The first House of the Dragon season is at an end, but the series has taken the world by storm — and by dragon fire. Every character has detailed and complex motivations, yet the story still manages to twist and turn in utterly unexpected directions.
Unfortunately, some characters are underutilized. Figures like Baela Targaryen and Rhaena Targaryen are practically absent, despite being important pieces in the game. Much like Rickon Stark in Game of Thrones, they deserve more attention. Thankfully, some fans have been making memes that can try to sum up Rickon at least.
Underappreciated
Where Rhaenys Targaryen is widely regarded as the Queen Who Never Was, after she lost her chance at a throne, Rickon never even had a chance to be a character. As a five-year-old at the start of Game of Thrones, the writers had no idea what to do with baby Rickon.
When trying to compete with dominating political masterminds, Rickon would have fallen apart at a glance. Sansa was 13 years old at the start of the series, and even she struggled. Rickon never had a shot, so he fell out of the show for seasons at a time.
Even His Siblings Didn't Care
Even though Rickon was nothing more than a little boy on his own in the world, after he was captured by Ramsay Bolton, no one looked for him. Sansa knew that Ramsay was the evilest character, yet she was still happy to leave him at Ramsay's mercy.
It was absolutely cruel behavior, given that Rickon had the same chance to escape that Theon and Sansa had. Yet no one in his family knew him well enough to truly care for him. It was utterly tragic, and it shows just how far the pack had fallen since Ned's death.
Couldn't Zig-Zag
Source: Reddit
A very common joke among Game of Thrones fans is about Rickon running from Ramsay. After all, Ramsay let him know to run across the battlefield to Jon, and all he had to do was dodge Ramsay's arrows. Eventually, he did make it to Jon, but not without an arrow through his heart.
Given that Daemon managed to survive a field of arrows by himself, and given that Jon also did the same against Ygritte, it's pretty ridiculous that Rickon would die from a single arrow shot by a single man. While Ramsay was a skilled villain, it was still somewhat contrived.
A Tormented Kid
In the end, Rickon did think that he had a chance to return to his family. He died with hope in his heart that his long journey was finally over, and he could see Jon and Sansa again after so many years with just Shaggydog and Osha for company.
Ramsay was cruel enough to give him that hope, only to take it away on a whim. It showed just how much of a monster Ramsay was, but it also showed just how devastating Rickon's life was. Rickon deserved a chance to live his life. Unfortunately, children are entitled to nothing in Westeros.
Could Have Made It
Of course, Rickon could have made it to safety if he made better decisions. While he was terrified, he still should have known that the easiest way to avoid a single shot was just to swerve. Unfortunately, he ran in a straight line and died for it.
In Game of Thrones, minor decisions like that can mean everything, and it meant the end of Rickon's life. It isn't exactly fair to critique Rickon for it, given how scared Rickon must have been. House Stark had to watch one of its cut down for a minor error, and it was just painful.
An Early End
Rickon rarely actually appeared in Game of Thrones, save for a few key moments. When he wasn't a scared little boy with prophetic dreams and a violent wolf at his side, he was running for his life and cut off from his family and from the only friend he had ever had.
While Rickon's death has been the subject of memes for years, it is still one of the saddest deaths in the series. Rickon deserved more time "on" with his family and less on the run or in captivity.
Always The Bridesmaid
Because he rarely appeared, many fans legitimately forgot that Rickon existed, until his reappearance later on in the show. After he ran off with Osha, some fans thought that he might just be gone for good, so at least one Stark could be safe from the War of the Five Kings.
Unfortunately, safety and Starks rarely go together. So, when Rickon reappeared to die, fans just didn't care about him. Much like his mother making the executive opinion to abandon him for Robb, the fanbase had abandoned the character long ago.
The True Heir
With Bran either assumed dead or missing, once Rickon was discovered, he was the true heir to Winterfell, the North, and the Riverlands. As Robb's youngest trueborn brother, Winterfell was his by right, and so was the ancient Crown of Winter that Robb had reclaimed.
So, while Sansa and Jon fans could easily argue over Winterfell, there was another option who was more qualified than either. Unfortunately, he was simply forgotten through every argument, even though Ramsay's captive really should have been wearing a crown.
Was Given A Direwolf Way Too Young
Rickon was five years old when his father offered him a direwolf, who would grow into a wolf larger than the pony that Rickon rode. Objectively, it was a terrible decision. A five-year-old cannot properly train a dog, let alone an apex predator from another continent.
While direwolves are the coolest creatures in the world of ice and fire, they really should have been kept far away from a little boy like Rickon. Shaggydog may have been a great friend to Rickon, but the risks of associating with a great direwolf were great, and it certainly influenced Rickon.
Particularly Emotional
Unsurprisingly, given that Rickon was abandoned by his family at an incredibly young age, the boy was incredibly emotional and hurt because they left. He even went to Bran to complain that no one was ever going to come home, which is hardly typical behavior for a child.
As a greenseer who had seen the death of his family, Rickon was certainly an emotional figure, even if he rarely had the chance to show it on screen. The death of Maester Luwin particularly hurt Rickon, who sobbed over the death of his beloved maester.
Source:gamerant.com