The title to Season 6 Episode 3 implies that someone’s oath will be shattered. Most people will probably think of Brienne of Tarth and/or Jamie Lannister immediately. In the case of Brienne, that is due to her naming of her sword Oathkeeper. However, as with most Game of Thrones episodes, the title attempts to encompass more storylines than just a single character or situation. So what can Oathbreaker mean?
My first thought was in examining the preview where a mysterious man seems to be speaking with Ramsay Bolton, stating that he has a gift for him. If things line up, logically speaking the potential gift, indeed this person is speaking with Ramsay Bolton, is none other than the long lost Rickon Stark. The last we saw of Rickon, he was with Osha and the pair along with Shaggy Dog were heading to the Last Hearth, home of the Umber family. The preview showed Umber banners and the person supposedly speaking with Ramsay was an Umber. If that’s the case, it’s quite possible that the Umbers and/or Osha decided to betray the Starks and gain favor with the new Warden of the North in handing him over. For that, the Umbers and Osha would be considered Oathbreakers in betraying the Starks.
In addition, we see Theon/Reek in Episode 2 leaving Sansa Stark. The only clue we have in terms of where he will go next is “home.” But what is home for Theon Greyjoy? Is it the Iron Islands where his father essentially cast him out and he denied help from his sister Yara? Or is it Winterfell where he admitted to Ramsay he felt was his true home? If he heads towards Winterfell, what would be his purpose?
We could look to some clues in the books as to his character arc at the moment. In the books, he rescues Jeyne Poole from captivity similar to how he sneaks Sansa Stark out. As the pair escape in the books, Theon encounters his sister Asha where she (along with one of the Iron Bankers) are shocked to discover his condition. As Yara in the show is currently dealing with the aftermath of their father’s demise, it’s unknown whether the siblings will reconcile at this stage or if Yara will split from her character in the books. If she continues her character arc in the book, then she might find the lone Theon heading back to the Iron Islands.
Yet if Theon decides to return to Winterfell, we have to ask what his motivation is. Will he attempt to gain revenge against Ramsay for the torment he was given? Or will Theon revert to the Reek persona where he decides to gain favor with Ramsay? It’s hard to say what truly is going on in Theon’s head as the book suggest that he’s barely sane and that only when Bran contacts him in A Dance with Dragons does he recall whom he is. We never experience that moment in the TV show so it’s impossible to gauge if he’s trustworthy. The only thing we can tell about Theon is that he seems sincere in his desire not to desire forgiveness. That can mean anything from attempting to manipulate Sansa’s trust to his single minded purpose of getting revenge at the cost of his life against the nefarious Ramsay.
But let’s say that the truth is somewhere in the middle of those two scenarios. Perhaps, he might make his own play against Ramsay where he outwardly seems to betray Sansa in order to get close to Ramsay to kill him. In that situation, Theon might seem like an Oathbreaker.
Another Oathbreaker could be Jon Snow. As he was murdered by traitorous brothers in the Night’s Watch, he no longer is technically bound to the sacred vow. According to a few interviews that I’ve read, Kit Harrington reveals that Jon Snow in being revived learns about death and now fears it. Jon Snow realizes what life is about but also never wants to be revived should he be slain once again. So that realization will probably call into question all the vows he made with the Night’s Watch and force him to re-examine the whole picture of his place as a Stark (even if he’s a bastard), the perceived powerful enemy in the White Walkers and himself as a human to where his macho, alpha male persona dissipates in favor of someone wiser, who is prudent and values life not just for himself but everyone.
As a result, once he learns what has happened to his half sister, Sansa and possibly Rickon (if the Umbers betray the Starks), he will probably help Sansa in rallying the North to defeat Ramsay Bolton as Ramsay’s psychotic nature will make him not see the overall picture of the White Walker invasion. Only by removing Ramsay as a threat can Jon Snow along with Sansa and his family gather enough forces to hopefully defeat the White Walker invasion.
Going back to Jamie Lannister, it’s very probable that he will break his oaths as a King’s Guard. With the threat of the Faith Militant/Sparrows on the horizon and his family in danger, Jamie must go beyond his vows to protect King Tommen and his sister.
Lastly, we could even point out Brienne and maybe Podrick as possible oathbreakers. There is a shot in the teaser where Podrick is seen at the Lannister army getting captured. Perhaps, Brienne forces him to break his own oath in serving her to perform some mission for her while Brienne escorts Sansa to Castle Black. In the books, Brienne is called an oathbreaker by Lady Stoneheart as she was unable to deliver Sansa back. Perhaps, that discussion comes up between the pair which makes Sansa lose faith in Brienne as that move essentially caused the downfall of her family. In some ways, that might pick up pieces of the Lady Stoneheart story where many book/tv show fans have hypothesized how Sansa will become a version of Lady Stoneheart in gaining revenge against those who wronged the Stark family. Maybe once Brienne delivers Sansa to Jon Snow/Castle Black, Sansa may order Brienne to find Jamie Lannister, especially with potential chaos in the Riverlands where Jamie acts as a peacekeeper. That would put the Brienne/Jamie Lannister storyline back in line with the books as well as fulfill some of the oathbreaker themes.