The wretched rose and champions fell in Game of Thrones season 4, episode 8. Check out our recap and share your thoughts on “The Mountain and the Viper”!
Here’s what – and who – went down on Game of Thrones season 4, episode 8.
Mercy
A band of wildlings attacks Mole’s Town. As they slaughter the residents of the brothel, Ygritte finds Gilly and baby Sam. She holds a finger to her lips and leaves Gilly and her son alive.
At Castle Black, the brothers are furious at the attack but powerless to answer it. Sam is devastated, convinced Gilly has been killed in the raid, but Jon, Pyp, Grenn, and Dolorous Edd believe she may have escaped.
“If they hit Mole’s Town, we’ll be next,” says Jon.
Pyp, Grenn, and Dolorous Edd discuss their poor prospects of survival in the face of the wildling attack; Edd hopes that someone burns their bodies before they can return as Walkers.
Down by the riverside
In the river near Meereen, Grey Worm and Missandei see each other bathing. Later, Missandei confides in Dany, suspecting that Grey Worm is sexually interested in her.
Later, Grey Worm apologizes for watching Missandei. She tells him she is sorry that he was castrated, but Grey Worm is grateful for his path to meeting Dany – and Missandei. Missandei says she’s glad he watched her, and he is too.
And then he leaves, and they don’t kiss for some reason.
Promises, promises
Near Moat Cailin, Ramsay coaches Theon in how to be Reek, pretending to be Theon, but really being Reek. Theon goes to bring Ramsay Moat Cailin.
Theon is admitted to the pathetic castle. The master of the garrison is skeptical of Theon’s identity, but Theon says that if the men surrender, the Boltons will treat the Ironborn fairly.
The master is not impressed. Theon starts to break down, muttering, “My name is Reek.” But another man kills the master of the garrison and accepts the honorable surrender if they will be allowed to live. Theon promises that they will.
Afterward, Ramsay is like, “LOL!” and shows Theon the flayed remains of the honorable surrendered. He tells Theon that they are “Going to our new home.”
Hello, my name is…
Petyr Baelish meets with the lords of the Vale, who definitely don’t like him. Baelish claims that Lysa Arryn committed suicide, but the lords and ladies have Sansa brought to them to give her testimony.
“I’m sorry Lord Baelish, I have to tell the truth,” Sansa says. She confesses her true identity to the lords of the Vale, and says that all of Baelish’s lies were employed in her protection. It was Baelish, she says, who saved her from King’s Landing.
Sansa says that Lysa was driven mad by the jealousy spawned of Littlefinger’s innocent kiss of Sansa. Sansa starts to cry as she recounts how Lysa threatened her – and then stepped through the Moon Door.
As Lady Waynwood comforts Sansa, Sansa exchanges a look with Baelish.
Later, Baelish then convinces Lord Royce and Lady Waynwood to back Robin Arryn as their lord and makes plans for him to leave the “nest” of the Eyrie.
Loyalty
In Meereen, Barristan Selmy is given a sealed message by a “little bird.” He immediately goes to Ser Jorah and delivers the message – it is a royal pardon for Jorah, evidence that he spied against Dany.
Jorah approaches Dany’s throne; he wants to speak alone with Dany, who calmly asks for an explanation. Jorah says that it is a move from Tywin to divide them, but Dany demands to know what he told the Usurper. Her calm demeanor breaks when he admits that he revealed her pregnancy, which led to the attempt on her life.
“I have loved you,” Jorah says, kneeling at her feet, but Dany will not stand for him anymore. She orders Jorah out of Meereen and tells him never to speak her name again.
Snow falls
Ramsay Snow presents Moat Cailin to Roose Bolton. Roose is unconcerned about Bran and Rickon’s whereabouts and is pleased that the Ironborn will be fleeing the North. Roose legitimizes Ramsay, making him his heir – and a Bolton, instead of a Snow.
If they weren’t both evil psychopaths, this might be almost touching.
The Bolton column rides toward Winterfell, with Reek remaining as Ramsay’s prisoner.
A lord and a lady
Baelish visits Sansa in her room. “Why did you help me?” he asks.
Sansa says she doesn’t know what would have happened to her if the lords of the Vale had executed Littlefinger. “You think you know me?” he says.
“I know what you want,” she replies.
Later, Baelish prepares a terrified Robin Arryn to leave the Vale and learn about the world. He straightens – in more ways than one – as Sansa approaches, dressed like a woman.
“Shall we go?” Lady Stark asks.
Tardy
Arya and the Hound approach the Vale. They discuss how killing makes Arya happy and how Joffrey’s death was lame. The Hound’s bite wound is still bothering him, though he shrugs it off.
The Hound announces himself at the Bloody Gate. When the guard announces that Lysa is dead, Arya breaks into hysterical laughter.
Beetles
Tyrion and Jaime await Tyrion’s trial in his cell. They discuss Oberyn Martell’s prospects, murder, and their simple cousin. Tyrion says he became obsessed with learning about why their cousin smashed beetles for entertainment. He was desperate to learn the reason why, but he never did figure it out. Jaime has no answer for Tyrion.
Outside, the bells begin to ring.
Elia
Tyrion is led to an amphitheater where the duel will take place. He is irritated that Oberyn wears minimal armor and is drinking, but Oberyn is perfectly confident – even when Ellaria is alarmed at the Mountain’s arrival.
“Today is not the day I die,” he says and promises not to leave her alone in the world.
The duel begins. Oberyn fights with a slim spear, Clegane with an enormous sword. As they fight, Oberyn introduces himself to the Mountain and says that he has come to King’s Landing to kill Clegane.
“Elia Martell,” he calls to his massive foe. “You raped her. You murdered her. You killed her children!”
Clegane breaks the head off of Oberyn’s spear, but he flips away and takes another and stabs the Mountain in the chest. Oberyn repeats his refrain about Elia, tearing at the Mountain’s calf and finally stabbing him in the face.
The Stranger calls
But as the Mountain collapses, Oberyn only gets more agitated. “You can’t die yet,” he yells. “You haven’t confessed!” He demands to know who ordered Elia’s murder and leans close to yell that Clegane must say her name before he dies.
He leans too close.
The Mountain knocks Oberyn to the stones and straddles him, roaring that he did kill Elia. Clegane crushes in the Prince of Dorne’s eyes, bellowing, and crushes his skull into the bright stones.
The Mountain collapses, Ellaria Sand shrieks in grief, and Cersei smiles. Tyrion stares numbly at his slaughtered champion as Tywin rises and sentences Tyrion to death.
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