The most recent episode of Game of Thrones brought us the joyous reunion of Sansa Stark and Jon Snow, who haven’t seen each other since season 1. Now reunited, the half-siblings (or cousins) quickly learned that Rickon Stark is a captive at Winterfell, their own ancestral seat, by their own worst enemy, Ramsay Bolton. The news spurred Jon Snow to action, and he agreed to join Sansa and lead a quest to rally the northern Houses to retake Winterfell. It is the Stark birthright. Question is—who will side with them, and who will stick to the Boltons?
Which Northern Houses Will Side With Jon Snow?
Jon Snow and Sansa are well-positioned to lead the quest to retake the North. He is a former (the only former) Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, resurrected by strange magic for all the Night’s Watch to see; he’s also Ned Stark’s oldest surviving son (supposedly) and the only one who is free and not a tree. Sansa is, of course, a true Stark, and all the North knows what she has suffered. Together, they can rally their family’s old bannermen to reclaim the North. But some will side with the Boltons.
House Mormont of Bear Island
The Mormonts have always been loyal friends of the Starks and the North. Jeor Mormont was Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, after all. Jorah, the black sheep, is of course in exile. But Lady Maege Mormont rules Bear Island, and she’ll rally to Jon and Sansa—assuming they bother to go to the very remote island.
House Cerwyn of Castle Cerwyn
House Cerwyn is one of the surest Stark loyalists out there, although you’d be forgiven for not remembering them: They’re barely in the books or the show. The Cerwyns are located just south of Winterfell. Lord Cley Cerwyn has a grudge against the Boltons too, to put it lightly: Ramsay flayed both his parents alive for not paying their taxes. So it’s probably safe to say the Cerwyns will be with the Starks as soon as the opportunity arises.
House Glover of Deepwood Motte
The Glovers of Deepwood Motte , which is—unsurprisingly—located in the deep woods, are also Stark loyalists. They took a hammering from the ironborn and lost the Motte for a time, but reclaimed it offscreen in season 6. They’ve still been fighting the Stark wars, so it’s safe to say that Galbart Glover is still a Stark man. And their offhand mention earlier in the season certainly suggests they’ll be around, presumably at the Stark’s side.
House Hornwood of Hornwood
House Hornwood hasn’t had much of a role in the show; even in the books, they’re not a major player. In the books, they’ve had a rough lot—the head of the family died in the War of the Five Kings, and his wife starved to death in Ramsay Bolton’s “care.” Their heir was killed by Jaime Lannister. There’s not much left of the house, only a bastard. So don’t expect much support from the Hornwoods one way or the other.
House Karstark of Karhold
The Karstarks are one of the most powerful houses in the North, and they are firmly at House Bolton’s side. That’s been true ever since Robb executed Rickard Karstark for his own harsh justice, and it’s unlikely to change. Lord Harald Karstark waited on Ramsay Bolton while he killed his own father and cemented his rule. He is a Bolton loyalist, and the Karstarks will be one of the Starks’ greatest foes. Luckily, unlike in the books, none of this is secret—Sansa and Jon Snow will stay far away from Karhold.
House Tallhart of Torrhen’s Square
We don’t know all that much about the Tallharts. They rule Torrhen’s Square and are presumably Stark loyalists, as everyone in the North once was. Torrhen’s Square was captured by the ironborn and is still held by them. It’s the only ironborn redoubt left in the North, so the Tallhart contribution probably won’t be very large.
House Dustin of Barrowton
The Dustins are one of the smaller houses in the North, and we don’t know much about them either. One of them, Willam Dustin, fought alongside Ned Stark at the Tower of Joy, and died there. But that was long ago. Barbrey Ryswell rules the house, but the Dustins aren’t terribly important; don’t be surprised if we don’t hear from them at all.
House Umber of the Last Hearth
The Umbers were once hard-forged Stark loyalists, but no more. Following the death of Greatjon Umber, his heir Smalljon Umber sees a greater threat from the incoming wildlings than from the Boltons themselves. That’s why he committed the ultimate treason: He turned over Rickon Stark to Ramsay Bolton. The Last Hearth, the closest Northern house to the Wall, is now a sworn enemy of the Starks. The big question is—do Jon and Sansa know that? And what kind of trouble will they find themselves in if they don’t?
House Manderly of White Harbor
House Manderly is one of the “big three” houses who are up for grabs in the North, along with the Karstarks and Umbers—both Bolton loyalists at the moment. Ramsay Bolton himself has said that those three houses are the only ones the Boltons need to keep a firm hold on the North, and he’s probably right.
The Manderlys control White Harbor, the North’s only city and the richest part of the region. One of their members was killed at the Red Wedding, so they have no fondness toward the Boltons. Moreover, the Manderlys are truly dedicated Stark loyalists. The Starks gave the Manderlys a home and a lordship when the house was exiled from the Reach a thousand years ago. And in the books, Wyman and Wylis Manderly are among the staunchest Stark allies. They hate the Freys, hate the Boltons, and work against them at every turn.
The Manderlys will side with Jon and Sansa almost without question, and will likely be the backbone of the new army they raise. But the Manderlys aren’t truly the most important house Jon and Sansa will talk to.
House Reed of Greywater Watch
House Reed is not a military powerhouse. The Reeds rule the swamps and crannogmen of the Neck, and cannot put up much of an army or fight in the wars to come. Yes, they can hold the Neck essentially indefinitely, but that’s not why they matter. Howland Reed, the lord of the house—and father of Bran’s friends Jojen and Meera—is the only person alive who knows Jon Snow’s secret. As we saw earlier in the season, he was with Ned Stark at the Tower of Joy. Unlike all the others, he survived. He saw what was in that tower. Soon, Bran will see too, through his visions—Jon Snow was almost certainly born in that tower, a child of Ned’s sister Lyanna and Rhaegar Targaryen.
Bran will learn the truth through his visions. But Howland Reed will be the one to tell Jon Snow that he’s not Ned Stark’s bastard at all. He’s of Targaryen blood, and perhaps name. It won’t lend to the Starks’ armies or help reclaim Winterfell. But it will change Jon Snow’s path forever.
