Ep 3.6 "The Climb"

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SPOILER ALERT:  This is a recap of the episode, so if you haven’t watched it and don’t want to know what happens, exit now…

This is an episode in which a lot happens and not a lot happens.  We only get ten episodes this season, which leaves us four more so this is one that sets up the pieces.  We saw a bit of almost everyone except for Danaerys, but I’m sure she has been up to something and we will probably get to see next week.

Sam and Gilly are trying to survive in the wild, but Gilly is taking better care of them than Sam.  He’s not very good at building a fire and she figures out that he is highborn.  He sings to her and the baby and tells her about the Wall and Castle Black.  He shows her a dagger he found at the Fist before the Night’s Watch had to run.  It seems as if they were trying to point it out in the episode so I have a feeling we will be seeing it again. 

In Bran’s camp Osha and Meera are fighting (because apparently that’s what all women do).  Bran brings them down a few pegs.  Jojen has a seizure while he sleeps and Meera says he is having a vision.  He wakes up saying he saw Jon Snow fighting on the wrong side of the war surrounded by enemies.

Jaime and Brienne are still at Harrenhal with Roose Bolton.  Poor Brienne has been stripped of her armor and put in a horrible pink dress that I’m guessing comes up to her knees.  Roose Bolton tells Jaime that he will let him continue his journey to Kings Landing, but Jaime must tell Lord Tywin that he had nothing to do with his maiming and should not face any wrath from Lord Tywin.  However, Brienne will not be accompanying him as he plans to hold her for treason.  Jaime tries to insist that she be allowed to go with him, but Roose warns him not to overstep the arrogance that led to the removal of his hand.  I continue to be impressed with Jaime.  He and Brienne aren’t best buds, but he does respect her and seems to want to do right where she is concerned.

Theon is still on the X, dehydrated and desperate.  His captor decides to play a game where Theon can guess where he is and why he is being tortured.  He finally realizes he is at Karhold, where the Karstarks (Robb’s former bannermen) live.  Lord Karstark is the one who disobeyed Robb’s orders and killed the two young Lannister boys they had prisoner.  Robb ended up cutting off his head not too long ago.  The man tells Theon that he will hunt Bran and Rickon and succeed in killing them, which Theon failed to do.  I’m not really sure why Theon is still alive or even integral to the plot.  I guess the Karstarks have more betrayal planned for Robb.  Hopefully this is setting that up for next season because way too many things are going on right now.  Maybe the Karstarks have all the information they desire and Theon will join Ned Stark very soon.

Some of Mance Rayder’s army is preparing to climb the wall.  Jon and Ygritte are part of the small group.  Jon isn’t too keen on climbing the 700 foot wall made out ice.  Ygritte admits she knows Jon is still a crow because he is loyal and brave, but she is his woman now and he better be loyal to her or she will castrate him.  She tells him that Mance and his captains don’t care if they die because their will always be more people to take their place so they are all each other has.  As they climb, their group starts to fall and they cut Ygritte and Jon from the rope, but luckily Jon gets a hold on the Wall and saves them.

Arya is honing her archery skills with the Brotherhood.  Lady Melisandre visits them and talks to Lord Beric.  She is amazed that Thoros has been able to bring him back to life six times since the Hands tourney held in season one (for Ned Stark).  She tells them they have something she wants, which ends up being Gendry in return for gold.  Arya tries to stop them, but there is nothing she can do.  Poor Gendry is beside himself because he thought he could trust them and that they would be his family.  (Remember that Melisandre told Stannis they need King’s blood and Gendry is King Robert’s bastard son.)  I hope poor Gendry will be okay and can shave that pitiful mustache off.

Robb meets with two of Walder Frey’s sons.  Lord Frey has agreed to reunite with Robb if he gets an apology for the engagement betrayal, the castle of Harrenhal and also requests Lord Edmure wed a daughter of his choosing.  Edmure wants to see the girl and have a choice of which daughter to marry.  Robb dismisses the Frey’s and tells Edmure he owes him because of the battle Edmure engaged in without his approval, and lost.  He reminds Edmure that they need the Frey’s and he does not have time to haggle over which daughter Edmure will marry.  Robb admits that it isn’t entirely fair that Edmure pay for his betrayal, but he will remember what Edmure has done for him.

The Queen of Thorns (Lady Olenna Tyrell) meets with Tywin Lannister to discuss the betrothal of Ser Loras to Queen Cersei.  She is not excited at the prospect because she thinks Cersei is too old and will not have much longer to bare children.  Tywin threatens to reveal Ser Loras’s affection for men and how that would disgrace the Tyrell family.  Lady Olenna fires back at him of the “rumors” of the incestuous relationship between Cersei and Jaime.  While she admits to Ser Loras’s exotic tastes, Lord Tywin denies there is any incest within his family.  He then threatens to name Ser Loras to the Kingsguard if she won’t agree to the betrothal.  As a knight of the Kingsguard Ser Loras would not be allowed to marry and have children and the Tyrell legacy would die off.  She calls Lord Tywin’s bluff and breaks his quill.  She and the Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith from Downton Abbey) should start a book club.  I love this lady!

Sansa and Ser Loras are allowed some time together.  It’s very awkward and quiet until Loras talks about the arrangements for the wedding.  He has dreamed of how his wedding would be since he was a young boy (because that’s what all gay boys dream of right?).  They are both ready to leave Kings Landing.  Cersei and Tyrion are watching them from the castle.  Tyrion wonders who will be getting the worst of the deal between the four of them and decides that it is most likely Sansa.  He asks Cersei if she tried to have him killed at the Battle of Blackwater or whether it was Joffrey.  Tyrion figures out that it was Joffrey who did it because Tyrion was bold enough to stand up to him.  He comments on how transperent it was to have one of his Kingsguard try and slay him instead of just using poison that no one could have traced, especially since Tyrion was still the Kings Hand at that point.  Joffrey is irrational and was only thinking about revenge and not the consequences.  Tyrion asks if he should still be worried, but Cersei tells him Joffrey won’t try anything now that his grandfather is there.  Finally, there is someone this boy will cowl too!  Tyrion is left to tell poor Sansa of their wedding.  Unfortunately Shae is with her at the time.  Tyrion tries to have her dismissed, but she insists on staying.  We didn’t get to actually see this play out and I’m wondering how the jealous Shae will take this news.  From the looks of it Sansa didn’t take it too well.

At the end, Varys catches Lord Baelish dreamily staring at the Iron Throne.  Lord Baelish is about to leave for the Eyrie to marry Lady Lysa.  They trade japes about how Petyr has to marry his second choice (instead of Catelyn Stark he gets her sister) and how Petyr found out about Ros whispering to Varys.  He gave Ros to Joffrey so he could have target practice with his crossbow.  Varys tells Petyr that everything he does is for the good of the realm to prevent chaos.  Petyr says they need chaos, because that is their ladder to taking over the kingdom.  The ladder is basically another metaphor for the game of thrones.  Some people climb to take their place (like Petyr) and some decide to wait and miss their chance.  Sansa is the one who missed her chance, which she regrets as she and Shae watch Lord Baelish’s ship leaving Kings Landing.  (I’m pretty sure I saw a bird on their which is what Lord Baelish has adopted for his sigil.)

I think we need more than 60 minutes for these episodes.  What is Danaerys up too?  Will Lord Tywin name Ser Loras to the Kingsguard?  Will Sansa be okay?  We know Tyrion actually has compassion so there are worse people she could marry, but how will Shae react to this?  Will Walder Frey keep his word and reunite with Robb?

Until next week…