Board Thread:TV Show Discussion/@comment-4708902-20160915194638

House Bolton is gone, but the fates of Houses Umber and Karstark remain unclear. There are three potential fated both houses could face.

1. Extinction, any surviving members are executed by Jon for their treason

2. Exile, if there are any remaining Umbers and Karstarks and they are still pro-bolton, they are stripped of Last Hearth and Karhold and banished to Essos

3. Last Umber and Karhold are given to one of Smalljon's sisters and Alys Karstark.

If I could have my way, I'd go with option 3. We don't know if Smalljon's sisters share his loyalty or if any of them are married, and Alys Karstark is a major character in the books and the last pro-Stark Karstark. She is actually the person in the books who travels to Castle Black to try and get jon to fight against House Bolton instead of Sansa.

I imagine the scene where Jon makes the decision would go like this, at first he considers killing Harold Karstark for treason, but remembers Davos's warning of Rob executing Harald's father. Jon vows not to repeat Rob's mistake and instead either had Harald imprisoned, or exiled. He then summons one of Smalljon's sisters and Alys to Winterfell to find out if they share their brothers loyalty. He learns they don't and grants them Last Hearth and Karhold.

This would show great character development for Jon prior to him learning of his parentage as it shows him learning that there are other options instead of death(I also think there needs to be at least one scene where he admits regret in having Olly killed as he had a pretty good reason for hting the Free Folk and Jon was feeling too angry at the time to think clearly), and shows that now that the North is independent, they stary following different laws and customs by granting the women of noble the inheritence that would normally pass to their brothers.

The final reason why the third option is in my opinion the best choice, is because it will preserve Northern infrastructure. Wiping out the Umbers and Karstarks would mean that two new houses would need to be founded to replace them, and there's no time for that with the White Walkers comming and Bran likely comming home. But with Alys and one of Smalljon's sisters becomming ruling ladies, House Stark regains the loyalty of two powerful noble houses and will have more men for the final battle. 