Program: Game of Thrones
Season: No. 01
Episode: No. 02: The Kingsroad
Tyrion “The Imp” Lannister, wakes up in the Starks’ dog kennel. His nephew, Prince Joffrey Baratheon, is there to mock him. Tyrion slaps the prince to make the prince pay his respects to the injured Bran. Cersei and Ser Jaime are told that Bran will live. The king’s party and several of Ned’s household leaves for King’s Landing.
Jon Snow gives his half-sister, Arya, a sword to fight with. She names it “Needle.” Then, they hugged each other good-bye. Jon also visits Bran, who is currently unconscious. He tells Bran good-bye and tells Catelyn that it wasn’t her fault that Bran got hurt. Then he leaves with his uncle, Benjen Stark, to go to the Wall. Tyrion goes with them. Tyrion tells Jon about the type of men that joined the Night’s Watch–they are murderers and rapers who chose this over the gallows. He also asks Jon whether he believes that the Watch actually protects the realm from “grumpkins and snarks.” Jon has no answer to this.
Robb Stark and Maester Luwin visit Lady Catelyn Stark, who is sitting with her unconscious son. They beg her to attend to some household business, but they are cut short when they notice a fire. They rush off to put it out. Catelyn stays with Bran. A moment later, a hooded man appears with a knife to slit Bran’s throat. Catelyn fends him off with her bare hands, but Bran’s direwolf, Summer, is the one who makes the kill. After her wounds are dressed, she discusses the attempt on her life. She believes the Lannisters are involved, based on evidence she has found: the expensive, dragonbone dagger used in the attack and a golden hair she found in the tower Bran fell from. Ser Rodrik and Catelyn decide to ride to King’s Landing to warn Lord Stark.
Daenerys’ tribe heads east. The entire day of riding takes an unexpected physical toll on her. Khal Drogo comes in and takes her from behind. Later, her handmaidens tend to her wounds and tell her legends of dragons. Dany asks one of the handmaidens, Doreah, to teach her how to make Khal Drogo “happy.” Doreah teaches her how to take control of a man. That night, Dany takes control like she is taught. This is the first time she and Drogo make a connection.
Sansa is thrilled, when one day, Prince Joffrey invites her to go on a walk with him. They come upon Arya and Mycah, the butcher’s son, practicing their sword-fighting with sticks. Joffrey pulls his own sword (a real one) and taunts Mycah. When he draws blood, Arya smacks him with her stick. Joffrey whirls and swings wildly at her until Nymeria jumps in, biting his wrist. He lets go of his sword and Arya throws it into the river. She calls off Nymeria and runs off. She orders Nymeria away, knowing that she would be killed for biting Joffrey.
The Lannister men find Arya and bring her to the king for trial. Cersei claims that Joffrey is an innocent victim, which Arya quickly protests. The queen calls Sansa forward. Sansa lies, saying that she doesn’t remember. Almost satisfied, the queen orders the execution of Nymeria, but the wolf is nowhere to be found. In her place, the queen orders Sansa’s direwolf, Lady, to be killed in her place. Ned is shocked at the injustice and looks to the king for help, but the king just walks out of the room. Ned volunteers for the business of executing the wolf. He does the deed and sends the body to be buried in the North. He also finds that Mycah had been run down.
The show ends with Bran opening his eyes.
Tyrion is very clever. Joffrey got what he deserved when he was slapped by his uncle (the slap-happy dwarf). I’m happy for Jon in that he is taking the black and that his father considers him a Stark. Catelyn needed to see that her son’s life was in danger for a reason so that she would finally leave his bedside. It’s also good that Daenerys is gaining some control of her life and is adjusting to life as a Dathraki.
Joffrey is a lying, little twit! He is also a hot-headed brat! His mother encourages this. I’m starting to think all of the Lannisters are dishonorable. Lady didn’t deserve to die (neither did Nymeria, but Lady was actually slayed.
Once again, this closely resembles the events in the book. So far, this is a great show.
Genres: Adaptation, Fantasy, War, Romance
Stars (out of 5): *****
Cat on the Bookshelf 