The Winter King's Gundleus: A Game of Thrones Villain Like You've Never Seen Before
Winter King's Gundleus: A Gripping Rivalry with Shades of Ramsay Bolton Brace yourself for a thrilling showdown as Gundleus, akin to GoT's notorious villain, sets the stage for an epic comeuppance that will leave you breathless
Summary
Gundleus in The Winter King is reminiscent of Ramsay Bolton from Game of Thrones - both villains take pleasure in their violent actions.
Gundleus carries out various actions in the show, such as impaling Derfel, committing infanticide, assassinating Queen Norwena, and attacking Nimue. Similar to Ramsay, the audience will have to anticipate Gundleus' deserved retribution, which will be rewarding if the show remains faithful to the books.
Content Warning: This article discusses sexual assault.
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for episodes 1-4 of season 1 of The Winter King! In the despicable character of Gundleus, The Winter King presents its own unique portrayal of a villain, akin to those in Game of Thrones. Drawing inspiration from Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles trilogy, The Winter King offers a more realistic interpretation of the King Arthur legend. Considering the numerous adaptations the story has seen, it is only logical for the MGM+ series to explore what occurs when Arthur undergoes a Game of Thrones-inspired transformation.
The Winter King experiences its own version of the infamous "Red Wedding" massacre as early as the second episode. The narrative revolves around the struggle to determine the rightful ruler, all while a mysterious and ominous presence (White Walkers in Game of Thrones and the Saxons in The Winter King) looms, posing a threat to the entire kingdom. Unlike Game of Thrones, however, Winter King offers a lesser number of characters and locations to keep track of, similar to the early seasons. Additionally, it adopts a more gradual storytelling style, punctuated by sporadic outbursts of intense violence.
Gundleus Is Winter King's Take On Ramsay Bolton
Drawing parallels with Game of Thrones, Gundleus (played by Simon Merrells) seems to be positioning himself as the Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon) of the show. Among the competition for the most despicable villain, Ramsay was undoubtedly a frontrunner. What set him apart was not just his acts of murder, torture, and sexual assault, but the undeniable enjoyment he derived from them. Unlike characters such as the Lannisters or the Night King, who had motives or some semblance of reasoning behind their violence, Ramsay often committed these atrocities purely for his own amusement.
The initial episodes of The Winter King effectively establish Gundleus as irredeemable. It is revealed that he was the one responsible for subjecting Derfel (portrayed by Stuart Campbell) to the so-called "death pit" in his younger years. Additionally, after pledging to safeguard baby Mordred upon the dying King Uther's (Eddie Marsan) request, Gundleus callously breaks his vow without hesitation. During the Avalon raid, he not only murders an infant he believes to be Mordred but also kills Queen Norwena (played by Grace Ackary), Uther's widow, and sexually assaults the priestess Nimue (portrayed by Ellie James).
Not only was Nimue's attack an attempt to strip her of her powers, which are said to rely on her celibacy as her connection to the Gods, but it was also a response to a previous insult she had inflicted upon him. This act was Gundleus's bid for the throne of Dumnonia, but Arthur's intervention ensured his failure. Regrettably, Arthur believes that Gundleus could be advantageous in establishing peace with other kingdoms and refuses to permit Nimue or anyone else to seek revenge by killing him.
Like Ramsay, Gundleus' Comeuppance Will Be Worth The Wait
Gundleus exhibits no remorse for his actions, taking a sadistic pleasure in the pain he inflicts, much like Ramsay. Although the fact that he currently possesses plot armor in season 1, following The Winter King book, may frustrate viewers, the long-awaited retribution will prove to be worth it. Assuming the adaptation remains faithful to Cornwell's narrative, Nimue will eventually apprehend Gundleus and subject him to a torturous demise so brutal that Derfel, in the subsequent novel, believes that "all of Britain" must have been able to hear his agonized screams. While Game of Thrones fans had to endure four seasons before Ramsay met his end, it is hoped that Gundleus' moment will arrive much sooner.
