(Spoiler alert: Do not keep reading if you haven’t seen this week’s episode of “Game of Thrones” or don’t want to know how next week’s episode might unfold.)
This week’s episode of “Game of Thrones” saw the return of Rickon Stark, albeit in captivity at the hands of House Umber.
But a new fan theory makes a convincing argument that all is not as it seems in the North.
The Umbers decided to prove their loyalty to Ramsay Bolton by offering up Rickon and Osha as prisoners, along with the head of Rickon’s direwolf.
But a theory that popped up on reddit suggests that Rickon’s return is actually part of an elaborate ruse to return the North to Stark hands.
It plays out like this: House Umber is still loyal to the Starks, but know they must get close to Ramsay in order to remove him as Lord of Winterfell. With Rickon secured, Ramsay would use the boy as bait to lure Jon Snow from Castle Black and kill him, thus seemingly eliminating any remaining Stark heirs.
But once Ramsay has left the safety of Winterfell and marched on Jon Snow and his wildling army, House Umber will turn on him, kill him, and offer Jon Snow the title of King in the North.
It’s a definite possibility when you think about it. The Umbers were loyal supporters of the Starks, and lack a real motivation to turn on them like the Karstarks have.
And now that Snow has surrendered control of the Night’s Watch after returning from the dead, he could very well lead an army to retake his former home.
“Game of Thrones” airs on Sundays at 9 p.m./8c on HBO.