Castle Black, part I
Jon Snow trains his brothers in swordplay, particularly how to fight wildlings. Do you see someone familiar in the ranks of those watching the training? It appears our friend Locke, Roose Bolton's right hand man, has joined the Night's Watch. He demonstrates ample skill in fighting during the training.
Ser Alliser Thorne disrupts the fun, sending Jon off to do menial work. Janos Slynt coaches Thorne on the problem of Jon Snow, pointing out that Thorne is only Acting Commander. Snow is popular enough that he might win the election of Commander. Perhaps he should let Snow take some volunteers to Craster's Keep. Maybe the mutineers will take care of Snow and leave Thorne to run the Watch.
Locke introduces himself to Jon, claiming that he chose to join the Watch because he was a game warden who had the choice of losing a hand or going North.
King's Landing, part III
Jaime visits Cersei. Cersei has some things on her mind, and she wastes no time getting around to them.
- She orders Jaime to put four Kingsguard on night and day protection duty for Tommen.
- She wants to know why Catelyn Stark released Jaime (he swore an oath to return her daughters to the North)
- She wants to know if Jaime would leave the city to find Sansa and bring back her head
- She wants to know why Jaime visited Tyrion (I had to know for myself if he did it...and he didn't)
- She summarily dismisses Jaime.
Margaery still manages to sneak into Tommen's bedroom. Tommen has no game. I suppose we can forgive him a bit. He's been very sheltered, and he's still very very young. Still, you don't tell a gorgeous nighttime visitor that "Mother doesn't allow me to have visitors at night" or that you have a cat named Ser Pounce. Margaery plays him like a fiddle, the right amount of innocence and seduction, particularly when she tells Tommen that she will be his to do with as he likes when they're married. "Can I come visit you again?", she asks. Someone's going to have to change the sheets tomorrow.
Brienne meets with Jaime in the offices of the Commander of the Kingsguard. She reads the notes assigned to Jaime, the same notes Joffrey taunted Jaime about a couple of episodes ago. Jaime sends Brienne on a quest to find and defend Sansa Stark. He gives her his blade of Valyrian steel, pointing out that the steel used to belong to the Starks. He gives her a hauberk of plate mail, forged for her. Brienne, a bit overwhelmed, vows that she'll find Sansa...for Lady Catelyn and for Jaime.
How about that? Jaime is an oathkeeper.
Jaime has a third gift for Brienne, which he presents to her as he sends her on her way to find Sansa. Podrick Payne will now be her squire. Bronn is there to see them off, as well, and he gives Pod the axe that Tyrion used in the Battle of the Blackwater.
Jaime mentions to Brienne that "they" say that all good swords have names (although we know what The Hound says to that). He asks her if she has thought of a name for her spiffy new Valyrian steel blade.
"Oathkeeper", she replies.
Castle Black, part II
Sam complains to Jon that he may have made a mistake taking Gilly to Mole's Town. Jon is sympathetic, but basically shuts him down. He relates that he himself wants to go after Bran, and perhaps would have if not for the inconvenience of three arrows in his body at the time that Sam told him about seeing Bran at the Wall.
They postulate that all of the villages North of the Wall would be deserted now, except for Craster's Keep, and maybe that's where Bran will need to head.
They are interrupted by Locke, who says that Jon is to report to Thorne. Thorne sanctions Jon's raid on Craster's, but says he won't order any of the men to go. It will have to be volunteers. Jon addresses the men, and gives a few reasons for the raid. One, to prevent the mutineers from giving away info on the defenses of Castle Black. If Mance learns what the mutineers know, it's game over. Two, to avenge Jeor Mormont, and bring justice to his murderers. He asks who will join him?
Grenn stands first. Dolorous Edd is next. The two of them just returned from captivity at Craster's, but they're behind Jon. Four more men stand, the last of which is Locke.
Craster's Keep
Well, we don't want to judge people prematurely, but I don't have a good feeling about Karl Tanner from Gin Alley. First of all, he's drinking wine from the skull of Lord Commander Mormont, and he's sloppy about it, wasting some of the wine. That's a bad sign. Then, he's presiding over the beating and raping of all of Craster's wives/daughters. He cusses a lot. He used to kill people for a living. But if there were any doubt as to the sainthood of Mr. Tanner, know this: he's very willing to stab a baby. Maybe he was nice to his mother, but I'm going to tentatively suggest that he's not a good guy.
The baby in question is to be offered to the White Walkers, so Karl orders Rast to take the baby out to be offered. Rast does so, and then stops by to taunt Ghost, whom the mutineers have in a cage outside of the Keep. Rast is freaked out when he notices the temperature go from freezing to holy balls it's cold, and he runs back to the Keep.
Nearby, Bran and crew hear the baby crying. Bran wargs into Summer and sends Summer to see what's up. Summer sees Ghost, but then appears to fall into a pit dug as a trap. Jojen Reed isn't looking so good, by the way.
The team decides to check things out. They note that the Night's Watch doesn't seem to be holding to their vows. Maybe it's a cultural difference in this part of the world? They are discovered and taken captive by the mutineers. Hodor is chained outside, and tormented by the mutineers. Rast stabs Hodor in the leg with a spear.
Karl questions Bran and the Reeds. Jojen has a seizure. They won't let Meera help Jojen until Bran blurts out who he is. Jon's brother, and a Stark. By the way, where did Bran's bloody lip go? Looked fine the next time they panned to him.
Somewhere North of the Wall
The White Walker brings the infant child to an altar of sorts. A different looking Walker picks up the child and, with a finger to the cheek, turns the infant's eyes bright blue. Ominous.
Scenes From Next Week
- Daeny's thoughts turn to war on Westeros
- Tommen is crowned
- Littlefinger brings Sansa to the Vale and creepy Aunt Lysa
- Arya takes a run at The Hound
- Bran, Hodor and the Reeds in captivity
- Jon and the volunteers attack Craster's Keep