Game of Thrones Ep.16: The Old Gods and the New

It’s a clash between “The Old Gods and the New” in Episode 16 of Game of Thrones, and the shifts do not just happen with the gods. The old ways are being challenged, and indeed, some traditional conditions are begging for much needed revisions. However, change for the sake of change is not always positive; change should be for the better. What changes are taking place in Westeros and are they good or bad? You make the determination after reading the recap of the sixth episode of the second season.

Game of Thrones Episode 16: The Old Gods and the New Video

The grand estate of Winterfell falls quickly to Theon Greyjoy and his men, especially since many of their defenders had been called to Torrhen’s Square. Theon forces Bran to yield to him in exchange for keeping the people safe, then swiftly betrays the boy by beheading Ser Rodrik Cassel (and doing a pretty poor job of it). Fortunately, Maester Luwin was able to send off a message with a raven just before Greyjoy’s men overtook him. The cunning Osha at first acts as if she wants to serve Theon, but she soon offers him sex in return for her freedom, further developing Greyjoy’s general ignorance. She escapes Winterfell in the middle of the night, with Bran, Rickon, and Hodor. Meanwhile, Catelyn makes it back to her oldest son’s camp, just in time to hear the bad news.

In King’s Landing, there is quite the uproar as well. After Myrcella leaves on a ship headed for Dorne, the royal family and the other castle dwellers are attacked by the angry mob in the streets. The High Septon gets ripped from limb to limb, and Sansa gets lost and nearly raped, before the Hound saves her. Joffrey gets smacked in the face twice, first by a cow pie, then by Tyrion’s hand. “You blind, dirty fool!” the Imp yells at his nephew.

Beyond the Wall, Jon Snow marches with Qhorin Halfhand and a handful of the other Night’s Watchmen in the wintery wild. After ambushing and felling some wildlings, Jon cannot bring himself to kill a redheaded female one, even after she shows him little sympathy. Once Jon has caught Ygritte for the second time, he realizes he’s separated from his men, and it’s almost dark.

Arya proves her mettle time and time again, first when she shows up Amory Lorch by displaying that she can read better than the man in front of Tywin Lannister, and later when she has said Lorch killed because she stole a note from Tywin’s table and Lorch discovered her with it. She also has a breath-holding encounter with Littlefinger when he comes to visit Lord Lannister; he seems to have recognized her and is no doubt utterly surprised that she is serving as Tywin’s cupbearer.

Yet another feisty woman, Daenerys, approaches the Spice King in Qarth and asks him to lend her ships to cross the sea. Although she promises he will be paid threefold when she takes the Iron Throne, the merchant is not satisfied. He tells her, “I cannot make an investment based on wishes and dreams!” Perhaps he had some bit of foresight, because this episode ends with Dany losing the majority of her khalasar, and her promising, beloved dragons.

Trina’s Take: Theon cannot stoop any lower in my eyes now; I despise the character more in this show than I ever did in the books. Perhaps it’s the ugly, smug expression that actor Alfie Allen insists on wearing in almost every scene, as if he isn’t the cowardly, clumsy, despicable juvenile that he is. On the other hand, I could kiss the character that threw the cow pie in Joffrey’s face!