This week’s episode enters right where last left off, with Joffrey dead in the lap of Cersei. Cersei screams for Tyrion to be seized, and calls for Sansa to be found. Tywin orders the ports closed, no one is to leave the capital until they find her. Sansa flees with Dantos, who takes her by row boat through heavy mist to the ship of Lord Baelish (Little Finger). Little Finger then kills Dantos instead of paying him for helping Sansa escape. Sansa is distraught, but Baelish convinces her that he was not worth saving, and that she is now safe with him, and sailing home.
The Queen of Thorns confirms to Margaery that she is Queen, but not as firmly position as she would have been if Joffrey and she had consummated the wedding. Margaery laments her fortune in husbands, one that prefered the company of men, and the other that enjoyed torturing small animals. The Queen of Thorns replies, you did wonderful work on Joffrey, the next one should be much easier.
Cersei and one of her son Tommen sit before Joffrey’s body, Tywin tells Tommen that he will now become king. He instills in him what is required to be a good King, wisdom. They exit, and Jaime enters, joining Cersei. She asks Jaime to avenger their son, by killing Tyrion. He says that he is their Brother, he will stand trial, where the truth will come out. She begs him to kill him for her. They begin to kiss, Cersei pushes Jaime away, and he says she is a hateful woman. He then grabs her by the hair and kisses her again, she begs him to stop, but he forces himself on her as she says it’s not right over and over.
The Hound and Arya are approached by a farmer and his daughter who questions them. Arya makes up a story, saying The Hound is her Father. They offer them food and shelter for the night. The farmer asks them to stay on, to protect them against raiders and help with farm work. The Hound agrees, fair wages for fair work. Arya wakes the next morning to a scream, The Hound has taken the Farmer’s silver. Arya is angry that he paid back their kindness by stealing from them.
At The Night’s Watch, Samwell worries about Gilly being the only girl among a hundred men, wanting to protect her and her baby. He tells her that he wonders if she would be safer in a town.
Stannis asks Lord Davos what he makes of Joffrey’s death, scolding Davos for him having a great opportunity, and no way to take advantage of it with no soldiers. Davos tells him that he needs to pay soldiers, that sorcery is not enough. Stannis says that he’s running out of time, and in turn Davos is running out of time.
The Princess scolds Davos as well, for being late for his reading lesson. She presents him with a book of pirates, he then explains the fine differences between being a smuggler and a pirate, and in telling her he has an epiphany. He tells her to write a letter for him.
To the Officers of the Iron Bank of Bravos, From Stannis Baratheon, the one true King of Westeros…
Samwell takes Gilly into town. She’s confronted at a pub by a gypsy woman, who acts menacingly as he arranges for her to have a place there cleaning and taking care of children in exchange for room and board. The inn keeper tries to negotiate her into being a prostitute but Samwell insists not. She is shown to her place, a mat on a floor. Samwell tells her that it’s for the best. She says, the best for you.
Oberyn and his consort’s fun time at the brothel is interrupted by Tywin. He questions Oberyn on his poison expertise. He asks what he and Tyrion discussed the day before Joffrey died. Oberyn accuses Tywin of being involved in his Sister Elia’s murder. Oberyn asks to speak to The Mountain. In exchange Tywin asks that Oberyn be the Judge on his son’s trial, and offers him a seat on the Small Council as one of the new King’s advisers. He tells him that we are not the 7 kingdoms until the Dorne returns to the fold. That they need The Dorne to face Daenerys and her dragons. He tells Oberyn that if he helps serve justice to the King’s assassins, then he in turn will help serve justice to his Sister’s.
Tyrion is visited by Podrick in his cell, he brings him candles, quills and parchment, along with food. He tells him that he is to stand trial in a fortnight for the murder of the King. Tyrion says that he likes to think that if he were to plan a murder, he wouldn’t be caught standing there gawking when it’s carried out. Podrick tells Tyrion That Tywin, Mace Tyrell and Oberyn are to be Judges at his trial. He says that he is to get a list of names from Tyrion to testify on his behalf, he then tells him that Sansa is missing. He asks for Varys, but Varys is already speaking on behalf of the Queen, and Bron is not allowed to visit Tyrion, being known as a cut throat and untrustworthy. He then asks to see his Brother Jaime. Podrick then says that a man he didn’t know approached him and asked that he testify against Tyrion, telling him that he’s be titled Sir Podrick Payne if he swore that he saw Tyrion buy a poison called ‘The Strangler’. Podrick says that he said no. Tyrion orders him to accept, that he doesn’t want his blood on his hands too. He tells Pod to get out of town.
The Wildlings lay siege to a camp of settlers, slaughtering them. They ask a young boy if he knows how to get to Castle Black. When he says he does, they tell him that they are going to eat his parents, and he is to go tell the Crows at Castle Black and tell them. The boy runs.
At Castle Black they argue the best way to deal with the raiders. Jon Snow says they are out matched, but they agree they must defend the wall above all else.
Daenerys marches to the gates of Meereen. They send out a single rider, and want her to send one to meet him in battle. The people taunt her and insult her. One of her men stands for her to fight the rider, he refusing a horse to meet him. As the rider charges, her champion throws a knife into the skull of the horse, and uses a scythe to slay the rider. Daenerys then calls the slaves of Meereen to stand with her, she uses catapults to throw barrels across the walls, the barrels hold chains and collars of all the slaves she’s freed. Fade to black.
Love the scenes with Daenerys, I wish there were a few more. The barrels of collars was a nice addition to the story. It’s hard to top last week’s episode, with everyone waiting for Joffrey to get what was coming to him, this week seemed a bit quiet in comparison.
