Astute viewers knew something was wrong when the wedding musicians started playing the Lannister song of war and battle, ‘The Rains of Castamere’.

I remember feeling physically ill for an hour after reading the chapter in George R. R. Martin’s ‘A Storm of Swords’ that corresponded to the end of tonight’s episode.

The interesting conversation is: what happens now? What’s become of the North? The Starks are dead or scattered all across the world. Winterfell is in ruins. Where are all of Robb’s generals, like the Blackfish, and the groom himself, Edmure Tully?

The still-more interesting conversation: will viewers be encouraged enough to hang on, persist, and see this story through? Many people I know felt completely gutted after this chapter years ago, and the ones I saw watching tonight seemed doubly so – it’s quite something to see these events play out visually.

How do you hang on when the good guys get torn apart so viciously, so brazenly?

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It’s getting tougher to piece these recaps together in recent weeks on account of a school schedule that’s getting busier than ever; but it’s a labor of love, and a true pleasure to get to reflect on some of the most memorable television being made. Apologies to the OL community for the tardiness! Hopefully, this look back on ‘The Climb’ will whet your appetite for the next Thrones ep we’ll have coming this Sunday.

The episode this week was a strange mishmash of plodding and excellence. Let’s start with the rotten side of the apple.

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There is so much goddamn bro going on in this post. The Rock starring in a fucking television show that is being produced by Marky Mark. So many protein shakes. So many reps on the bench.

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This is the image Season 2 left us with last year; a horde of White Walkers and wights marching on the Wall.

The third book in Martin’s fantasy saga, A Storm of Swords, opens with this scene. It was moved to the end of the second season of Game of Thrones to up the cliffhanger quotient for a finale, and that was probably a very smart decision judging by its reception.

Before Season 3 kicks off this Sunday on HBO, let me remind us all where we left off, and guide us back with some potent imagery from “Valar Morghulis”.

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Does everyone remember this moment? Explosive, practically living wildfire punctuating the climax of the Clash of Kings. Half of HBO’s budget for season two of Game of Thrones blown in one orgiastic fell swoop.

When I popped the disc for Season 2 in for a replay this month, I realized how much the last two episodes work together as two halves of one finale that complement each other in surprising ways. They couldn’t be two more different episodes from one another.

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Guillermo Del Toro is bringing his considerable talents to premium channel television, boyos! Motherfucker is developing a Twin Peaks styled jam for the powers that be at HBO. This can only be a good thing. Unless it sucks. Then it is a bad thing.

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Yup.

Budrickton, Slacker in the North, First of His Name.

(some more specific thoughts from this otherwise straightforward-but-incredible spectacle to be rolled into a season-end post this week!  Finalé’s tonight at 9pm on HBO, and it’s clockin’ in at 64 minutes!  Adjust thy PVRs, and enjoy!)

Take a look at those two faces.  Those are probably the two smartest, and most well-connected men in King’s Landing, and even they’re confused and unprepared.  They don’t really have a handle on what’s coming next week.  The capital isn’t prepared for Stannis’ impending invasion fleet.  But, as with most story threads laid out in this week’s otherwise hollow episode, the hint of hope is teased for much more to come in the final two episodes of the season.

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Wasn’t expecting Charlie Kaufman to get into the television game, but I also wasn’t expecting the dude who craft a novel. I need to just sit back and let the dude create.

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It’s fun to guess at who the man is in the title of this week’s episode.  There are plenty of men without honor in Westeros and Essos.  The show’s breakout star of late, Alfie Allen’s Theon Greyjoy is the easy candidate, beheading Rodrik, roasting two children alive (supposedly Bran and Rickon), and betraying the Northern kingdom that was his home for half his life.  But we’re meant to sympathize with him too; he was the prisoner for that half of his life, taken from his home and his family.  The Greyjoy Rebellion bred this little shit, and it’s almost easy to believe that it isn’t his fault that he’s turned into a despicable, cruel Joffrey-in-the-North.

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