Game of Thrones Recap: “A Man Without Honor”

When Ned Stark was beheaded, we all learned that honor gets you killed while ruthless self-interest pays dividends. It was a sad message (that probably saved a few lives), but with this last episode of ‘Game of Thrones,’ the Westerosi market for greedy moral detachment has officially overcorrected. A man without honor? More like every man without honor.

Theon brought a boat full of murderers to raid the house he grew up in and then roasted two boys to decorate the place. Robb is coming dangerously close to a truce-breaking game of doctor with Talisa, the Volantene foot-cutter, while his bastard brother Jon gets endlessly dirty-talked by a ginger wildling. Even Arya, who’s about as trusty a moral compass as you’re going to find in this story, is having supper with her family’s archenemy while dropping bodies all over Harrenhal. Joffrey had better maim someone next week, or he’s going to start losing street cred.

The ladies seem to be doing a slightly better job of playing their positions, however. Cersei even gives some useful (yet dismal) womanly advice during her hostage’s “Are You There Gods, It’s Me, Sansa” moment: “Never love anyone.”  It doesn’t get much more results-oriented than that. Also, across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys finally gets a step closer to finding her dragons – and only a dozen people have to die in the process.

Who do you think has the right idea – Theon with his soul-killing, broad strokes of death, or Arya who at least cherry-picks the people who deserve it?