

  58. Halfman,

    I agree and disagree at the same time. I don’t think he’s miscast and I think he’s brilliant at being Ramsay but the problem is, it’s all become a bit predictable….psycho Ramsay slaughters everyone in his path in vile ways. Time to turn the tables.

    I agree – I think its brillant casting; but yeah its time for Karma to kick his ass.

    Mihnea,

    The scene at Mount Cailin when Roose makes him a Bolton is still the highlight for me.
    The way he says ”Mount Cailin is yours father” then I saw a little boy simply trying to make his father proud of him and his face when Roose makes him a Bolton….Amazing acting and moment.
    The scene before in the Dreadfort, with him trying to prove again to his father.

    I like my villians to have some humanity, not enough to care for them, but enough to make them interesting; I get curious as to what this person was that made him how he is. Scenes like these do that for me.. I bet his childhood was hell (so was Sam’s but he somehow turned into a good person)

  59. I think the biggest problem of show Ramsay is purely just overexposure.
    I remember even D&D acknowledging in an interview that they went way overboard with the Theon torutre in Season 3, so there is very little left for Ramsay to do other than continue to be crazy until he is defeated.

    Overall this is very very tiny nitpick imo.

  60. didi,

    It was episode 2 was called Homeward bound on Sky originally, they must have changed it now

  61. I found it extremely uncomfortable watching Ramsay tending flowers and singing like a Disney princess.

  62. Rheon sang a song with Danny Trejo and Steve Buscemi for Red Nose Day

    You don’t read that sentence every day.

  63. Mihnea,

    I totally agree with this, and all of your other comments about Iwan and Ramsay in this thread. As much as I will revel in Ramsay’s death when Jon and Sansa take him down, I’m really going to miss Iwan Rheon when he departs the cast. He is an extraordinarily talented actor, and his performance as Ramsay has brought a depth and spark of vitality to the character that I find sorely lacking on the page. And after listening to some of Iwan’s music, I can say he’s a damn fine musician as well!

    I hope that seeing Iwan in videos like this one will allow people to gradually separate Iwan from the character he portrayed and appreciate just how effectively he transformed himself for this role. People should check out some of his comedic work if they’re still uncertain. He’s great.

    As versatile as Iwan Rheon is, I still have a hard time imagining him as Jon Snow. But that’s less of a mark against him and more of a testament to just how indelibly Iwan and Kit Harington have established themselves in their respective roles.

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