It's day five in our week of Game of Thrones theories, and today we're going back to the Northern Houses and something that people have been pondering for some time. Are they still loyal to the Starks and is there a Grand Northern Conspiracy?

Credit: HBO

Credit: HBO

What is the Grand Northern Conspiracy?

This is something that if true would have been born from the anger the Northern houses felt following Lord Walder Frey's and House Bolton's betrayal of the Starks at the Red Wedding. Due to the Stark family and army breaking bread with the Freys and Boltons, they went against tradition and murdered them in their hall.

The Grand Northern Conspiracy is said to be led by Lord Wyman Manderly, a man who has brought those loyal to the Starks together and who is hoping a Stark would go forth to rule Winterfell again. With Brandon and Rickon thought dead, Ned, Robb and Catelyn all very dead and the whereabouts of Sansa and Arya unknown however, it leaves just who would lead as a Stark up in the air. That brings us to Jon Snow.

Credit: HBO
Credit: HBO

Before their deaths, Robb and Catelyn had a discussion about just who should be Robb's heir should he die. Robb wanted to name bastard brother Jon, and so the theory continues that Robb had papers drawn up and witnessed by his bannermen that would legitimise Jon Snow in the event of his own death. They were made so that if Robb did die - which he did - the North would pass to a Stark family member rather than a House who hadn't led the North before - such as the Boltons who are for now sitting pretty.

But why Lord Manderly? Here's a great YouTube video which includes a dramatic reading of a passage from the Dance With Dragons novel from the Song of Ice and Fire novel series by George R R Martin. The reading is of Lord Wyman Manderly's speech of how the men in the North have not forgotten their Stark loyalty nor forgiven those who took part in the Red Wedding.

'The North Remembers' - remember? It's something Sansa was told not too long ago during the fifth season of the television adaptation. Ned Stark was the head of the North during his time alive and he was a man incredibly loyal and honourable. Could his traits have paved the way for most if not all of the rest of the Northmen?

What comes into question is the Umbers. On the show we saw the House hand over Rickon Stark, Osha and Shaggydog's head to House Bolton whilst agreeing to serve for them. Despite saying they were loyal to the Boltons, the representative of House Umber refused to bend the knee. Odd, for sure.

So what if House Umber is double crossing the Boltons? Was the head handed over really Shaggydog's, or simply a random wolf found in the North? Anything is possible, and some fans believe the head was too small to be that of the direwolf. Has Rickon been handed over as part of a more elaborate plan to take down the Boltons from the inside?

Credit: HBO
Credit: HBO

How plausible is this theory?

Quite. It all hinges on whether or not you believe that one of the Northern houses would put Rickon Stark's life at risk by handing him and Osha over to the Boltons. They probably wouldn't have minded Osha's death as a casualty for the greater good and, it's very possible she thought she could kill Ramsey Bolton before he got to her. That, or she may even have sacrificed herself to further the life of the boy she had been looking after for some time now. Osha grew to be quite the selfless wildling - did she make the ultimate sacrifice for Rickon and House Stark?

Game of Thrones continues Sundays in the US and Mondays in the UK on HBO and Sky Atlantic respectively.

Theory #1 - 'R+L=J'

Theory #2 - Tyrion Targaryen

Theory #3 - Bran Stark the Three Eyed Raven Builder

Theory #4 - Bran Stark is the Night's King


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