A Man Without Honor

"A Man Without Honor" is the seventh episode of the second season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series "Game of Thrones".
The episode is written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and directed, for the second time in this season, by David Nutter. It premiered on May 13, 2012.
The name of the episode comes from Catelyn Stark's assessment of Ser Jaime Lannister: "You are a man without honor," after he kills a member of his own family to attempt escape.
Plot.
In King's Landing.
Sansa awakens from a nightmare to find she has had her first period, meaning she can bear Joffrey’s children. Shae tries to help conceal the blood, but discovers the Hound has seen the sheet. Cersei tells Sansa it will be impossible to love Joffrey, and to find comfort in their children instead.
Tyrion tells Cersei his doubts about Joffrey's plan to repel Stannis' fleet. Cersei confesses her belief that Joffrey is punishment for her incest with Jaime.
Beyond the Wall.
Jon searches for his companions, and captive Ygritte tells him life would be better with the wildlings. She teases his sexual inexperience, but he rebuffs her advances. Ygritte escapes, and Jon is unable to find her until she reveals he is surrounded by wildlings.
At Harrenhal.
Tywin orders Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane to find Lorch's killer, believing the murder was an attempt on his own life. Dining with Arya, Tywin deduces she is highborn and advises her to hide her status more carefully.
In the Westerlands.
Robb hears Alton Lannister's unfavorable reply to the peace terms brought to Cersei and, with his prisons full, orders Alton placed with Jaime. Talisa agrees to accompany Robb to the Crag for medical supplies.
Jaime kills Alton to draw the jailer, Torrhen Karstark, into the pen, strangling him before fleeing. Jaime is recaptured, and Lord Rickard Karstark demands his head for murdering his son, but Catelyn delays the execution until Robb's return. Confronting Jaime, Catelyn calls him "a man without honor", and Jaime bitterly explains the contradictions he faced in his vows as a knight. He provokes Catelyn, who asks for Brienne's sword.
In Qarth.
Daenerys has difficulty trusting Xaro, who claims he did not take her dragons. Vowing to find them, Jorah confronts Quaithe, who tells him that the person who stole the dragons is with Daenerys. At a meeting of the Thirteen, Pyat Pree tells Daenerys that he has her dragons in the "House of the Undying". Xaro proclaims himself King of Qarth as Pree, having multiplied himself around the room, assassinates the remaining Thirteen, and Daenerys flees with Jorah and Kovarro.
At Winterfell.
Realizing Osha has fled with Bran, Rickon, and Hodor, Theon beats Lorren for challenging him and hunts for the fugitives against Maester Luwin's wishes, following the trail of Bran and Rickon. They trace them to a farm, where Dagmer finds evidence that the Starks have been there.
Returning from the hunt, Theon reveals the charred remains of two children as a public warning. Luwin cries out in horror for Bran and Rickon, while Theon struggles to hide his remorse.
Production.
Writing.
The episode was written by producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, their fourth of six scripts for the second season. This episode adapts content from the second novel, "A Clash of Kings", chapters Theon IV, Sansa IV and parts of Catelyn V and Catelyn VII.
Reception.
Ratings.
"A Man Without Honor" was watched by 3.69 million American households in its initial telecast on HBO. In the United Kingdom, the episode was seen by 0.935 million viewers on Sky Atlantic, being the channel's highest-rated broadcast that week.
Critical reception.
The episode received positive reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes surveyed 12 reviews of the episode and judged 92% of them to be positive, with an average score of 8.85 out of 10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Quieter and more meditative than previous episodes, 'A Man Without Honor' is bolstered by incredible performances and a welcome return to an unlikely but surprisingly satisfying onscreen duo." IGN's Matt Fowler gave the episode a 9 out of 10, noting that "While "A Man Without Honor" didn't have as many big, striking scenes as some of the past few episodes, it made up for its lack of face-melting moments with some absolutely fantastic one-on-one scenes." The A.V. Club's Emily VanDerWerff gave it an A-.