The real reason why the “Game of Thrones” writers gave this villain a horrific death
Game of Thrones spoiler alert! Game of Thrones spoiler alert!
One of the reasons why Game of Thrones is so beloved is because the characters are allowed to be infinitely nuanced, and subsequently we can love characters who have done vile things (ahem, Jaime Lannister). But, when it comes to Ramsay, and the portrayal of his demise on “The Battle of the Bastards,” the show-runners were clear: absolutely no sympathy.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, episode director Miguel Sapochnik explains:
“I must admit I kind of wanted to make people start to feel for Ramsay in that wonderful way Thrones turns these things on their head but [showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss] were clear: They didn’t want anyone to sympathize with Ramsay Bolton and this time they wanted blood.
In a way I agree, this is not a time to be morally ambiguous. Ramsay needs to die, and horribly. This is what the audience has been waiting to see. That said, there’s no need to dwell on the actual carnage. What’s left to our imagination is always way worse. The most effective moment for me was the sound of a squealing pig you hear from Ramsay in the background as Sansa walks away. Apparently it’s actually what happens when you rip someone’s wind pipe open while they’re still alive and gasping for air.”
Agh, are we the only ones who didn’t even notice that?
Sapochnik also specifies which moment of the emotional scene he likes the best (which happens to be this writer’s favorite part, too):
“The other thing I loved was the close-up shot of Sansa as she watches the dogs attack. There’s a moment where she turns to leave but then stops and leans back in, lingering a moment longer. It’s my favorite shot of my episodes this year.”
Meanwhile, Iwan Rheon is relieved people don’t think he’s a sociopath like Ramsay. He tweeted: false
We can’t say we feel bad about the brutal way Sansa killed the young Bolton, when considering all of the unforgettably horrid things he has done, but we will miss you and your terrifying acting chops, Iwan.
