After last week's shocker of an ending, the realm reacts to the passing of the bastard king.
Immediately following the assassination, Sansa and Ser Dontos rush to escape the city and Tywin locks down all paths out of King's Landing. He leads Sansa to a rowboat and they row into the fog of Blackwater Bay to a waiting ship. Littlefinger greets them upon their arrival, giving Sansa a hug and Ser Dontos a pair of crossbow bolts as "payment". Sansa is appalled, but Littlefinger explains that death promises silence more than gold ever could. Dontos did everything for gold and even his family heirloom of a necklace is a fake.
Back in King's Landing, Olenna and Margaery are working out how the line of succession will work in regards to Margaery. She figures she must be cursed considering she's two for two on dead husbands. Olenna convinces her she got off easy.
Cersei and Tommen are standing vigil over Joffrey when Tywin approaches. He quizzes Tommen on what it means to be a so called "good king". It's not faith or justice or strength, but wisdom. Tywin says that while Orys I, Baelor and Robert had the first three qualities, none had wisdom. He stresses that Tommen should listen to his advisors, planting the seeds of manipulation. As they exit, Jaime enters and meets with Cersei. She wants Jaime to kill Tyrion, convinced that he was the assassin due to the threat he gave her back in Season 2. Jaime refuses, pointing to the inevitable trial. Cersei, however, fears him wiggling his way out of it and wants him dead now. They embrace, but Cersei pushes him away quickly. Jaime decides to take her right there next to their dead son, regardless of what Cersei wants.
At Littlefinger's brothel, Oberyn and Ellaria are in the middle of an orgy when Tywin interrupts them. He asks a private word with Oberyn. They exchanges a few guarded threats and accusations. He explains that, for the upcoming murder trial, there are three judges that will make the ruling. Tywin is a judge along with Mace Tyrell, and he wants Oberyn to be the third. He claims that if Oberyn helps bring Joffrey's murderers to justice, he will help Oberyn bring Elia's to justice as well. Oberyn accepts.
In Tyrion's cell, Pod arrives with smuggled writing materials and food. He also reports that he has heard nothing of Shae and that Tyrion will stand trial in a fortnight. Pod needs a list of names that Tyrion wishes to use as witnesses. Tyrion names Sansa, Varys and Bronn, but she is gone, Varys is a witness for Cersei and Bronn isn't allowed to see Tyrion. He then names Jaime, and Pod will ask about him. He then reveals that a man came to see him, trying to get him to name Tyrion as the murderer but he turned him down. Tyrion doesn't want Pod dying for him, and orders him to leave the capital.
Somewhere in the Riverlands, the Hound and Arya are watering their horses when a man and his young daughter find them. After learning through Arya's lie that they fought for House Tully, the man offers them a place to stay and hot food for the night. While they eat, he offers to pay the Hound to have him stay on and protect his small farm from the recent rash of raiders, to which he agrees. The next morning, Arya is awoken by a shout and the crying of a small girl. It turns out that the Hound has assaulted their host and taken his silver. Arya is furious, but the Hound justifies by saying they're too weak to survive the winter and silver is no good to a dead man.
At Castle Black, no one believes that Sam actually killed a White Walker, due to the fact that the only witness was a wildling. The conversation turns to how Gilly is the only woman in Castle Black, and 100 men think about her every night. Sam worries about her, for which she is grateful. He wants to send her to Mole's Town so she'll be safe. When they arrive at the Mole's Town brothel, Sam says that Gilly can cook and clean in exchange for room and board. He stresses that she can't do any other work, i.e. prostitution. Gilly is not to excited about the new living arrangements, and Sam tries to explain that this is the only option.
In the North, Ygritte and the band of wildlings attack a small village. They slaughter everyone there, save for one boy who Styr sends to Castle Black. At the Wall, the Night's Watch is discussing what to do in response to the attack. The popular opinion is to remain at the Wall and not be drawn out. A sudden horn signals the return of rangers, which turn out to be Grenn and Dolorous Edd who escaped from the mutineers at Craster's Keep. Jon explains they need to kill them immediately, as they know how many men are truly at the Wall. Once the wildling army finds them, they'll find the truth soon enough and the Watch will be doomed.
On Dragonstone, Ser Davos and Stannis learn of Joffrey's death. Stannis is convinced that the ritual with the leaches was the cause of the death. Davos is struggling to find men to fight for Stannis. He suggests paying the Golden Company of Essos in order to take the suddenly empty throne. Stannis disagrees, not wanting to use sellswords to conquer his enemies. One problem: they don't have any gold. Later, during a reading session with Shireen, Davos has her pen a letter to the Iron Bank of Braavos after realizing they are the key to the needed funds.
Dany's army has finally reached the city of Meereen. A lone rider exits the city and empties his bladder in the direction of the mass off Unsullied. Jorah explains they want Daenerys to send her own champion to meet him. Grey Worm, Jorah and Barristan all volunteer, but Dany deems them too valuable to risk losing. Enter Daario, as he is of no great importance. On foot against the mounted champion, Daario throws a dagger into the horse's eye causing the champion to spill onto the ground. One swing of his arakh separates head from body, and Daario mimics the champion's earlier action and pisses towards the walls of Meereen. Daenerys addresses the slaves directly, explaining how she will free them as she freed the slaves of Astapor and Yunkai. She then has her catapults launch barrels into the city. As they burst open, the slaves pick up the objects inside: old slave collars.
Honestly, this week's episode left me feeling shorted of Arya and Hound time. Other than that and a few slow parts, it was a solid one. The Thenns are some bad mofos.
Next week: Jaime goes after Sansa, Alliser Thorne threatens Jon, Dany continues her siege and the trial gets closer.