With Season 6 set to premiere next Sunday on HBO, our resident recapologist is back to take a look ahead at what might be in store for the various houses over the next 10 weeks.
With the major players from House Stark and House Lannister and the lone remaining Targaryen covered, it’s time to shift attention to the smaller factions and new faces that will be popping up in Season 6 of Game of Thrones in hopes of figuring out what they’re after, where their arcs will lead them and ultimately, how everyone will end up when this addictive epic goes on hiatus again in just a handful of weeks.
House Bolton
The current inhabitants of Winterfell got into a scrap with Stannis Baratheon late in Season 5, but lost Sansa Stark and Theon/Reek when they killed Ramsey’s psycho girlfriend and took a leap of faith off the surrounding wall. We know from the trailers that House Bolton is a big part of this upcoming season, so where is their story going to go?
Well, we see them barbecuing some people in the fields outside Winterfell and on the battlefield – which is probably the same fields – so they’re going to get physical with someone and the most obvious assumption is a collective from Castle Black that includes Windlings, One-One the Giant, Ser Davos and others, with Sansa there in that bitching House Stark gear she’s in during the trailers.
Prediction: The Bolton’s aren’t ones to lay down and accept defeat, so expect some sadistic bits from Ramsey before a massive fracas with the Army of the North that leads to Sansa putting a knife into her tormentor’s heart.
Brienne of Tarth and Podrick Payne
This odd couple was last seen outside Winterfell keeping an eye on Sansa and then Brienne seemed to lop off Stannis’ head after he fessed up to killing Renly.
In the new trailers, we see them in Riverrun, former seat of House Tully (Catlyn Stark’s family) that is now ruled by House Frey and the site of “The Red Wedding.” That’s a dicey place for people with allegiances to House Stark to be, so just finding out what happens there will be interesting.
We also see Podrick getting snatched up out in a military camp that looks like Lannister grounds. That indicates a potential re-pairing of Jaime and Brienne, which was a great combo a couple season ago, so things could get cool with this tandem, who could mesh into the Jaime Lannister angle by season’s end.
Prediction: Pod’s going to still have a crush on Brienne and fail to impress her, but more importantly, they’re going to get in a bit of a mess at Riverrun, but then link up with Jaime 2.0 for some fisticuffs.
House Greyjoy
Theon/Reek helped Sansa escape and the trailers have several shots of people from the Iron Islands, some familiar and others brand new.
Yara returns and has at least one steamy kiss with another woman and Euron (Your-On), Theon and Yara’s uncle, who just so happens to be an infamous pirate, debuts. As too does his brother Aeron, the youngest of the Brothers Greyjoy, who is a Drowned Priest in service to the Drowned God.
With Balon Greyjoy getting a little long in the tooth and the Iron Islanders not having much of a role in things the last couple season – outside of Theon/Reek and Yara’s brief, aborted attempt to save him – the arrival of Euron and his presence in the trailer tells me business is going to pick up for the sea-ready folk.
Prediction: Euron ascends to the head of House Greyjoy and sets a course for revenge against House Bolton, who mutilated his nephew and killed numerous of Iron-born while sacking Winterfell.
House Tyrell
Margaery and Loras are locked up by High Sparrow, the former for perjury and the latter for homosexuality, but they could receive the “mother’s mercy” if they were to just confess to their crimes. Margaery has always been pretty sound at playing the game and in the trailer, we see her both coddling her grubby brother and taking the High Sparrow’s hand while on a knee, so you know she’s going to be up to something this season.
And don’t forget, she’s still the Queen since she and Tommen tied the knot last season, so it’s not like she’s become an insignificant member of the King’s Landing population.
Prediction: Confession, punishment, release and revenge; that’s how Margaery’s season plays out in my head, with she and Cersei setting aside their personal squabbles to attack their shared enemies.
House Martell
Prince Oberyn was great, but his hubris got the better of him. Last season, the series went to Dorne and there were some solid moments, but nothing that really struck a nerve, which makes figuring out how much we’ll see of Doran, Ellaria Sand and the Sand Snakes.
Having said that, Ellaria wanted revenge when Jaime Lannister was in Dorne and now that he’s left, taking Trystane Martell with him, do she and the Snakes follow? Do they turn their attention on Doran? Are they in this season at all?
Prediction: They’ll be there and they’re still going to be looking for revenge. There is no way Ellaria just lets the Lannisters kill Oberyn and settles for offing Myrcella with a little poison. A fight at home may start it, but chances are we see them working their way out of Dorne during this season.
