Jon successfully recruits wildlings to garrison castles along the Wall so they can fight off the Others and marauding wildlings. He fails to gain the support of the Thenns, a proud, old free-folk family that keeps itself separate from the wildlings. As he makes his way through the mountains, he sees more than one face carved on a weirwood tree—the mark of worshipers of the old gods of the North. These trees mean that wildlings do not really want to worship R’hllor as commanded. When he returns to Castle Black, he finds still more unease about incorporating wildlings, including wildling women fighters, into the defense of the Wall. Most believe the wildlings are more likely to raid communities on the Westeros side of the Wall than fight against the Others. Even his allies are skeptical of his plan. Jon puts on a brave face since he knows he is doing what is right, but the second-guessing undercuts his confidence.

Tyrion survives his dunking. Griff tells him that he has to check for greyscale on all his extremities. If his fingers or toes ever go numb or gray, he has greyscale. The unspoken threat is that the party will leave him or kill him to stop Young Griff from getting it.