Game Of Thrones: 10 Things We Learned From "Mockingbird"

8. The Hound€™s Issues With Fire Run Deep

The pair eventually make camp, and Sandor tries to sew up his wound. Arya recommends that he cauterise it before it gets infected, but he€™s insistent that no fire touch him. After commenting on all the trouble capturing her as gotten him, he opens up about his history with fire. When Sandor was young, his brother Gregor pressed his face into a fire because he thought Sandor stole one of his toys. Hence, the giant facial scar. Although the pain and smell was bad, what upset Sandor the most was that his own brother did it to him, and that their father lied about what happened. Arya asks if she can at least wash the wound and help him stitch it up, and he allowed her to. The Hound has always been one of the show€™s most ruthless characters. He€™s always done what was necessary to survive, which in some cases meant hurting innocents. However, he€™s also shown he possesses some sort of moral compass, like when he protected Sansa Stark. One thing about Game of Thrones is that the characters are neither purely good or purely evil (Joffrey being the possible exception), but are multifaceted and bathed in shades of gray. Sandor has committed atrocities that he may never find redemption for, but with this story, we have a better understanding of the internal struggle he goes through. He€™s spent his whole life trying to be tough and withdrawn from others, but deep down, there€™s still that scared boy who was hurt by what his brother did to him.