A Stark Must Always be in Winterfell | The Secret Plan of The North | A Song of Ice and Fire

[@lordofcastamere9376]

Wyman is great. To have the balls to actually work against the Boltons ane Freys. And the funny thing is he never broke guest right. He gave the the 3 freys horses, a sign to end the hospitality. And then they kill them. Absolutely fantastic

[@jaimelannister1797]

My favorite come back in ASOIAF is when Hostern accuses Manderly of killing Little Walder. Manderly: I confess . . . I confess that I know little of this poor boy. Lord Ramsay’s squire, was he not? How old was the lad? Hosteen: Nine on his last nameday Manderly: So young. Though mayhaps this was a blessing. Had he lived, he would have grown up to be a Frey.

[@isabellamego5321]

The north remembers: the red wedding Barb remembers : Brandon's red sword

[@GrayArea]

Yesssss

[@gavomorg762]

I bet she screamed like 'Nissa Nissa'

[@dalesmith7250]

Definitely laughed out loud at this

[@burtan2000]

Lady Hornwood didn’t *eat* her fingers. Ramsey flayed them and she chewed them off bc thhey hurt so badly. Fingers are the LAST things a starving person would eat. You need them and they’d be the most painful thing to chew off - it’s just having them flayed is even more painful.

[@LilBrownieD]

Eek, a terrible fate

[@nononono3421]

People assume the "conspiracy" is for the Stark's sake, but it could be that it is just people fighting for control of Winterfell, just as Boltons have, because it's the seat of legitimacy for control of the north. They might be trying to put Rickon back in power, but it could be to rule through him, he's just a kid. I wouldn't necessarily trust people fighting against the Boltons as looking for the interest of the Starks, I think it's another Littlefinger-like situation.

[@ashleyofnaath]

Customary 2nd comment: A really intriguing element of the GNC is the prospect that Abel's (Mance's) washerwoman Rowan might be the long lost daughter of Mors "Crowfood" Umber, who was kidnapped by Wildlings and never seen again (until now maybe). I love the possibility of this father-daughter duo furtively working together to bring down the Boltons, with Mors outside Winterfell's walls digging the trap pits while his daughter is inside Winterfell's walls doing her thing. Gives me chills.

[@blackwidow4564]

The starks need their own TV series. They have way more history than the targaryens

[@iamsecond411]

Juice time!!!! Whoop whoop! Lol. Thank you Lady Gray again for your constant hard work and dedication!! I’m loving all these weekly post and live discussions. 😊

[@GrayArea]

❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️

[@RīcoDan90]

Foes and false friends are all around me Lord Davos. They infest my city like roaches and at night I feel them, crawling over me.

[@suyash5608]

Didn't know the Freys were eating White Harbor lmao

[@kusumitasonwani7749]

Rickon better have a big part to play in the future, all the other Stark kids have had a well developed storyline and they all are influential in their own way, even Sansa. He should not be left out.

[@rodneyharvey3341]

That's why after season 5 g.o.t.got a bit rushed

[@jaimelannister1797]

I think Stannis will make him lord of Winterfell and he’ll a puppet for his cause, only for resurrected Jon to crown himself king in the north

[@gfilmer7150]

@@jaimelannister1797 Jon: Alright men, chaaaaaaaarge! Oh hold up, hold up. Stannis, the hell are you doing here? Stannis: I won The Battle On Ice and took Winterfell from The Boltons Jon: Oh...I got a letter that said you were dead... Stannis: Preposterous... a mummer's farce it was Jon: Clearly... So I got this crown on my head Stannis: I see and it's a false crown Jon: Yeah -- no -- Stannis: Say, why don't you bend the knee so we can end this debacle Jon: A brilliant decision. Hey men, what do you say to me bending the knee?! Jon's Army: Hell no! Jon: I think they're okay with surrendering Stannis: They are clearly content Jon: Alright, here's my crown Stannis: Thank you, it appears your army is leaving Jon: They're not leaving -- oh, oh, they're just... going to garrison The Wall Jon's Army: I'm going home to spend time with my family Jon: See Stannis: ...yes...

[@jaimelannister1797]

@@gfilmer7150 Stannis would be grinding his teeth throughout that whole conversation. Also on a tinfoil note, i read a theory that Stannis upon learning of Aegon and/or Daenerys’ invasion will fear losing his kingdom to more usurpers and be kinda desperate for that whole stone dragon thing, and that’s how Shireen will die. What do you think of this

[@made-line7627]

@@jaimelannister1797 I see why people think that, I just don't know if _Stannis_ will be responsible for it. Mel is more obsessed with the stone dragons, but she'll be thinking that _Jon_ is Azor Ahai, not Stannis. Shireen is at the Wall with Mel (and dead Jon), not with Stannis.

[@Synlidwirh]

I need to find the time to go back and reread the books now that I have gotten all of the supplimental materials and others like Fire and Blood, World of and KNight of the Seven Kingdoms. These videos give some good insight as well. Though whewn it comes to a stark always having to be in winterfell I imagine it is somehow the North misremembering and there is some purpose but they have forgotten it after thousands and thousands of years. Here is hoping Winds of Winter finally gets something of a release date.

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

The conspiracy is far more complicated that this. There isn't just a single anti-Bolton group, there are several. Exactly how they will interact is something we do not know and have yet to find out. There is the Rickon faction, but Davos has had no apparent opportunity to let Stanis know about this. So Stannis working with some of the Northern houses is a separate faction. We can't assume they are the same faction just because of Davos and a promise to join up when we have no information that Stannis even knows they exist. On top of that we don't know if Stannis would accept Rickon after showing that he wants Jon. Then we have Lady Mormont and Rob's will, currently in the neck. Because we have had no indication of what they are up to they are effectively their own faction, and we have no way of knowing which side they will pick (if either). Then there's Lady Stoneheart who may head north for some vengeance on the Bolotns when she has finished with the Freys. We could even count Jon as a separate faction. Even though he's been working with Stannis we don't know how he'll react to news that Rickon is alive, and we also have reason to think he believes Stannis is dead. So he's effectively his own faction currently. And that's not even counting the fact that there's a whole army currently at Winterfell which is possibly anti-Bolton (not just a couple of nobles) So we have multiple different groups all aiming at the Boltons for various different reasons, and no idea how they will react to each other. This is why the books are so much better than TV. We have a complicated webs of different plots, not a boring simple two sides.

[@JayBeeXO_]

Thanks for keeping the content coming.

[@espalier]

All of the umbers are working with the Manderlys. It’s the old greybeards on the inside of the walls, and they are ready to die for the cause, probably hoping their grandchildren outside dont have to see a fight.

[@reneebarger5194]

The North Remembers that there must always be a Stark in Winterfell, especially with winter coming. Perhaps Manderly remembers WHY there must be a Stark. And how much better to have one who could be very grateful for rescuing him & his home. A Stark son with a direwolf. Reminds me of a Character in MS & T who is small in size & rides a giant wolf.

[@AwesomeMusicLady]

Hopefully we find out the WHY in The Winds of Winter or maybe A Dream of Spring

[@BlazesRat]

Best way to kick off the weekend, with some juice to get me thru!! LOVE THE GNC!! Winter is HERE !!!

[@jsull81]

I think Davos & Rickon are already back and are with a secret Manderly army not far from Winterfell, just waiting for some type of signal

[@burtan2000]

But.... that's too happy. I think Stannis has his Beacon Tower trap and he'll kill some Frey's but also Manderly's. Because George is all about ironic twists like he's Shakespeare or ancient Greek tragedy. Yes, that's correct, George is an entire genre of literature we associate with a loosely-connected group of independent city-states during a specific period and not a person.

[@billychops1280]

“That’s too happy”😂😂

[@jsull81]

@@burtan2000 I'm not saying it'll end happily, just that they're already back from Skagos, lol

[@stevesamana304]

This is the point of the hooded man. He was going in to tell manderly that Ricking is in place commence with plan

[@jsull81]

@@stevesamana304 I think this is highly likely!

[@danielmedwards]

Surely I can’t be the only one that thinks “The North Remembers” is referring to the physical geography of the North i.e. the weirwoods and the ability to see what happened in the past?

[@made-line7627]

I don't think you are, don't worry

[@cardenova]

Well, yes that too. It’s both, a double entendre, if you will.

[@brunwaldo4105]

You are SOO good at this. Fair play. Loving this.

[@alibby82991]

“Ambitious vicious sons of a bitches” BEST description of house Bolton EVER

[@Ash.Crow.Goddess]

Not about Rickon, but... I think we will see Lady Stoneheart crown Jon Snow as king in the North with Rob's iron crown. I think she's playing as one of the Erinyes, as they are called in Greek Mythology. And yes, she's full of rage and vengeance right now, but I honestly think she'll be a stickler for the "rules." And we know she knows Rob made Jon his heir. She thinks Bran and Rickon are dead. And we know she needs redemption for her treatment of Jon, right? Sorry, I know we aren't discussing Stoneheart, but I can't resist talking about her when I get the chance. I mean, it's obvious she will be involved in this effort to restore the Starks to their seat of power.

[@gfilmer7150]

Where does Stannis fit into all of this?

[@Ash.Crow.Goddess]

@@gfilmer7150 I guess I should've said not about Rickon or Stannis.

[@gfilmer7150]

@@Ash.Crow.Goddess Why? My interest is peaked?

[@Ash.Crow.Goddess]

@@gfilmer7150 Oh, well I'm not totally sure. The way I see it is this, Perhaps we will see Jon walk away from the Watch after his resurrection just how he did on the show. In that case, he is free to go off to Winterfell, with an army like the Karstarks and/or the newly integrated free folk in order to help Stannis defeat the Boltons and then be a Stark, and the Lord of Winterfell. But, Stannis will die in battle, but Jon will win the day, which will still get him crowned as king in the North. I see Stoneheart getting wind of Arya imprisoned as Ramsay's wife, and so she heads that way because we know she is all about her children, vengeance, and justice. She may want to crown Arya as Lady of Winterfell but she will realize that it isn't actually Arya and so she may Crown Jon at that point. Then again, she may not want to crown Arya since she knows that Robb named Jon his heir. It's just so fun to speculate on. For that matter, if she shows up at the right time, as does Rickon, maybe she gives her last Kiss to him in order to bring him back. That would be pretty Epic!

[@gfilmer7150]

@@Ash.Crow.Goddess One problem I see is that Catelyn hated Jon. She wanted to hand The North over to Robin Arryn because she didn’t want Ned’s bastard wearing that iron crown.

[@ChicagoDB]

It should be mentioned that there are many almost certainly, many more “Starks” which exist...Starks married into almost every major house in the North...the bloodline doesn’t actually die out just because all of Ned’s might die. We also have a number of Robb’s contingent that are probably in Howland’s land, most likely also with Robb’s will. We have the massive Wolfpack that will play a role at some point also.

[@jschoma11]

I think Rickons job might be just to exist. Rob is dead Jon is a zombie (presumably) Sansa may or not marry/pass the Stark name Arya doesn't seem like the settling down type Bran can't have children Rickon on Skagos as a device means that we have a "safe" Stark heir who can continue the line. The fact that the Skagosi are these wildmen skinchangers calls back to the ancient Starks. Rickon could never come back, OR he could come back a true ancient king of winter complete with enhanced warg abilities and toughened by a hard life. We'll see

[@arronjerden915]

Is it stated in the books that Bran can't have children? It is common for paraplegics to retain the ability to reproduce, quadriplegics on the other hand almost always need medical intervention to reproduce.

[@jschoma11]

@@arronjerden915 its unclear if he physically can, he is still interested in meera though, I jumped the gun saying he can't but I still think it's doubtful

[@lanestapp2]

We can actually see Barbrey slowly join with the Manderlys. She talks with Theon at dinner and later gets him to take her to the crypts to confirm the Wex story about the missing Stark swords, and then after confirmed she starts publicly talking about the north remembers. It's also interesting to note that she is one of the few none maesters that knows ravenry and can send letters to places, which the line from the pink letter about mance wearing a warm cloak was something Theon said to Barbrey just a few chapters before the letter showed up.

[@TheEmperorsChampion964]

Videos like this help me get through this long night. The cold winds have risen, our tears are freezing on our cheeks, and lords are freezing in their castles same as the shepherds in their huts......... we need the ending of a song of ice and fire

[@TheTam0613]

Sometimes I see the Starks (at least the more modern ones) as the type of figure that are traditional heroes. And the Boltons scare the shit outta me. They are the evil, cold figures in terrifying horror stories.

[@emamdamon]

the north remember because it belongs to children of forest and greenseers and starks are their servants !!

[@shakeemdiggz2354]

How big of a part will Rickon have isn't he 5yrs old?

[@mksugerman1500]

What about Howland Reed?

[@sunshineroth9605]

I was so thirsty, thank you for the juice🔥

[@friskykicks]

you are such a good storyteller. I AM HERE FOR IT

[@TheINSANATY]

I think that Rickon will be Lord of Winterfell, but Jon will rule it until he comes of age. The Great Northern Conspiracy is about reinstalling a Stark to Winterfell, and the Northmen have multiple options which they are aware of it. But, there is a chance that both Rickon and Sansa die at the end of the books which leaves only Arya and Bran as the sole Stark survivors. If Bran becomes King of Westeros as in the show and portrays Arya as someone who doesn't want any power, it will leave only Jon Snow. Because, in through the history of the A Song of Ice and Fire, we have seen multiple times how one House replaced a former ruling House of a specific castle through blood ties, since Jon is secretly a legitimate Targaryen heir, whose plot is tied to prophetic aspect of the story and not to political side, he will need to accept his Targaryen heritage to legitimately inherit Winterfell as Warden/King of the North at the very end, resulting in refunding the entire Targaryen family, but in way they become the new Starks.

[@ashleyofnaath]

Barbrey Dustin is 1000% team Stark. People seem to forget that Ramsay's brother Domeric, whom Ramsay allegedly murdered, was Barbrey's nephew. Barbrey had no children of her own, so she worshipped Domeric and loved him as if he were hers. So not only would she be pissed that Domeric was murdered, but she's likely even more infuriated that Ramsay wasn't punished for the crime. Not unlike how the Martells feel about Elia and her children's murders. Just so, I think Barbrey's fury over Domeric's killing would far outweigh her anger towards Ned. Wouldn't even be close. So there's no way she could be loyal to the guy who killed her nephew and his father who didn't punish him. Also noteworthy, Wyman Manderly's request of the song about Danny Flint. Danny Flint was a woman who pretended to be someone she wasn't. So Wyman requesting to hear that song implies he knows that "Arya" is doing the same. How could he know? Is it possible that Lady Barbrey, who spent extensive time around the girl during the trek from Barrowton to Winterfell and would know a Stark when she saw one due to her dalliance with Brandon, told Lord Wyman? I certainly think it is. PS- every time I saw Anjelica Huston in your old intro, I always envisioned her as Lady Barbrey.

[@adrianburchell8075]

the North remembers the slights and wrongs and their loyalty to the Starks, but they do NOT remember the most important thing, how to keep the peace with the Others, the Pact that ended the Long Night, but I suspect it is the Starks that's at fault here, several times the generations are broken, therefore the secret Pact was not handed down. The Starks do not remember. I suspect the Pact being Stark children being handed over to the Others.

[@luminyam6145]

Wonderful video, thank you!

[@gavomorg762]

Didnt realise Negan was at the "Red wedding "😂😂😂Cant believe no ones mentioned it lol

[@JoniukasVader]

Gray Area!!!!!!!

[@darylgault6128]

Great job... The Manderly's are my favorite family...

[@cbob213]

Woot, can't wait for this one

[@destinitaylor4360]

I still don’t understand how the hell he got his hands on Rickon when he supposed to be running with wolves and unicorns 😆

[@TheTam0613]

Thank you so much 💗

[@Huey_Newton]

I've been waiting for this all morning🌞 🤘🏼🥤

[@DLYChicago]

What I love about the North is that they care more about precedent and rights than they care about personal feuds. The houses that do not love the Starks will overthrow the Boltons because the Boltons violated tradition. Their personal animosity against House Stark is less important. Also, there's some tin-foil. The Northerners may not know the reason why there must always be a Stark in Winterfell but they do know that this must be so. Because the North remembers. All the Northern homilies are prophecies. That's why Old Nan is so great.

[@frankcastle7082]

The boltons were wearing the skins of stark princes Heavy

[@christophertracy7136]

Jeyne, Jayne rhymes with pain. - Reek

[@cspahn3221]

It's so sad knowing these books will never be finished. We can hope, but honestly it seems George's passion is film and I don't think you can force out a book.

[@SHARKVADERS]

GA!!!

[@aaronwebb9637]

Love it!!!

[@xxsouthxxsidexxroyxx]

Rickon's wolf is named Shaggy Dog for a reason. His arc is a shaggy dog story, a build up that goes nowhere. My bet is Davos gets to Skagos and finds Rickon already dead or they are captured on the way back and he is killed one way or the other. He will not sit on throne of the kings of winter.

[@staytuned2L337]

Wow I'm getting earlier and earlier! Hello sweet summer mama! 😍

[@GrayArea]

Heyyyy!!!

[@InLoveWithVintage]

Happy Friday!

[@GrayArea]

Happy Friday❤️

[@dark_fire_ice]

Assuming that Catelyn's brood are Starks, not Snows

[@rampage0092]

That Neegan add in lmao

[@dolphineachonga555]

I'm all for anything that gives Rickons story more flesh. Also,the one thing from the show that I hope book Sansa does in the books, is to finally wipe out the entirety of house Bolton root and stem. Why put up with these traitors anymore? She's a Lannister now, so she might as well go Rains of castamere on them. Finish them off completely.

[@potatolord616]

Hey My Sweet Summer Mother! Love you! Unrelated, but can you let me know if Emma Darcy(Rhaenera) is non-binary? I don’t want to use the wrong pronouns. I think they are they/them, but I don’t want to be disrespectful! Thanks for bringing the juice!!

[@GrayArea]

Yes she is non binary I believe the correct pro nouns are they/them but I am not sure

[@potatolord616]

@@GrayArea thank you

[@sunshineroth9605]

@@GrayArea you are correct, Gray. Non binary equals= they/them. ❤💜💙💚

[@sershyguyofthemushrooms9880]

Plot twist arya is in Robb's will

[@swimmingmantis22]

Heeeeey missed you. 😢

[@danjordan1]

Juice Time!!!

[@2dimitropolis370]

Just brilliant

[@carlawaye]

Nothing quite like some long night juice to make breakfast that much sweeter ❤️

[@forheavensakes9144]

Rickon was always my favorite Stark

[@omarfierro2893]

I dont think rickon is going to make it. I think hell get captured and killed but I think he'll live on through shaggy dog and he'll savagely fight besides the northman in some battles. Also, Didnt the mormont chicks take that letter from rob naming jon his heir with them to greywater watch? I think the blackfish is making his way up there and I think the blackfish will be a big part of jon snows success in retaking winterfell and i think hell be the one to name jon the king in the north.

[@SIFUSAYSRELAX]

Ooohh. Tonight gonna be litty. This little northern nugget has me ready! I fucks with you Gray..HEAVY

[@GrayArea]

😍🥰Thank you!!!

[@Sactown15]

I hope Rickon lives and becomes lord of the north. Im shipping him with Shireen.

[@gfilmer7150]

I wish................................. but I think Mel will kill Shireen to bring Jon back

[@ashleyofnaath]

I'm shipping Rickon and Wylla Manderly.

[@OOTD_]

Well the Stark line dies when Sansa took over. When she gets married Winterfell will go to the man she marries child.

[@CharlieWilson2345]

Your Grace 🤩

[@ieatzebraarah]

I can’t wait to talk about my feral baby tonight

[@ashleymiller37]

Wyman Manderly is my people.

[@kingofkings3624]

Alys Karstark has about 200 wildlings on her side from her marriage too

[@ashleyofnaath]

And not just any Wildlings; the Thenns...

[@gfilmer7150]

@@ashleyofnaath If you're gonna have warriors backing you, might as well be the best ones

[@ashleyofnaath]

@@gfilmer7150 I wish they had included her marriage to the Magnar in the show. I enjoyed reading/imagining what it looked like.

[@gfilmer7150]

@@ashleyofnaath It would've been cool. I probably would've set it after The North was won from The Boltons.

[@ashleyofnaath]

@@gfilmer7150 See I'm the opposite...I would've set it just prior to Jon receiving the Pink Letter. Sort of like lulling the characters and the audience into a false sense of security before all hell breaks loose. I'd have the actual wedding be the end of an episode, the next episode open with a scene of Alys, the Magnar, and his men departing Castle Black/saying goodbye to Jon, then cut to a brunch scene in which the letter is delivered like the show had.

[@sleepless_jr]

gray area + memorningwood = the white waste

[@mohanadsuliman3244]

Starks men didn't do well in south

[@daniellestanford8673]

Ambitious, vicious, sons of a b!tches!! 👍🤣❤️

[@jonsouth1545]

Roose Bolton only betrayed Robb after it had already become clear that although Robb was winning battles, he was losing the war and that he simply didn't have the ability to finish the job so Roose in an act of self preservation jumped ship.

[@mrlivershot1]

✌

[@davewise4073]

Love your videos Gray. If i made more then 10 bucks an hour i would paypal ya for each one !!!

[@GrayArea]

Thank you!!! You watching, liking and commenting on my videos is enough! 🥰😘