FanPost

Game of Thrones Season 3, Episode 9-"The Rains of Castamere"

Robb Stark via www.sidequesting.com

We leave Westeros for a couple weeks and the shit has officially hit the fan.

We open with Robb and Catelyn looking over a map, planning the assault on Casterly Rock. He wants to take the Rock after his experience with the Ironborn taking Winterfell. They'll only have the men to accomplish it if Walder Frey cooperates with them. They eventually arrive at the Twins for Edmure's wedding. Robb asks for his forgiveness, but Lord Walder tells him to apologize to his daughters instead. He then lists all the girls who could have been queen had Robb kept his word. There are so many daughters and granddaughters that the old Lord can't even remember the names of all of them. Robb gives his apology speech to the gathered women, after which Walder sarcastically claps. He then calls Talisa forth so he can have a good look, and scoffs at the concept of love over duty. Walder says that Robb betrayed him not for love, but for Talisa's young body, but insists there are no hard feelings. Later, the wedding is finally taking place. Edmure is receiving his new bride, a surprisingly beautiful Frey girl. Edmure cloaks his new bride, and they are married.

In Yunkai, Daenerys and her various advisers are planning their attack on the city. Daario points out a back gate they can use to enter the city. Two men, Jorah and Grey Worm, will accompany him to open the gates from within. Jorah still doesn't trust him, and asks Grey Worm his opinion. He assures them that he trusts Daario. Barristan volunteers to join them, but Jorah tells him to stay with Daenerys, as that's where he's needed. Later that night, the three men are about to enter the city. Daario convinces a guard to let him in, then whistles for the others to join him. The group is ambushed once inside by Yunkish soldiers. They prove their superiority by quickly dispatching the attackers, but are again surrounded. Back at camp, Daenerys is worried that they haven't heard back from them. Jorah and Grey Worm soon return, reporting that the soldiers threw down their weapons and surrendered. Daario soon joins them, to Daenerys' delight.

Somewhere Beyond the Wall, Sam and Gilly are nearing the Nightfort following their run-in with the White Walker. Sam tells her of a sally port they can use to get under the Wall. He found out about the port while reading one of Castle Black's books. Gilly is perplexed at the concept of reading, calling Sam a wizard. They crest a hill and can see the Wall on the horizon.

In the Riverlands, the Hound and Arya meet a stranger on the road with a broken wagon wheel. The Hound straight picks up the wagon so the traveler can fix the wheel. Then he punches him. Arya persuades him to not kill the man, after which the Hound tells her she is too kind for her own good. She then knocks him out again after he comes too. They eventually reach a hill where they can see the Twins. The Hound tells Arya she's afraid that she won't make it there now that they're so close. Arya reminds him that she saw him afraid once, when Beric lit his sword on fire during their duel. She reveals she knows the story of how he got his scar. She then tells him that one day she'll put a sword through his eye.

Meanwhile, Jon and the wildlings have reached the home of a man who breeds horses for the Night's Watch. Tormund and Orell want to kill him and take the horses, but Jon says to just take the horses and leave him alone. Ygritte sides with the two wildlings, saying a spear through the heart is more merciful than letting him die from old age. They spread out and move in on the hut. The horses spook and the man escapes on one.

Bran and company have reached a piece of land called The Gift on their way to the Wall. Jojen says they need to find shelter, as there's a storm coming. They take refuge in an abandoned windmill. Sure enough, they are soon in the midst of a downpour. Hodor is getting more and more frightened by the thunder. Bran muses on how they are going to make it past the Wall, and asks Osha how she managed it. She says they used a boat and sailed through the Bay of Seals, which would take them too long. Jojen suggests using one of the abandoned castles to find a way through. Suddenly, Meera spots the old man that escaped the wildling raid, followed by the wildlings themselves. Hodor then gets spooked by a particularly loud thunder clap and starts panicking. Bran suddenly enters Hodor's mind, causing Hodor to pass out. Meanwhile, the wildlings have captured the old man and the horses. Orell has heard the shouting from the windmill, but Tormund shrugs it off. He then questions the man, after which he draws a knife to cut his throat, but Orell wants Jon to kill him to prove himself. Jon draws his sword and prepares to do the deed. When he hesitates, Orell says he knew Jon was still a crow. Ygritte shoots the man herself after more hesitation, then backs Jon up against Tormund and Orell. Tormund holds Ygritte back while Jon fights Orell and the other wildlings. Inside the windmill, Jojen urges Bran to warg into Summer. Bran does, for the first time knowingly and not while he's sleeping. He uses Summer to take out some of the wildlings while Jon kills Orell, telling him he was right the whole time. Orell's eagle attacks Jon, clawing at his face. As he mounts a horse and escapes, Ygritte looks on in anger.

After the fighting is over, Jojen tells them how there are many wildlings that can enter the minds of many different animals, but no one has been able to do it to a human like Bran did. Bran says he saw Jon while in Summer, but they still can't go to Castle Black because it might be under attack. Osha still doesn't think they should go North of the Wall, so they decide to split up. Osha and Rickon will go to the Umbers, while Jojen, Meera, Hodor and Bran will continue on to the Three-Eyed Raven.

During the wedding festivities at the Twins, everyone is enjoying themselves. Catelyn and the Blackfish remark how Edmure's mood has changed since he found out his bride wasn't hideous. Catelyn asks Lord Bolton why he isn't drinking, to which he replies that it dulls the senses. Around this time, Lord Frey announces the bedding of Edmure and Roselyn, to which Robb agrees. The two are carried to their bedroom, being undressed along the way. Catelyn notices one of the Frey men closing the banquet hall doors as the musicians being playing "The Rains of Castamere", also known as the Lannister song. Outside, the Hound and Arya have reached the castles gates. The Hound tells the guard that he is delivering some salt pork for the feast, but the guard tells him the feast is over. Arya notices some more guards rushing into the castle. She leaves the cart. Back inside, Lord Frey calls for the musicians to cease playing and addresses Robb. He tells him that he has not yet shown him the hospitality he deserves. During this speech, Catelyn notices that Roose Bolton is wearing chainmail under his overcoat. She warns Robb, but it's too late. One of the Frey men stabs Talisa repeatedly in the stomache, killing Robb's unborn heir. Crossbowmen on the upper level open fire, killing the northmen and hitting Robb several times. It's an absolute slaughter, with Robb's men too drunk to fight back. Meanwhile, Arya is watching a group of Winterfell soldiers when they are ambushed and killed. They even shoot and kill Grey Wind. She tries to escape, but the Hound catches her and carries her away. Back inside, Walder Frey calls a halt to the killing as Robb crawls towards Talisa. Catelyn grabs a dagger and Lady Frey and holds her hostage and pleads for an end and to let them go. Lord Frey asks why he should let them do that, and Catelyn points to her hostage. Walder merely says, "I'll find another" as Roose Bolton stabs Robb, telling him, "The Lannisters send their regards". Catelyn slits the girl's throat and has her own throat slit in return.

Once again, the 9th episode of the season delivers in a huge way. I've been waiting for this episode so I can see the reactions of people who didn't know what was coming. So, what did you all think?

Next week: The aftermath of the Red Wedding, Bran appears to reach a Night's Watch castle, Stannis reacts to the news, Joffrey throws a tantrum and what looks like a whole lot of fighting (with dragons, too!).

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