The most famous of the memes I saw going around after last week’s episode said, “Not all heroes hold weapons, some just hold the door” – and, oh, Hodor. How will we miss you.
Join us as we discuss this heartbreaking death, Bran, the battle for the North, and what’s coming next for Jorah, the Iron Islands and even Littlefinger.
On a scale of 1 to “Red Wedding” how devastated were you by Hodor’s end? How are you with fact that he knew for all those years that he was destined to die this way and yet he still held the door? Also, how angry are you at Bran?
CHLOE
I would say Hodor’s death was comparable to the Red Wedding, with an extra kick to the feels because I didn’t know it was coming. As crushed as I am, I love what that says about Hodor’s character. The Red Wedding was devastating not only to viewers, but to Westeros – the Stark legacy, the North, and the War of the Five Kings. In the grand scheme of things, Hodor was just a lovable simpleton who carried and protected Bran. And yet we see both losses as comparably tragic. It’s hard to know whether Hodor actually knew what was coming – or even had a choice in holding the door, since Bran was quite possibly still warging into him – but either way, it’s heartbreaking. I want to blame Bran, but he couldn’t have known what was going to happen – what had already happened – until it was happening. Now he has to live with that guilt. I’m nervous to see what else he might be responsible for – past, present, or future.
CARYN
For a good few minutes I was more shocked and horrified than anything else, and then came the tears. That scene was so heartbreaking but so well executed that I couldn’t help but admire it as I swore in agony at the amount of pain this show puts us in. Urgh there is no one to blame but Bran but also he didn’t know what he was doing and everyone kept telling him to warg into Hodor so what was he supposed to do. This was one harrowing scene I will never forget.
LIZZIE
My feels have feels after this one. I’m a complete wreck. It’s bad. And the funny thing is, I never expected to care much about Hodor. I liked him, but he was never one of my favorite characters, and I didn’t think this was going to emotionally compromise me so bad. But then the series of unfortunate events happened and I was bawling in front of the TV, actual bawling, which wasn’t the case with the Red Wedding because I knew it was coming. We can say this is the first actual SURPRISE of Season 6, we all expected Jon to come back…but we didn’t expect this. How could we?
CHLOE
I do wonder where Jorah is going to go, but I’m not sure that we’ll see him join the fray in the North. He wasn’t exactly on good terms with his family, and he’s a long way from home. I do hope that we haven’t seen the last of Jorah (if only to add more “KHALEESI!” quotes to the internet montages), but I’m more so looking forward to meeting the rest of his family. I remember little Lyanna Mormont’s note declaring allegiance to the Starks from seasons past, and I can’t wait to see this lady in action.
CARYN
I saw some theories suggest that he might go to Oldtown, the center of all knowledge to search for a cure and then meet up with Sam which would be the Jon and Dany link. I like this mainly because I’m super interested in Oldtown and also because it sort of kind of makes sense.
LIZZIE
I’m going to go on the record saying that Jorah leaving Daenerys and Jon bringing up the Mormonts in the same episode is just too much of a coincidence, and as this season has proved, Game of Thrones doesn’t do coincidences. So, yes, it looks likely that Jorah is going to be a link between John and his aunt, one way or another. Maybe he can even help John in the North before that – or maybe Caryn is right, maybe Sam can be the link. I like this idea. Either way, the Mormonts are Stark all the way, and that’s probably going to be important.
Seven Stark children, seven direwolf. And yet, only two are left. What do you think the future holds in store for Nymeria and Ghost? Will they survive till the end? Will we ever see a Stark warg into them?
CHLOE
Direwolf feelings are no joke. I’m furious that Summer and Shaggydog’s deaths were treated so callously (even more upset than I have been for many of Westeros’ humans who have died in the same manner). The wolves are the symbol of the Stark family, and their escalating death rate just seems like a bad omen. Nymeria and Ghost were always my favorites, so I’ll be rooting for their survival until the bitter end. I don’t know that Nymeria would reunite with Arya for good if their paths cross once more now that she’s a pack leader in her own right, but I would love to see them brought together at least one last time. As for Ghost – I don’t think that Jon warging into his direwolf is outside the realm of possibility.
CARYN
I think if any wolf survives to the end it will be Ghost, but I’m interested to see if they will reintroduce Nymeria seeing as some of the plot will be taking place in the Riverlands where she leads a pack of wolves. I also think both Jon and Arya will warg at some point before the end of the show.
LIZZIE
Nymeria is probably doing something important. Either that or waiting for Arya to THEN do something important. She’s going to show up either way, I’m sure of that. Maybe she will even help Arya find herself again, after getting lost in “No One” (maybe Arya will warg into her then) – or maybe she’ll help bring about another Stark Reunion. Either way, Nymeria is important, just as important as Ghost, and I’m not surprised they’re (tentatively) the only two left. I see Ghost making it to the end, if not almost the end. Nymeria I’m not sure about. Maybe she just needs to help Arya and that’s it.
Jon and Sansa are reunited, and yet Sansa lied to Jon about Littlefinger, and for a moment there, at the strategy meeting, seemed like she wanted to be the Queen. How do you see this story-line developing? Is there trouble in paradise for brother and sister?
CHLOE
Sansa seemed like she finally had her shit together, and then she went and let Littlefinger get the better of her again. Her not telling Jon about their little encounter doesn’t feel like a mark of not trusting her brother, but of knowing that Littlefinger is untrustworthy. She wants to believe what Baelish told her, but she’s letting that hope get the better of her. I can only hope that the truth comes out before the Jon/Sansa squad arrives at Riverrun, because I’m going to be furious if any of them die in what seems like an obvious trap. Who is the Lord of Riverrun married to? A Frey. And that’s one family that has been suspiciously absent for too long. Just saying.
CARYN
Urgh I really don’t want there to be, I would like to live in a world where Sansa and Jon are besties forever. I do think she lied more because she didn’t want to seem like an idiot for trusting Littlefinger, but I really don’t like the doubts that Littlefinger has planted in her mind. I’m 100% okay with Sansa becoming Queen of the North she has shown her chops as a rising politician which could work in their favor. But they will work the best if they work together.
LIZZIE
I think it was a combination of her not wanting to face the fact that she trusted Littlefinger and her not wanting Jon to get mad – at Littlefinger or at her. I do think Sansa has more of a desire to rule the North than Jon, and I don’t think Jon is destined to stay at Winterfell, but we have to remember that Sansa and Jon are just working on their relationship, they’re brother and sister, yes, but they never really grew up as such. They love each other, but they don’t know each other that well. And yes, Sansa trusts him, and Jon will protect her, but they are not yet as close as Jon was with Robb or even Arya. It takes time. They’ll get there.
Where are Theon and Yara headed now that Euron is King of the Iron Islands? Is the North their destination or will they try to beat Euron and get to Daenerys first? She needs ships at this point.
CHLOE
I don’t see Theon or Yara wanting to return to the North any time soon. At this point, they just need to get somewhere safe – but the Ironborn lifestyle doesn’t exactly lend itself well to safety or cooperating with others who may protect them. If they can get over all of the reaving and “iron price” stuff, they may be able to find some real allies – especially with the ships they made off with, which as we know, Daenerys is in dire need of. I think that beating Euron to the punch with the Dragon Queen wouldn’t be a bad idea, but I’m not sure that that’s the path they’ll be taking.
CARYN
I think they are off to Daenerys because they really have something that she needs – ships. She is also a worthy ally to have against Euron, and both Yara and Theon are excellent additions to her retinue, they could all benefit from each other. I’m excited to see this play out.
LIZZIE
I would love for them to head North, but I doubt they will. I think they’re going to go find Daenerys, yes. The storylines have to start coming together and this looks like the likeliest place to do it. Daenerys needs ships. Theon and Yara have them. Besides, I don’t think Yara would want to get involved in the North business, but beating Euron to Daenerys? She’d like that idea.
Littlefinger rode North to get Sansa, and yet didn’t offer up the army of the Vale to her and Jon. Why? What’s his plan? Is he just waiting to see where the wind is blowing or is there something more sinister at play here?
CHLOE
Isn’t there always something more sinister at play with Littlefinger? That guy is only looking out for one person: himself. May the rest of the world burn. As I mentioned earlier, it seems like a trap could definitely be brewing in the Riverlands. Baelish loves his wordplay, and the fact that he said “join the fray” earlier in the season hits a little too close to home. If the army of the Vale joins forces with the Freys’ considerable reserves – and Jon, Sansa, Brienne, Tormund, & Co. don’t know what they’re walking into – we could have another major tragedy on our hands. Just a thought.
CARYN
I honestly think that Littlefinger will bring in the Nights of the Vale right at the end of the Battle of the Bastards when we think Jon’s army might be losing, and then the Nights of the Vale will clean up and give Jon his victory. What Littlefinger wants most of all is to be needed or of need to Sansa and this one way to at least warm her up to him again.
LIZZIE
I hate Baelish. I think he just didn’t want to commit to something that wasn’t sure, but still …can’t Game Of Thrones ever make it easy on someone? Wait, silly question. Of course not.
Not sure a trap is really what Baelish is planning, I just think he “wants” Sansa + The North and he’s playing chess to try to get both HIS way. This is very like Littlefinger. And, if he can do that and still pretend like he wasn’t doing it, then he’ll do just that. That way he can make sure to be on the winning side, or pretend to, either way.
Agree? Disagree? Have any more pressing questions you want answered? Sound off in the comments below.
Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.