Leave it to Queen Cersei to come out with a bright second of liveliness advice . You have no selection but to get it on your tyke , but you should roll in the hay as few other people as possible , if you want to be powerful and barren . Last night ’s Game of Thrones saw several characters dally with huge betrayals — and the option between freedom and obligation has never seemed quite so cloudy .
Spoilers in front …
Nobody wants to seem debile in the bloody , savage reality of Westeros . Least of all at a horrible time like the War of Five queen . The Hound would rather boast of the joyousness of slaughter than admit for a second that he feels a whisper of pity for Sansa Stark , or anyone else .
As Theon Greyjoy set it , in a nice counterpoint to Cersei ’s counselor-at-law , “ It ’s better to be cruel than weak . ”
Theon ’s hunt
The episode begins and ends with Theon ’s James Henry Leigh Hunt for the missing Stark boy , Bran and Rickon . Last week , Theon got seduced by Osha , the wildling woman , who then steal out of Winterfell with Bran , Rickon and Hodor . Now , Theon is so desperate to come out in command of the situation , he kicks the shit out of an underling who mentions that he was sleep with Osha . And Theon distinguish Maester Luwin that he ’ll do anything — anything at all — to keep off being viewed as a castrate and a gull by his own people for the rest of his life . Even brutalize two picayune boys .
While Theon is declare his willingness to cut through any line to keep the respect of his genuine family , Bran and Rickon are weighing a unlike set of obligations . They ’ve been track down for hour , without much food . Bran would n’t let them go to the kitchens before they fled , because he did n’t want the kitchen handmaiden beaten for avail them . And now they ’ve pass a farmhouse where Bran send two orphan boys a while back . Bran does n’t think they can adventure expect the people at the farmhouse for food or aid , because Theon will just torture them for data if he suspects anything . Bran would rather give up his freedom than jeopardize these masses who ’ve look up to him as their lord in Winterfell .
We ’re not certain how Bran ’s choice turn out , but Theon ’s helper ( and puppetmaster ) Dagmer Cleftjaw does receive some walnut tree shells at the farmhouse , indicating Bran ’s been there . And we do get to see how Theon ’s hunt turns out — back at Winterfell , at the end of the installment , he unveils the consistency of two young boy , burn beyond recognition .
That ’s sort of the motif of this episode : hoi polloi being willing to discard aside modest duty ( like Theon ’s bail bond with his former foster brother ) to salve the more important stuff and nonsense ( like Theon ’s believability with his boyfriend Ironborn . )
Jaime ’s relief valve
Speaking of which , Jaime Lannister establish a defining choice in this episode too . He run into the most honourable member of the Lannister kinsfolk , Ser Alton Lannister — and stamp out him .
We know Ser Alton is a deeply honourable man , because he even impresses King Robb , with his willingness to deliver a message to the King ’s Council and then bring their reception , delivering himself back into Robb ’s incarceration . Ser Alton gets locked up with Jaime , his removed first cousin , and carry on to gush all over him about the day he beat to be Jaime ’s squire at one of the Frey house ’s many wedding , long ago . It was the estimable day of Ser Alton ’s life , getting to be part of the glory of Ser Jaime ’s victory .
This is just one of many second in the sequence where two characters stick to or open their spirit to each other , flesh out theatrical role who do n’t get that much fleshing out in the books . ( And it ’s mostly superb poppycock , although it does make for one of the talkiest episodes of this season thus far , which may not be to everyone ’s gustatory modality . )
In any case , Jaime give back Ser Alton by telling him a standardized story about the time he got to be the squire for Ser Barristan Selmy — the member of the Kingsguard whom King Joffrey displace unceremoniously at the conclusion of time of year one . Ser Barristan was such a great artist of thrashing , it was a pleasure to watch him operate , even though Jaime was more of a liability than a assist to him . ( Ser Barristan was contend criminal , and one of them decided to take on the young Jaime directly , and obviously that was a miscalculation . )
Now that the two Lannisters have shared their affecting stories , Jaime murders Ser Alton as part of a scheme to get away his cage . Ser Alton is only a very distant member of the Lannister clan , and Jaime does n’t feel he owes the man much — and Jaime really , really does n’t take to captivity .
Jaime ’s escape attempt almost works , but he gets catch again — and he ’s about murder by Lord Rickard Karstark , whose family are distantly have-to doe with to the Starks . Jaime strangled Lord Rickard ’s son during his escape endeavour , and Lord Rickard want his head in quittance . Jaime ’s life is only pull through because Catelyn Stark herself steps up to forbid his writ of execution .
Catelyn still sees Jaime as a valuable captive , and after all she ’s been told by Littlefinger that the Lannisters will exchange her two daughters for him . But with the Karstarks and various other drunken fools clamoring for Jaime ’s top dog , he probably wo n’t subsist the dark . So Catelyn goes into Jaime ’s stockade with her correct - bridge player cleaning woman Brienne , and postulate for Brienne ’s sword . And then … we’re not sure what happen next .
Oh , and Cat has another debate about pureness and commitment with the Kingslayer — who basically say that you cuss so many vow in your biography , they ’re bound to come into struggle at some point . Like the oaths to serve up your business leader and obey your father . There ’s no pick but to pick and choose — sort of the way Jaime chose to sacrifice his first cousin , who does n’t matter as much as close tribe might .
You ca n’t honor all your assorted category members , and you ca n’t obey all your contradictory vows . There ’s just no point in try .
Robb Stark ’s mercy
The situation with Jaime only gets so far out of ascendance — and Jaime ’s life is only endanger — because King Robb is n’t there to keep a hat on things . He ’s off at the Crag , accepting the surrender of a small home , House Westerling . ( Robb delegates the all - important task of liberating Winterfell from Theon , but he goes to accept the fall of a minor house himself . priority . )
And he decides impulsively to take Lady Talisa , the aphrodisiacal alien nurse , with him , so she can pull together some aesculapian supplies from the Maester at the Crag . This is problematical for a couple intellect : First , he explicitly accept her argument that everybody ’s entitled to decent medical concern , both his own wounded and his foe ’s . And secondly , the longer he rides around with Talisa , the less credibleness he has with the Karstarks of the world .
This is partly because they mistrust anyone who seems to worry evenly about the wounded on both side . But also because everybody knows that King Robb is promised in man and wife to one of Lord Walder Frey ’s daughters — and that wedlock is vital to his strategic position . His pureness as well as his military footing calculate on not sleep with it up .
( But of course , even the saintly Ned Stark drive in around and fathered a bastard , as Jaime joyously reminds Cat . )
Jon ’s enticement
That asshole is meanwhile struggling with his own carnal enticement . Jon Snow wakes up next to his wildling prisoner , Ygritte , and they ’re both frozen smashed from the cold in the wilds beyond the Wall — and that ’s not the only thing that ’s stiff . Jon ’s apparently been pressing his “ bone ” against Ygritte ’s rear in his quietus , and she taunts him about it rather a lot .
Ygritte does her level good to seduce Jon — not just by offering him some spicy Wildling loving , but also by paint a mental picture of what it would be like if he foreswore his vow . He could be free , free to eat on and log Z’s when he felt like , and screw whoever he wanted , and he ’d no longer have to take order from the likes of Qhorin Halfhand or Lord Mormont . He could be like Mance Rayder , the former member of the Night ’s Watch who is now “ King Beyond the Wall ” and the elected loss leader of the Wildlings . ( GIF viaThat Wrinkles My Brain . )
In an episode where Jaime is willing to murder his own cousin-german to be free , Ygritte also paints a pretty nice motion picture of freedom .
And she keep needling Jon Snow where it suffer — not just in his long - deny lust , but also in his pridefulness . Jon Snow suppose he ’s better than Ygritte , and he feel hangdog for remember that , because enough people have throw him shit for thinking himself ranking . And if he ’s not really honest than her , what ’s keep him from joining her ?
It ’s all too much for the whoreson , who just wants to be a respectable Crow and give up sex and any signified of individuality for the good of the Night ’s spotter — and finally , Ygritte get him fluster enough that he drops his guard and she takes off running … leading Jon into an ambush , where he ’s dead surrounded by a twelve or so Wildlings . Who ’ve probably been able to chase after them by the odor of Jon Snow ’s vow of chastity slowly falling apart .
Sansa ’s florescence
Sansa Stark , meanwhile , is still a prisoner in King ’s Landing , a hostage of the Lannisters and also trapped by her betrothal to Good King Joffrey . Even so , Sansa is still free in one crucial way — as long as she ’s too young to bear children , she ’s free of the need to marry Joffrey and share his bed .
Until now , when Sansa has her first period , and becomes formally a woman . This happens at the worst possible clock time , when Sansa is having PTSD dream from her near - rape at the hands of the peasant uprising . She ’s already terrified , and this pushes her over the edge into transparent panic . She and her handmaiden Shae try in vain to cover the evidence , Shae even imperil to slit the throat of another handmaiden who wants to distinguish the Queen , but it ’s no use .
And that ’s when Cersei gives Sansa the number of advice quoted above , about loving as few people as possible . Sansa can sure as shooting seek to have intercourse King Joffrey , once he ’s her husband . But Joffrey ’s “ always been difficult , ” even when Cersei was founder birth to him . Cersei shares with Sansa a little glimpse of how frightful her own marriage to King Robert was : When Cersei was suffer through Joffrey ’s nascence , Robert was off hunting . ( At least she had her dear brother Jaime , who stayed with her in the birthing elbow room each time . )
So Cersei tells Sansa that she has no choice but to love her children , once she ’s a mother . But beyond that , loving anybody else will only make her watery , and stimulate her to do thing she cognise she should n’t . A openhanded part of exist in this human race is discern between alliance that matter , and bonds that can be sacrificed for major power or exemption .
Cersei ’s realisation
It ’s only hinted in the shot with Sansa , but later in the episode , Cersei makes it absolutely clear : She thinks Joffrey is insane , and there ’s no contain him any more . She share a surprisingly cordial second with her brother Tyrion , and the two of them seem to have reached a variety of détente , as she fink her awe that her incest with Jaime is to charge for her Logos ’s insaneness .
Tyrion , who ’s barely in this episode , is quite worried not just because the King is out of control and universally loathed . The late King Robert ’s buddy Stannis is four or five days ’ sail from King ’s landing place , with a fleet of 200 ships , and they do n’t have a good strategy for fighting him . Cersei tries gruelling to channel her father , promise to rain ardour on Stannis ’ human beings … but we ’ve already see how that strategy is likely to backfire ( literally . ) The fire will belike rain in both counseling , and King ’s landing place will be toast . Cersei does n’t have her father Tywin ’s gift for tactics .
If Tyrion has a good melodic theme for defending the metropolis , he does n’t share it with his sister — but he does sympathise with her about her mad son . And he notes that she beat the odds . Back when the Targaryens used to match blood brother and sister together , they had a fifty - fifty chance of producing insane tike — and only one out of Cersei ’s three fry is bonkers . Too bad it ’s the one who ’s actually sitting on the throne .
Arya ’s manners
Cersei ’s father Tywin , meanwhile , has a soft spot for his newfangled cupbearer , who he does n’t clear is Arya Stark , the sister of the man Tywin is war with . He ’s letting Arya getting off with being quite sassy towards him , and have long conversations about chronicle and the futility of trying to create a lasting legacy when other the great unwashed go and change the rule on you . He ’s opening up to her , giving us a fascinating window into the judgment of Tywin .
And he even compare Arya to Cersei , seeing in her some of the same steel he saw in his own daughter at that geezerhood . Arya father a gleam in her eye , talking about the sisters of King Aegon the Conqueror , who rode on dragons at Aegon ’s side and helped him pulverise the once - mighty castling that she and Tywin are place upright in , Harrenhal . Arya lets enough of her own guard down enough to reveal something of her aspiration of being a hero rather than a gentlewoman — and she forgets to talk like a real common man , something Tywin picks up on .
Arya is n’t that much like Cersei , though — because she hesitates to get her hands muddy . She has a knife in her hand and Tywin ’s reveal pharynx in her melodic line of sight , and he ’s lost enough in thinking that she might even get at him . But she hesitates , either out of fear or out of affection for the sometime guy wire … and then her luck slips off . She ’s only uncoerced to murder hoi polloi indirectly , via the agency of her assassin friend , Jaqen .
Tywin picture Arya just how ruthless you have to be if you need to get something done — he believe Jaqen ’s character assassination of Ser Amory Lorch was actually an attempt on his life , and he blames the Brotherhood Without Banners , an outlaw band . ( These are apparently the same felon the Tickler was hear to find out about , when he was doing the “ hot blabber ” torment a while back . ) So Tywin orders the Mountain to go out there and burn down some villages and torch some field , and generally make everybody suffer , until he gets a spark advance on the Brotherhood .
Because after all , it ’s sound to be cruel than weak .
Daenerys ’ trust issues
And finally , in an sequence overflowing with storylines , there ’s one more . Daenerys Targaryen , whose dragon were stolen last hebdomad , is having a heavy clock time knowing who to hope any more . Xaro Xoan Daxos swears that his award as her host depends on his catch her dragon back , and meanwhile Ser Jorah Mormont assert that he will do anything for her . But Daenerys is through with intrust mass , now that her trust has gotten most of her people killed .
And with good understanding . Because Crazy Mask Lady reminds Ser Jorah ( and us ) that he ’s already betrayed Daenerys once — when he gave information to King Robert ’s spies , and nearly got Daenerys poisoned in the unconscious process . He seems determined never to betray her again , because he roll in the hay her … but Crazy Mask Lady seems to guess Jorah ’s love is just as likely to make him be intimate up again .
And Xaro turns out to be even less trusty . We learn that Xaro made a deal with the bald thaumaturgist from the House of the Undying , hand over Daenerys ’ dragon in getting even for being made King of Qarth . His campaign platform comprise of open Qarth ’s borders and embracing new idea , plus the feeling that it ’s often the people at the margins ( like himself and the bald sorcerer ) who meander up being at the center of attention of outcome . The other swayer of Qarth , the Thirteen , are slaughtered , depart Daenerys obviously at the mercifulness of Xaro and his witching ally .
Daenerys attempts to flee , but it ’s not clear where she can run to . And meanwhile , the thaumaturgist keep inviting her to come join her dragons at the House of the Undying , where they can be together … forever . ( The way he phrases it , it does n’t sound as though she ’ll be animated , though . ) So it seems like Daenerys ’ trust issues will resolve themselves .
( To be reliable , of all the storylines in this episode ( and this season ) the Qarth storyline is seeming the most half - baked . We ’ve scarcely receive the people of Qarth , and now we ’ve already witnessed a coup , and it ’s laborious to get that invest in Xaro ’s outmaneuvering of the Spice King . I guess the master takeaway from that strand , though , is that Daenerys has wandered into an exotic urban center and there are sorcerers , and one of them has her dragons . Probably beneficial not to get too endue in the details of Qartheen political relation at this point . )
In any casing , as we already saw last week , the Mother of Dragons is nothing without her Dragon to give her that statute title . Because that ’s the flipside to Cersei ’s Law . Your child may make you do foolish thing out of erotic love — but they also give you your status and your personal identity .
Screencaps and GIFs viaWICnet on Tumblr
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