And as we all know, this is not a spoiler-free zone.
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Considering how amazing the previous episode 'And Now His Watch is Ended' was, I honestly walked into 'Kissed by Fire' with very low expectations, which I think was a good thing because I really enjoyed this episode.
I think it helps that it's been a few years since I've read the books and I've forgotten a lot of the little details. One of my best friends however has recently read the books, and every Sunday night I get a thirteen paragraph angry rant about how HBO fucked up. I smile and agree with some points while I laugh at others. I think going to so many comic book movies with Matt has taught me to ignore the crazy people who are screaming, "How could they forget six whole chapters!?" in my ears.
Then again, I'm the crazy person when it comes to things like HBO's Rome and Starz Spartacus. We all have our short fuses.
Now . . . onto the recap!
Riverlands:
We return to see the trial of combat between Sandor Clegane and Beric Dondarrion. The red priest, Thoros says a prayer before Beric wipes blood from his hand against his sword which then catches fire. This is actually an interesting point that gets brought up in the books a bit. Thoros himself used to use the flaming sword technique in tournements to spook the other competitors and their horses. He however used wildfire to achieve the technique.
The flaming sword is actually a prophecy in the religion of R'hllor. Their supposed Messiah, Azor Ahai will return weilding a flaming sword called Lightbringer. Names that should sound familiar as Melissandre proclaimed Stannis Baratheon the reborn Azor Ahai and names his flaming sword Lightbringer. While we don't know who the true Azor Ahai is (or if he even exists) I think it's interesting to note that Melissandre loudly proclaims the flaming sword of Stannis to be the legend itself, and yet in the dark shadows of the Brotherhood without Banners, a flaming sword belonging to Berric Dondarrion is barely acknowledged. Just my personal thoughts.
Back to the battle . . .
Beric and Sandor face off against one another and I can't help feel sorry for the Hound who is terrified of fire and now has to battle against a blade covered in flames. Eventually, despite the advantage of fire, Sandor strikes down Beric, slashing a good ways through his shoulder and into his chest. Arya, enraged at the results moves to attack Clegane on her own but is stopped. Everyone then notices Beric - no longer dead at all - but resurrected by Thoros.
Long after the Hound leaves, Arya finds Gendry repairing Beric's armor and saying that he's decided to stay on with the Brotherhood as their smith. Arya protests, wanting him to stay with her and join her family in Riverrun and eventually Winterfell. Gendry states that he's tired of serving others and just wants to be a part of something; a family. Arya says that she can be his family and Gendry sadly replies, "You wouldn't be my family. You'd be my lady."
Arya talks with Thoros about going to Riverrun, and how Robb will pay to have the Brotherhood return his sister. Thoros admits that Beric didn't want to originally ask for a ransom for Arya due to his admiration of the late Lord Stark, but the Brotherhood is greatly in need of gold. Beric then joins them and speaks with Arya about his resurrection and the five or six times before that he's been resurrected. He shows Arya his scars and talks of the many times he's been killed, and how the Lord of Light has brought him back each time, but with a piece of him missing each time he comes back. Arya asks if it's possible to bring back a man without a head, and Thoros responds, "I don't think it works that way, child." Beric insists that he would never wish his life upon Ned, but Arya points out that Beric is at least alive.
Beyond the Wall:
While working with the Wildlings, Jon is confronted about the patrols being headed up on the wall. Orell and Tormund want specific numbers, and when Jon gives them, he's accused of lying and his life is threatened. Jon gets a little snarky with the warg and is defended by Ygritte who claims that he's no crow.
Telling him he owes her a debt now, Ygritte steals Jon's sword and leads him down into a small tunnel of caves and underground hot springs. She says it's time he's proved himself to no longer being a man of the Nightswatch by breaking his vow of chastity. And either it's really cold beyond the wall, he's determined to keep his cover from being blown, or he's got a thing for redheads (those kissed by fire), but Jon Snow breaks his vow and proves that he knows something.
Harrenhal:
Locke brings the prisoners, Jaime and Brienne to Harrenhal for Lord Roose Bolton. Enraged that Jaime has been damaged, Roose orders that Jaime be taken to see the former maester, Qyburn so that his wound can be cleaned. Qyburn tells Jaime the details of his injury and what can be done about it. He offers him milk of the poppy, but Jaime refuses, insisting that he can handle the pain.
Jaime, freshly bandaged, joined Brienne in the baths. Jaime instructs Brienne to pull him out if he should pass out, as he does not intend to be the first Lannister to die in a bathtub. Bitterly, Brienne asks why she should care if he lives or dies. Jaime then reminds her of her oath to Catelyn Stark, to bring Jaime to Kings Landing in one piece - though he's now missing a piece. Under his breath, Jaime says, "No wonder Renly died," and suddenly Brienne stands up - no longer shamed by her nakedness, and Jaime realizes that what he said was dishonorable and he genuinely apologizes.
Provoked by a look of disgust, Jaime tells Brienne the story of how he killed the Mad King. Jaime says how Aerys loved to watch people burn with wildfire. Burning lords, hands, and half the country if they were against him. Aerys had his pyromancer place wildfire under the city with the intention of burning everything and everyone. When Robert Barratheon marched toward Kings Landing, Tywin Lannister got there first asking for the gates to be opened so his army could protect the King and the city from Robert's army.
Knowing that his father had ulterior motives, Jaime told the Mad King to surrender peacefully, but the King didn't listen to Jaime, or to Varys. But Aerys did listen to Maester Pycell who urged the King to trust Tywin Lannister. The gates were then opened and Tywin sacked the city. Jaime again urged the King to surrender, but instead the King ordered Jaime to bring him Tywin's head, and then ordered the city to be burned. Rather than kill his own father - and burn thousands of people - Jaime turned on the Mad King, stabbing him in the back. Brienne asks why Jaime never told anyone this story. Jaime answers that Ned Stark judged him guilty of oath breaking the moment he saw him.
Kings Landing:
Tyrion, the new Master of Coin is having a problem affording the royal wedding between Margaery and Joffrey and is seeking the aid of Lady Olenna. Tyrion objects to the wedding being so extravagent considering they are currently at war. Lady Olenna proves her wisdom by stating the exact efforts House Tyrell has assisted in this war, including food, men, weapons, and money. She tells Tyrion that the people need a distraction, and what better distraction than a royal wedding. Despite tradition that the wedding should be paid by the royal family, Lady Olenna agrees to split the cost, leaving Tyrion - for once - speechless.
Margaery and Sansa talk about her potential marriage to Loras, and that plans wouldn't be put into action until after the royal wedding, when Margaery can use her pull as Joffrey's wife to urge him to let Sansa go.
Eager in finding out any secret plots against her family by the Tyrells, Cersei enlists the help of Lord Baelish who hires a man to sleep with Loras Tyrell to eavesdrop on Margaery and Sansa, and gain information from the Knight of Flowers. Discovering that the Tyrells plan to wed Sansa to Loras, Littlefinger seeks out Sansa to find out if she still wants him to take her with him when he leaves the city. Sansa admits that she's not quite ready to leave, but lies as to her reasons.
The Lannisters learn of Sansa's secret betrothal and how the Tyrells could perhaps gain the upper hand when it comes to claims on Winterfell. Tywin orders that Sansa be married to Tyrion instead, before any more plots against them are planned. Tyrion, enraged by the idea of marrying a child - and one who has already suffered so much at the hands of the Lannisters - argues, but is put in his place by his father with a smirking Cersei nearby. Unfortunately for Cersei, Tywin is now in charge and Queen Regent or not, Tywin plans to marry her to Loras Tyrell to secure High Garden and put to rest the rumors about her incestuous relationship with Jaime.
Riverrun:
In a rage of grief over the death of his own sons in battle, Lord Karstark and his men slaughter the captive Lannister children. Robb orders the men all to be hanged for their participation, including the look-out. Despite his orders to have Karstark killed for treason against him, his wife, mother and uncle all beg Robb to forgive the act. If Lord Karstark is killed, his men will leave and Robb will lose half of his armed forces. Despite the facts, Robb is his fathers son and honor and the law are above his personal feelings and needs (except you know . . . if he wants to marry someone he's not supposed to). Robb then executes Karstark himself, as Stark men do their own beheading (see: Season One, Episode One).
With the Karstark forces abandoning him, Robb thinks about his next move. Going head on into battle won't help now that his numbers have deteriorated, but if he can seize Casterly Rock, the Lannisters home, he might have some leverage against them. Regardless, he needs more men and the only person left with those forces is Lord Walder Frey - the man whom Robb already betrayed by wedding Talisa instead of Lord Frey's daughter.
Dragonstone:
Queen Selyse is visited by her husband, Stannis during a prayer to the Lord of Light. Attempting to admit his infidelity to her, Selyse stops him and says that Melissandre has told her everything and she is alright with it. She encourages anything that would serve the Lord of Light and is glad that Melissandre gave Stannis a son when she could not. A son, or you know . . . creepy smoke baby monster.
And then she turns and shows a bunch of babies in jars!
Babies in jars! A bunch. Of babies. In fucking jars!
Not. Cool.
Stannis goes to visit his daughter Shireen who has previously been afflicted with greyscale, a disease that has left half of her face covered in grey, scaley skin. Shireen is excited to see her father, but immediately asks about her friend, Sir Davos the Onion Knight. Stannis tells her that Davos is a traitor and currently locked up in the dungeons. The little princess goes to visit her Onion Knight, bringing him a book to read to pass the time. Davos insists that Shireen leave, telling her that he's grateful for the book, but he cannot read. Shireen, unafraid of being caught, tells Davos she will teach him to read.
Across the Narrow Sea:
Dany meets with her new army, instructing them to choose among themselves a leader. They've chosen a man called Grey Worm. Missandei tells Dany that the Unsullied are given names to remind them that they are worthless. Dany instructs them all to choose new names. Grey Worm asks that his name remain Grey Worm, for it was the name he had the day Daenerys rode into the city to free them all.
Jorah Mormont and Barristan Selmy talk about old times in the Seven Kingdoms. They talk about how Robert was a good man, a great warrior but a terrible King. Barristan tells how he was a man who kept his vows and it didn't matter that Robert was a drunk or that Aerys was a lunatic. But he asks that once in his life, he be able to serve with pride.
Jorah then tries to pry information out of Barristan, clearly trying to find out if he was on the small council during Roberts reign where Jorah was a spy and privy to the knowledge of the assassination attempt on Daenerys life. Barristan admits that Daenerys will need good men advising her when she goes to battle, and Jorah's reputation in the Seven Kingdoms might actually hurt their cause. Jorah speaks up saying that he was busy defending Dany against assassins sent by Robert, while Barristan was still bowing to the drunken King. Barristan reminds Jorah that if they truly want Dany to rule, they will do whatever necessary, regardless of their personal cost.
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Favourite Quote: "By what right does the wolf judge the lion?" - Jaime
Favourite Character: Jaime.
Jaime's performance in this episode is one of the reasons I love this show (and the books). The characters are not inherently good or evil. They are human. They are doing what they feel is right for themselves, their family, their country, their honor, etc. In the first season and first several books, we're shown Jaime to be a wicked man. However, as the show goes on we see how incredibly destructive his relationship with his father is, how manipulative Cersei can be, and how in the end Jaime has been torn between his family, his King and what the right thing to do is.
All the characters have these little moments where you can see that they are just humans who make mistakes. There is no good or evil, no hero or villain. We can of course pick our own villains (Joffrey makes a fabulous choice) but it doesn't mean that in the end the hero saves the girl and the villain is defeated.
It's thinking like this that reminds me that the series can't end entirely happy. We love Robb, we love Jon, we love Dany. Well what happens when Daenerys eventually returns to conquer the Seven Kingdoms? Most will fight her, she's a Targaeryn after all. And which of our favorite characters will be dragon fodder?
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