Caution for anyone who has not seen last night’s episode of Game of Thrones or read George R.R. Martin’s third novel in his A Song of Fire and Ice Saga, A Storm of Swords. Major Spoilers are present. You have been warned.
Okay, Game of Thrones watchers. We knew something was coming, right? I mean, Robb Stark had seemed practically shrouded in ominous tidings for a few episodes now. After all, whenever you see character beginning to show signs of even minor contentment, you know they probably aren’t going to remain living, breathing residents of Winterfell for much longer. Robb Stark and his pregnant (!) bride, Talisa were practically stuffed to the brim with love and happiness. They may as well have fallen on swords themselves, because those emotions are the only signatures required on a George R. R. Martin death warrant.
“Our love will never die, but we may not be so lucky.”
Structurally, it’s also the penultimate episode of the season, which practically guarantees something crazy is going to happen. After all, this was the series that used its first season’s Episode 9 to behead seeming main character (and at the very least, main advertising focus) Ned Stark (Sean Bean, no less) and the season 2′s episode 9 to explore the glorious wonder of wildfire. Yet, even armed with that prior knowledge, the way in which the infamous “Red Wedding” scene unfolded was shocking and devastating.
Remember when this was unexpected and horrifying? Such simple times. It seems so quaint now.
Robb had committed a terrible blunder when backed out of the arranged marriage with one of Walder Frey’s daughters (who all kind of look like they escaped from a refugee camp in a war-torn country) and married Talisa. He needed their support in battle, but he followed his heart (which you should NEVER, under any circumstances, do in the Game of Thrones universe). However, he thought he had made his peace with the Freys. He’d thrown them Edmure as an alternative suitor, who seemed about as thrilled with the proposition as Robb had been. Walder gave him a pretty (Where was he hiding her all this time?!), if freakishly young daughter (although age makes little difference in the Game of Thrones and especially not in Walder Frey’s kingdom)as a bride. All parties seemed pleased with how events were unfolding.
Yikes! Couldn’t he have taken her to her 8th grade prom first?
True, Frey had acted like a dirty old man when he sized up Talisa in his halls, but at least he expressed an understanding of love lust and breaking oaths in the name of a prettier sexual conquest.
The wedding party was going swimmingly. Robb and Talisa were laughing and discussing baby names. Talisa was planning on naming a boy after Robb’s beheaded father (Really, show?! Why not just stab me along with everyone else, huh? You guys are cruel, cruel bastards.). Cat was even smiling. Smiling, I tell you! Turns out, these are the universal signs for, “yeah, we’re all screwed.”
“Torturing our audience is fun!”
Not only that, The Hound, who had planned on selling Ayra back to her mother, had brought her to the Walder Frey’s front gates. For the first time since Season 1, Ayra is within yards of her mother and brother. The Stark is about to be reunited. Let’s hoise out glasses into the air, and shout, “Huzzah!” Everything was going well, and yet…something seemed…off. You couldn’t put your finger on it, but you couldn’t help but sense that something was amiss.
Then, the bedding ceremony, which Tyrion refused to allow last week after his marriage to Sansa, commenced. Edmure and his lovely (but again, scarily young) bride were carried out of the great hall, the doors slammed shut with a foreboding bellow, and that music began to play. The song, “The Rains of Castamere,” which Cercei had referenced last week, about a family that wanted power but eventually lost everything– the Lannister’s signature song– signalled to Catelyn Stark that their fates had been sealed. Violence was set to commence. She looks as Roose Bolton, who’d been abstaining from drinking wine all evening, pulls up his sleeve, and sees chain mail beneath his clothing. She knows what that means. You don’t wear protection like that to a wedding. You wear it to a massacre. She yells for Robb, but it’s too late. The musicians pull out weapons, Talisa (PREGNANT Talisa, mind you) is stabbed multiple times in the abdomen and falls to the floor as blood continues to bubble out of her wounds. Robb is shot with multiple arrows, Catelyn gets an arrow in the back, and Walder Frey watches with relish.
Meanwhile, outside, Ayra spots some of her brother’s soldiers, tipsy with wine. She smiles with relief. She knows she’s finally home. But that relief is extremely short-lived, because she then sees those same soldiers sliced to ribbons, and Robb’s pet dire wolf slaughtered in his pin.
“I’ve got so many more names to say before bed now.”
The next thing she knows, the Hound is returning to her aide, knocking her unconscious, and returning her to safety.
Back inside Walder Frey’s castle, Cat has seized one of Walder’s wives. With a knife placed at the girl’s throat, she demands Walder stop this now. If he’ll just let them go,they’ll forget this whole thing ever happened. Walder dounts the sincerity of her promise. After all, they’ve broken one promise to him already. Plus, this is a George R.R. Martin story. You think he’s gonna get hos characters to this point and not slaughter them? What show have you been watching/ books have you been reading?
Robb recovers some strength and rushes to Talisa’s side, but she is already dead.
“Curse you, George R.R. Martin. Why couldn’t we have been Tolkein characters?
He looks broken, defeated, but Cat still thinks she can save him. She offers Frey a bargain. Keep her as a hostage, but let her son walk out of the hall. If not, she’ll murder his wife.
Frey’s response, you ask?
“I’ll find another.”
Robb stands, and the only word he can utter is, “Mother.” He’s knows they’re done. It’s all over now, and he’s resigned to his fate.
Bolton approaches him, tells him, “The Lannisters send their regards,” and murders Robb.
“How’s the War of the Five Kings looking to you now?”
Cat screams in agony, slices the girl’s throat (She vowed to do it. She had to be true to her word.), and then her own throat is slit from behind.Roll credits. Roll music-less credits, while viewers pick their crushed hearts and souls off of the floor and try to carry on with their lives.
And you thought Tyrion’s wedding was rough.
I know other stuff happened in this episode. Jon Snow finally gets away from the Wildlings, leaving his kinda paramour, Ygritte behind (Dick move, Jon Snow!), Daenery’s army ransacked a city, silently pining Jorah is finally starting to wonder what he has to do to get Dany’s attention.
“You may be luckier than you think. Look what happens to happy people in this world.”
Sorry, she’s just not that into you. She had her Harlequin Romance novel cover model Daario to catch her eye now.
“I can’t believe it’s not butter- the spray.”
We learn Bran may be some kind of ultra-powerful wizard, but come on! Do you care about ANY of this?! No, of course not. This is the “Red Wedding” episode, so all that other stuff kinda falls by the wayside. Had you even thought about any of this until I brought it up?
I’ll admit I haven’t read any of George R.R. Martin’s novels. I have the first one on my Kindle, but it always seems to take a priority lower than another novel I want to read, but I’m sure everyone who had read the novels was waiting for this scene with a mixture of dread and anticipation. Could it be as brutal and upsetting as it was on the printed page? How would they convey Cat’s terror at hearing “The Rains of Castemere?” Turns out, the answers are, “yes, yes it could be” and “they’ll convey it beautifully.”
Never has one song signalled so much.
When the scene was over, even though it had only taken a couple of minutes of screen time, I felt exhausted and beaten down, although I immdeiately told my co-writer, Kelly to drive to his brother’s apartment (who has HBO), kick him out for fifty minutes and watch it immediately. I thought about writing about this episode immediately last night, but I was too in shock. All I could say was, “it was so upsetting.” I couldn’t process what I had seen, and I’m still kind of stunned by it. It has to be one of the most brutal acts of violence ever seen on television, HBO or not. Just like that, the Stark family is pretty much wiped out, with the surviving children scattered to the wind. The War of the Five Kings is all but ended, and the Lannisters emerge unscathed, (except for Jaime, who’s a hand less than he used to be).
By the end of the episode, I wanted to reach into the screen and slice off Walder Frey’s head myself.
However, I am beginning to think Harry Potter got off light, though.
I know this show really cautions you against getting too attached to characters, and truth be told I liked but wasn’t crazy about Robb. However, thematically, he seemed like a character who should not die. True, his father was executed, but surely that was just because his death was the catalyst needed for Robb to step up, avenge his father’s murder, and ascend to the Iron Throne. Turns out, not so much. The show apparently lives to crush your dreams, your soul, and every ounce of good will you ever thought possible. Well played, Game of Thrones. Once I unfurl myself from the fetal position, I’m sure I’ll be able to applaud your ruthlessness. Right now though, I think I just need a hug.
So, guys? What were your thoughts on last night’s episode? Did you know it was coming, or weer you thrown? Are you done with Game of Thrones now, or even more impressed with the quality of its unfolding plot? Let us know in the comments!