The Rewatch Project: Season 3, Episode 9

Synopsis

Robb asks Catelyn's opinion on his plan. She is skeptical at first, but then agrees. The northern troops arrive at the Twins and are served bread and salt in greeting. Robb makes his apologies to Lord Walder's daughters and granddaughters. Walder calls Talisa up to look at her and says some very forward, bordering on rude, things. Robb bristles but holds his tongue. Frey says Robb's nobles can stay inside and there will be tents outside for the rest.

Daario shows Dany his suggested plan—a back gate. He will lead Dany's two best through to fight through and open the gates to the rest of Dany's troops. Jorah expects betrayal but asks Grey Worm's opinion. Grey Worm trusts him. Barristand wants to go but Jorah says as Queen's Guard his place is by the Queen.

Sam prattles about the castles and a sally port at the Nightfort that should let them through. Gilly is amazed he could learn all that from marks on paper and she says he's like a wizard. They look on the wall.

The Hound helps a pig farmer fix his cart, then knocks him out. Arya stops the Hound from killing him. She taunts him about being “so hard—killing children and old people”. She convinces him to let the man live. When the man comes to, Arya hits him with a rock to knock him out again and they take the cart.

Bran and company reach a small village, discussing why it's empty. Jojen senses a storm so they decide to stay in the tower.

The Wildlings spot a man and horses and intend to rob him. Jon insists on not killing him. The Wildlings keep arguing that it's necessary. They surround him but Jon clanks his sword to warn the man to run.

Arya looks across the river at the Twins. They have a philosophical conversation about fear: being almost there and fearing she won't make it. She comes back with his fear of fire. She knows why.

The thunder is rolling outside the tower as Bran and company discuss getting past the wall. Osha took a boat through Bay of Seals. Hodor freaks as they discuss their options. Meera spots the rider (the horseman Jon's Wildlings are chasing). Hodor freaks loudly. Bran has to possess him to shut him up. Orell has heard but no one else. Bran quiets Hodor and nobody believes Orell. Orell insists Jon should kill the horseman to prove he's one of them. In the tower Jojen tells Bran to go into Summer to see what's going on below. Bran insists he doesn't know how but then he manages it. Jon hesitates so Ygritte kills the horseman with an arrow. Orell accuses him of being a crow and a fight breaks out. The wolves join in. Jon kills Orell and his eagle attacks Jon. Jon runs for a horse and takes off. Ygritte looks livid.

Daario will whistle for Grey Worm and Jorah. He does. They go in and it looks pretty clear until a bunch more guards attack. They have a big fight on their hands.

The people wrestle outside the Twins in fun as Walder walks his daughter up the aisle, veiled. When he removes the veil it turns out she's very beautiful and Edmure is stunned. He cloaks the bride and they say the words.

Bran tells the others Jon was there. Osha says that means Jon will be back at Castle Black but Bran insists he has to go north. Osha won't go and Bran says that's fine. It won't be safe for Rickon. She should take him to the Last Hearth. Osha and Rickon leave right off. Safer in the darkness. Osha tells Meera to keep Bran safe.

Dany is nervous, waiting. Jorah and Grey Worm come back to Dany confirming success. She asks after Daario and he comes in with the Harpy Flag and tells her the city is hers.

The Wedding Feast is underway. Edmure eats out of Roslyn's hands and music and laughter occur... The Blackfish goes out to take a piss. Robb and Talisa bander as Lord Frey calls for the bedding. Men come up to carry Roslyn off and a flock of women herds Edmure. Talisa finds the whole thing baffling. Robb talks of it as proof the marriage was consummated, but she runs her belly reminding him there is other proof. She suggests if it is a son they should name him Eddard.

The music stops and the doors are barred, then the Raynes of Castermere begins to play. Grey Wind cries. The Hound and Arya arrive but are turned back. As the Hound argues, Arya disappears. Catelyn looks around in concern then Walder calls for his grace and says he has been remiss: he hasn't given his new queen a gift. Talisa is stabbed in the belly. Arrows rain down. Arya makes her way in, sees the northmen slaughtered. She hears Grey Wind, but then they come shoot him with bolts. The Hound tells her it is too late and knocks her out. Robb makes his way to Talisa. Catelyn grabs Walder's wife and begs that Frey let Robb live. She offers herself as a hostage. Roose steps forward to Robb and says “The Lannisters send their regards” and then stabs him, so Cat cuts Lady Frey's throat, her own is cut from behind.


Notable Quotes 

Catelyn (about Robb's plan to attack Casterly Rock): Show them how it feels to lose what they love. 

The Hound: Go on. Run. You might make it. They're just over the river. It's the closest you've been to family since Illyn Payne snipped your daddy's head off. 
Arya: Some day I'm going to put a sword through your eye and out the back of your skull. 

The Blackfish (about Edmure and his pretty wife): The Gods love to reward a fool. 

Book versus Show 

The tower Bran and company stay in in the book is actually in the middle of a small lake. They use a “causeway” which is an underwater, impossible to see bridge—you have to know it's there to even look for it. It makes the tower a very safe place—much safer than it looks in the show.

Also in the books... Jeyne Westerling (Robb's Wife) does not go to the Red Wedding. Catelyn thinks it better to not rub her in the face of Walder's daughters, so she lives. Though it is also not established she is pregnant and in fact there are some hints her mother has been giving her moon tea to avoid that. (there is also a theory she may in fact BE pregnant and the Westerlings switched girls, but that is deep into fan speculation). In any case, what she is NOT is dead Talisa.


Review 

There is a lot of amazing stuff this episode but let me just start with how impressed I was with Little Art Parkinson when Rickon and Osha are leaving Bran and the Reeds. Child actors can be hit and miss and this kid is only 8 or 9—he did SO WELL.

This episode was huge. From Arya's devastation, to Dany's big win, Bran warging Hodor, Jon escaping the Wildlings... but the Red Wedding of course steals the show. Three big characters—two MAIN characters, dead. Walder Frey has broken Guest Rites, which in the book is a HUGE deal. Through all the rest of the thus far published books Frey becomes synonymous with lack of honor. This harkens back (forward) to a story Bran will tell in the next episode about the Rat King, but I will include that text in full when I do that review.

Of interest is the people who managed to NOT get killed... Edmure and his wife had already been shuttled off for the bedding... The Blackfish had gone out for a piss... The Great Jon, in the books has gone out, I believe.