'Game of Thrones' Season 3, Episode 1: 'Valar Dohaeris' Recap

“Game of Thrones”, season 3, episode 1, “Valar Dohaeris”

The White Walkers advance on the Wall and Samwell flees. He marches through the blizzard and finds what he thinks is another of the Night’s Watch, but is actually the corpse of one. He is attacked by one of the White Walkers and Ghost saves him just in time. The rest of the Night’s Watch appear, and Jeor Mormont asks him if he sent the Ravens. He didn’t, so Jeor tells the rest that they must head back to the Wall to warn the rest of the country before it’s too late.

North of the Wall, the line of Wildlings lead Jon Snow to Mance Rayder, the King-Beyond-the-Wall. The Wildlings aren’t too happy to see a ‘crow’ amongst them, so they throw rocks at him. They bring Jon before Tormund Giantsbane, saying that he wants to join them. Jon bows before him, and they laugh, saying no one bows beyond the Wall. Mance Rayder appears and sends them away to question Jon. He asks why Jon wants to join them, and Jon says he wants to be free. Mance says that Jon wants to be a hero and asks again. Jon reveals that he saw White Walkers when they were at Craster’s Keep, and when he told his commander, he already knew, so he wants to fight for the side that fights for the living. Mance allows him to stay.

In the kingdoms, Tyrion sends a messenger to fetch Bronn. Meanwhile, Cersei pays Tyrion a visit. He isn’t too happy to see her, and initially refuses to let her and her guards into his room. He finally lets her in, who came just to see his disfigured face. She also wondered why Tyrion was so eager to meet with their father. She worries that he’ll tell lies about her.

Outside the cell, Ser Bronn arrives, saying Tyrion is expecting him. Cersei’s guards threaten him should he approach. As they do, Cersei leaves. Tyrion and Bronn go for a stroll. Bronn says that if Tyrion wants him as a guard still, he needs to pay him double his salary.

Elsewhere, Davos wakes up on a small island, surviving the Battle of the Blackwater. He spots a ship and flags them down. The row out to him, and take him aboard. The men reveal that they thought he was dead, and they recount what has happened since the battle. He asks them to take him back to Dragonstone.

In the Riverlands, King Robb Stark and his men approach the castle of Harrenhal, eager to fight. But once they arrive, they see over 200 citizens slaughtered in the castle grounds. He addresses his men and informs them to take his mother captive, as punishment for freeing Jaime Lannister. As they take her away, they notice a man begin to cough amongst the corpses. One of the men, Qyburn, is barely alive.

In King’s Landing, Tyrion pays his father, Tywin, a visit, curious as to why he never paid him a visit. Tyrion points out that he risked his life in defending the city and feels he deserves a thank you from his father. He doesn’t feel he deserve it and asks what he really wants. Tyrion says he wants what he deserves; Casterly Rock. Tywin tells him that he would sooner be eaten by maggots than make Tyrion the heir to Casterly Rock. He tells Tyrion how ashamed of him he is and dismisses him. As Tyrion leaves, he tells him that he’ll hang the next whore he finds in his bed.

Shae and Sansa watch over the Blackwater Bay when Littlefinger approaches her. They dismiss Shae, and she asks Littlefinger when he’s going to take her home. He says he might be sent north soon, and might be able to take her with him, but she’ll have to be ready at a moment’s notice. As they talk, Ros, Littlefinger’s assistant, warns Shae to keep an eye on Sansa, especially around Littlefinger.

Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys and her dragons approach Slaver’s Bay via ship. She tells Jorah that she needs an army, and he says that the Unsullied are the best soldiers in the world, and they’ll be approaching Astapor soon.

At Dragonstone, Davos returns to King Stannis Baratheon. He isn’t too happy to see Davos. He asks for an audience with the king. He says there’s still a war to fight. Melisandre points out that she would have saved all of Stannis’ men, had he not insisted she stay behind. He draws a dagger, and is restrained. Stannis sends him to the dungeons.

In King’s Landing, Joffrey and Margaery Tyrell are carried through the city, but Margaery stops them. She exits and goes to speak to the orphans of the city, comforting them over their losses from the Battle of Blackwater. She tells their caretaker to come to her whenever the children need anything.

At dinner, Cersei questions Margaery’s motives, not quite understanding her charity work. Margaery mentions that her land of Highgarden has been shipping all their extra harvest to King’s Landing to help the population since the food shortage started by King Joffrey.

In Slaver’s Bay, Daenerys Targaryen is introduced to the Unsullied by Kraznys mo Nakloz. He points out that the Unsullied are eunuchs and don’t fear death. To demonstrate, he cuts off one of the men’s nipples. He tells them that the Unsullied prove their worth by killing a newborn baby, which doesn’t make Daenerys too happy. He also insults her in his native tongue of Valyrian.

Daenerys asks Jorah what she would be if she owned 8,000 slaves. As they talk, she is attacked by a man with a knife. He is tackled to the ground, but it’s soon revealed that the man was trying to protect her from a child possessed by the spurned warlocks. The man reveals himself to be the commander of Robert Baratheon’s Kingsgaurd, and that he’s been looking for her since the King died. He says he was the protector of her father, and asks to be allowed to be her protector.