YMMV / Our Blades Are Sharp

• Alternative Character Interpretation: Is Ramsay's mother's death an Alas, Poor Villain moment or a Karmic Death since her son decided she was expendable to his plan?
• Angst? What Angst?: Domeric gets over hearing about Ramsay's true nature pretty quickly. It might have to do with Roose's statement that Ramsay was going to take Sansa for himself.
• Anti-Climax Boss: Ramsay Snow is built up to be a major antagonist for Domeric’s return to the North, only to be unceremoniously captured and brutally tortured.
• Funny Moments:
  • Theon and Robb reenacting the historical fight for Bear Island... by mudwrestling on the court's ground. Ned Stark himself burst out laughing when Robb sheepishly confessed why they were busy fighting.
  • All hail Joffrey, Prince on the Privy! Also a very sneaky reminder that Domeric can be an utter troll if he wants, since it's implied he slipped a laxative in Joffrey's drink.
  • Thoros of Myr grimly says he saw Jon's face in the flames... then bursts out laughing and confesses he seduces girls by telling them the same thing.
  • While discussing the possibility of what they'd name their children, Domeric notes Mychel Redfort, who he fostered with in the Vale, once made him promise to name a son after him. Sansa dismisses this though, not caring much for the name Mychel Bolton.
• Harsher in Hindsight: Domeric slipping Joffrey something that induces a "sickness of the stomach." Considering Joffrey's fate in the books and show and Domeric's own absence in the books (he was Adapted Out of the show)...
• Heartwarming in Hindsight: Domeric and Sansa's relationship is off to a pretty good start, considering how her marriage to Ramsay went in Game of Thrones.
• Heartwarming Moments:
  • Sansa and Domeric's entire relationship is this. They slowly fall in love with each other, and Ned Stark decides to give his blessing to the match because he can see they would be happy together.
  • Sansa decides to be more friendly with Arya after growing closer with Domeric. Arya really appreciates the sentiment.
  • On the subject of family, any trueborn Stark kid considers Jon as a brother. Robb is outright dismayed to see him leave for the Wall, Bran and Rickon immediately cheer up when he comes back at Winterfell, Sansa is horrified at the idea to leave him at the (unexistent) mercy of the Lannisters, and Arya considers Needle - his parting gift to her - her most prized possession. Veers into Tear Jerker when Jon learns he's actually Lyanna's son and as such, has no siblings but only cousins.
  • Tyrion is very empathic towards Jon, pointing he won't be his worse travel companion. He also consoles Robb over Jon's decision to travel the Seven Kingdoms instead of coming home at Winterfell, saying it doesn't mean Jon wants to distance himself from his siblings: why, he almost talked Tyrion's ear off about them - most especially Robb and Arya.
  • When the Mormont girls start to badmouth the Ironborns, Arya finds herself defending Theon while thinking he will endlessly tease her if he ever learn it. It reads very much as a girl reflecting about her annoying big brother.
  • Roose Bolton expressing pride in Domeric's accomplishments as the Dread Knight, assuring him he would be a fine successor for the Dreadfort.
  • Myrcella giving Kevan her favor, and sincerely thanking him for all he has done for her.
• He's Just Hiding: Most readers do not believe Roose Bolton when he says Ramsay Snow is dead. Well, he isn't dead, but he's in a really bad place right now.
• Moment of Awesome: Domeric beating Loras Tyrell in the final joust at the tourney of the Hand.
  • Jon slaying the Mountain, who had just mortally wounded Thoros and Lord Beric.
  • Myrcella's epic Calling the Old Man Out speech to Cersei and Jamie. She inwardly notes that in that moment, she truly feels like a Baratheon.
• Moral Event Horizon: Ramsay Snow crosses it when he murders his mother as part of his plan for the Dreadfort. It's acknowledged as such in-universe since his father Roose Bolton decides to have Ramsay removed as a factor entirely.
• Nausea Fuel: In Chapter 28, Joffrey is so ill, he's having stuff (vomit and poop) coming out of both ends.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • Ramsay Snow. Instead of being Roose Bolton's heir, he is a sort of boogeyman around the Weeping Water and Lonely Hills, where he and his Bastard Boys make Rape, Pillage, and Burn-type raids on the surrounding countryside with impunity, because of his bastard blood. Imagine a Serial Killer/Serial Rapist tearing through your town and you can't do anything because of his lineage.
  • Domeric Bolton is very much House Bolton's Token Good Teammate, but he's still a Bolton. Seeing him coldly killing a female wildling begging for mercy and fantasizing about flaying Joffrey alive (even though it's Joffrey) if the Prince tries to steal Sansa from him is quite jarring.
  • Domeric talking about his desire to meet Ramsay and having with him a relationship as strong as Robb and Jon's is already cringe-worthy, but when Robard's point-of-view chapters show how much Ramsay wants to kill his trueborn half-brother you just want to scream at Domeric to stay the fuck away from the Axe-Crazy Serial Killer who's after your inheritance.
  • Joffrey is an in-universe example, since Tommen has nightmares of Joffrey throwing him in the Black Cells.
  • When Bitter Robard was first placed into Roose Bolton's service, he was given a tour of the Dreadfort. The last room shows a man who has been flayed. The smell is bad enough, but then the man stirs and moans. It's going to be a very long night...
  • Ramsay's fate: nailed to a flaying cross, deprived of his tongue. And his penis is next...
  • Domeric comes upon a homestead that was raided by the Brave Companions, who left behind the bodies of two young boys who were raped by Septon Utt.
• Tear Jerker:
  • Robb's conversation with Bran after he awoke. For any older sibling, hearing that you can't help your younger sibling is very hard to hear.
  Robb: How can I help?
  Bran: You can't. You can't help me, Robb.
  Robb: I can... I have to. [blinking back tears] I'm your older brother.
  Robb had made little progress with Bran. He was supposed to be able to protect and care for his younger brothers and sisters, and the fact that he couldn't get Bran to smile was disheartening.
  • Jon's thoughts after learning his true parentage from Ned. Everything he's known all his life is crashing around his ears.
  My family are ghosts.
  • King Robert's last goodbye to Myrcella is genuinely moving.
  "Be strong, child. And smile. Your future is bright, you'll be happy in the North. One last request from a selfish man: forgive me for the man I was, and remember me as a better man than I deserve any right to be."
  • Sam’s fate at the Wall since he never befriended Jon, lonely and bullied. When we first see him, he’s seriously contemplating suicide.