So you’re Sansa Stark, and you’ve just been promised to marry a lion.

Sansa’s about to get a whole load of shit from the Tyrion fanboys, for not wanting to marry him when he’s clearly Teh Awesomest, and here’s the thing: He’s a Lannister. Note that that’s the first thing she says. Yes, he’s a dwarf, and yes, he’s ugly (in the books his entire nose gets cut off so it’s not just some picturesque sexy scar, plus Peter Dinklage is much hotter than Tyrion was ever supposed to be to begin with) and yes, he’s whore-fucked his way through all seven kingdoms. But mostly? He’s a Lannister.

Lannisters betrayed and murdered her father. Lannisters betrayed and murdered his best friend the king. Lannisters beheaded her father in front of her. Lannisters stripped her and beat her bloody in front of the court. Lannisters are hunting her brother through the woods. Lannisters hold the end of the rope that is tied around Sansa Stark’s neck, and every few minutes they give it a jerk, just to remind her she’s still on a gallows.

Why, then, should she believe in Tyrion’s goodness? Yes, he was gentle and kind to her once, and so was Cersei, so was Joffrey. Why should Sansa welcome a Lannister to her bed? She’s spent the past year and more expecting to be raped by one at any moment. Why should she believe anything a Lannister says? Believing in Lannisters is how she got where she is in the first place.

I’m sympathetic to Tyrion; he may not have saved her but he did her no personal wrongs, and could be a good and loving husband if she’d have him. But Sansa’s not a bitch for loathing the idea of marrying him and she’s not a horrible spoiled brat and she’s not an ungrateful whore. She is precisely what they made her. She’s angry, and suspicious, and fearful, and guarded. Exactly as the Lannisters taught her to be.

Quick takes: Drogon has gotten FUGLY. I can’t tell you how happy this makes me. The dragons aren’t supposed to be adorable. They’re supposed to scare the shit out of everybody. Lord God, I love Dany. She takes three sensible options which would bring her what she wants and rejects all of them in favor of the batshit craziest thing she thinks of next. I dig that so much about her. And the actor they picked for Grey Worm is excellent.

George RR Martin wrote this episode, which may be why Cat got an actual line. I am not a fan of how they’ve neutered her completely. Going back to Walder Frey, that was HER idea, and putting it in Robb’s mouth to make TV!Robb less of a shitty little dumbass is not okay with me. Also, it’s just hinted in the books that Robb’s wife is pregnant, so I was surprised to see it right out there.

BLACKFISH. Fuck yeah. Also fuck yeah Ser Barristan the Hot and his little smirk at his girl, Danaerys. There wasn’t near enough Jorah, in this ep, though I’m sure that’ll come around if they do Yunkai like I think they’re going to do it.

In the books, we don’t see what’s happening to Theon. I think it’s better that way, when you see the end result. But this is Swords and Titties, so we need some excuse for fanservice.

Speaking of fanservice, Jaime and Brienne in the bear pit. Bears and maidens fair, and Jaime the greatest knight in the seven kingdoms, saving a damosel from danger. Martin’s a sick genius bastard, in this part of the story, because you get what you’re supposed to get from an Epic Fantasy story. You get the knight and his lady, after all.

A.