We'll see what they do. Right now, I'd say I think it would have been more compelling if Ramsay tried not to be abusive in his marriage. He's a pretty flat character in his sadism at the moment. I think they've already done the work to make him an otherwise loathsome person to provide whatever motivation you needed to give the other characters.
Weren't there quite a few people in this very thread saying that they genuinely liked Ramsay prior to last week's episode? (I personally found that bizarre, btw, but still - apparently some people thought he wasn't all that bad.) ::EDIT:: OK, it was only 3 people - not exactly "quite a few" but eh:
Just because people like him doesn't mean they don't recognize that he's an evil sadist, or that the other characters would have cause to oppose him. They just happen to be rooting for the evil sadist to win. But, you didn't quote anyone saying their opinion changed after the scene with Sansa. I'd be genuinely surprised to see that.
I think people are mostly overlooking the most obvious/likely reason for the Sansa rape scene. It's not to show how sadistic Bolton is. Christ, they've already shown him hunt and kill a girl and torture/castrate Theon. His cruelty is well established. Sansa's rape (or rapes) will be the spark that causes the North to rise up against the Boltons. That seems like a very logical/realistic rationale. Just as viewers have been outraged by the rape, so will the North.
One of those dangling plotlines that people have forgotten about KyBurn [sp?] has not been shown enough Rocket River
That rape scene really pissed me off. I thought she was gonna go all badass after she went "I'm Sansa Stark, this is my home" and then she gets her clothes torn off and raped.
I'm hoping that Brieanne finally fullfills one of her oaths by killing Ramsey or at least helping....
How about this for a twist. Brienne on the verge of killing Ramsey, but Reek steps in to protect him, and Brienne kills him allowing Ramsey to turn the tables on Brienne, until Sansa steps in and offs Ramsey! That would be cool!
Right before Stannis kills Brienne, Poddrick comes in on his horse out of control and runs over Stannis.
Or basically the reason Sansa eventually lights a candle for Brienne. We all know Ramsay is sadistic. She doesn't. Not really. She may be mad at the Bolton's in general for killing her mother and brother. She may not be happy at the situation she's in and she may have heard stories about Ramsay. But she's not going to realize how bad it truly is until she experiences it for herself. If he's just an *******, she might just grin and bear it and wait for Littlefinger's return. If she's being abused, that gives her reason to take action or at least call for the help she already knows is waiting for her. I'm betting that's the reason for the rape scene, and perhaps future instances of abuse. She has to have a reason to light that candle, and you know she will (Chekhov's gun), instead of waiting for Littlefinger.
Wild speculation here, but I think maybe in the next episode or episode 8, Cersei sends Frankenstein Mountain off to assassinate Sansa. Its going to be crazy if - -The Boltons -Stannis -The Knights of the Vale/Littlefinger -FrankenMountain -Brianne -anyone else? (Ironborn, etc.) are all converging on Winterfell at the same time in one of the final episodes in one epic showdown.
I don't know if you watch the Walking Dead but they did a good job of this with the Governor although it took them way too long to do so. The conflicted nature of the Governor made his villainous actions way more interesting. Even Joffrey had moments that made his character interesting before he snapped. Like the moment he appreciated the book that Tyrion gave him at their pre-wedding shower thing and then later he snapped. He seemed like a real horrible human being rather than what Ramsey is portrayed as... which is just a plot device for bad S#$% to happen to our characters. In HBO's defense though I'm pretty sure that's exactly what Ramsey is in the books though if not worse. The showrunners probably could have done more with this character instead of making him a plot device.
The North pretty much is in revolt when they can be, and are already outraged by the Boltons. They hate the Boltons in the North but there is no army yet for the houses to join in to take them down, and up until recently they have had the backing of the crown. The rape scene was a plot device taken from the books from another character. Will it have payoff later on... I don't think so but it's possible. However convincing other un-seen houses in the North to revolt now would be a pretty sad excuse. Stannis is already on his way, and soon to be the Knights of the Vale. Both are much more powerful than any other House in the North.
Spoke to a guy at the office who has read the books, RE: the Mountain. Spoiler Apparently the Mountain just slowly dies DD
