The new season of Game of Thrones starts July 16.  In preparation, I’m re-watching the first six seasons of the show. Below are 20 thoughts I had while watching the eighth episode of season two, “The Prince of Winterfell.” Spoilers for the entire series, but for this episode in particular.

1. Yara got the brains in the family, didn’t she?
2. You should’ve listened to your sister, Theon. Staying at Winterfell will result in you suffering a fate worse than death.
3. Jon may have a lot of honor, but he really isn’t a very good member of the Night’s Watch.
4. Jaime really knows how to charm a lady.
5. I love Bronn’s argument about why he won’t wear a gold cloak. Another reminder that everything in King’s Landing is about appearance rather than functionality.
6. Arya is very clever, giving Jaqen his own name. Actually, Arya is often very clever.
7. Tyrion and Cersei had one touching scene last episode, and now they’re back to digging at each other. I think I prefer it like this.
8. Poor Ros. She may have been a whore, but she was the best whore on the show and the Lannisters caused her nothing but grief.
9. “I would kill for you.” – And also just kill her, Tyrion.
10. How I wish Robb would just take this opportunity to kill Roose Bolton now.
11. And here’s where Robb really stepped in it. Nobody seems to have a chance to be happy in love for very long on this show, do they?
12. I was so nervous when Arya and company started walking through the gates the first time I saw this episode.
13. Ser Davos is the most honorable knight in the entire series.
14. So in this episode we get mentions of both cannibalism and eating pets. How lovely.
15. Oh, and Stannis doesn’t like cats. I’ll add that to my list of things I don’t like about him.
16. How things have changed. Tyrion and Varys discuss how Daenerys isn’t a threat yet (because her dragons are still small). Now she’s coming to Westeros.
17. And Tyrion is serving as Hand of the Queen for Daenerys.
18. I always wondered how Daenerys knew she could never have more children. I doubt they have fertility doctors in Essos.
19. Maester Luwin really is clever, realizing that the one body is not Bran’s based on the size of the leg muscles.
20. Poor Bran, carrying the guilt of the deaths of those little boys on his shoulders. Hasn’t he been through enough?

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