Robb
King of the North, Robb Stark and Queen Talisa. HBO

"Game of Thrones" continues it hypersexual ways with episode 5, "Kissed by Fire." While the lords and ladies of Westeros attempt to keep their dirty secrets to themselves, the audience learns that the Iron Throne is won not only with blood and steel, but with sex and marriage as well.

Kings Landing

While we are discussing new marriages, let's recap all the devious plotting in Kings Landing. There is currently a lot going on in the capital, let's begin with Lannisters. Cersei mistrusts the Tyrells and for good reason. The Tyrells have hatched a plot to wed Sansa Stark to Loras Tyrell following the Royal Wedding of King Joffrey and Margaery Tyrell. Lady Olenna Tyrell and the seemingly all-knowing Varys create this wedding plan for Sansa to prevent Littlefinger from taking Sansa from the capital. However, Cersei's mistrust of the Tyrells proves true when she discovers the Tyrell plot. She informs Littlefinger and he then tells Sansa that he can take her home soon; although now forever romantic Sansa is reconsidering going home for the chance to marry Loras. However, the Lannister plotting isn't over yet; to ensure that Sansa cannot marry Loras, Tywin commands that Tryion marries Sansa, who the Lannisters see as the key to the North.

Tyrion is horrified by the proposal of him marrying Sansa; he states that she is only a child and he will not marry her, to whom his father ruthlessly responds, "You'll wed her, bed her and put a child in her. Hopefully you'll be able to do that." And while incessantly-smug Cersei looks more than pleased by her brother's dismay with his new marriage, Cersei herself gets a new husband. Tywin states that Cersei is going to marry Loras in place of Sansa, in a moment of vulnerability Cersei begs her father to not make her do this again, however, Tywin is not taking no for an answer.

Harrenhal

Another Lannister child in trouble is Jamie, who is currently a hostage at Harrenhal, but now at least he and Brienne are under the protection of Lord Bolton who seems to be nice enough. I don't know about you guys, but I am so happy that Jamie finally bathed, the filth accumulating on him was really starting to gross me out. Anyway, Jamie actually makes the audience feel sympathy for him when he tells Brienne the story of how exactly he became a "Kingslayer." Everyone in Westeros knows that Jamie became the "Kingslayer" after killing Mad King Aerys, however, no one yet has heard Jamie's personal side to the story.

After recounting how Aerys wanted Jamie to kill his own father and watch as he burned Kings Landing to the ground, Jamie asks Brienne if she would had been able to follow Renly's orders if he had asked her to murder a city and kill her own blood.

After this emotional tale, Jamie collapses in the bathtub and Brienne tenderly catches him.

The Brotherhood without Banners

While Kings Landing is negotiating marriages and royal weddings, the Brotherhood without Banners is contemplating death and the Lord of Light. We opened episode 5, "Kissed by Fire" with an awesome trial by combat between the Hound and Lord Beric. With flaming sword in hand it seems as though the Hound is guilty and soon to be dead when Lord Beric's sword and shoulder take a devastating blow that breaks his sword in half and kills him. We then see Arya grab a dagger from one of the brothers and attempt to kill the Hound herself, however she is held back. After Arya screams "burn in hell" at the Hound, Lord Beric is resurrected by Thoros of Myr. The Hound was deemed innocent by the Lord of Light because he beat Beric, and thus is allowed to go free.

Later, after the combat has ended, Thoros and Beric reveal to Arya that he has died and been resurrected six times. She asks Thoros if he can bring back a man without a head, and unfortunately for sweet Arya he can't. The two men also state that at first light they will ride for Riverrun, and Arya will be ransomed to her brother Robb and her mother.

Riverrun

All the while at Riverrun, Robb is betrayed by longtime companion Rickard Karstark. Karstark murders the two young Lannister hostages, and for this Robb deems him a traitor and punishes him to death by beheading. The scene is powerful as Robb is seen by the audience really coming into his own as King of the North, right before Robb decapitates him.

Karstark tells him, "Kill me and be cursed, you are no king of mine."

With shaking hands and half of his forces gone, Robb must figure out his next step in this war, and with the help of Talisa, Robb discovers his best plan would be to take Casterly Rock, the home of the Lannisters. However, to take Casterly Rock, he will need men from Walder Frey. Robb is going to need to appeal to Lord Frey after breaking his oath and marrying Talisa instead of one of the Frey daughters.

North of the Wall

As for Robb Stark's brother, Jon Snow is really becoming a wildling and I like it! Finally we see Jon forget his vows, and him and Ygritte, who is "kissed by fire", actually have sex. I know, I never thought stone-faced Jon would be able to smile, kiss or even have sex. But it sure seems like he enjoyed it and he even took a leap into a nice little hot tub with Ygritte. Before this sweet scene and display of love between Jon and Ygritte, Jon had a tension-filled interaction with the wrag Orell, who questions him about the defenses of the Wall. Tormund tells him that if Jon lies he will pull his insides out through his throat -- so Jon probably shouldn't lie.

Dragonstone

Back in Westeros we see Stannis' family and now we are starting to understand why he spends so much time with Melisandre. Stannis' wife Selyse is so devoted to the Lord of Light; she is not upset that Stannis cheated on her with Melisandre because the priestess gave him a son, something she could never do. However, Stannis and Selyse do have a daughter, Shireen, but judging by the jars in her room with dead babies floating in them, Selyse doesn't think too highly of their sweet daughter.

Stannis does go to see Shireen, and it is revealed that that her face is deformed by greyscale, a disease that turns the skin stone-like. Even with her face deformity, Shireen is adorable and talks about her friend the onion knight with her father. Being that Stannis is stubborn, he tells sweet Shireen that Davos is a traitor, however, the princess doesn't believe it and goes down to the dungeons to visit her friend. She even brings Davos a book to read about Aegon the Conqueror and promises to teach him how to read.

Across the Narrow Sea.

Last but not least, we see a few brief glimpses of Daenerys and her huge army. She meets with the leaders of the unsullied and as free men they have chosen one leader; his name is Grey Worm. We also see a power hungry conversation between Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan discussing Dany and her quest for the Iron Throne. After they reveal their allegiance to Dany, Barristan seems to threaten Jorah by stating, "If we are truly her loyal servants, we will do whatever needs to be done."

What was your favorite scene of episode 5, "Kissed by Fire"? Comment below and let us know!

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