Game of Thrones - The Old Gods and the New

When Theon arrives and takes Winterfell (he might consider himself quite a victor, when it is obvious that his men had little resistance due to Robb and Stark forces were fighting off elsewhere) and takes the life of Rodrik Cassel (Ron Donachie), declaring himself Prince Theon and in charge, forcing crippled Bran to yield or else the people would be “punished” for any defiance, his betrayal of the House of Stark and those that raised him like a son was complete. At first hoping to secure his father’s approval and assistance to Robb Stark, the Greyjoys instead provided a mission statement that they would take the North. Theon listened to his new cohorts regarding “discipline” and overthrow, disregarding those for whom he once lived, dedicating his allegiance to a father who gave him up and practically disavows him. Perhaps a crow’s word to his father might earn him some respect he so desperately craves, but Theon’s actions propelled him near the top of a list of those fans might certainly desire to see get some just desserts. Rodrik’s head didn’t come off easy and Theon commits to each swing of the sword while a grieving, begging Bran cannot save Cassel.

“Now you are truly lost.”

I just thought the whole business with Arya serving as Tywinn’s cupbearer (able to read while his own braintrust seem incapable, also costing him men and his own son is such the clever bit of plotting. It would seem she might can remain in this servant position without detection for a bit, but in The Old Gods and the New, Littlefinger Petyr Baelish arrives with news of Renly’s death and “dark forces at work”. How does Arya pour the wine and remain disguised with Baelish in the room? Tywinn’s frustrations are quite obvious. He’s surrounded by men who are disappointing him. How can he turn it all around? Baelish offers potential “insights” Tywinn considers, such as securing alliance with House Tyrell, despite “rebelling against the Iron Throne” when connected to Renly. Seeing Arya prevent detection as Baelish tries, at times, to get a good look at her, while Tywinn commands to “pour more wine”, while listening to them talk about her family is such sweet irony. Not a clue what they have in their midst, I can only grin. So amusing.

“Men love to blame demons when their grand plans unravel.”

While following guide, Qhorin Halfhand (Simon Armstrong), in the hunt for Benji, expecting wildlings representing their “lord”, Rayner, Jon Snow prevents him from killing a redheaded woman named Ygritte (Rose Leslie), who doesn’t give them a lot of information. Snow is left by Qhorin to finish her off with a sword beheading but he can’t bring himself to do it, so Ygritte gets away, fleeing from him into the snowy mountains. Lots of talk of the Whitewalkers and how the bodies of any dead should be burned or else they will just add to an army certain to march towards the Iron Throne, perhaps raising all sorts of havoc for the seven kingdoms in Westeros.

“Strike hard and true, Jon Snow, or I’ll come back and haunt you.”

….other notes:

That the filthy peasants would revolt on Joffrey, pinning his officers in a narrow corridor after Tyrion had orchestrated—much to his sister’s severe objections—the marriage of her daughter in order to secure an alliance isn’t surprising considering they are so poor and starving. Joffrey’s inability to judge and reason exactly what his execution of Ned Stark and ongoing actions have resulted in, no matter how passionately and assertively “acting hand of the king” Tyrion might pulpit pound, is expressed right here. A mudpie to the face, a lost entourage torn apart (literally), Sansa (his “fiancé”) nearly raped if The Hound doesn’t intervene (as only he can through sliced throats and disembowelments with relative ease), Cersei herself narrowly carted between her protective guard as the peasants enclose them quite claustrophobically within walls of the passage in the city, as rocks pelt them along with a crowd of madmen looking to get their pound of flesh (…perhaps even to feed themselves due to the lack of food); this is a problem sheltered Joffrey, hiding behind his mom and kingdom guard, met close and personally. Too close. The mudpie to the face and Tyrion’s hand a little later won’t convince Joffrey to curb his appetite for destruction. He’s too ghoulish to just behave himself and listen to reason, no matter how much Tyrion tries to steer the Iron Throne away from one controversy after another.

Jon Snow following after Ygritte pulls him away from his crew, leaving them no choice but to sleep for the night in the hopes of connecting back with them at first light. He just can’t bring himself to kill her. He can’t just chop off her head. Theon had enough trouble with it earlier in the episode. Two beheadings perhaps was a bit too much even for the Creative of GoT.

Cersei watching her daughter boat away, forewarning Tyrion that one day she would take away someone he dearly loves, that cold declaration sure does seem quite like definite foreshadowing. She’ll see that she gets her revenge. Tyrion burdened with trying to corral Joffrey was perhaps more troublesome that anything he might come across on the battlefield.

Arya using her second wish to “silence” Amory Lorch, “convincing” Jaqen to “get on with it” further conveys just how resilient she is. She hopes to get word out to her family about Tywinn’s “next move”, as Amory halts her path, looking to convene with the boss about why she’d be in such a hurry to “go to the armory”. Her conversation with Tywinn about “fathers” is a nice bit of elusive misdirection. She can slide in her pocket a paper with Tywinn’s “battle notes” while he opines the disappointment of a father he watch grow old and pathetic after she briefly mentions how her “stonemason” pops died because of “loyalty”. Two wishes down, one to go.

Sansa and Shae do have a small but important little scene where the latter tells the former not to trust anyone…Shae specifically warns her of talking about how she hates the king. Shae’s urging Sansa—who tells her that she trusts her—to not be so trusting with a face seemingly holding a secret clues us that there is more to her than meets the eye.

Theon’s main weakness for sex is perfectly exploited when wildling, Osha (Natalia Tena), offers her “services” to him. She earlier begs for her life and offers to pledge allegiance to him. That it is all a ruse gives us a bit of satisfaction, considering his egregious betrayal at the start of the episode. With Hodor, Bran, and Rickon able to escape because Osha used her feminine wiles to keep a soldier of Theon’s busy, before slicing his throat with a dagger, this does further implicate him as easy to dupe and manipulate. His bravado as he entered Bran’s sleeping quarters, a skeleton crew at his disposal, thinking he had really done something; Theon is once again made to look like a clown by Osha. Serves him right.

With so much already written, there is still Daenerys and her stolen dragons and murdered Irri, unable to convince anyone to lend her ships or support to boat across the Narrow Sea while Xaro brags about how he came from poverty to become the richest man in Qarth. Her own people and Xaro’s with their throats cut, left scattered, as Daenerys is left fuming…beware those who strike the match that provokes a Targaryen from the lineage of the Mad King. The second season also presents Robb a new love interest in a nurse who tends to the wounded while Cat reminds him of his oath to be wed to another, as well as, the Starks learning of Theon’s actions at Winterfell. You think you can cover one episode in a few paragraphs but I always find myself in the middle of a novel!