The next season of Game of Thrones starts July 16.  To prepare, I’m re-watching the first six seasons of the show. Below are 15 thoughts I had while watching the ninth episode of season one, “Baelor.” Spoilers for the entire series, but for this episode in particular.

1. Oh, Varys. Even he wasn’t able to predict Joffrey’s actions and its repercussions.
2. “Father would do whatever it took to secure this crossing” – Yes, but your father wouldn’t have married a healer from the Free Cities after promising himself one of Walder Frey’s daughters, either.
3. I always thought Argus Filch was miserable, but Walder Frey makes Filch look like a Zooey Deschanel character.
4. Gossip travels faster around the Wall than it does around a middle school, judging by how fast the others have heard about Jon’s new sword.
5. I forgot that Cat and Robb betrothed Arya to one of Walder’s sons without her having any say in it. A nasty reminder of how little power most women in Westeros have.
6. Poor Jon, wanting to believe Ned would always choose honor. Foreshadowing, of course, that Ned will choose his family over honor and swear loyalty to Joffrey.
7. Pity Drogo had to die in order for Daenerys to finally grow up and stop being so trusting of others.
8. Add Drogo’s horse to the growing list animal deaths.
9. Tyrion really did have a soft spot for whores, didn’t he?
10. Parent of the year, Tywin was.
11. As bad as some of characters in this show have it, the unseen masses who populate Westeros have it even worse. Like the 2,000 men Robb sent off to die in battle.
12. Hearing Ned’s confession breaks my heart, knowing what is coming next.
13. Joffrey is the most frustrating character in this series. I just want to slap him.
14. It must have been quite a shock for Cersei, realizing even she couldn’t reign in that crazy.
15. I’ve seen this episode several times now, and I still tear up at the end. Mostly because I feel bad for Arya and Sansa, having to watch their father be beheaded.

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