My theory of the North Grove (Possible spoiler?)
I have been thinking about why the North Grove is vital to the survival of house Forrester. Part of me thinks that the power of the North Grove is the ability to resurrect a Forrester.
What makes me think of that, it is Rodrik's survival in episode 2. He has survived wounds that would have killed any man. Silvi in episode 5 mentioned about how a group of people went to find the North Grove and never come back. Maybe those wildning accidentally trigger the power of the North Grove, drain their lives and resurrected Rodrik?
People has been resurrected in the setting before. Beric got resurrected by Thoros the Red Priest and Catelyn Stark got resurrected in the books by Thoros again. And we know that the White Walkers has magic to raise undeath. So the magic to return a soul to a body is there.
If this is true, then it raises the possibility that Asher or Rodrik can be resurrected in episode 6.
This is just my thoughts and there are flaws such as why Ethan or Gregor wasn't resurrected.
Comments
I doubt it's anything quite so supernatural as that. It would have to be something that GRRM would sign off on adding to his canon given it's part of his world. While he has had resurrection and zombification in the series, those only exist within specific pre-established contexts. Game of Thrones is predominately low fantasy and I feel like suddenly adding a magic forest that can somehow bring members of a specific family back to life would be a step too far. It would raise too many questions that would then need explaining within the episode, and there wouldn't be time. The simpler the better really. Note that, apart from the presence of a dragon and wights (and maybe the ironwood burning blue), there hasn't been any 'magic' or magical elements in the game yet and that's probably for the better.
It is just a thought, otherwise I don't know how the North Grove can solve the Forrester's problems or stop the war.
And solve the determinant issue with Rodrik and Asher, if Telltale decides to continue a Season 2 with the Forresters. Unless, they managed to find a different solution.
I'm not sure even the writers at Telltale knew/know how exactly the North Grove is supposed to solve the Forresters' problems. It's always been a bit vague, just like 'what exactly Gared is supposed to do when he finds it' is a bit vague. Guard it? Bring something back from it to the Forresters? Bit hard when he's a deserting brother of the Watch.
Anyway I think we might have seen the end of both Rodrik and Asher, if not by the end of episode 6, then by very early in season 2. They don't need to bring either back. They've introduced enough other NPCs that could become playable in season 2 that the story could still follow the Forresters without Rodrik and Asher. Especially if the game mirrors the TV show in that it starts off following the Starks as protagonists, kills off a few of them and then expands to follow other related characters while still keeping track of the remaining Starks. If the game ends up following Talia, Mira, Gared and Malcolm, or even Beskha, Elaena or Gwyn in season 2, I'd be happy with that as a continuation of the Forresters' story.
I agree with you. But Iam not sure about the playable characters for the next season. I find it hard to believe that characters with a "particular" personality will be playable in season 2. Many players like to play "friendy" to each NPC, others like to play an aggressive character. I find it hard to believe that we will play Beskha for example, because her character is very particular and it wouldnt make much sense if we could play her extremly friendly and calm, thats not really her style. Talia for example is a good character to play as in next season. She could be played both versions, since she is usually calm and tries to be nice, but at the end of season 1 she seems to be kinda angry and aggressive. About Malcolm Iam not so sure, he was more calm and friendy and it wouldnt suit him to be unfriendly to Dany. Mira and Gared are definetly still possible if they survive this season. And Elaena and Gwyn are possible too, but I dont think we will play characters from different houses, that way we could manipulate different houses (for example the ones we dont like) and Telltale is known for always continuing the main plot, no matter what your choices were.
But without Asher and Rodrik I would definetly miss some badass character, some skilled fighter. Gared is a good fighter, but Asher and Rodrik are very different imo. If we cut out all determinant characters for the next season there are just: Ortengryn, Talia and Elyssa left at Ironrath, and of course some soldiers we never got to know before. There definetly has to be a new sentinel, master at arms and castellan. These positions would be given to people we never got to know before. To be honest Iam not sure if I want a season 2 playing at Ironrath
I don't think so and I wouldn't want it to be that either.
I would assume the only reason Telltale had Malcolm stay behind was specifically so that they could continue involving Dany's storyline next season, meaning Malcolm would need to be a new playable character. Otherwise why not just kill him off or make him determinant, if he's not going to make it back to Westeros.
As for not playing as characters from other houses, I effectively count Elaena as a Forrester now, given she and Rodrik intend to marry, not to mention the possibility of her being pregnant with the next Lord Forrester. Not sure if there's any possibility of Gwyn and Asher getting together again, in which case if she then came to live at Ironrath, I'd view her as extended family too. I only consider that a possibility on the chance that her marrying Asher is the only way to secure a peace with the Whitehills once Ludd's taken care of (if Asher is still alive of course). I can imagine both Elaena and Gwyn disowning their fathers anyway, so whether they still had any influence with their former houses or needed to have influence, would depend on where the plot went.
And for all we know, Ironrath could be 'destroyed' next episode (like Winterfell was) and all the characters left there will have to scatter and separate, creating new stories/objectives for next season. Meaning you wouldn't need a new sentinel, master at arms and castellan.
Maybe Iam totally wrong but the moment Malcolm stayed with Dany I had the feeling that they want to save him for the show. Yeah he had no appearance "yet" in the show, but Jorah will probably die, Barristan is dead and Darrio is probably going to betray her one day if she is not marrying him or he could use her (at least if Daario = Euron is really true, but lets dont discuss that, kinda tired of this discussions
). Just wanted to say that he would be a good character for the show, but this will probably never happen.
I can only speak for myself but I would like to have some characters leave known alive that took part of this game. Not everyone has to die or be part of the story until the end. I like the idea that the last Branfield is known alive, maybe their name doesnt have to get lost.
About Elaena and Gwyn I almost agree with you. But Eleanas child would be born "determinant" since this scene at the end is determinant as well. And if Rodrik dies this child will be a bastard and therefore no true Forrester, so he/she will be born double-determinant. I dont think they will put some much effort in a possible child, but I like the idea.
Yeah Ironrath could be destroyed or at least abandoned. Cause there is also the problem of food, they dont have enough and maybe they have live in the grove and hunt animals or something like that. That would also explain why they are described "clan" in the books. I hope the maester stays with them, now that hes innocent I can say he is a nice guy who saved Rodriks life and Gareds leg and even let one of the Whitehills fester one of his wounds^^.
Unlikely.
Resurrection is used very sparingly in GoT, especially the show. So far the only person to actually come back from the dead in the show is Beric Dondarrion, and given the changes that the show runners ended up making to that storyline, it seems like something they might have regretted including.
I think it's more likely that something is hidden in the North Grove, something that will be very helpful to the Forresters, but would also be either helpful or valuable to anyone. If it's only helpful to the Forresters it doesn't make sense for the wildlings to look for it, or have a legend about it, why seek out a place that's only going to benefit a lord you don't know? And the fact that Talia's necklace is the key to the map to the grove indicates that a Forrester went to the North Grove and either hid or found something there and created the map to get back there. The fact that the map is coded and requires a key also indicates that they don't want anyone else finding it. It doesn't make sense that it's a resurrection point, if it was the Forresters would make it easy to find, not difficult. It would just be a normal map, not a coded one.
I don't even know if the Telltale Staff know what they plan to put in the grove though. It doesn't seem like it'll be at all helpful this season.
I think the opposite of you on some of the points. IF the grove could be used to resurrect people, then I would want to keep that as secret as possible and definitely make it challenging to find. The map is secret, and the only people who have a code to it are Forresters by birth. The wildlings on the whole, though, don't look for it. Only a few have even heard of it and have a vague idea of where it is. It's possible that some wildlings stumbled on it, but amongst them it is a legend.
I don't think it's likely that Gared will find something which will allow the dead brother to be reborn, but I wish it were!
Why?
If it's a magic grove that steals the lifeforce from whoever enters to give to dead Forresters, like the OP suggests, wouldn't you want every nameless wildling just stumbling in there, dying and giving you more 1-ups?
Oops. I forgot about the part where dead non-Forresters' lives are somehow used to replace Forrester lifeforce.