Ep 3.9 "The Rains of Castamere" (aka The Red Wedding)

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…

Wow!  This is the episode that book readers have been awaiting and dreading.  From what I’ve seen  people have been keeping a tight lip on this surprising plot twist.  I'm one of those and did not want to spoil the bittersweetness that was to come.  I viewed a few comments after the show and it seems this may have been one of the only non-spoiled TV episodes of all time.  I'm sure one or two people out there accidentally saw something, but for the most part another war wasn't started because of this episode.  At least not outside of Westeros.  However, I will warn everyone to keep those spoiler shields up because with this show, you never know what could happen.

Since Cersei explained what the song "The Rains of Castamere" meant last week, seeing that as the title should've given everyone a little foreshadowing that someone(s) may not make it out of this episode alive.  Fans have dubbed this episode as "The Red Wedding" and a red wedding it was, but we'll get to that later.  For those that have short memories “The Rains of Castamere” is a song (unfortunately it’s played all the time in the Seven Kingdoms) about a family that crossed the Lannisters.  Lord Tywin had them strangled in the night and the family line basically disappeared out of existence after that.

In Yunkai:

Dany is trying to figure a way to beat the Yunkai.  Daario knows of a secret passage.  He says he can get Ser Jorah and Grey Worm in so they can lower the gate and let in her men.  He thinks that the soldiers will surrender to them.  Ser Jorah still doesn’t trust him, but she asks Grey Worm what he thinks.  He says he thinks Daario is being truthful.  At night Daario goes to the gate and is let in.  After a few moments he signals to Jorah and Grey Worm.  Once inside they fight off a handful of men.  More men arrive.  Back in her tent Dany asks Ser Barristen how long it takes to sack a city.  Jorah and Grey Worm appear covered in blood and tell her that Daario spoke the truth.  The soldiers surrendered and Yunkai is now hers.  She asks where Daario is and poor Jorah’s face has the look of defeat.  Daario walks in, kneels before her and hands her the banner of Yunkai.

Up North:

Sam and Gilly are still out in the wild looking for The Wall.  They are heading to the Nightfort, an abandoned castle with a secret passageway through the other side of the Wall.  Sam read about it in books and believes he can find it and lead Gilly through.  Gilly is in awe of Sam's knowledge and thinks he is a wizard.  (Aww, he always wanted to be a wizard!)  They get to a small clearing and see the Wall in the distance.  Gilly thinks it's magnificent.  She says Craster always told her that wildlings who see the Wall never live, but she has seen it and is still alive.

Bran and his cast of misfits make it to the Gift, a mass of land given to the Night's Watch by "Bran the Builder".  It is a very nice stretch of land that remains uninhabitable because of Wildling raids.  Jon also happens to be in the Gift.  He and the Wildling group spot a man who breeds horses to sell to the Night’s Watch.  Tormund Giantsbane wants to attack and kill the man and steal the horses.  Jon asks him not to kill the old man who is defenseless against the group.  Tormund doesn’t care and starts the attack.  As they are running towards the cottage Jon hits his sword against a rock to warn the old man.  The man gets on a horse and runs away, but the Wildlings pursue.  This brings them close to a tower where Bran, Jojen, Meera, Osha, Rickon and Hodor are sheltering themselves from the rain.  It is thundering and Hodor is frightened.  He repeatedly yells “Hodor” getting louder and louder.  The Wildlings are right outside and Orell hears Hodor’s screams.  He tries to warn Giantsbane, but he thinks it’s his imagination and the noise is nothing but thunder.  Jojen pushes Bran to shut Hodor up and Bran gets inside his head for a few seconds to make him calm down.  Bran can not only skin change into animals, but people as well.  (Imagine how nifty that gift would be.)  The Wildlings below catch the old man and Orell suggests Jon kill him to show them allegiance.  Jon unsheathes his sword, but hesitates.  Ygritte pulls a bow and kills the man.  Jon pushes her to the ground and fights the Wildlings to get free.  He stabs Orell and tells him “You were right the whole time”, confirming that Jon had not switched sides.  Clinging to life Orell changes into his hawk and attacks Jon.  At the same time, Bran changes into the family direwolves and attacks the Wildlings.  Jon grabs a horse and runs, presumably to warn the Night’s Watch that The Wildlings are on their way.  Ygritte watches him with a wisp of betrayal, which honestly, he told her over and over again that he was not one of them.  Once things settle down Bran tells Rickon that he saw Jon and he got away.  Osha tells Bran again that they should not be heading north of The Wall.  Bran knows he has to go, but wants Osha to take Rickon to the Umber’s (Stark bannermen) so he will be safe.  Rickon is very upset.  He doesn’t want to leave his brother and says he needs to protect him.  He is only a boy and Bran is the only family he has left right now.  Bran tells him he must be brave and go.  Osha decides they should leave then, under cover of darkness and they say their goodbyes.  Osha asks the Reed’s to take care of Bran for her.

The Twins:

Before leaving for the Twins, Robb consults with his mother on his plans for Casterly Rock.  She wants to know why he asked for her opinion.  He tells her he didn’t listen when she warned him about Theon and now Bran and Rickon are dead.  She asks him if they have the numbers and he says if Lord Walder re-aligns with them they will.  They arrive at the Twins and partake in food and drink.  This is a custom in Westeros, if you have food and drink you are a guest and are under protection.  Robb apologizes to Lord Frey who parades his homely daughters out.  He can’t even remember all of their names.  He tells Robb that he should apologize to them.  Edmure’s bride to be seems to be missing from the bunch and Edmure looks worried as he sees the faces of Lord Walder’s other daughters.  Robb extends his apology to the women and Lord Frey dismisses them with a short clap of the hand.  Then Lord Frey asks to see Talisa.  She moves forward, but he wants her to come closer.  He admits that he can understand why Robb broke his promise.  If he were younger he would’ve done anything to get a pretty girl like that.  He then continues by making some un-lordly comments about her figure to which Robb starts to say something, but Catelyn holds him back.  Talisa takes it in good turn.

Sandor and Arya are close to The Twins.  They come upon a broken wagon carrying salted pork for the wedding.  Sandor helps the man fix his cart then knocks him out.  He goes to kill him when Arya intervenes.  He tells her “dead rats don’t squeal” and that she is very kind, but one day it will get her killed.  The man resumes consciousness and Arya knocks him back out.  Sandor plans to use the wagon to get into the Twins.  They are waiting until dark and Arya watches the castles as if they could disappear at any moment.  Sandor tells her she is scared because her mother and brother are so close and she is so afraid that something will happen.  She responds by declaring that she knows his fear of fire and the cause.  His brother was the one who burned his face when they were younger.  She vows that one day she will put a sword in his eye and out the back of his skull.

Finally the wedding begins.  Poor Edmure is very somber as Lord Frey walks his veiled daughter down the aisle.  They reach the precipice and Lord Frey removes her veil.  She is pretty and you can see Edmure’s face change from being scared to being pleased (it’s actually quite amusing to watch).  Lord Walder and Robb exchange a glance and Lord Walder nods to him in a sort of “see, you could’ve had the pretty one” sort of way.  They say their vows and move to the wedding feast.  Lord Bolton is there and makes small talk with Catelyn and Ser Brynden Blackfish.  Catelyn notices that Lord Bolton isn’t drinking (strike one).  He replies that he doesn’t partake because it dulls the senses.  Robb and Talisa talk about her pregnancy and wonder whether the baby will be a boy or a girl.  Talisa says if it’s a boy she wants to name him Eddard (yeah, I had a little tear roll down).  Lord Frey decrees that he thinks it’s time for “the bedding” to commence.  (“The Bedding” being the horrible custom where the opposite sex drag off the bride and groom, strip them down, and watch them consummate the marriage.)  Once they are out of the hall a guard closes the door and barricades it (uh-oh), and the band begins to play “The Rains of Castamere” (strike two).  As mentioned before, this is often played at weddings and parties, but Catelyn doesn’t take it as a good sign.  She is very nervous and Robb’s direwolf, Grey Wind, and all of his men are outside eating and drinking.  As all of this is going on Sandor and Arya arrive.  The man at the gate tells him the feast is over.  They can hear the party going on inside and Arya has a bad feeling.  Lord Frey tells Robb that he has given him wine and food, but hasn’t yet shown him his hospitality he deserves.  Catelyn sits back down next to Lord Bolton who gives her a significant look before looking down at his arm.  Catelyn lifts up his sleeve to see that he has his armor on, and who wears armor to a wedding? (strike 3) She knows they are trapped and that something bad is about to happen.  As Robb’s attention is on Lord Frey a man steps up behind Talisa and stabs her in the abdomen multiple times.  He turns around in astonishment and Catelyn yells out to him.  Men are stationed around the hall with crossbows and Robb is hit multiple times.  He crawls toward Talisa as she dies with little Ned in her belly. 

Outside, Arya see’s Lord Frey’s men attacking Winterfell soldiers.  She hears and sees Grey Wind who is locked inside a cage.  Men come and kill him with crossbows.  She starts to run towards the castle, but Sandor stops her.  He has guessed what is transpiring inside.  He knocks her out and takes her away.  Inside, in a desperate attempt to save Robb, Catelyn grabs a dagger and Lord Frey’s young wife.  She threatens to kill the girl unless Lord Frey lets Robb walk out alive.  Lord Frey tells her he will just have to get another wife (he’s had a slew already).  She insists that they take her hostage, but Roose Bolton walks up behind Robb, stabs him and tells him “The Lannisters send their regards”.  Catelyn almost reflexively cuts the girls throat and she lets out a cry.  A few beats go by as she stares coldly at nowhere in particular.  Then a guard comes and slits her throat and she falls.

END CREDITS, no music…

That was definitely a red wedding and so sad.  Of course Starks are fan favorites since they are honorable and underdogs.  Poor Robb won every battle, but lost the war to a bitter old man who wanted revenge.  Revenge for something as trivial as a wedding betrothal.  Now we know why Lord Tywin was writing so many letters and also which side of the fence Lord Bolton stands on.  I’m guessing Edmure is going to be residing at the Twins for a while. Why did Roose Bolton gesture to Catelyn and warn her that something was about to happen?  He was a Stark bannerman who clearly sold out for some Lannister coin.  Did he just want to relish that moment and look on her face?  And poor, poor Arya!  She came so close only to be pulled further away.  I’m still trying to process the Stark loss and I knew it was coming.  Only one episode left in the season.  Until next time…