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"The Prince of Winterfell" is the eighth episode of the second season of Game of Thrones. It is the eighteenth episode of the series overall. It premiered on May 20, 2012. It was written by executive producers David Benioff & D.B. Weiss and directed by co-executive producer Alan Taylor.

The episode won a Creative Arts Emmy Award for Costumes in a Series in September 2012[1].

Template:S02E08 Synopsis

Plot

Summary

Beyond the Wall

Ygritte brings Jon Snow before the Lord of Bones, who orders him executed, because he has already captured Qhorin Halfhand and doesn't need two "crows" for questioning. Ygritte convinces him to spare Jon because of his Stark blood. Qhorin initiates a plan to install Jon as a spy within the wildling ranks.

Samwell Tarly discovers a cache of Dragon glass weapons at the Fist of the First Men. Jon's absence has been noted, but Sam refuses to believe that he is dead.

Across the Narrow Sea

Ser Jorah Mormont advises Daenerys Targaryen to leave her dragons and flee Qarth. She insists on attempting to reclaim them because she will not leave without them, and asks Ser Jorah to lead her to the House of the Undying.

In the Seven Kingdoms

Theon and Dagmer

Theon gives Dagmer a pouch of gold to compensate for the killing of the orphans.

Yara Greyjoy arrives at Winterfell, but instead of bringing reinforcements she offers Theon only advice. Winterfell is too far from the sea, they can't successfully defend it with so few soldiers, and the North is rising against him. She implores Theon to abandon the castle and return home with her, but he refuses to give up his prize. Dagmer tells Theon that after killing the orphans, he also murdered the farmer and his wife.

Bran and Rickon Alive

Bran overhears Luwin and Osha

Luwin spots Osha sneaking into the catacombs. He follows her inside, and she explains that after reaching the farm she doubled back, using a stream to mask their scent from the hounds. Luwin urges her not to tell Bran and Rickon about the children Theon had murdered, but Bran is sitting up listening to them.

Stannis Baratheon's fleet is closing in on King's Landing. Stannis tells Davos that he admires him and offers him the Hand of the King role once he takes back his throne. Tyrion Lannister scours history books seeking inspiration for his plans to defend the city. He takes advice from Bronn and Varys and decides to make use of the stocks of wildfire. King Joffrey Baratheon is full of bravado, but his mother is worried about letting him fight. She tries to ensure his safety by kidnapping the prostitute Ros, believing that she is Tyrion's lover. Tyrion is relieved that Shae is safe but vows revenge against his sister.

Jaqen H'ghar 2x8 1

Arya gives Jaqen his own name

Lord Tywin Lannister is torn between needing to defend King's Landing and wanting to drive King Robb Stark from the Westerlands. He decides to march west, leaving Arya Stark at Harrenhal to serve his castellan, Ser Gregor Clegane. Realizing that she has missed her chance to kill Tywin, Arya pressures the assassin Jaqen H'ghar into aiding her escape from Harrenhal. She forces him to help her by giving him his own name as the third death he promised. She will only revoke his name when he agrees to break her and her friends out of the fortress. Arya, Hot Pie, and Gendry walk through the gates at midnight, as Jaqen instructed. They escape Harrenhal, realizing that the guards have been killed.

Robb is furious when he learns that his mother Catelyn Stark has freed his prized captive Ser Jaime Lannister. He tells her that she has betrayed him and orders her kept under guard. Catelyn has sent Brienne to escort Jaime to King's Landing to exchange him for her daughters. Brienne uses a small rowboat to evade pursuit. Robb plans to relieve Winterfell by turning Theon's men against him with an offer of mercy, issuing his orders to the bastard of the Dreadfort through Roose Bolton. Robb seeks solace in the arms of Lady Talisa Maegyr, ignoring his betrothal to House Frey.

Recap

Main: The Prince of Winterfell recap

A detailed recap of the episode scene by scene.

Notes

  • Yara Greyjoy refers to her brother Theon Greyjoy as the Prince of Winterfell in dialogue. Theon styled himself Prince after taking Winterfell. In A Clash of Kings Theon openly styles himself Prince of Winterfell.
  • Lord Karstark says a line about "the Father", one of the aspects of the godhead in the Faith of the Seven, but the Karstarks worship the Old Gods of the Forest. Writer Bryan Cogman responded about this: "the line about Karstark praying to the Father in 208...yeah, I should've caught that. Karstark would be strictly Old Gods, I think. If it helps, you could read it as "I'd even break my faith and pray to the bloody FATHER if that's what it took to bring my sons back"... but I'm not sure that was the intent. But maybe it was. I try my best!"[2]

Appearances

Main: The Prince of Winterfell/Appearances

Characters

First

Deaths

Cast

Starring

Guest starring

Uncredited

  • Unknown as an Ironborn lookout
  • Unknown as a Tortured Lannister
  • Unknown as the Fury gunnery officer
  • Unknown as Lannister bannerman 1
  • Unknown as Lannister bannerman 2
  • Unknown as Lannister bannerman 3

Cast notes

Marketing

Promotional video

In the books

The episode covers material from A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords, book 2 and 3 of A Song of Ice and Fire. The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Clash of Kings:

  • Chapter 35, Jon IV: The discovery of the dragonglass weapons.
  • Chapter 39, Arya VIII: Tywin leaves Harrenhal.
  • Chapter 42, Tyrion IX: Tyrion and Varys discuss Stannis's impending attack.
  • Chapter 48, Arya IX: Arya gives Jaqen his own name to get what she wants.
  • Chapter 50, Tyrion XI: Tyrion makes final preparations for the defence of King's Landing.
  • Chapter 55, Tyrion XII: Cersei confronts Tyrion with a captive.
  • Chapter 57, Theon V: Yara visits Winterfell to try to convince Theon to leave.
  • Chapter 69, Jon VIII: Jon and Qhorin are captured by the wildlings. Qhorin plans to make Jon a spy in their ranks.

The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Storm of Swords:

  • Chapter 2, Jaime I: Jaime is escorted towards King's Landing by Brienne.
  • Chapter 3, Catelyn I: Catelyn is imprisoned for freeing Jaime.

There are several changes from the source material.

  • Scene 1: Yara arrives at Winterfell in A Clash of Kings chapter 56, Theon V.
  • Scene 2: Yara tries to convince Theon to leave Winterfell in A Clash of Kings chapter 56, Theon V.
  • Scene 3: Jon is captured by the wildlings in A Clash of Kings chapter 68, Jon VIII.
  • Scene 4: Robb is not a point of view character in the books. The reader does not experience the moment where he learns of Catelyn's actions.
  • Scene 5: Catelyn is imprisoned for releasing Jaime in A Storm of Swords chapter 2, Catelyn I.
  • Scene 6: Jaime is escorted towards King's Landing by Brienne in A Storm of Swords chapter 1, Jaime I.
  • Scene 7: Tywin leaves Harrenhal in A Clash of Kings chapter 38, Arya VIII.
    • Tywin's stay at Harrenhal is extended in the series compared to other events, before Arya has named a second victim.
    • Tywin leaves Ser Amory Lorch as castellan at Harrenhal rather than Ser Gregor Clegane. Lorch is already dead in the TV series at this point.
    • Arya is not present for the war council because she does not serve as Tywin's cupbearer. Instead she learns about the plans from gossip and delivering messages for the steward of the castle.
  • Scene 8: Arya encounters Rorge while looking for Jaqen in A Clash of Kings chapter 38, Arya VIII.
  • Scene 9: Arya talks baking with Hot Pie in A Clash of Kings chapter 47, Arya IX.
  • Scene 10: Qhorin plans to make Jon a spy amongst the wildling in A Clash of Kings chapter 68, Jon VIII.
  • Scene 11: Tyrion makes final preparations for the defence of King's Landing in A Clash of Kings chapter 49, Tyrion XI.
  • Scene 12: The dragonglass weapons are discovered in A Clash of Kings chapter 34, Jon IV
  • Scene 13: Arya gives Jaqen his own name to get what she wants in A Clash of Kings chapter 47, Arya IX.
  • Scene 14: Tyrion's acrimonious dinner with Cersei takes place in chapter 54, Tyrion XII.
    • Tyrion receives news of Bran and Rickon's deaths at Theon's hand before the dinner in the book.
    • They discuss the defence of King's Landing in the book as in the episode.
    • The episode omits Tyrion's plan to make Sandor a battle commander, which is part of the reason Cersei suspects that he wants to hurt Joffrey in the book.
    • Ros does not appear in the book.
    • Cersei is confused by Tyrion using secret passages to visit Shae that originate in a brothel in the book rather than by his giving a prostitute a Lannister necklace as in the episode.
    • Cersei captures a prostitute name Alayaya in the book because Tyrion has been visiting her as a pretext to use the passages to get to Shae.
    • The confrontation remains very similar to the book.
  • Scene 15:
  • Scene 16:
  • Scene 17:
  • Scene 18:
  • Scene 19:
  • Scene 20:
  • Scene 21:
  • Scene 22:

References

  1. Westeros.org
  2. Bryan Cogman Q&A, WinterIsComing.net, April 24, 2013.

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