The Prince of Winterfell

"The Prince of Winterfell" is the eighth episode of the second season of Game of Thrones. It is the eighteenth episode of the series overall. It premiered on May 20, 2012. It was written by executive producers David Benioff & D.B. Weiss and directed by co-executive producer Alan Taylor.

The episode won a Creative Arts Emmy Award for Costumes in a Series in September 2012.

Beyond the Wall
Ygritte brings Jon Snow before the Lord of Bones, who orders him executed, because he has already captured Qhorin Halfhand and doesn't need two "crows" for questioning. Ygritte convinces him to spare Jon because of his Stark blood. Qhorin initiates a plan to install Jon as a spy within the wildling ranks.

Samwell Tarly discovers a cache of Dragon glass weapons at the Fist of the First Men. Jon's absence has been noted, but Sam refuses to believe that he is dead.

Across the Narrow Sea
Ser Jorah Mormont advises Daenerys Targaryen to leave her dragons and flee Qarth. She insists on attempting to reclaim them and asks Ser Jorah to lead her to the House of the Undying.

In the Seven Kingdoms
Yara Greyjoy arrives at Winterfell, but instead of bringing reinforcements she offers Theon only advice. Winterfell is too far from the sea, they can't successfully defend it with so few soldiers, and the North is rising against him. She implores Theon to abandon the castle and return home with her, but he refuses to give up his prize. Dagmer tells Theon that after killing the orphans, he also murdered the farmer and his wife. Luwin spots Osha sneaking into the catacombs. He follows her inside, and she explains that after reaching the farm she doubled back, using a stream to mask their scent from the hounds. Luwin urges her not to tell Bran and Rickon about the children Theon had murdered, but Bran is sitting up listening to them.

Stannis Baratheon's fleet is closing in on King's Landing. Stannis tells Davos that he admires him and offers him the Hand of the King role once he takes back his throne. Tyrion Lannister scours history books seeking inspiration for his plans to defend the city. He takes advice from Bronn and Varys and decides to make use of the stocks of wildfire. King Joffrey Baratheon is full of bravado, but his mother is worried about letting him fight. She tries to ensure his safety by kidnapping the prostitute Ros, believing that she is Tyrion's lover. Tyrion is relieved that Shae is safe but vows revenge against his sister. Lord Tywin Lannister is torn between needing to defend King's Landing and wanting to drive King Robb Stark from the Westerlands. He decides to march west, leaving Arya Stark at Harrenhal to serve his castellan, Ser Gregor Clegane. Realizing that she has missed her chance to kill Tywin, Arya pressures the assassin Jaqen H'ghar into aiding her escape from Harrenhal. She forces him to help her by giving him his own name as the third death he promised. She will only revoke his name when he agrees to break her and her friends out of the fortress. Arya, Hot Pie, and Gendry walk through the gates at midnight, as Jaqen instructed. They escape Harrenhal, realizing that the guards have been killed.

Robb is furious when he learns that his mother Catelyn Stark has freed his prized captive Ser Jaime Lannister. He tells her that she has betrayed him and orders her kept under guard. Catelyn has sent Brienne to escort Jaime to King's Landing to exchange him for her daughters. Brienne uses a small rowboat to evade pursuit. Robb plans to relieve Winterfell by turning Theon's men against him with an offer of mercy, issuing his orders to the bastard of the Dreadfort through Roose Bolton. Robb seeks solace in the arms of Lady Talisa Maegyr, ignoring his betrothal to House Frey.

Recap

 * Main: The Prince of Winterfell recap

A detailed recap of the episode scene by scene.

Appearances

 * Main: The Prince of Winterfell/Appearances

First

 * The Lord of Bones

Deaths

 * Borba (mentioned)
 * Harker (mentioned)
 * Stonesnake (mentioned)
 * Unidentified Lannister guards

Cast
Starring
 * Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
 * Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister
 * Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister
 * Michelle Fairley as Lady Catelyn Stark
 * Emilia Clarke as Khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen
 * Iain Glen as Ser Jorah Mormont
 * Kit Harington as Jon Snow
 * Charles Dance as Lord Tywin Lannister
 * Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth
 * Jack Gleeson as King Joffrey Baratheon
 * Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Prince Bran Stark
 * Richard Madden as King Robb Stark
 * Maisie Williams as Princess Arya Stark
 * Alfie Allen as Prince Theon Greyjoy
 * John Bradley as Samwell Tarly
 * Stephen Dillane as King Stannis Baratheon
 * Sibel Kekilli as Shae
 * Jerome Flynn as Bronn
 * Conleth Hill as Lord Varys

Guest starring
 * Donald Sumpter as Maester Luwin
 * Natalia Tena as Osha
 * Oona Chaplin as Lady Talisa Maegyr
 * Michael McElhatton as Lord Roose Bolton
 * Tom Wlaschiha as Jaqen H'ghar
 * Rose Leslie as Ygritte
 * Simon Armstrong as Qhorin Halfhand
 * Gemma Whelan as Princess Yara Greyjoy
 * Joe Dempsie as Gendry
 * Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth
 * Ralph Ineson as Dagmer Cleftjaw
 * Ian Gelder as Ser Kevan Lannister
 * John Stahl as Lord Rickard Karstark
 * Mark Stanley as Grenn
 * Ben Crompton as Eddison Tollett
 * Ben Hawkey as Hot Pie
 * Esme Bianco as Ros
 * Andy Beckwith as Rorge
 * Steven Cole as Kovarro
 * Edward Dogliani as Lord of Bones
 * Kristian Nairn as Hodor
 * Gerard Jordan as Biter
 * Art Parkinson as Prince Rickon Stark
 * Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne
 * Ian Whyte as Ser Gregor Clegane
 * Kerr Logan as Matthos Seaworth
 * Moe Dunford as a Stark messenger
 * Mark Byatt as a Lannister torturer
 * David Sheenan (sic) as a Stark guard
 * Aiden Condron as a Lannister captain
 * Ciaran McMahon as a Lannister soldier

Uncredited
 * Unknown as an Ironborn lookout
 * Unknown as a Tortured Lannister
 * Unknown as the Fury gunnery officer
 * Unknown as Lannister bannerman 1
 * Unknown as Lannister bannerman 2
 * Unknown as Lannister bannerman 3

Cast notes

 * Only 19 of the 25 starring cast members for the second season appear in this episode.
 * Starring cast members James Cosmo (Jeor Mormont), Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell), Aidan Gillen (Petyr Baelish), Rory McCann (Sandor Clegane), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), and Carice van Houten (Melisandre) are not credited and do not appear in this episode.
 * Jack Gleeson is credited ahead of Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Richard Madden, Maisie Williams and Alfie Allen when he was credited after them when they last appeared together in "The Old Gods and the New."
 * Sibel Kekilli is credited ahead of Jerome Flynn and Conleth Hill when she was credited after them when they last appeared together in "What is Dead May Never Die."
 * Guest star David Sheehan's name is spelled incorrectly in the credits as David Sheenan.

In the books
The episode covers material from A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords, book 2 and 3 of A Song of Ice and Fire. The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Clash of Kings:
 * Chapter 35, Jon IV: The discovery of the dragonglass weapons.
 * Chapter 39, Arya VIII: Tywin leaves Harrenhal.
 * Chapter 42, Tyrion IX: Tyrion and Varys discuss Stannis's impending attack.
 * Chapter 48, Arya IX: Arya gives Jaqen his own name to get what she wants.
 * Chapter 50, Tyrion XI: Tyrion makes final preparations for the defence of King's Landing.
 * Chapter 55, Tyrion XII: Cersei confronts Tyrion with a captive.
 * Chapter 57, Theon V: Yara visits Winterfell to try to convince Theon to leave.
 * Chapter 69, Jon VIII: Jon and Qhorin are captured by the wildlings. Qhorin plans to make Jon a spy in their ranks.

The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Storm of Swords:
 * Chapter 2, Jaime I: Jaime is escorted towards King's Landing by Brienne.
 * Chapter 3, Catelyn I: Catelyn is imprisoned for freeing Jaime.

There are several changes from the source material.
 * Scene 1: Yara arrives at Winterfell in A Clash of Kings chapter 56, Theon V.
 * Scene 2: Yara tries to convince Theon to leave Winterfell in A Clash of Kings chapter 56, Theon V.
 * Scene 3: Jon is captured by the wildlings in A Clash of Kings chapter 68, Jon VIII.
 * Scene 4: Robb is not a point of view character in the books. The reader does not experience the moment where he learns of Catelyn's actions.
 * Scene 5: Catelyn is imprisoned for releasing Jaime in A Storm of Swords chapter 2, Catelyn I.
 * Scene 6: Jaime is escorted towards King's Landing by Brienne in A Storm of Swords chapter 1, Jaime I.
 * Scene 7: Tywin leaves Harrenhal in A Clash of Kings chapter 38, Arya VIII.
 * Tywin's stay at Harrenhal is extended in the series compared to other events, before Arya has named a second victim.
 * Tywin leaves Ser Amory Lorch as castellan at Harrenhal rather than Ser Gregor Clegane. Lorch is already dead in the TV series at this point.
 * Arya is not present for the war council because she does not serve as Tywin's cupbearer. Instead she learns about the plans from gossip and delivering messages for the steward of the castle.
 * Scene 8: Arya encounters Rorge while looking for Jaqen in A Clash of Kings chapter 38, Arya VIII.
 * Scene 9: Arya talks baking with Hot Pie in A Clash of Kings chapter 47, Arya IX.
 * Scene 10: Qhorin plans to make Jon a spy amongst the wildling in A Clash of Kings chapter 68, Jon VIII.
 * Scene 11: Tyrion makes final preparations for the defence of King's Landing in A Clash of Kings chapter 49, Tyrion XI.
 * Scene 12: The dragonglass weapons are discovered in A Clash of Kings chapter 34, Jon IV
 * Scene 13: Arya gives Jaqen his own name to get what she wants in A Clash of Kings chapter 47, Arya IX.
 * Scene 14: Tyrion's acrimonious dinner with Cersei takes place in chapter 54, Tyrion XII.
 * Tyrion receives news of Bran and Rickon's deaths at Theon's hand before the dinner in the book.
 * They discuss the defence of King's Landing in the book as in the episode.
 * The episode omits Tyrion's plan to make Sandor a battle commander, which is part of the reason Cersei suspects that he wants to hurt Joffrey in the book.
 * Ros does not appear in the book.
 * Cersei is confused by Tyrion using secret passages to visit Shae that originate in a brothel in the book rather than by his giving a prostitute a Lannister necklace as in the episode.
 * Cersei captures a prostitute name Alayaya in the book because Tyrion has been visiting her as a pretext to use the passages to get to Shae.
 * The confrontation remains very similar to the book.
 * Scene 15:
 * Scene 16:
 * Scene 17:
 * Scene 18:
 * Scene 19:
 * Scene 20:
 * Scene 21:
 * Scene 22: