‘Game Of Thrones’ Recap: Arya Gets Revenge, Tyrion Fights Joffrey, Ramsey Snow Tortures Theon

Game of Thrones returned on Sunday with the season 3 finale, after last week’s Red Wedding, to tie the loose ends of the show’s storylines that span the Seven Realms and the high and lowborn families of the land.

Last night’s episode, titled “Mhysa,” picked up outside of Walder Frey’s hall in the fire-ravaged camp of the late Robb Stark (Richard Madden). The Hound (Rory McCann), with Arya (Maisie Williams) in tow, rides through the dead men of the North’s army to escape, but not fast enough. Before he can get the youngest Stark daughter away, she witnesses the grotesque sight of her dead brother’s body mounted on his horse with the head of his Direwolf.

Continuing onward away from the Freys, the unlikely pair passes by a group of the household’s men bragging about their part in the killing and subsequent desecration of Robb Stark’s body. Wordlessly, Arya hops down from the horse and approaches the biggest braggart from behind, softly asking if she could warm by the fire and get some food. She then drops her Valar Morghulis coin, tricking the man to bend down, and proceeds to stab him to death. The Hound steps in to kill the rest before they could get to Arya.

Newlyweds Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Sansa (Sophie Turner) stroll through the lanes of Kings Landing with Shea (Sibel Kekilli) for an escort, contemplating the best ways to achieve revenge on those who mock them. Tyrion is soon called away to attend a meeting of the small council, where the news of Robb Stark’s murder at the Frey wedding is revealed. Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) is giddy and already planning on serving his head to Sansa at his wedding to Margaery (Natalie Dormer). What follows is an exchange between the three Lannister men – Tyrion, Tywin (Charles Dance) and Joffrey – that ends in the elder Hand sending the boy king to bed.

Before Tyrion can leave the meeting, Tywin urges him to stay. They spar verbally about the way in which Tywin orchestrated the slaughter of Robb and Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley). After Tywin declares that his decision to kill them at the wedding spared lives and was done for the sake of the Lannister family, Tyrion presses him to tell him an example of something he did that wasn’t for himself. Tywin answers that it was the moment he chose not to drown Tyrion in the river upon his birth. When Tyrion then goes to Sansa, he sees she’s been crying, realizes that she must have received the news of the death of her mother and brother, and leaves her. He proceeds to get drunk and is paid a visit by Cersei (Lena Headey), who tries to convince him that giving Sansa a child would be the best thing he could do for her. Later on, when Cersei's twin brother and father to her children Jamie (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) returns to King's Landing, she spots his missing hand and looks nothing but disappointed.

Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright), Meera (Ellie Kendrick), Jojen (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and Hodor (Kristian Nairn) run into Jon Snow’s fellow man of the Night’s Watch, Samwell (John Bradley), and Gilly and her baby on their way north of the wall. Although Sam tries to discourage Bran, he eventually helps him get through the wall at Castle Black. After securing Gilly and her baby safe haven at Castle Black for the time being, a wounded Jon Snow (Kit Harrigton) falls off his horse upon arrival. As it turns out, a betrayed Ygritte (Rose Leslie) had struck him with a series of arrows despite his insistence that he loved her even though he needed to leave her.

Another Snow was revealed in last night’s episode, Roose Bolton’s (Michael McElhatton) bastard Ramsey Snow (Iwan Rheon), otherwise known as Theon Greyjoy’s (Alfie Allen) brutal torturer. Meanwhile, Robert Baratheon’s illegitimate son, Gendry (Joe Dempsie), was saved from death at the hands of his uncle Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) by Ser Davos (Liam Cunningham). Ser Davos, who was subsequently sentenced to death by Stannis, was saved by a message from the Night’s Watch that confirmed that the White Walkers were coming, and the Red Woman’s affirmation that Stannis would indeed need him in the war against them.

The finale ended with Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) being accepted with open arms by the slaves of Yunkai, who chant “mhysa” (mother) as she walks somewhat theatrically through the crowd. Eventually, they raise her up on their shoulders as her three dragons fly above them.

Game of Thrones will return next season with winter and the White Walkers closer than ever.

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