Deborah Chan
The Rains of Castamere, also known as The Red Wedding, is the ninth and penultimate episode of the third season of the HBO medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. The episode first aired on June 2, 2013, and is centred on the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, during which Robb Stark and his bannermen are massacred. The episode received universal acclaim from critics and is considered one of the best episodes of the series.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Episode name | The Rains of Castamere |
| Episode number | 9 |
| Season | 3 |
| Air date | 2nd June 2013 |
| Series | Game of Thrones |
| Director | David Nutter |
| Writers | David Benioff and D. B. Weiss |
| Source material | Chapters 41 to 43 and 50 to 53 of George R. R. Martin's A Storm of Swords |
| Rating | 9.9 |
| Runtime | 51 minutes |
| Synopsis | The episode centres on the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, commonly called "The Red Wedding", during which Robb Stark and his bannermen are massacred. |
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What You'll Learn
Episode name: 'The Rains of Castamere'
"The Rains of Castamere" is the ninth and penultimate episode of the third season of the HBO medieval fantasy series Game of Thrones. It is the 29th episode of the series overall. The episode first aired on June 2, 2013, and was written by executive producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by David Nutter. The episode is based on George R. R. Martin's original work from his novel, A Storm of Swords.
The episode centres on the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, commonly known as
"The Rains of Castamere" received universal acclaim from critics and is often cited as one of the best episodes of the series. On Rotten Tomatoes, the episode has an approval rating of 100% with an average score of 9.94/10. Many viewers were shocked by the episode, with some considering it the best episode of Season 3, or even of the entire series. The episode is also known for its powerful performances, writing, and screenplay.
The title of the episode is derived from a song belonging to the Lannister family, which foreshadows the Red Wedding and is played by the band at the wedding before the massacre. The Red Wedding was arranged by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark for breaking the marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey. The massacre was authorised by House Lannister, who sought to end Robb's rebellion against the Iron Throne.
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George R.R. Martin's thoughts
The Red Wedding, adapted in the ninth episode of the third season of Game of Thrones, was a painful and challenging chapter for George R. R. Martin to write. In an interview with The Independent, Martin recalled struggling to draft the chapter, which appeared in the third novel of A Song of Ice and Fire, A Storm of Swords. Martin stated that he had grown attached to the characters and found it difficult to kill them off. He even felt attached to the minor characters killed during the massacre.
Martin skipped writing the chapter and only forced himself to come back to it after completing the rest of the book. He joked at Comic-Con in 2012 that he would visit a country without television when the episode aired. Despite the challenges, Martin does not regret writing the scene, calling it "probably the most powerful scene in the books." He acknowledged that it cost him some readers but gained him many more.
Martin expected a strong reaction from viewers, especially those who hadn't read the books. He received angry letters from readers threatening never to read his work again. However, he understood that people read books for different reasons and respected their reactions. Martin also shared his own feelings about the scene, expressing his love for the characters and the actors portraying them.
The Red Wedding, officially titled "The Rains of Castamere," is considered one of the most unforgettable and powerful episodes of Game of Thrones. It received universal acclaim and a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The episode was written by executive producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and directed by David Nutter. It aired on June 2, 2013, to an audience of 5.22 million viewers.
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Critical acclaim
"The Rains of Castamere", or as it is more commonly known, "The Red Wedding", is the ninth and penultimate episode of the third season of the HBO medieval fantasy series Game of Thrones. The episode received universal acclaim and is often cited as one of the best episodes of the series, if not television history.
The episode adapts content from chapters 41 to 43 and 50 to 53 of George R.R. Martin's novel A Storm of Swords. It depicts the infamous Red Wedding, during which Robb Stark and his bannermen are massacred at the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey. This betrayal and assassination of the Stark forces during a marriage ceremony is one of the most important plot turns of the series.
The episode received an overwhelmingly positive response from critics and audiences alike. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 100% with an average score of 9.94 out of 10. IGN's Matt Fowler gave the episode a perfect 10/10, calling it "an exquisitely awful event that managed to out-do the unpredictable and horrifying death of Ned Stark back in Season 1". Fowler also stated that the episode's depiction of the Red Wedding was more powerful than its depiction in the book series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Writing for The A.V. Club, David Sims and Emily VanDerWerff gave the episode an "A" grade, with Sims expressing shock at the deaths of several main characters.
The episode's impact extended beyond just those who had watched it, with some viewers creating IMDb accounts just to rate and review the episode. One IMDb user described the episode as "TV history", praising every aspect of it, from the performances to the writing and screenplay. The episode's impact was such that even those who knew what was coming, having read the books, were still shocked by the powerful and gut-wrenching nature of the episode.
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Differences from the books
"The Rains of Castamere", or "The Red Wedding", is the ninth and penultimate episode of the third season of HBO's Game of Thrones. The episode is based on George R. R. Martin's original work from his novel A Storm of Swords. Here are some differences between the episode and the books:
Jeyne Westerling's Absence
Jeyne Westerling, Talisa's book counterpart, is not present at the Red Wedding. Instead, she is left behind at the safety of Riverrun with Brynden Tully. Jeyne is also not pregnant in the novels, whereas Talisa is pregnant in the show. According to Richard Madden (Robb Stark), Jeyne/Talisa dies in the show to make it clear that neither Robb nor his child will live to avenge Ned Stark's death.
Brynden Tully's Absence
In the books, Brynden Tully is not present for the wedding since Robb had him stay behind at Riverrun to command the rearguard and hold the line of the Red Fork. The TV producers likely excluded him to avoid making the Freys' betrayal of Robb too obvious. In the show, Brynden is shown leaving the main hall before the fighting starts, and Roose Bolton later confirms that he has escaped.
Character Deaths
Some characters who die in the show are still alive in the books, including Robb Stark and his direwolf Grey Wind. Martin has said that the Red Wedding was the hardest thing he has ever written, and he felt attached to the minor characters killed during the massacre.
Guest Characters
In the episode, some guests at the Red Wedding are shown being killed and being alive in different shots, indicating inconsistencies in their fate.
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Viewer reactions
"The Rains of Castamere", or as it is more commonly known, "The Red Wedding", is the ninth and penultimate episode of the third season of the HBO medieval fantasy series Game of Thrones. The episode is centred on the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, during which Robb Stark and his bannermen are massacred.
The episode received a strong reaction from viewers, with many expressing shock and dismay at the violent and unexpected turn of events. One viewer commented that they were "in shock" and started "crying" while watching the episode, feeling as though they were witnessing the slaughter of their "family". Another viewer mentioned that they were "gobsmacked" and had "no idea anything like that was coming".
The episode has been described as "an exquisitely awful event" that surpassed the "unpredictable and horrifying death of Ned Stark" in Season 1. It has been praised for its ability to build dread and shock viewers, even those who had read the source material and knew what to expect. One viewer noted that despite having read the books, they still felt an "adrenaline rush" while watching the episode.
The Red Wedding has been hailed as one of the most unforgettable moments in TV history, with its impact extending beyond the show's fictional world. YouTube was flooded with videos of fans' horrified reactions, showcasing the collective surprise and emotional response to the episode.
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Frequently asked questions
The Red Wedding takes place during the episode "The Rains of Castamere", the ninth and penultimate episode of the third season of Game of Thrones.
The Red Wedding is a massacre of Robb Stark and his bannermen during the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey. The massacre is arranged by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark for breaking the marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey.
Other storylines in the episode include Bran Stark's group splitting up, Jon Snow's loyalties being tested, and Daenerys Targaryen's plotting her invasion of the city of Yunkai.
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