Lord Bolton looks out over the carnage and burning encampment of Robb Stark as the Hound and a stunned Arya ride out of the Twins. Behind them are the shouts and victory celebrations of the enemy reveling in the defeat--Hail Robb, King of the North. The direwolf flag burns.
Sansa and Tyrion enjoy a pleasant walk together. He is being witty and kind, she is appreciating their conversation Shea is trailing behind. Pod comes up and informs Tyrion that there is a meeting of the small council. When he gets there he finds Joffrey bouncing up and down.
He can hardly wait to show Tyrion the note from Walder Frey telling of Robb's death. He wants Robb's head sent to him so he can serve it to Sansa on a platter. Tyrion says no, she is my wife now, and they throw threats back and forth at each other until Tywin takes control and puts Joffrey in his place. Tywin dismisses everyone but Tyrion. Robb Stark is dead, his army defeated, Winterfell is in ashes, Lord Bolton will be in charge, but Sansa's child will be the heir. When Tyrion points out the methods used to defeat Robb, Tywin says it was done to protect the family, everything he has done is to protect the family. Tyrion disagrees, wonders why he is the only one to make the decision as to what is right for the family, when has he ever done anything that wasn't in his own interest. Tywin brings up Tyrion's birth again, and how he wanted to take him to the sea and get rid of him, but he didn't, he was a Lannister. He let him live and brought him up as his son.
Tyrion enters Sansa's chamber and sees her gazing sadly out the window and leaves...
Walder Frey sits at the table at the head of the banquet hall watching servants scrubbing the blood off the floor. He speaks to Lord Bolton and says he is now the Warden of the North. Bolton says sent his bastard son Ramsey to root out Theon--and now we know who that little sadistic devil is.
Speaking of which, there he is, dining on a large sausage, and taunting Theon in the background--telling him it is something else, something he recently removed from Theon. Theon asks to be killed. Ramsey comes at him --tells him he's no lord anymore, he's just stinking meat--you reek--that's a good name for you--Reek. He forces Theon to say that that is his name, when he doesn't, it's a punch to the face, until Theon gives in and says "My name is Reek".
Bran and company have reached shelter at the Night Fort, and are camped out next to a huge pit. Bran tells them a spooky tale about some of the happenings there and they settle in. In the middle of the night they hear strange noises coming from the pit and prepare themselves only to find out that it is Sam and Gilly. Sam knows who Bran is, that he is Jon's brother, and Bran asks him to take them North of the Wall. Sam tries to coax him into coming with them to Castle Black but Bran says he has to go North, that the Night Watch can't stop the walkers, no army can but I can--I have to go North.
Balon Greyjoy receives a message and a box containing Theon's severed parts along with threats that all of his men must leave the North or more of Theon will follow. Balon could care less, Theon disobeyed his orders. He cannot father children, he is no concern of mine--I will not bring back my men. Yarra stands up to him and tells him she will take men and go to the Dreadfort to rescue Theon and bring him home.
Sam shows Bran his dragonglass and tells him how it can kill the white walkers. He gives a piece to Hodor, and also one to Meera for her arrows.
Davos goes to visit a bitter Gendry in the dungeons. They talk about growing up poor and rough, how they could trust no one. Davos asks Gendry why he fell for Melisandre then, and Gendry says--big words, no clothes, what would you have done? (good line)! Davos goes on to tell Gendry how he didn't want to be a lord, but he did it for his son, he wanted him to have a better life. Gendry wants to know what happened to his son, Davos says he died, following me.
Viserys and Shea have a conversation. They are both foreigners, they will never be fully accepted in King's Landing. Viserys says that he knows the love between Shea and Tyrion is true love, but he is wedded to Sansa. Shea says she loves Sansa, she would kill for her, she knows that. Viserys gives Shea a bag of diamonds and tells her to get on a ship and sail away--start a new life. Shea wonders why. Viserys says that she is a complication, Tyrion is the only one who can make something of Westeros--you endanger him. Shea throws the bag of diamonds to the ground and tells Viserys that if Tyrion wants her to leave he can tell her himself.
Tyrion and Pod are drinking away the afternoon until interrupted by Cersei who kicks Pod out. She is on him about giving Sansa a child so Sansa can have some happiness, and Tyrion asks her how having children worked for her. She brings back memories of Joffrey as a baby, so happy, even now she loves him. Tyrion wonders how long it is going to go on (all the plotting, killing, hatred). Cersei says--until we've defeated all our enemies.
The Hound and Arya are riding past a group of rowdy soldiers camped by the roadside who are bragging about their part in killing the Starks. That's all Arya needs to hear. She quickly hops off the horse and strides over to the camp, pretending to want to share their food, offering a coin in payment, and then she pulls out a knife and viciously stabs the bragging soldier while the Hound polishes off the rest of them. He wonders where she got the knife, she says from you...Arya picks up the coin, looks at it, and whispers...Bravos.
Jon has stopped at a pool and is taking a drink when surprise, surprise, he has been tracked down by Ygritte. He stands up and apologizes, tells her he had no choice, that she always knew who he was. "I have to go home now." Ygritte says, "You know nothing Jon Snow". And then proceeds to fire 3 arrows at him, all of which stick. He gallops off.
Sam and Gilly arrive at Castle Black and meet with the Maester. He reminds Sam of his oath (no women) and Sam assures him that Gilly's child is not his, he remembers every word of the oath. The Maester agrees to let Gilly and the baby (now named Sam) stay as guests...He puts Sam to work writing messages for the ravens to take south warning of the White Walkers. "Every raven flies tonight."
Davos and Stannis' daughter are visiting as he is reading through the messages that have come for Stannis. He comes to one....the Night Watch implores...when suddenly the bells ring out. Davos tells the girl to stay, bar the door.
Stannis informs Davos that Robb Stark is dead and Davos tells Melisandre that he supposes she takes credit for that, but that uniting the 7 kingdoms with blood magic is wrong. Stannis justifies his actions, comparing them to how King Aegon conquered with his dragons. He says he will use any means necessary. Davos tells him that he will not allow him to burn Gendry at the stake but Stannis says--What is the life of one bastard boy against a kingdom. The boy must die.
Later, Davos frees Gendry, puts him in a boat, and tells him to head for King's Landing.
A wounded Jon arrives at Castle Black, and falls off his horse, to the ground. Sam is there to gather him in and take him to safety.
Jaime and Brienne have arrived at King's Landing. He immediately goes to Cersei.
Melisandre and Stannis confront Davos. She says--you have saved one innocent, how many thousands have you doomed. Stannis says, I sentence you to die. Davos says--you're going to need me--and holds out the message from the Night Watch. The Lord Commander is dead, it's coming for all of us. Melisandre burns the message, looks into the flames, and says--the true war lies north, only you (Stannis) can stop them--you need Davos. Stannis laughs--you've been saved by the fire god you like to mock, you're in his army now.
Outside Yunkai, Dani and her army await the opening of the gates, unsure what to expect. When the gates open, thousands of slaves walk silently out and stand, looking up at her. She talks to them, says they do not owe her their freedom, their freedom is their own. The slaves, as one, begin to chant "Mhysa, Mhysa" (which means mother in Yunkai). Dani stoops down, tells her dragons to fly, and then walks into the adulating crowd. They pick her up with grateful cries of 'Mhysa'. We go to a dragon's eye view, seeing the three dragons circling overhead, a small white dot (Dani's white hair) surrounded by thousands of freed slaves, all arms reaching toward her, and flanked by the neatly ordered ranks of the Unsullied.
So here is where we are left for next season:
Lord Bolton is in charge of the North
Joffrey is getting more and more unstable
Tywin Lannister is calling the shots
Tyrion is being pressured to father a child with Sansa
Bran is heading North of the wall
Bolton's bastard son Ramsey is torturing Theon, and has given him a new name--Reek
Sam and Gilly have arrived safely at Castle Black, and warnings have been sent out
Balon Greyjoy has disowned his son Theon and Yarra has set out to rescue him
Davos has freed Gendry
Shea has decided to stick it out in King's Landing
Arya is with the hound and is last seen looking at a coin and whispering Bravos
Ygritte has tracked Jon down and shot 3 arrows into him
Melisandre has told Stannis that the true war lies in the North against the White Walkers
A wounded Jon has arrived at Castle Black
Dani has freed the slaves of Yunkai
Too bad we have such a long wait ahead of us for the next season....
