Game Of Thrones: 5 Winners & 5 Losers In 'First Of His Name'
3. Locke
Lockes case is very similar to Karl Tanners: he throws away a serious win from last week when there really was no need. Locke goes into the engagement at Crasters Keep with two targets in his sights, but leaves the field with nothing but a broken neck. When Roose Bolton gave him the assignment to track down Rickon, Bran, and Jon, he never explicitly said to have them killed, but we assumed thats what he meant, since there would be no benefit to the Boltons in keeping them alive. The world believes the Stark boys dead, and thats what gives credence to the Boltons claim over the north. Having two living Starks would rally the Northerners against them, as they fear, but having them as secret hostages is equally valueless: who would they trade them to and why? Baring all this in mind, it is utterly baffling why Locke releases Bran from his bondage and carries him off into the woods. Why not just kill him where he sits? Job done; now stab Jon Snow in the back and slink off into the night. Two down, one to go. If Locke wanted to ask him questions about Rickons whereabouts, he could have done so in the shed, and then killed him. If Bran didnt give anything away, which he probably wouldnt have, then Locke is still no worse off; he still has two dead brothers and one to find, which is a whole lot more than he had at the beginning of the episode. Unfortunately for him, he doesnt see the wisdom in any of this, and ends up getting his neck snapped by a half-giant, whilst wasting time moving Bran to the woods.
