The episode opens with some Lannister soldiers guarding camp, debating the best fighter in Westeros and trying to spook each other. When they are mocking each other, a Wolf appears, apparently leading Robb's army.
The scene then pans to the next day and the Northman clearing the field. Roose Bolton displays his try colors, criticizing Robb for being soft (not killing prisoners, not being willing to flay them). Robb says he will not give the Lannister an excuse to abuse his sisters.
We meet Talisa on the battlefield as Robb helps her with an amputation. Roose asks shouldn't she be helping their men but she doesn't buy it. Robb and Talisa debate war. She criticizes his lack of a long-term plan.
Joffrey points a crossbow at Sansa as Lancel tells of the “Sorcery” of Robb Stark beating the Lannister army. Joffrey has Meryn beat Sansa, but says to leave her face pretty. He then has him tear her dress, at which point Tyrion comes in and stops it all. He asks someone to cover her and the Hound drapes her in his cloak. Joffrey says he can do what he wants because he's King and Tyrion points out the Mad King did what he wanted. Tyrion gives Sansa his hand and leads her out.
After Bronn and Tyrion discuss Joffrey. Tyrion sends him a couple whores who he then forces one to beat the other.
Renly meets with Littlefinger who tells him he still has friends at court. Renly sees Littlefinger trying to hedge his bets (to keep his position and head, should Renly win). Littlefinger suggests the gate might be open for him. Margaery walks Littlefinger to his tent and he asks some pointed questions about her marriage but she holds her own.
A Rider returns across the Red Waste and tells Dany she will be received in Qarth.
Arya and her fellow captives arrive at Harrenhal with its dragon-melted towers. The prisoners are being tortured for information that most of them don't have. Even if they do give information, they always die. They're kept in a muddy cage to be rained on. From her mud puddle, Arya mutters her name prayer.
Littlefinger comes to Cat who is furious with him over his betrayal. He offers Sansa and Arya for Jaime and has Ned's bones brought in as a sign of Tyrion's good faith. The Mountain picks people to be tortured. Hot Pie is staring at him because a man says that is how he has avoided being picked. When the man is picked, Hot Pie pisses himself. The torturers strap a bucket with a rat to his belly, then heat it to get their answers. Arya adds The Mountain and Polliver to her prayer.
Catelyn goes with Renly to his parlay with Stannis. Renly asks about Stannis's sigil and is relieved Stannis's newfound religiosity seems to be because the Red Priestess is hot. The two spar verbally, though the show drops Renly's peach (which taunts Stannis) and Stannis's FABULOUS line (see analysis below). Stannis tells Renly he has the night to reconsider—join him, be his heir, but otherwise he will destroy Renly.
Dany and company arrive at Qarth. The thirteen greet them. Dany won't show her dragons until they are allowed in and fed, but the thirteen refuse and walk away. Dany rages and blows smoke. Xaro Xoran Xaxos (or something like that) steps forward and invokes Sumai. He bleeds for her and allows her in. It looks pretty.
Gendry is picked by the torturers. AA rat is strapped on, and Tywin arrives. He scolds them for wasting people, asking Gendry if he has a trade. Gendry says he's a smith. Tywin also spots Arya as a girl and says she will be his cup bearer.
Lancel comes to Tyrion with a warrant to have Pycelle released. Tyrion questions Lancel about being at Cersei's beck and call at all hours of the night and how he thinks Joffrey would feel that Lancel had made his way to Cersei's bed. Lancel panics and Tyrion says he will keep Lancel's secret so long as Lancel spies on Cersei for him.
FIRST “FEWER” SITING: Davos talks to Stannis who asks about his finger bones. Davos says he has four less fingernails to clean, to which Stannis replies “Fewer”. *snerk* Stannis doesn't believe the bad washes away the good or vice versa. He says he wants Davos to play the smuggler. Davos argues there are cleaner ways but Stannis says cleaner ways don't win wars. Davos and Melisandre debate good and evil. She thinks if part of an onion is rotten, it is a rotten onion. (see note below in discussion). Davos notes how strange it is that the Lord of Light works in shadows but Mel insists shadows can't exist without light. They go into the cave and pull the boat to shore. Mel then bares herself and births a shadow demon. (yeah, right—she's good).
Places and Faces
The Horror that is Harrenhal: The Mountain, The Tickler
Notable Quotes
Talisa” Your men are not my men.
Tyrion: The next time Ser Meryn speaks, kill him. That was a threat. See the difference?
Catelyn: If you were sons of min I'd knock your heads together and stick you in a bed chamber until you remembered that you were brothers.
Missing, but in the books:
Renly: Margaery came to me a maid (or something like that)
Stannis: She's like to die a maid in your bed.
Sam, at one point in the book cuts off the rotten part of an onion and takes a bite. Providing Melisandre's view is missing some subtlety.
Analysis
The pace is finally hitting its stride. Having watched this, I am THRILLED to be reaching the episodes with Arya and Tywin, and I love how competent Tyrion is at “the game”. I also love this episode for its true WTF ending—the birth of that shadow baby is HOLY COW WHAT THE HELL AM I WATCHING freaky. Overall a great episode.
No comments:
Post a Comment