Sansa Stark's marriage to Roose Bolton's psychopathic son, Ramsay is brokered by Lord Baelish in Game of Thrones season 5. Although extremely reluctant at first, Sansa is told marrying a Bolton is the way to avenge her family. "There's no justice in the world, not unless we make it," says Baelish hoping Sansa comes around to the plan.
Sansa protests as Roose not only collaborated with Walder Frey on the Red Wedding massacre but personally drove a dagger into Robb Stark's heart. When Sansa finally agrees, she rides to Winterfell with Baelish, hoping her marriage to Ramsay provides her with the perfect opportunity to reinstate the Starks.
Sansa's marriage takes place in Game of Thrones season 5, episode 6 "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken," and Ramsay turns out to be just as cruel, sadistic, and dishonorable as his father. The marriage is a ploy to gain Sansa Stark's name and to consolidate Boltons' position in the North. Ramsay does what he knows best - he enjoys inflicting pain on Sansa. Finally, in Game of Thrones season 5, episode 10 "Mother's Mercy," Ned's Stark's ward, who also underwent extreme torture at Ramsay's hands - Theon Greyjoy helps Sansa escape from Winterfell. With the North in shambles, the battle of good and evil breaks out. Ramsay is keen on consolidating his position as the new Lord of Winterfell and Sansa is set on taking back her home.
Prelude to Battle
With Ramsay focused on dealing with Stannis' threat, Sansa and Theon find the perfect opportunity to escape in Game of Thrones' "Mother's Mercy." While Ramsay has his men and hounds searching for the duo, Brienne of Tarth, and Podrick Payne come to their rescue. Roose meanwhile fears a reckoning will come because he rebelled against the crown to arrange Ramsay's marriage to Sansa. "We need the North to face it. The entire North. They won't back us without Sansa Stark. We no longer have Sansa Stark. You played your games with her. You played your games with the heir to the Iron Islands, and now they're both gone," he chides Ramsay.
Ramsay knows Sansa is headed to see her half-brother, Jon Snow at Castle Black. When Lord Karstark says the Bolton hold on the North will never be established as long as there exists a Stark, Ramsay impulsively suggests they murder the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Jon, but Roose tells him off. Ramsay then proceeds to kill his father to eliminate the risk of being supplanted by his newborn brother/ Roose's legitimate heir. He has the Maester send ravens to the Northern houses informing them Roose was poisoned by their enemies. He also feeds Lady Walda and her baby boy to his hounds. Theon, meanwhile, heads home to the Iron Islands, and in Game of Thrones season 6, episode 4 "Book of the Stranger," Sansa reunites with Jon who has already declared the end of his watch.
Sansa apologizes to Jon for being awful to him in the past, and when forgiven, she speaks of taking back Winterfell. The only thing that catapults Jon into action is the realization that if they don't take back the North, they will never be safe. Jon reads Ramsay's letter out loud that says the Boltons have Rickon Stark. The letter also threatens to kill Jon and every Wildling at Castle Black if he fails to return Sansa. Finally, Jon, Sansa, and the Wildling, Tormund Giantsbane discuss numbers. Sansa says Ramsay has five thousand men while Tormund says he can gather an army of two thousand Wildlings. Sansa then suggests they ask the Northern families for their support and Jon agrees in Game of Thrones' "Book of the Stranger."
Sansa And Jon Ask For Help
Ramsay relies on the two Northern Houses - the Umbers and the Karstarks. Ironically, both these Houses used to be fiercely loyal to House Stark. House Umber stood behind House Stark for thousands of years and the Karstarks share blood with Starks. Smalljon Umber travels to Winterfell in Game of Thrones season 6, episode 3 "Oathbreaker" to ally with the Boltons. He expresses disapproval of Jon Snow's decision to let the Wildlings past the Wall. Because the Umbers are the Northernmost house, Smalljon has his reservations. He states that Jon and his Wildlings will likely take Winterfell. In the end, he hands over Ned's youngest, Rickon, his Direwolf, Shaggydog's head, and Osha the Wildling to Ramsay as a show of support.
Sansa tells Jon and Ser Davos that her great-uncle, Brynden Tully aka the Blackfish has reassembled the Tully army and retaken Riverrun but lies about how she acquired that information. "Ramsay received a raven before I escaped Winterfell," she tells Jon when in reality it was Lord Baelish who updated her during their meeting in Mole's Town. She commands Brienne to ride for Riverrun to ask the Blackfish to back them against the Boltons. Jon and Sansa set out in Game of Thrones season 6, episode 5 "The Door" to ask the Northern families for their support.
In Game of Thrones season 6, episode 7 "The Broken Man," Jon, Tormund, and Davos also visit the Wildling chieftains. Jon warns them about the impending Bolton, Karstark, and Umber threat, and finally, Wun Wun the giant responds to his call. While Jon has the support of House Mormont, Lord Glover refuses. Two thousand Wildlings, two hundred Hornwoods, one hundred and forty-three Mazins, and sixty-two Mormonts make up Jon's army. Knowing full well that they need more men, Sansa writes to Baelish who commands Knights of the Vale. A reckoning comes for the Boltons in Game of Thrones season 6, episode 9 "Battle of the Bastards" from the very person who was raised as "the Bastard of Winterfell."
The Battle Itself
Game of Thrones dedicates season 6, episode 9 to the face-off between Jon and Ramsay's armies. Before the battle, the two contingents meet outside Winterfell where Ramsay asks Jon to kneel, but the latter suggests a one-on-one instead. Ramsay claims he has six thousand men, and mocks Jon for lacking those numbers. The next morning, Jon's army assembles across the battlefield, and Ramsay intends to do nothing but play games. He leads Rickon to the front of the lines, cuts his binds, and asks him to run to his brother. While Rickon does as he's told, Ramsay begins to shoot arrows at him. At that moment, Jon mounts his horse and races toward his brother. He misses and Ramsay's arrow gets Rickon.
Angry and vengeful, Jon charges at the Bolton army, and Davos tells his men to prepare to charge. The Bolton archers nock, draw and loose and the Stark troops follow their commander into battle. Jon falls, and Karstark yells at his cavalry to charge. Jon draws his sword, and a battle ensues, with Ser Davos and archers watching helplessly in the background. The Boltons let loose a volley of arrows, but Jon ducks and kills as many men as possible. Corpses pile up giving the illusion of a small mountain, horses fall, and Ser Davos leads the remaining Stark forces into battle. Ramsay commands Smalljon to enter the battle. Forces with tall shields and spears create half a circle around Jon Snow and his men, whereas the other half of the circle is completed by corpses.
The Bolton formation stabs the Stark soldiers and Smalljon and his men descend into the circle to slaughter the rest. Wun Wun tries to bring down as many shield bearers as he can. Jon is trampled and Smalljon headbutts Tormund repeatedly. Ramsay witnesses the whole scene and just when Jon's side appears to have lost, Littlefinger and Sansa arrive with Knights of the Vale. They cut across the Bolton formation and take care of the rest for the Starks. Shocked, Ramsay and Howland Quinn flee to Winterfell, and Jon, and his closest aides run after them. Wun Wun manages to break down the castle's gate but falls down due to injuries from a volley of arrows. Ramsay kills the last of the giants by hitting him in the eye and then suggests he and Jon fight one on one. Jon beats Ramsay bloody and stops only when he sees Sansa. The Stark banner goes up in the said Game of Thrones episode and Jon instructs his men to bury Rickon in the crypt next to Ned. Sansa bids Ramsay farewell by feeding his mangled body to his loyal hounds down at the kennels. Jon Snow wins the Battle of the Bastards and avenges House Stark.