‘Game of Thrones’: What Happened to Rickon Stark? Explained

What happened to Rickon Stark? Short answer: a lot. More than any young boy should be forced to deal with. But in the world of Game of Thrones, children have to grow up real fast. But some children don’t get to grow up at all (RIP Butcher’s Boy).

If only he were a relative of Tony, and could live the good life with a bajillionaire superhero uncle to help guide him through the world. But Rickon Stark wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his hand, it was Valyrian steel. Rickon Stark is the youngest child of Eddard Stark, the Warden of the North and lord of Winterfell castle during the reign of Robert I Baratheon. Rickon is only but a wee boy when the action of Game of Thrones starts, three years old in the books and not much older in the HBO series. Rickon spends his days hanging out with his siblings, playing with his direwolf Shaggydog, and begging his half-brother Jon Snow for sweets. It was a good life for the young boy.

Until …

Then the Lannisters happened …

Eddard Stark departed for King’s Landing with his daughters to serve as Robert’s Hand, leaving lil’ Ricky at home with his mom, his oldest brother Robb, and his comatose older brother Bran (who was pushed off a building by a pair of incestuous siblings). After Robert dies and Eddard is betrayed and beheaded by the Lannisters, Robb declares himself King In The North and Rickon is made a prince. The little guy’s cool new title doesn’t make life any easier for him. His dad is dead, his sister is presumed dead, his other sister is gone, his beloved older brother and his mom are at war, and his half brother is on The Wall. He’s got no one to keep him company but Bran, who is acting as Lord of Winterfell, his wolf, and Hodor of course.

And Theon Greyjoy …

Theon Greyjoy is a noble of the Iron Islands and ward of Eddard Stark. Was a ward of Eddard Stark. Now Theon is lost and listless, shamed by his family for being weak and not gaining power through “the iron price” i.e. killing people with sharp metal objects. Theon decides to betray his adoptive family and stage a revolt in Winterfell castle. Rickon and Bran are forced to flee for their lives, as Theon needs to kill them for his takeover to be complete. Rickon narrowly escapes.

Right into the arms of Ramsey Bolton …

After living on the lam with Bran for a while, Rickon eventually runs off with his Wildling guardian Osha to seek safety. He’s just a lil’ boy after all. Instead, the pair run into the most evil man in Westeros, Ramsey Bolton, legitimized bastard of Roose Bolton and lover of The Most Dangerous Game (i.e. people hunting). Rickon is then used as a bargaining chip in Ramsey’s war against Jon Snow. Jon decides against taking Ramsey’s terms, knowing that his word to keep Rickon safe in exchange for surrender is good for nothing.

When Jon and Ramsey finally meet on the battlefield, Ramsey arrives with Rickon. He releases the boy’s bonds and tells him to make a run for the other army. Rickon does … while Ramsey shoots arrows after him. Just before he can reach his half brother, Rickon is shot with an arrow. Rickon dies Jon’s arms, leading the enraged Jon to charge Ramsey’s entrenched army. Exactly what Ramsey wanted. Joke’s on Ramsey though, he is captured after the Battle of the Bastards ends in a Bolton defeat. Ramsey is fed to his own dogs, while Jon and has his little half brother buried in the crypts that he so loved to explore.

What happens to Rickon in the books?

After the Red Wedding and Theon’s revolt, most of Westeros believes that all the Stark children but Sansa are dead. Rickon was revealed to have been ushered to safety by Osha, and is currently in her care. The last anyone has heard, the pair are headed to the dread island of Skagos, a desolate rock off of Westeros’ northeast coast. Skagos is famous for two things: unicorns and cannibals. Either are better than Ramsey.