A Storm of Swords

Daenerys holds court in Meereen. An envoy from the city of Astapor reports that despite Daenerys’s efforts to install a ruling council in Astapor, the council restored the enslavers to power. They were soon overthrown by an emancipated butcher named Great Cleon, who swears his fealty to Daenerys and wants to forge an alliance with her against the city of Yunkai.

The second visitor is the captain of a trading ship, who laments that Astapor is in chaos under Cleon’s rule. Cleon has reinstated slavery in the city in the hopes of raising a new army of Unsullied. The captain asks Daenerys for enslaved people, claiming that some of them want to serve rich houses in the Free Cities so that they can escape the squalor of Meereen.

Jorah and Barristan are brought before Daenerys to answer for their betrayals. Barristan explains that he defected to King Robert because he felt that Daenerys’s vicious older brother, Viserys, was too much like his father in character. When Barristan came to Daenerys, he wanted to make sure her temperament was different before swearing himself to her. Though Daenerys struggles to accept this at first, she eventually forgives Barristan.

Jorah admits that he sent a report to Varys from Qarth, but claims that he attempted to keep Daenerys out of Robert’s reach. Barristan confirms that there were attempts to assassinate Daenerys based on Jorah’s reports, weakening Jorah’s defense. Daenerys refuses to forgive him. When Jorah reminds her of his love, Daenerys remembers the prophecy that she would be betrayed for love and realizes it has been fulfilled. She exiles Jorah from her court. Barristan becomes Daenerys’s Kingsguard.

The knowledge that both Viserys and Aerys were known for their difficult tempers makes it difficult for Daenerys to sleep that night. She resolves to stay in Meereen and prove herself a worthy ruler before returning to Westeros.

Kevan implores Jaime to mend the rift with Tywin, who is anxious to placate the Martells following Oberyn’s death. Jaime encounters Roose Bolton’s vassal, Steelshanks, who is set to return to the Dreadfort with Ramsay’s new bride, “Arya Stark.” This is actually a commoner who is being forced to pretend that she is Arya.

Cersei urges Jaime to speak to Tywin. Tywin wants to send her to Casterly Rock so that he can freely influence Tommen without Cersei getting in the way. Though Jaime still maintains his love for Cersei, he feels that he should keep a distance from Tommen, instead of behaving like a father figure. He suggests that they confess their affair to Tywin, an idea that Cersei dismisses. She tries to have sex with Jaime to prove that she still wants him, but Jaime stops her. Cersei leaves, frustrated that she and Jaime feel differently about the fate of their children.

Jaime summons Brienne, who has resolved her conflict with Loras. Brienne acknowledges Jaime’s effort to defend her honor. Jaime gives Brienne the mission of finding and protecting Sansa, allowing her to keep her vow to Catelyn. Jaime gives her the sword that Tywin gifted him, naming it Oathkeeper. Because it was forged from the Valyrian steel of Ned Stark’s greatsword, Brienne can use it to defend Sansa. This will prove that Jaime is still honorable.

Jaime records recent events on his page in the Book of the Brothers, but sees that most of the page remains empty. He recognizes the power he has to shape the story of his life.

Following Maester Aemon’s intercession, Slynt releases Jon to give him one last chance to prove his loyalty. He tasks Jon to attend a parley with Mance Rayder and assassinate him.

Jon reluctantly goes. He is escorted by Tormund, who vouches for him. At the parley, Mance reveals that he has the Horn of Joramun, which he plans to use as a last resort unless the Night’s Watch gives the wildlings safe passage south to escape the Others. If they are granted passage, Mance promises to give the Night’s Watch the Horn. He refuses to bow to any Southern kings, however.

Suddenly, a company of soldiers ambush the wildlings. Jon insists that he knew nothing of any attack. Mance retreats to attend to the birth of his child. The soldiers are revealed to be Stannis Baratheon’s men.

At an inn, Sandor runs into two of Gregor’s brutes, Polliver and the Tickler. They inform Sandor about Gregor’s return to King’s Landing. When the Tickler suggests that Sandor return to Harrenhal to face his brother, a drunken Sandor starts a fight.

The Tickler manages to wound Sandor on the neck. Sandor kills Polliver. Arya steps in to kill the Tickler, taunting him with the same questions he used to ask during his interrogations. Arya recovers her old sword, Needle, from Polliver’s corpse and uses it to kill Polliver’s wounded squire.

Sandor and Arya proceed to the Saltpans to find a ship that will bring them to the Vale. Sandor’s wounds slow him down, so he orders Arya to help him mend his wounds. The next time Arya prays for the deaths of the people who wronged her family, she can leave off Joffrey, Polliver, and the Tickler. She only adds Sandor’s name to the prayer as an afterthought.

The next morning, Sandor’s wounds make it impossible for him to travel. Arya considers killing Sandor as an act of mercy. When she hesitates, Sandor provokes her by reminding her of all the transgressions he’s committed against her. Arya realizes Sandor’s cowardice and decides that he doesn’t deserve mercy. She leaves him behind, rebuking him for retreating at the Twins.

Arya arrives at the Saltpans. She doesn’t have enough money for passage to the Wall. When she learns that one of the ships will head to Braavos, she offers the coin that Jaqen H’ghar gave her to the captain. Reacting with frightened surprise, he grants her passage.

Sam and Gilly arrive at Castle Black, where Stannis has occupied a tower and taken Mance captive. Sam reunites with his friends, including Jon. He wonders whether he can send Gilly back to his family and convince them to raise Gilly’s child as his own.

The Night’s Watch hold their election to choose a new Lord Commander. Slynt is a frontrunner, but he does not achieve the vote required for election. Slynt’s potential election threatens Jon, who remains under suspicion of being a traitor. Sam wonders if he can convince one of the other frontrunners to drop out to prevent Slynt from winning.

Stannis believes that Jon is innocent of his alleged crimes. He also credits Jon’s role in uncovering the hidden cache of dragonglass weapons, defending the Wall from the wildlings, and ultimately capturing Mance and the Horn of Joramun. Jon is modest about his achievements and defends the wildlings’ honor.

Stannis explains that Davos convinced him to defend the Wall. By stopping the Others’ advance on the realm, Stannis can prove his worth as a king. Stannis needs to command the loyalty of the North, which he cannot do without a direct line to House Stark. As it stands, Jon holds a stronger claim to Winterfell than Roose Bolton. Stannis can legitimize Jon as a member of House Stark if Jon swears fealty to him. Jon is conflicted since this would mean forswearing his oath to the Night’s Watch. Stannis sweetens the deal by promising to give the wildlings passage to the South, so long as they too swear fealty to him. To legitimize this alliance, Stannis will also wed Jon to Mance’s sister-in-law, Val. Jon considers his offer.

With Varys’s help, Jaime rescues Tyrion from incarceration. Varys plans to send Tyrion to the Free Cities, where he can live under an assumed identity. Jaime is saving Tyrion’s life to clear a debt. He reveals that Tyrion’s first wife, Tysha, was never a sex worker. Tywin only ordered Jaime to convince Tyrion that she was one to humiliate Tyrion. Jaime is guilty because he did what he was told without knowing the full extent of Tywin’s plan. Tyrion tells Jaime to leave him alone. Before parting ways, Tyrion mocks Jaime for asking if he really killed Joffrey.

Tyrion encounters Varys, who admits that he could not help Tyrion during the trial because he was under immense pressure from Cersei to testify against him. Varys leads Tyrion through the dungeons. Soon, Tyrion realizes they are under the Tower of the Hand. Against Varys’s advice, he makes a detour to climb the tower and kill Tywin in his sleep. To his surprise, Shae is naked in Tywin’s bed, wearing the chain of the Hand. Tyrion asks if she ever liked being with him. When she pleadingly refers to him as her “giant of Lannister,” Tyrion strangles her with the chain. He then takes a crossbow and finds Tywin in the privy. Tywin insists that Mace Tyrell is the one who wants Tyrion dead. Tyrion refuses to bargain with Tywin. He instead asks what became of Tysha. Tywin admits that he gave her payment for sex work and sent her away. Tyrion shoots Tywin, who dies disowning Tyrion. Tyrion retorts that they are the same.

Stannis communicates his frustration with the prolonged Night’s Watch election. He stresses that he does not want to interfere in the process, but encourages the Watch to finish the election as soon as possible, so that they can focus on the threat of the Others.

Stannis identifies Sam as the ranger who killed an Other using dragonglass. Stannis has a store of dragonglass under Dragonstone, which he plans to mine immediately. Aemon asks to look at Stannis’s sword Lightbringer. Later, Aemon confides to Sam that he felt no heat emanating from Stannis’s sword.

Sam wonders how he can move the election along. He tries to convince two of the frontrunners, Cotter Pyke and Denys Mallister, to drop out of the race. When both candidates refuse to support each other, Sam lies to get them to support an alternative candidate: Jon.

Jon continues to consider Stannis’s offer. He knows he can restore the Stark legacy to the ruined Winterfell, but he has also internalized his family’s assertions that he was never a true Stark.

The likelihood of Slynt’s election, along with the possibility of raising a child with Val, factors into Jon’s decision to renounce his vows. Jon reunites with his dire wolf, Ghost, prompting him to reflect on the difference between Ghost and his siblings. Jon resolves to remain in the Night’s Watch.

Jon discovers that he has been nominated by Dolorous Edd. Despite Slynt’s calls to withhold support for Jon, the rangers allow the nomination to stand. Thorne calls for a vote, during which one of the frontrunners shifts his support from Slynt to Jon. Jeor’s old raven surprises the rangers by proclaiming “Snow.” The vote results in Jon’s election as the 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Jon’s friends credit Sam with the result, but Sam insists that he had nothing to do with the raven.

Sansa adjusts to life in the Vale. She spends one morning building a replica of Winterfell from snow and twigs, recalling memories of her family. Littlefinger comes to help her with her snow castle. Suddenly, he kisses Sansa. Sansa is shocked that Littlefinger would betray her aunt, but he claims to be enamored with her. They are interrupted by Robert, Lysa’s extremely over-indulged son, who demolishes the castle with his doll. Sansa tears Robert’s doll while trying to stop him, which makes him have a tantrum. Sansa dreads their eventual marriage.

Marillion escorts Sansa to the High Hall at Lysa’s command. Lysa accuses Sansa of kissing Littlefinger, having seen them from afar. Sansa tries to defend herself, but Lysa is convinced that Sansa is lying. She cries that everyone has always wanted to ruin her joy, including Catelyn. Sansa promises to distance herself from Littlefinger, but Lysa refuses to let her go. Lysa recounts the history of her relationship with Littlefinger, the forced abortion of their child, and how Hoster forced her to marry Jon Arryn to save her reputation. To intimidate Sansa further, Lysa dangles her over the Moon Door.

Littlefinger arrives at the High Hall and tries to convince Lysa to stop harassing Sansa. Lysa is too upset to believe that Littlefinger really wants her. She reveals that Littlefinger convinced her to kill her husband by poisoning his wine. Littlefinger reassures her, but then admits that he has only ever loved woman in his life: Catelyn. He pushes Lysa through the Moon Door and blames her murder on Marillion.

Merrett Frey, one of Walder’s younger sons, rides out into the woods to deliver the ransom for his great-nephew, Petyr, who was kidnapped by outlaws. Now in his middle age, Merrett’s life holds little promise. At the Red Wedding, he failed to carry out his sole responsibility, which was to keep one of Robb’s vassals too drunk to fight. Rescuing Petyr represents Merrett’s last chance to improve his station.

Merrett meets with the outlaws, who are posing as their leaders Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr. Once Merrett gives them the ransom, they lead him to the godswood, where Petyr has been hanged to death.

The outlaws prepare to hang Merrett. They ask Merrett if he has seen Sandor Clegane and the little girl accompanying him. Merrett does not know the answer, so the outlaws proceed with the hanging. Merrett tries to rationalize his family’s actions at the Red Wedding, which causes the outlaws to point out that the Freys got their revenge. Merrett then tries to distance himself from his family’s actions. He claims that the outlaws have no witness to his participation. The outlaws then present Lady Catelyn Stark, raised from the dead, her body mutilated with the scars of her mortal wounds. Catelyn cannot speak, but when the outlaws ask her if Merrett participated in the wedding, she nods. Merrett is hanged.