Wait. Before we get into the heavy stuff, let’s be real about one thing. Watching Game of Thrones Season 2 Episode 6 for the first time was an absolute gut punch that most of us haven't really recovered from, even years later. It’s titled "The Old Gods and the New," and honestly, it’s the exact moment where the show stopped being a fantasy political drama and started being a relentless stress test for the audience.
Theon Greyjoy. Man, where do we even start with him?
This episode is where he crosses the line from "insecure guy trying to prove himself" to "irredeemable traitor" in the eyes of most fans. He takes Winterfell. It’s a messy, pathetic, and deeply uncomfortable conquest. When he tries to execute Ser Rodrik Cassel, it isn't some clean, cinematic death. It’s a hack job. It takes multiple swings. It’s meant to be gross because Theon isn't a warrior; he’s a scared kid trying to wear his father’s armor.
Theon’s Betrayal and the Fall of Winterfell
When you rewatch Game of Thrones Season 2 Episode 6, you notice the silence. There’s no triumphant music when the Ironborn take the castle. It feels wrong. Theon thinks he’s becoming a legend, but he’s actually just burning every bridge he ever had. He betrays the Starks—the people who actually raised him—to impress a father who clearly doesn't even like him that much.
Maester Luwin’s face says it all. The heartbreak is palpable.
I remember the first time I saw Rodrik spit in Theon’s face. "Gods help you, Theon Greyjoy. Now you are truly lost." That line is basically the thesis statement for the rest of Theon’s entire character arc throughout the series. It’s the moment his soul leaves the building.
But then, things shift. We head across the narrow sea.
Qarth and the Missing Dragons
Daenerys is having a rough time in Qarth. It’s funny how people forget that she spent most of Season 2 just yelling about her dragons, but in Game of Thrones Season 2 Episode 6, the stakes actually get high. She’s trying to play politics with the Thirteen, and she’s failing miserably. She’s a conqueror, not a diplomat.
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Then the dragons go missing.
The scream she lets out when she finds her guards slaughtered and the crates empty? Chills. Every time. It’s one of the few moments where Dany feels genuinely vulnerable. She isn't the Mother of Dragons here; she’s just a girl in a strange city who lost the only family she has left. It’s also our first real hint that the House of the Undying is going to be a total nightmare.
Jon Snow and the Ygritte Problem
Meanwhile, North of the Wall, things are getting chilly. This is the first time we meet Ygritte. Rose Leslie and Kit Harington had that chemistry immediately—the kind you can’t really fake (which makes sense, given they ended up married in real life).
Jon is supposed to be this grim, honorable soldier. He’s tasked with executing a wildling prisoner. But he can’t do it. He hesitates.
That hesitation is everything. It shows that Jon, despite all his training, still has that Ned Stark "mercy" streak that usually gets people killed in this universe. Instead of a quick death, we get a frantic chase through the mountains and a night spent huddling for warmth. It’s the beginning of the "You know nothing, Jon Snow" era, and honestly, looking back, Jon really didn't know anything at all.
He was so green. So naive.
The Riot at King's Landing
Back in the capital, things are falling apart. Joffrey is... well, Joffrey.
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The scene where the royal procession gets mobbed is a masterclass in tension. It starts with a single piece of cow dung hitting Joffrey in the face. It’s such a small, gross moment that spirals into a full-scale massacre. You’ve got Sansa nearly being assaulted, Tyrion actually standing up to his nephew, and the Hound being the only person who seems to have a handle on the chaos.
"Kill them! Kill them all!" Joffrey screams.
He’s a coward. We knew that, but this episode hammers it home. While the city burns and people starve, he’s safe behind his guards, demanding more blood. It’s the first real sign that the people of King’s Landing are a ticking time bomb.
Why This Episode Defined the Series
If you look at the structure of Game of Thrones Season 2 Episode 6, it’s a series of failures.
- Theon fails to lead with honor.
- Jon fails to follow orders.
- Dany fails to protect her dragons.
- Joffrey fails to control his city.
It’s an episode about power being slippery. You can have the title, the dragons, or the castle, but if you don't have the respect or the wisdom to back it up, it doesn't matter. It’s also one of the best-paced hours in the early seasons. It moves. It doesn't waste time on flowery monologues; it shows you the consequences of bad decisions in real-time.
A lot of critics at the time, including those at The A.V. Club and IGN, pointed out that this was the episode where the "War of the Five Kings" started feeling like a disaster for everyone involved, not just a game. There are no winners here. Just people trying to survive their own mistakes.
Arya and Tywin: The Best Dynamic That Wasn't in the Books
We have to talk about Harrenhal.
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The scenes between Arya and Tywin Lannister are some of the best television ever written. Interestingly, these weren't in George R.R. Martin’s books. In the books, Arya is a cupbearer for Roose Bolton. Changing it to Tywin for the show was a stroke of genius.
Watching Maisie Williams hold her own against Charles Dance is a joy. There’s this constant tension. He knows she’s high-born. She knows he’s the enemy. They’re playing a game of mental chess where the stakes are her life. In this episode, Petyr Baelish (Littlefinger) shows up, and for a second, you think Arya is caught. She has to hide her face, and the camera work makes you feel that claustrophobic panic right along with her.
It’s brilliant.
Actionable Takeaways for the Rewatch
If you’re going back to watch "The Old Gods and the New," keep an eye on these specific details that setup the endgame of the series:
- Pay attention to Sansa’s reaction to the Hound. This is the foundation of their strange bond. He saves her when no one else can, and it changes her perspective on "knights" forever.
- Watch Maester Luwin’s eyes during the execution. He isn't just sad; he’s watching the boy he helped raise turn into a monster. It’s one of the best acting performances in the show.
- Listen to Ygritte’s dialogue. She gives Jon (and the audience) the first real perspective of the Wildlings as people, not just "monsters" behind a wall.
- Note the geography of Winterfell. The way the Ironborn infiltrate is a direct result of Bran’s "mercy" in earlier episodes, showing how every choice has a ripple effect.
This episode is the turning point of Season 2. It’s the moment the training wheels come off and the world starts getting significantly darker. By the time the credits roll, the status quo has shifted completely. Winterfell is lost, the dragons are gone, and the King is hated by his own people.
The gods—old and new—weren't looking out for anyone in this one.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Compare the Winterfell execution scene to Ned’s execution of the deserter in the series premiere to see how the "Stark Way" is being corrupted.
- Research the filming locations in Iceland for the Jon and Ygritte scenes to see how the production team used the natural landscape to heighten the sense of isolation.
- Cross-reference the "Riot at King's Landing" with the book A Clash of Kings to see how the show significantly ramped up the violence for the screen.