Game of Thrones (HBO): Season 2/Episode 7

2.7 A Man Without Honor

Ygritte wouldn’t stop teasing Jon Snow about his vow of celibacy. In the end, she escapes and he’s surrounded by Wildlings. Daenerys demands the return of her dragons. Pyat Pree (Ian Hanmore) the warlock admits that he has them, and that she would soon be joining them at the House of the Undying. Xaro reveals his connivance with the warlock, before the latter multiplies and slaughters the other members of the Thirteen. Sansa menstruates for the first time and tries to hide it but Cersei still finds out and offers her sincere womanly advice. Tyrion warns her sister about Stannis’ impending attack and how they would all fall if Joffrey could not be controlled. Cersei tells him that it must be the punishment for her incestuous relationship with Jaime. Jaime manages to escape before being captured again, with everyone in the camp wanting his head. Theon wakes up on an empty bed and with bad news regarding Osha’s escape along with Bran, Rickon, and Hodor. He later goes on to find them, and returns to Winterfell presenting the bodies of two charred children.

Am I the only one who finds the pseudo father-daughter relationship between Arya and Daddy Lannister cute? I mean, in a non-pedophile kind of way. It’s as if Daddy Lannister adopted a new daughter and decided to share war stories with her. Anyway, I think Arya is the most resilient of the Stark children, being forced to grow up because the odds are against her. She is a survivor, and her witty dialogues with Daddy Lannister are always fun to listen to. This episode is one of those where you feel sympathy for Queen Bitch. Her antagonistic relationship with Gimli is always a source of witty banter in the palace, but here you just see a big sister sharing her grief with the younger brother she always loathed, because at the end of the day they are still family, right? Her advice to Sansa is also very sincere, not from a queen to a subordinate but rather from one woman to another, schooling her about the tricky position they have in that society and what to do in order to survive. Aww, Queen Bitch, you are not one-dimensional after all.

“The more people you love, the weaker you are. You'll do things for them that you know you shouldn't do. You'll act the fool to make them happy, to keep them safe. Love no one but your children. On that front a mother has no choice.” –Cersei Lannister

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