Honestly, by the time "Mhysa" aired on June 9, 2013, most of us were just staring at the wall. We were numb. If you watched Game of Thrones season 3 episode 10 back then, you remember the collective trauma of the Red Wedding from the week prior. It wasn't just TV; it was a cultural reset. But "Mhysa" had a weird, difficult job. It had to pick up the pieces of a shattered narrative while somehow convincing the audience that there was still a reason to keep watching after the protagonist—or who we thought was the protagonist—was brutally murdered alongside his pregnant wife and mother.
It’s the cleanup crew episode.
Most people remember the finale for Daenerys being hoisted up by freed slaves in Yunkai, but the real meat of the episode is actually much darker. It’s about the crushing reality of political consequences. Tywin Lannister basically won. He didn't use a sword; he used a pen and a treacherous wedding invitation. While the Starks were being slaughtered, the Lannisters were just having dinner. That disconnect is what makes this specific hour of television so frustrating and brilliant.
The Mockery of the King in the North
The episode opens with one of the most haunting visuals in the entire series. Roose Bolton, the man who slid a blade into Robb Stark’s heart, stands on the battlements of the Twins, looking out over the carnage. Below him, the Frey and Bolton soldiers are finishing off the Northmen. Then we see it: the body of Robb Stark with the head of his direwolf, Grey Wind, sewn onto his neck.
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It’s gruesome. It’s unnecessary.
This moment wasn't just about killing the enemy; it was about erasing their dignity. In the books—A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin—this desecration is described with a visceral horror that the show manages to capture perfectly without overstaying its welcome on the gore. Arya Stark, hiding nearby with the Hound, sees this. That’s the moment her childhood doesn't just end; it’s incinerated.
The Hound, Sandor Clegane, is perhaps the most underrated part of this episode. He’s a cynic who has seen it all, yet even he seems slightly jarred by the sheer lack of "honor" in how the Freys conducted the massacre. He grabs Arya and flees. It’s a survival move.
Tywin Lannister and the Banality of Evil
Back in King’s Landing, the news of the Red Wedding arrives. Joffrey is ecstatic. He’s a monster, obviously. He wants to serve Robb’s head to Sansa at his own wedding. It’s the kind of cartoonish villainy that makes you want to reach through the screen. But the real power is across the table.
Tywin Lannister.
When Joffrey starts chirping about how he won the war, Tywin shuts him down with a single look. "The King is tired," he says. It’s a devastating insult. He sends the King of the Andals and the First Men to bed like a toddler.
There is a nuanced conversation later between Tywin and Tyrion that defines the ethics—or lack thereof—in Westeros. Tyrion is disgusted by the Red Wedding. He calls it a massacre. Tywin’s rebuttal is chillingly logical: "Explain to me why it is more noble to kill ten thousand men in battle than a dozen at dinner?"
He’s wrong, of course. He’s ignoring the social contract of "guest right," which is the only thing keeping society from collapsing into chaos. By breaking that rule, Tywin didn't just win a war; he broke the world. But in the moment, looking at the maps and the gold, he feels like a genius. This is peak David Benioff and D.B. Weiss writing—taking Martin's dense political philosophy and making it feel like a family argument over Sunday roast.
The Night’s Watch and the Reality Check
While everyone is fighting over who sits on a pointy chair in the south, the real threat is ignored. Samwell Tarly and Gilly finally make it back to Castle Black. They meet Bran Stark at the Nightfort, a massive, decaying castle on the Wall.
This scene is crucial. It’s the only time members of the "main" families cross paths without actually knowing it. Sam realizes who Bran is. He tries to help him. Bran, obsessed with his visions of the Three-Eyed Raven, insists on going north of the Wall. It feels suicidal. Sam gives them dragonglass—obsidian—which we now know is the only thing that kills White Walkers.
The weight of the White Walker threat is the only thing that makes the petty squabbles in King’s Landing look small. When Sam gets back to Castle Black, Maester Aemon (the secret Targaryen, lest we forget) sends out hundreds of ravens. He’s pleading for help. He knows the dead are coming.
Only one person listens.
Stannis Baratheon’s Pivot
Stannis is usually a polarizing character. He’s stiff. He’s obsessed with "justice" to the point of cruelty. He’s about to execute Gendry (Robert Baratheon’s bastard) because Melisandre told him a blood sacrifice would help him win.
But Davos Seaworth, the onion knight, saves Gendry. He puts him in a rowboat and tells him to keep the coast on his left.
Davos then shows Stannis the letter from the Night’s Watch. This is the turning point for Stannis. While the Lannisters are celebrating and the Tyrells are plotting, Stannis realizes that a King who doesn't protect the realm isn't a King at all. Melisandre looks into the flames and confirms it: the "great war" is in the north. This sets the stage for the massive shift in season 4.
The Ending: Why "Mhysa" is Controversial
The episode ends across the sea. Daenerys Targaryen has conquered Yunkai. She stands outside the city gates as thousands of freed slaves emerge. They chant "Mhysa," which means "Mother." They lift her up. The camera pans out to show a sea of brown-skinned people lifting a pale, blonde woman.
It’s a complicated shot.
At the time, it was meant to be triumphant. The music by Ramin Djawadi is soaring and beautiful. But over the years, critics and fans have pointed out the "white savior" imagery that feels a bit tone-deaf in retrospect. It’s a stark contrast to the gritty, cynical realism of the Westeros storylines. It feels like a different show.
However, in the context of Game of Thrones season 3 episode 10, it was meant to provide a glimmer of hope. The Starks are dead. The Lannisters are corrupt. But somewhere, there is a Queen who people actually love. Or so we thought.
What People Get Wrong About Episode 10
A lot of casual viewers think this episode was "boring" because nothing "big" happened. No one died. No dragons burned down a city. But that’s the wrong way to look at it.
"Mhysa" is about the long-term cost of victory.
- The Boltons now hold the North, but they have no loyalty from the people.
- The Lannisters have won, but they’ve created enemies out of everyone.
- Arya has officially lost her soul to the pursuit of revenge.
- Theon Greyjoy (now Reams of Reek) is being tortured by Ramsay Snow, proving that some fates are worse than death.
If you re-watch it, pay attention to the silence. The music is often pulled back. You hear the wind, the crackle of fires, and the heavy sighs of characters who are exhausted. The war isn't over; it’s just changing shape.
Key Takeaways for Your Next Rewatch
- Watch the eyes: Look at Roose Bolton’s eyes when he talks to Walder Frey. He’s already bored of the old man. He knows he’s the real power in the North now.
- The Dragonstone Scenes: Pay attention to Davos. He’s the moral compass of the show. His choice to save Gendry is the most "heroic" thing in the episode, yet it happens in a basement.
- The Raven: The arrival of the raven at Dragonstone is more important than the Red Wedding in the grand scheme of the series. It’s the moment the show shifts from a political thriller to a high-fantasy epic.
How to Deepen Your GoT Knowledge
If you want to understand the true impact of this episode beyond the screen, you should check out the "History and Lore" features on the Blu-ray sets. They provide the backstory of the Nightfort and the history of "guest right" narrated by the actors in character. It adds a layer of dread to the Lannisters' actions that the show doesn't have time to fully explain.
Also, consider reading the "Arya" chapters in A Storm of Swords that correspond to this finale. The internal monologue about her "hole where her heart used to be" puts her transition into a cold-blooded killer in a much sadder perspective.
The story didn't end at the Twins. It just got much, much darker. Keep that in mind when you hit "Next Episode" on your binge-watch. The "victory" the Lannisters feel in this finale is the very thing that ensures their eventual downfall. They traded their humanity for a throne, and in Westeros, that’s a debt that always gets paid in blood.