Looking Forward Season 4, Part 4: Bolton

Oz of Thrones:  Oh yes….. after a brief hiatus, your village idiot returns by request (it’s all your fault). We are back for an Unsullied look at this treacherous man in Part 4 of our ongoing Looking Forward Series as we all count days until S4.  My intent on this part was to try to put a finger of why I remain enamored by this guy, especially after what transpired at the Twins.  Walder Frey?  Off with his head.  Tywin Lannister?  I understand why you did it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.  Joffrey?  Inevitably, your day is coming.

And Roose Bolton?  For some reason, you have been given my “get out of jail free” card.  You have been granted asylum at House Oz.  Out of all of the Stark murderers, you have earned a provisional stay of execution because there is something about your character that I don’t want to let go of quite yet.  As a matter of fact, I hope there is more of you in S4 than in S3.  Please stand by,….. my therapist is calling.

This is all about Roose, or the guy I like to refer to as James Bond Bolton not only because of his resemblance to Daniel Craig, but because of his cunning, his wit, and his swagger (even when wearing what appears to be a Westerosi kilt).  Real men wear kilts, or so I hear (this eliminates me from being a “real man” by the way.  I like to think I have a little swag left for an old dude, but I will likely not be spotted at the mall in what would be considered in my neck of the woods, a skirt).

Regardless of his clothing, the guy is now in business as the collector of the dowry on Fat Walda Frey and the newly proclaimed “Warden of the North.”  Roose may be a sadistic killer in the eyes of many, but he is an expert opportunist.  And with the downfall of the Starks, he has now found himself in a very powerful situation, even if it is under the watchful eye of Tywin Lannister.

So, What Now? 

Roose could hang out for a while at the Twins I suppose, and spend some quality time with the always enjoyable Walder.  But I seriously doubt it.  After all, he is the Warden of the North, and with this title should come many responsibilities.

General Assumption

Assumptions in Game of Thrones is similar to Ozzette assuming that there are no onions in the chili…… it is dangerous and ill-advised to say the least.  If I have learned anything, it is to assume nothing.  But that is kind of my thing here on this fine website.  So let the games begin…..

Roose and Ramsay?

One would think that it is a safe assumption that Roose would want to go check on his crazy bastard and see just how much flaying of Theon has been taking place.

Preference wise, I hope to see these two meet and interract on screen as soon as possible.  In Season 2 when we first meet Roose, he has a conversation with Robb about torture as a battle with the Lannister men has concluded (this is the same scene in which Robb meets Talisa coincidentally).  Also worth noting is that this is the first time we see Robb and Roose disagree on an issue, the first of many which ultimately led to the betrayal.

Nevertheless, Roose is the kind of man who seems willing to do anything to gather information about his enemy and torture seems to be a reasonable means to an end.  After what Ramsay has put Theon through, it will be intriguing to see how Roose reacts if and when he arrives, although he is well aware that “Ramsay has his own way of doing things.”   Then there is the father/bastard son aspect.  How does their relationship work when young, crazy and sadistic spends time with cool, calm and calculable?  Do they play golf together?

At some point, Ramsay will likely tell dear old dad that the Stark boys are still alive and Roose will likely relay that information to Tywin.  It would make sense for Tywin to instruct Roose to put out a search party for the Bran and Rickon and either kill them or hold them captive in the North.  This would concern me a lot more if there were no other issues for House Bolton to handle.  But there is at least one…….

Yara

After Ramsay Fed-Exed Theon’s manhood to the Iron Islands, Old Man Greyjoy had little to no interest in the future of his only living son.  But after seeing, you know, the d**k in the box, Yara had apparently had enough and gathered up 50 of the Iron’s finest to go save her brother.  This could lead to one hell of a battle if Yara’s insurgency catches Roose and Ramsay off guard.

It could also serve in taking their focus off of the Stark boys.  I am not so much concerned about them getting to Bran as I am Rickon.  Bran is north of the Wall now and will have enough trouble on his own with Wildlings and Walkers.  But Roose likely knows that the Umbers are sworn to the Starks and may be the first place he would look if he is not too busy with Yara.  Then again, he could just send this guy…..

Locke

I sincerely hope that Locke was not a one and done Season guy.  The good peeps on WiC who are familiar with my loosely-worded work likely know that I am a Noah Taylor enthusiast, and I was ultra fan-geek excited when he joined the cast (TECH SUPPPPPORRRRRTTT!).  And how could he be done on the show?  After all, this is the guy who cut off Jaime’s hand for screaming out loud.

One thing I can say with almost 100% certainty is if Locke does come back, he will likely be out for somebody.  And if it is Rickon, we may see he and Osha sooner than I had previously envisioned.

Props To:  Michael McElhatton who has played Roose superbly in my humble opinion.  I was unaware of this man’s work before GoT, but quite glad I have been introduced.  Somehow, you have managed to betray and kill Robb Stark and I still want to see more.  More Roose!  More Ramsay!  More Locke!

Chime In:  What are your thoughts on Roose?  Love him? Hate him?  Love/hate?  Or if you have no opinion, just drop a friendly hello.  BUT AS ALWAYS PLEASE, NO SPOILERS on this thread.  Adopt an Unsullied today, and keep them Unsullied for years to come.

Personal Note:  Ozzette and I found a deal on some GoT themed T-shirts recently.  I got House Stark (primarily because I liked the color scheme) and she got House Lannister (primarily because she likes the Lannisters).  When I opened the package, I quickly realized the conflict contained therein.  I mention this only to say that if the doors shut and the music begins playing, I will not be hanging out at House Oz to see what happens next.  If you are able to take in a scared writer in case of an attack, please advise.  A man appreciates your kindness.

Who Next?  I have a vote for Dany, but I am open to suggestions.

Per the norm, I hope you have enjoyed this installment of Looking Forward Season 4.  In case you missed any, they are linked below for your surfing convenience.  Thanks for taking the time!  And may there always be peace in your realm.  –Oz

“Unbowed.  Unbent.  Unsullied.”

Looking Forward Season 4, Part 1: Lysafinger

Looking Forward Season 4, Part 2: Stannis

Looking Forward Season 4, Part 3: The North Remembers

• Published on 08/13/2013 at 3:50 PM CDT
• Last updated on 10/21/2016 at 12:01 PM CDT