The bear, the bear, and the maiden fair

SPOILER ALERT

After last week’s episode where Jon Snow and the wildlings scale The Wall this week’s episode The Bear And The Maiden Fair jumps right back in to that plot-line to start the show. As they are marching towards Castle Black Ygritte continues to make fun of Jon Snow’s highborn-ness by joking about how they march. From there Jon Snow confronts Orelle Skinchanger in regards to him cutting the rope during the climbing of The Wall in last week’s episode.

Out in the riverlands Jon’s brother Robb Stark isn’t fairing too well on the travel to the Twins to see his uncle married to Walder Frey’s daughter. Catelyn’s worry about Walder’s prickliness foreshadows that Walder may not take kindly to Robb’s late arrival. After a some extra curricular activities with his wife Talisa it is revealed that she is in fact pregnant with Robb’s prince or princess.

Jumping down to King’s Landing, Sansa is still trying to wrap her head around the idea of marrying Tyrion. Speaking with Margery Tyrell reveals that Margery may not be the maiden that she claims to be while also showing her aspirations to having a Tyrell rule Westeros. Margery explains to Sansa that it may not be so bad being married to Tyrion because he is quite experienced in the bedroom (see any previous brothel or prostitute scene) and that if they do have a son he can be the heir to the North and Casterly Rock.

Still down in King’s Landing Jofferey is getting concerned about Dany’s dragons even though she is currently in the far East. In a request to attend more council meetings his grandfather Tywin Lannister reassures him that his concern is mere rumor and as long as Dany is across the sea they have nothing to work about. Seems as if Tywin is trying to keep Jofferey in the dark about most things for as long as possible.

Tyrion is trying to get used to the fact of marrying Sansa as well, but on a different front. Shae believes that she and Tyrion should run away across the sea to where his father’s reach can not touch them. Shae also believes that once Tyrion is doing his duty by marrying Sansa, she (Shae) will just go back to being another one of Tyrion’s whores.

Last week’s events between the Brotherhood Without Banners still has Arya a little upset; upset enough that she is still badgering Beric about giving Gendry away for gold. This all comes to a head when Beric and the Brotherhood plan to take detour instead of brining Arya back to Riverrun so she can meet up with her mother. Ayra proceeds to runaway from the Brother only to be grabbed by The Hound.

Gendry on the other hand finally learns who he is as Melisdandre reveals to him that he is Robert Baratheon’s bastard son. Hence why the gold cloaks were after him in the first season.

Now to everyone’s favorite part of the show Daenerys and her dragons. Dany and her army of Unsullied have arrived to the slave city of Yunkai. Still on her ‘free the slaves’ campaign Dany threatens to the leader of Yunkai, Razdal. In the meeting between the two a proud Razdal brags that Dany will be defeated if they try to fight the Yunkish because he has “powerful friends.” This threat does not go over well with the dragons who send Razdal running back to Yunkai.

Poor Theon, another trick by his unknown capture in this week’s episode taps in to Theon’s love for the ladies. Two women untie Theon from his post, start to have sex with him than the captor comes in to ruin Theon’s day yet again.

Going back to the wildlings, Jon Snow is trying to teach Ygritte the meaning of “swooning” which Ygritte once again makes fun of Jon’s lordliness. Jon then shares with Ygritte his childhood story of previous King-Beyond-The Wall’s trying to take over The Wall, six kings six failures. This doesn’t go over too well with Ygritte who explains if they fail they will fail together.

Jaimie Lannister is all set to go back to King’s Landing until a revealing conversation with Qyburn. Qyburn reveals why he chain was taken by The Citadel, he performed experiments on dying people to better understand disease and infection. Amidst their conversation comes up the fate of Brienne who is in fact still at Harrenhal under the care of Locke (the man who cut off Jaime’s hand). Now caring for Brienne, Jaime convinces his traveling party to return to Harrenhal so he can rescue Brienne.

Once he arrives Jaime finds that Locke has thrown Brienne in to a pit with a bear arming her with only a wooden sword…death sentence. All the men are singing the song “The Bear & The Maiden Fair” while this is going on, tying in this week’s episode title. Jumping in to the pit Jaime saves Brienne and rescues her from Locke because basically Jaimie’s fate is the most important in the show right now as no one wants to be responsible for Jaimie’s death. The name Lannister hold a lot of weight.

This week’s episode was written by the book’s author George R.R. Martin so it does have that chapter feel to it. Three episodes left and from the looks of the previews they’re going to be bananas.

– John McAuliffe (@John_Mac310)