As Smalljon entered Winterfell in this week's episode of Game of Thrones, his attitude lured many viewers into a false sense of security, with many believing he was finally going to deliver some swift justice to Ramsey Bolton following his family's betrayal of the Starks.
Credit: HBO
Instead, his arrival also meant the re-emergence of Rickon Stark and Osha, whilst we were led to believe the head of Rickon's direwolf Shaggydog was laid upon the table as proof Rickon was really a Stark.
Handing Rickon and Osha over to Ramsey, it looked as if the Mad Dog had once again gotten the upper hand, with the Umber house turning on their former allies and teaming up with the Boltons.
However, one particular fan theory has got us more than a little excited and hopeful - what if Rickon, Osha, Shaggydog and the Umber house are laying a trap for Ramsey, and Shaggydog isn't really dead?
Essentially the same as a famous rumour called The Grand Northern Conspiracy, if true it would mean that House Umber and the fellow leaders of the North are still secretly loyal to the Starks and have now put their plan in action to overthrow the Boltons and have the Stark family rule once more. 'The North remembers...', remember?
Despite the rumours, actor Art Parkinson who plays Rickon Stark himself has said when asked if the direwolf's head was actually Shaggydog: "Uh, yeah, I'd say so."
He continued: "It was a little bit disappointing because, you know, looking at the dogs we had on set... And that you'd never really get to hang out with them again. When I read that Shaggydog was dead, I was definitely a little upset."
Though he seems certain, there is still hope for the fan theory. It could be that showrunners are keeping the secret from the cast themselves, or Parkinson could have taken some tips from Kit Harington on how to lie through his teeth to the public about a character's fate!
Game of Thrones continues Sundays in the US on HBO and Mondays in the UK on Sky Atlantic.
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