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(Warning: “Game of Thrones” and “A Song of Ice and Fire” spoilers ahead)

We only got a few minutes of Arya Stark in the season finale of “Game of Thrones,” but it was a big few minutes. Using the mask magic of the Faceless Men, Arya killed the mastermind of the Red Wedding, Walder Frey … but not before presenting him with a pie made from the carved bodies of his sons.

It’s a pretty gruesome end for the Freys, but it’s also one that nods back to George R.R. Martin‘s books. In “A Song of Ice and Fire,” it is strongly hinted that Frey’s sons suffered the same fate that Arya brought upon them, but it comes from a different person and in a much more roundabout way.

In the books, Operation: Frey Pies was concocted by Ser Wyman Manderly, a lord in the North who bends the knee to the Boltons and Freys after the Red Wedding, but who secretly remains loyal to the Starks. His son was one of the victims of the Red Wedding, and he seeks to make the Freys pay for what they did to his house. “The north remembers,” he says, “and the mummer’s farce is almost done.”

Also Read: Where 'Game of Thrones' Season 6 Finale Ranks Among The Series' Best Episodes

His plan unfolds at Ramsay Bolton’s wedding. In the books, it’s not Sansa who is married to and raped by Ramsay. It is her friend, Jeyne Poole, who is passed off to the Boltons as Arya. As a gesture of loyalty, Manderly allows three of Walder’s progeny to stay at his house, but it’s just a ploy to kill them off.

When Manderly arrives at Winterfell, he tells the Freys that his guests were riding ahead of him and presents them with a present: three huge meat pies. “The best pie you have ever tasted, my lords,” he says. “Wash it down with Arbor gold and savor every bite. I know I shall.”

It’s never outright stated that the Frey kids are in those pies, but it’s strongly hinted at, particularly when Manderly later asks in a drunken stupor for a song about the Rat Cook. The tale of the Rat Cook is something that has been cited in both the books and TV show, chiefly in the season 3 finale, wherein Bran tells his companions the story.

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The Rat Cook was a chef in the Night’s Watch who got back at the Andal king who wronged him by killing his son and serving his flesh to the king as bacon. The gods punished the cook by turning him into a giant rat who could only eat his own spawn.

“It wasn’t for murder the gods cursed the Rat Cook, or for serving the king’s son in a pie,” Bran said. “He killed a guest beneath his roof. That’s something the gods can’t forgive.” That’s exactly what the Freys did at the Red Wedding, so Wyman Manderly returned the gesture in kind.

In George R.R. Martin‘s books, all of this is told through hints and references, but “Game of Thrones” chose to make text out of subtext. Walder is outright told his meat pie is made from his sons, but unlike the books, he never actually eats it.

Also Read: 'Game of Thrones': Cersei's Prophecy Is Not Finished Yet

Since the show didn’t have time to develop Manderly, it’s Arya who gets the honor of showing Walder that The North Remembers. Manderly, meanwhile, appears in the finale when he is chastised by Lyanna Mormont for not showing fealty to the Starks.

Seeing Walder Frey finally get what was coming to him was no doubt a satisfying moment in a season of “Game of Thrones” that has devoted far more time than in seasons past to giving fans what they want. But for fans of the books who appreciate George R.R. Martin‘s subtlety and slow-burn approach, the taste of this pie can probably be described charitably as bittersweet.

What are the biggest questions facing the Starks next season? Check them out below.

'Game of Thrones': What's Next For the North After Ramsay's Death (Photos)

(Spoiler warning: Don't read unless you're caught up on "Game of Thrones")

Since the death of Robb Stark, Ramsay Bolton has been the core around which events in the North on "Game of Thrones"revolved. Every storyline in that region came from other characters reacting to Ramsay's horrid atrocities. Now that he has been killed off and Sansa and Jon have Winterfell, things get much more complicated moving forward.
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For starters, there's the matter of what to do with Jon Snow. It would seem that he is using his death and resurrection as a loophole out of his service to The Night's Watch ("Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death."). Despite his reluctance to lead and the fact he nearly got everyone killed, a speech by Lyanna Mormont led to Jon becoming the new King in the North.
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But Jon's reign is a tenuous one. Bran Stark, the true heir to Winterfell (though presumed dead), has discovered that Jon is the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. Depending on what Bran does with this information, it could mean bad news for Jon and a massive shakeup of the status quo in the North.
Speaking of status quo shakeups, what about the Free Folk? Thanks to Jon, Tormund and his kin are no longer held back by the Wall and are now living among noble houses that will surely resent their presence. Perhaps the wildlings could find a new home in the lands that once belonged to the Boltons, but how long could Jon maintain an uneasy peace when there is still so much prejudice between the wildlings and kneelers?
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Petyr Baelish saved the day at the Battle of the Bastards with his reinforcements, but everything Littlefinger does comes at a price. He claims he wants the Iron Throne with Sansa at his side. Sansa rebuffed him, only for Littlefinger to point out that she by all rights should be in charge, not Jon.
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When Jon was declared King in the North, Sansa and Littlefinger shared a meaningful look at each other. Is Baelish in Sansa's head. Could she and Jon soon be working against each other?
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There's also another little secret Sansa doesn't know about Littlefinger: his involvement in the capture and death of her father, Ned. Sansa already has trust problems with Littlefinger after his schemes led to Sansa being raped by Ramsay. If she learns that he sold her father out in an attempt to gain power with the Lannisters, the relationship between the two could get ugly very quickly.
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Thanks to Arya, Walder Frey is now dead, along with his sons. That means that Riverrun is without a man in charge, though still technically under Lannister control. Will the Stark or Targaryen forces move to grab it?
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As for Arya, what's next for her? She will no doubt attempt to return to Winterfell at some point. After working independently through much of the series, what role would Arya play if she ends up being reunited with the sister with whom she once had no shared interests? Or maybe she will take a detour, and end up reuniting with a certain Hound...
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We are also now closer than ever to finally seeing Daenerys and her dragons make their grand arrival to Westeros. While she has Tyrion and Varys on her side to help her gain allies, Jon and Sansa will likely be considered major obstacles in the campaign to restore the Targaryens to power. Could a collision between some of the most popular characters in the series be ahead?
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But the biggest question of all is this: How will everyone in Westeros deal with the coming of the White Walkers? It has been put off for quite some time now, but one of the Starks' motives behind retaking Winterfell was to unite the North in the face of this oncoming threat. With so many dead after the last battle, are there enough forces left to save the Seven Kingdoms?
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Jon and Sansa may have Winterfell again, but things are only going to get tougher for them next season

(Spoiler warning: Don't read unless you're caught up on "Game of Thrones")

Since the death of Robb Stark, Ramsay Bolton has been the core around which events in the North on "Game of Thrones"revolved. Every storyline in that region came from other characters reacting to Ramsay's horrid atrocities. Now that he has been killed off and Sansa and Jon have Winterfell, things get much more complicated moving forward.

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