Dark Wings, Dork Words

Whew. End of another great season, though we're definitely ending on a down note.  The only happy character I recall is Joffrey, and that's never good.  That is... he's happy until Tywin puts him in his place.  I guess Sam is happy that Gilly named her baby after him.  And Roose Bolton and Walder Frey were happy... OK lots of characters were happy.  But things have reached an all time low for our few remaining Starks.  Davos manages to point Stannis and Melisandre toward the encroaching doom north of the wall.  And across the narrow sea, Danerys is on quite a roll.  The final note sure get me excited for the prospect of one day seeing Dragon Vs. White Walker in the final showdown.

It's a nice ep. for a... Red Wedding.  This brutal brutal event seems to have effectively rocked the fans who didn't see it coming.  Adding some stabbing to Talisa added some shock to those of us who knew what was about to go down.  Say goodbye to Robb Stark and all the hopes for the north.  Say goodbye to poor long-suffering Catelyn.  Weep for poor Arya who came so close to the reunion she longed for.  Wonder what became of the Blackfish. Oh, and up near the wall the warging is getting out of hand!  We get to see a killer combat sequence featuring Daario, Ser Jorah and Gray Worm.  But... all the coolness is over shadowed by the remorseless storytelling gutpunch that is the Red Wedding.

Game of Thrones took a break over Memorial Day weekend, but your tireless podcasters were still gettin' busy.  By popular demand we share our deepest thoughts about Star Trek Into Darkness, and all sorts of Trek-related things. Stand by to beam up... Energize.

This week we see a tender moment between the Hound and Arya.  Stannis and Davos make up, kind of.  Things get leechy between Gendry and Melisandre.  Danerys treats with the Second Sons.  Sam puts his dragonglass to good use and Sam the Slayer is born!

A bear there was. A bear! A BEAR! Trying to eat Brienne!  Ser Jaime to the rescue! This episode saved the best scene for last, though Daenyrs' negotiating with the Yunkai slaver was top notch.  The dragons were looking fierce!  Elsewhere, however, things were less fun to watch.  Tyleesa tells Robb she's with child, which is nice and all, especially cause she's sticking her cute bare rump in the air when she says it.  Oh, and... ugh, Theon gets a rude awakening, then a crude... man... it just sucks to be Theon right now.

The plot is thickest here in the middle of the season, and all our favorite Westerosi are in precarious predicaments.  The future of Robb Stark's kingship depends on his flaky uncle Edmure.  Jayme Lannister and Brienne of Tarth's lives are in Roose Bolton's hands.  Cersei and Tyrion are being forced into political marriages by their tyrannical father.  Poor Sansa, who allowed herself to hope she might find a happy life with Loras in Highgarden, is heartbroken once again.  Jon and Ygritte barely make it to the top of the wall alive, but their bond is strengthened.  And Sam and Gilly have a nice campfire in White Walker infested woods.

This is a dark, bloody episode.  Trial by combat!  Dondarrion vs Clegane!  "Kill him!", screams Arya.  The hound prevails, however, yet miraculously Beric lives to fight another day. But only after dying.  Lord Karstark takes his vengeance out on two helpless boys, leaving Robb no choice but to mete out justice and behead him, losing half his fighting force in the process.  Jayme and Brienne are delivered to Roose Bolton at Harrenhall, and are treated courteously.  Qyburn courteously tends to Jayme's stump.  Jayme and Brienne share a bath, and Jayme shares a dark truth, about how he became Kingslayer.  They also share glances at each others naughty bits. Jon and Ygritte do more than that in the enchanted romance cave.  Ygritte is kissed by more than just fire.  And in King's Landing lots of weddings are being planned, and not everybody is happy about it.

Lots of great action this week.  Daenerys pulls a major switcheroo on the Astapori slaver in what might be the most awesome moment of the series to date.  Theon falls victim to a cruel switcheroo as well.  So does Jayme, when he gulps down some water only to find it is horse piss.  Craster pushes his surly houseguests a bit too far and all hell breaks out.  Sam makes off with the girl after Lord Commander Mormont meets an untimely end.

At long last, Riverrun... at least in animated opening credits form.  We meet a few Tullys: Catelyn's brother Edmure, her uncle Blackfish and briefly, her deceased father Lord Hoster.  Robb gives Edmure quite the dressing down for not following battle plans precisely, and the Blackfish gives his niece comfort.  Not-Jayne-Westerling gives some little Lannister lads a scare as she patches them up.  Theon gets some help from a mysterious stranger escaping from the cell he was being held in by mysterious torturers.  Lord Tywin hosts a game of chairs with his small council.  Mance Rayder orders Tormund to take Jon with him to scale the wall.  The Nights Watch returns to Craster's Keep, much the worse for wear, and in foul spirits.  Jayme and Brienne bicker in their bonds, followed by a nigh-besmirching, allayed by Jayme's bluff to Not-Vargo-Hoat. The episodes ends with a smash cut.

There's a lot to like in this episode.  Margaery Tyrell and her grandmother have a nice sit down with Sansa and cut to the chase, getting her to open up about Joffrey.  But rather than recoil when Sansa confirms the rumors that Joffrey is a monster, Margaery fearlessly charms her betrothed.  Cersei trys to raise Joffrey's suspicions, but he's done listening to his mother.  Arya and her companions encounter the Brotherhood without Banners, and almost slip away before the Hound is dragged in as a fresh prisoner, who spots Arya and outs her as a Stark, and therefore a valuable hostage.  Jamie makes a bold play to kill Brienne, but their duel is cut short by Roose Bolton's men.  What else... Sam is struggling as he and his brothers slog their way through the snow back to the wall... Catelyn shares sad memories and fears with her new daughter-in-law... oh, and Tyrion gets laid.