Game of Thrones: The Ghost of Harrenhal Recap

melisandre-carice-van-houten-helen-sloan

We start out in Renlys camp where Lady Stark is attempting to get Renly to negotiate with his brother Stannis but he refuses. She explains that Robb doesn’t want the iron throne. They simply want to be left alone and have control over the north. Renly agrees and asks only that Robb swear the same oath to him that Ned Stark did with King Robert.

All of a sudden a huge gust of wind comes into the tent and a ghostly figure appears behind Renly. It was the creature that Melisandre had given birth to in the cave. It had the appearance of Stannis and it stabbed Renly, killing him. Guards rush in thinking Brienne did it, and Lady Stark tries to explain that it wasn’t her but the guards attack and she kills them. Both Lady Stark and Brienne leave, knowing if they stay, at least one of them will hang and its likely going to be Brienne.

Morning passes and the queen and her brother Loras are trying to figure out what to do now that Renly is dead. Stannis is on his way and will arrive soon. Petyr tells them they should not stay, and would be unable to seek revenge for Renly if they are dead.

In Kings landing the Queen gets the news of Renlys death and Tyrion worries about Stannis and his accumulation of power now that Renly is gone. Cersei is still upset over Tyrions plan to marry Myrcella away. Cersei comments the king is overseeing the defense of the city, Tyrion doesn’t put a lot of faith in that.

With a bit of threat Tyrion finds out from his cousin that they are making ‘wildfire’ with a pyromancer and plan to launch it into Stannis’ ships.

Davos trys to explain to Stannis what he saw Melisandre give birth to, but he didn’t want to listen. Davos explained the men feel he is under her spell and if Stannis brings her along to Kings Landing it will be her victory and not his. Stannis decides not to take her with and has Davos lead the main attack on Black Bay.

At Pyke, Theon Greyjoy awaits his crew but they have zero respect for him. Theons sister stops by to further taunt him by saying she has 30 ships with crews who would wait a year for her to show up before leaving, unlike his crew (who left him on shore apparently). Theons first mate helps give him an idea, take Stony Shore until Winterfell comes to defend it, and then move on to the next target: Winterfell.

At Harrenhal Arya waits on Tywin and his council as they talk about Robb Stark out doing them in almost all the battles. Tywin comments that they must stop under-estimating him, he is far better at war strategy then his men figured him for. Tywin questions where Arya is from and she is almost caught but catches herself with a town and house sigil she can remember. When asked about what they say of Robb Stark in the north she says they say he rides a dire wolf and cannot be killed. He asks her if she feels thats true. She replies ‘No, my lord anyone can be killed’. The silence in the room and the look on Tywins face was that of respect for the wisdom that such a young person has.

As Arya goes to get water she is stopped by one of the prisoners, now guard for the Lannister army that she helped save Jaqen H’ghar. He explains that she stole 3 deaths from the red god and they must repay them. Name 3 men and he will kill them. She is unsure at first but names the man who was torturing the prisoners as her first kill.

At kings landing Tyrion gets an unclose look at ‘wildfire’ which would be an ancient version of napalm perhaps, burning through wood, steel and flesh. Bronn worths about their own fighters saying that when a fight goes on, men get scared and screw up and it could result in a jar of this falling on their own men. Tyrion is shown a room with over 7,000 jars of it. Both Bronn and Tyrion feel this is a really bad idea, that room alone could bring down all of kings landing.

In Qarth, Daenerys is teaching one of her dragons how to burn its own food with fire. At a party hosted by Xaro, the man who vouched for her at the gate, she meets a man who is part of the warlocks of Qarth and invites her to their house. A women whose face was covered warns Jorah that the mother of dragons needs protecting. This women knows Jorah and Daenerys but won’t reveal how she does or who she is.

Stopping on their way to Robbs camp, Lady Stark and Brienne talk more about what they saw with Renly was killed, both unsure about what they really saw. Brienne offers to protect her with her live in exchange for 1 request. That when the time comes for her to take revenge on Stannis, that Lady Stark will do nothing to hold her back. They both agree and swear a vow to each other.

At Winterfell Bran listens to the request of villagers when they are interrupted by Ser Rodrik who comes with news of an attack at a near by village and Bran doesn’t take a seconds thought at giving him the men needed to go defend the village his father held for so many years. Bran tells the wildling of a dream he had of the sea coming to Winterfell and flooding the castle. She bushes it off saying the seas is hundreds of miles away.

In the north, as Jon and the others from the knights watch push forward in the mountains, they see an encampment of wildlings and Jon wants to join in on the raid. The Lord Commander allows this shortly after Jon gives a bit of a fight for it.

xaro-xhoan-daxos-nonso-anozie-paul-schiraldi

Xaro asks Daenerys how long Ser Jorah has been in love with her, she denies this idea but thinks about whether it could be true. She explains she wants the iron throne, it belongs to her by right and she will take it back. He takes her to a vault that can only be opened with key he has, filled with more then enough riches to fund an army for her. He asks for her hand in marriage and gives her information on King Roberts death. Jorah is against this arrangement and tells her she needs to take a single boat to Westeros and start gathering allies.

Back at Harrenhal, Gendry is back to making swords and Arya starts giving him ‘dancing lessons’. The student is now the teacher. They both hear a scream and when they look, the man who was torturing people was dead, she looks up and sees the man she saved, 1 down 2 to go.

The villain of this episode was the ghost which was, at least for me, a very unexpected and creepy scene that just caught you so off guard. You wonder how bad Tywin really is when you see the way he speak of Robb and the respect he has for Tyrion as of late and Arya. Bad seed but perhaps not because of the father?

Brans dreams are getting stronger and he is beginning to understand that what he is dreaming, isn’t just a dream. Checkout our interview with Isaac Hempstead-Wright where he talks about his character Bran and what its like on set with wolfs.

Shopping cart
Shop
Wishlist
0 items Cart
My account