Raw Data: The Bear and the Maiden Fair

These are initial observations for Game of Thrones episode 3-06 "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" written by GRRM and directed by Michelle MacLaren,who will also direct next week's episode.  She has been a executive producer and often director on Breaking Bad.

• Like Han Solo, the hero doubles back.  At this point Jamie is really working his way from villain to hero.  He doubles back to Harrenhall when his spidey-sense tells him something is wrong with Brienne.  Actually, it is more common sense knowing they are not satisfied with the random, and they are the same Bolton men who like torture and hacked off his hand.  It all basically amounts to a heel face turn
• You have to love Margarey's pause at Sansa.  "So your mother taught you?"  "...Yes.  Sweet child."  They often use "sweet" as a word for innocent/naive.
• Theon's Torture Porn graduated to Torture Porn Porn.  Everyone is going to be mad about that scene. 
• Amazingly, Joffrey is right about something.  More on this later...
• The rain delays the Northern army from reaching the Twins.  Cat is concerned this will further insult the Freys, but Robb is all like "don't worry we'll text him. 'srry, running l8, b there soon'."
• Arya goes out of the frying pan and into the fire.  But the Hound doesn't like fire so we'll see how that turns out.
• Blackfish old man-s it again "I've seen wet shits I love more than Walder Frey.”  He could end every sentence with "Shut up, get me a beer, you numbskull"
• This season has focused a lot on slavery, giving Daneyrs a mini-boss to fight while she bides her time to the point where she can make her way west.  She's been the emancipator in cheif of the East.  This episode also  mentioned Melisandre's slave roots, providing some backstory on her.  We know she's from the East, and we know slavery is prominent there, but we did not know she was an actual slave.

Even if Joffrey wanted to rule, I'm not sure he could.  He's constantly at odds/getting slapped by his most sincere adviser, Tyrion.  His queen mother shows where he gets his pyscho tendendcies and is none to smart to start with.  Varys and Pycelle are survivors who would sell him out in a moment to keep their hides, as would Littlefinger.  That leaves Tywin.  Tywin is essentially Donald Regan.  And we get the sense he was that way when he was Hand two kings ago as well.

Joffrey, for once, shows an interest in ruling.  Nevermind that it is born out of paranoia of his own survival, related to (justified) concerns about dragons in the East.  Tywin immediately discounts the rumors and oozes contempt for his double grandson.  He clearly has no interest in allowing Joffrey any involvement, only allowing minimal appeasement.  Rather than be pleased with his newfound interest, Tywin treats Joffrey with disdain and zero patience for bothering him about his grown ups' work.  In the most telling part of the exchange, Tywin storms up the stairs without permission and looms over Joffrey, then departs without leave.  The king is left befuddled. He's not dealing with his chief advisor, he's dealing with mean old grampa.

At least he's showing an interest in something related to, well, being king, considering the only act we've seen him do while on the throne is make a singer choose between cutting off his fingers or his tongue, and then punched out his timecard.  Unfortunately, his laziness on the throne is probably just as attributable to Robert as it is any Lannister


Hodor!