History Recap / GameOfThronesS3E2DarkWingsDarkWords

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Mormont makes Rast responsible for Sam and threatens to kill him if the latter doesn't make it back to Castle Black.

* AbsoluteCleavage: Cersei mocks Margaery's tendency towards it, saying a single fabric sample should provide enough material for her wedding dress.

* SpeakIllOfTheDead: Cersei and Joffrey have no qualms posthumously calling Renly a "degenerate."

** Thoros twirls his sword when 'fighting' Arya, to better effect.

** The Watch's retreat back from the Fist of the First Men is, unlike in the books, devoid of the White Walkers pursuing them and [[DwindlingParty picking off any stragglers that fall behind]].

-->'''Catelyn:''' I prayed to the gods, "Take the boy away. Make him die." He got the pox... and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone I knew then that I was the worst woman who ever lived]]. ''A murderer.'' I'd condemned this poor, innocent child to a horrible death, all because I was jealous of his mother, ''a woman he didn't even know!''

Along the way, Talisa tries approaching a [[TheEeyore very embittered and grieving Catelyn]], who is making a protection charm. Catelyn explains only a mother can make them and reveals she has made one twice before -- once when Bran fell and another time when one of the boys became ill -- Jon Snow. She remembers how angry she was when her husband Ned brought Jon home as a baby -- his son by another woman -- and Catelyn prayed to the gods to take the child away. When Jon ''did'' get ill with the pox as a young child, Catelyn was riddled with grief and guilt, explaining how terrible she felt for having previously condemned an innocent child because she was jealous of his [[MissingMom mother]]. She prayed for Jon's life and made a BargainWithHeaven that if the gods would just let Jon live, she'd treat him like her own and love him. However, Catelyn tells Talisa that couldn't keep her promise and proclaims that [[ItsAllMyFault her inability to keep this promise is the cause of all the bad things happening to House Stark]].

'''Elsewhere in the Riverlands''', Arya, Gendry and Hot Pie are also heading for Riverrun, though they have trouble finding it. [[AudienceSurrogate Gendry]] laments Arya's choices of victims in last season's [[BalancingDeathsBooks contract]] she had with Jaqen H'ghar. After a while, they are discovered by a band of traveling mercenaries called the "Brotherhood Without Banners," led by [[LargeHam a flamboyant red priest]] named Thoros of Myr. Arya's threats against the men turn out ineffective, but Myr promises them that if they come with them to the local tavern and answer their questions, they'll be free to go afterwards. In the tavern, Arya briefly tries swordfighting with Thoros, but he easily knocks the sword out of her hand. Not a minute later, a large captive is hauled in. It's Sandor Clegane -- ''and he recognizes Arya'', identifying her to the Brotherhood as "a Stark bitch." Whoops.

** The Watch's retreat back from the Fist of the First Men is, unlike in the books, devoid of the Walkers pursuing them and picking off any stragglers that fall behind.

We're back '''beyond the Wall''', where Jon takes a walk with Mance Rayder, who is trying to explain the difficulties in uniting the diverse and chaotic Wildling band. Jon is also introduced to Orell, a warg or "skinchanger" -- one who is literally able to [[GrandTheftMe slip his consciousness into that of another being]], preferably an animal. Through the eyes of an eagle, Orell reports many "dead Crows" on the Fist of the First Men. Cut to Samwell Tarly, still with the Night's Watch--which has been decimated to about fifty people. Sam is pretty close to giving up and just lays down on the cold ground, but Lord Commander Mormont isn't having any of it and orders him ''[[TryNotToDie not to die]]''.