Chapter 10: Jon II

Jon says “good bye” to Winterfell, and gives Arya a gift.

Characters Present:

• Jon Snow: “Son” of Lord Stark. Lady Catelyn is not his mother.
• Ghost: Jon’s direwolf. Not exactly a pet.
• Bran: Jon’s younger ½ brother. Has been in a coma since his fall. Has lost a lot of weight.
• Lady Stark (Catelyn Tully Stark): Ned Stark’s wife. She has long auburn hair, which is dull and tangled. “Looked as though she had aged twenty years.” She has not left Bran’s bedside.
• Robb Stark: Jon’s ½ brother, Ned’s eldest trueborn son.
• Grey Wind: Robb’s direwolf
• Arya Stark: Jon’s ½ sister.
• Nymeria: Arya’s direwolf.

Location: Winterfell

Recap:

Jon climbs the stairs to Bran’s room, to be greeted by Lady Stark. She has not left Bran’s bed in a “fortnight.” Jon is leaving for the Wall, and wants to say good-bye to Bran. Lady Catelyn, supposedly in her grief, is rude and mean to Jon. Catelyn confesses that she prayed that Bran would stay with her as he was her “special boy.” (WTF?) Jon tries to tell her that it isn’t her fault and in return Catelyn tells Jon is should have been him (Jon.) Bitch. Sorry. I really hate Cat.

Sidebar on my dislike of Cat:

I know some people think it’s misogyny to dislike her, but her character is not someone I would get along well with in real life. All about the appearance and doing things the way she is “supposed” to, and living her life through her children. She literally has no other interests or hobbies than “having children.” And those children aren’t even really parented by her, they are mostly taught by Septas. Which also seems weird to me, because Winterfell is in the North. They must have brought Septa Mordane up just for Catelyn. What does she DO all day? What did she do when it was just her and Robb while Eddard went to war? What about when he left again to take care of Balon Greyjoy and bring back Theon?

Back to the recap:

Jon goes to say good-bye to Robb. Robb has snowflakes melting in his hair. Jon says that Starks are hard to kill. They hug. Jon leaves and goes to the armory to pick up a package, which he takes to Arya. They chat and say good-bye. Jon gives her a sword, which she names Needle.

Other Locations Mentioned: Pentos, Myr

Other Characters Mentioned:

• Uncle Benjen
• Ned
• Mikken
• Septa Mordane
• Sansa

Thoughts:

• Jon is afraid to enter Bran’s room. Ghost helped him gain the courage to enter. Was he scared of Cat? What Bran might look like? Just saying good-bye? All of the above?
• I know GRRM SAID that Catelyn didn’t always act like this towards Jon, and I can understand grief. I still do not like her behavior in this chapter. I also think that this chapter shows that it isn’t a one time deal with Cat taking out her frustrations about Eddard’s “cheating” on Jon, who is not the guilty party in this situation.
• Lots of bird/tree imagery in regards to Bran. He is described as “half a leaf,” “his skin stretched tight over bones like sticks,” “frail cage of those shattered ribs,” “Fingers like the bones of birds.”  
• “I better go. I’ll spend my first year on the Wall emptying chamber pots if I keep Uncle Ben waiting any longer.” And he becomes a steward.
• Jon says black was always his color. Aren't Black & Red the colors of the Targs? 

Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle.

Jon & Arya are going to meet again. 

Only one of these scenes was willing to embed. The first is Jon & Arya, the last is Jon & Cat. 

https://youtu.be/Edb6jkimyuA?t=12s

https://youtu.be/K5RYL0AvkC0