Game of Thrones Power Rankings: Sansa, Jon Snow, Rickon; Team Stark Assemble

So far this season it’s felt like no one’s really been winning the game of thrones. Certainly there’s been a lot of losing – a half dozen or so characters dying in various grisly ways to remind us what show we’re watching. With week three though, we might be approaching a turning point.

With the return of Rickon and Jon Snow on the move, the chessboard that is Westeros is looking more interesting than it has for quite a few seasons. Unlike the war of the five kings (season two and three) though, this time the action is all in the North. Expect battles, sieges and all the unpleasant stuff that happens in the gaps in between.

Through complicated statistical science and data measurement (probably) we present to you our latest rankings for who’s winning the game of thrones:

 

Team Bolton

Rickon and Osha are back. Hurray! And they’ve been captured by Ramsay Bolton. Please by the seven gods no!

The terrifying Ramsay has been without a pet this season – possibly why he had to kill his father, stepmother and half-brother to keep himself entertained. With Rickon now in his sinister grasp, though, be ready for things to get ugly (poor Shaggydog). Keep checking the youngest Stark sibling each week to make sure he’s got all his appendages.

Meanwhile, the former bastard of Bolton is having better luck forcing compliance from the rest of the North than we anticipated. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.

 

Team Sparrow

There’s a school of thought going round that the High Sparrow might have a thing about punishing women. After Jamie presented the religious zealot with his own list of sins last week, the guy barely seemed bothered. Either way, he was a smart enough political player this week to totally demolish King Tommen’s little tantrum. Things are getting worse for the Lannisters in King’s Landing and the king might be their weakest link. As long as words and threats are the only weapons available in the capital, the Sparrows aren’t going anywhere.

 

Team Targaryen

The more we see of Daenerys this season, the more it feels like a lot of us tuned out of her scenes twenty episodes ago. She’s been treading water for years now, and this season’s Dothraki comeback tour is no different. On the other hand, Tyrion and Varys are doing an excellent job of giving Team Targaryen a fighting chance. The Spider’s little birds are singing, and we now know who’s funding the Sons of the Harpy. It’s kind of like Daenerys got two top ten draft picks in one year and is now having an under-the-radar good season.

 

Team Lannister

Many of you might disagree that things are getting worse for the Lannisters, but hear us out. With the threat of the High Sparrow still lurking over them, Cersei and Jamie have alienated almost all their allies. The Tyrells are running out of patience with the Margaery and Loras situation, while their uncle Kevan Lannister has only scorn for them. They have an eight foot undead monster to protect them, but their shrinking small council is looking very lonely these days.

 

Team Stark

Renaming Team Sansa to Team Stark is something we’ve resisted in the first two weeks – this is the year of Sansa after all, and she’s still going to be the boss. Now though, there are just too many Starks on the chessboard. Rickon has been thrown into unspeakable peril at Winterfell, and with the simple words “my watch has ended”, Jon Snow looks set to enter the wars of Westeros for the first time ever.

Sansa’s heading to Castle Black with Brienne and Pod – so let’s hope they bump into each other. Oh, and lest we forget – Arya montaged herself into a super assassin this week, regaining her eyesight in the process. Can it be long before she graduates the House of Black and White and returns to tick off the rest of her list?

 

The Rest:

Team Greyjoy

Nothing from the Iron Islands this week, but Theon is set for a reunion with his sister next time. Expect the Ironborn to break the top five some time this season.

Littlefinger

Still a team all of his own, the Kingdom’s back stab extraordinaire makes his season six return next week. What will his next move be?

Team Tyrell

House Tyrell has always been more of a financial power than a military one, but their alliance with the Lannisters is clearly beginning to sour. Alone they aren’t much, but aligned to another team, they could be a dangerous enemy.

Team Dorne

No one cares about Dorne. Unless you’re going to give us some verbal sparring between Bronn and Tyene Sand, we don’t give two shits.