TV: Game of Thrones S2E1 Recap

We start with the Hound giving a vicious beating to someone who stumbles backward over the wall and to his death. Joffrey starts to belittle Sansa who is watching with him.

When calling for the next spar, one of the contestants is drunk. Joffrey is offended. Wants an entire keg of wine to be poured down his throat using a horn. Sansa cries out “You can’t.” Oops. She then tells him that it is bad luck to kill a man on his nameday.

In the novels, it is made explicitly clear that Sandor “the Hound” Clegane hates liars. When Sansa tries to lie her way out of her blunder with Joffrey in the opening scene, Sandor steps in and backs her up – in other words, he became a liar to save her from beating.

Joffrey offhandedly says, well I will have him killed tomorrow, the fool. Sansa takes advantage of his phrase and plays to his ego by saying, “You are so clever to see it. He is a fool.” He takes it and rolls with it, telling the man that he will be the new fool. We hear, off screen, “My beloved nephew.” It is Tyrion

Despite their shared disgust for Joffrey, in the novels, Tyrion and the Hound have a notorious hatred for each other. This relationship is alluded to when Tyrion points to Sandor and says, “This one doesn’t like me much.” The novels never reveal what happened to make them hate each other.

“We looked for you on the battlefield and you were nowhere to be found…” Then he greets the youngest of the siblings. They obviously love him and his presence allows them a moment of lightheartedness.

He looks to Sansa and expresses his sympathy for her loss. When Joffrey chides him that her father was a traitor, Tyrion replies, “But still her father.”

Sansa tells him, through tears, that her family are traitors and that she is faithful to her beloved Joffrey.

Tyrion excuses himself and says he is off to work. Joffrey is in utter confusion as he calls to Tyrion’s back “Why are you here?”

In Winterfell Bran has to listen to Northern lords about the cold and not having the means to build up the fortitude of his home because King Robb took his men to fight a war.

Maester Luwin in this scene … I just love him. The way he is teaching Bran how to behave like a Lord. He is a favorite of mine in the show. I do not have the same love for him in the books.

We are then looking through the eyes of one of the wolves and up at the red meteor as it streaks through the sky. When we come upon a pond, it is summer’s reflection yet Bran wakes in the bed.

His face has aged slightly. They have changed his hair to give us the impression of aging under the weight of responsibility. We move outdoors, Bran is carried on the back of Hodor.

Osha and Bran discuss the comet and its possible meanings.

Out in the desert things are rough for Khaleesi and her troupe. Her dragon isn’t eating as she would like and her horse falls and dies.

According to the novels, Daenerys’ silver mare has not died in the Red Waste. It is still alive at the point where the novels reached. When Daenerys’ mare dies, it falls on its left side; when Daenerys runs to it, it is now on its right.

According to the novels, the names of Daenerys’ bloodriders are Jhogo, Aggo and Rakharo. In the series, one of them is called Kovarro instead of Jhogo.

She calls them to her and tells them to ride out in different directions to look for land, for water, for whatever lies beyond where they are.

She looks up at the comet.

Oh, hey! It’s a beach bonfire! Wait… nope. They are burning the old gods. “For the night is dark and full of terrors.”

First appearance of Carice van Houten as Melisandre and Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth. Both actors had appeared together in Black Butterflies (2011).

During the scene in which the idols of the Seven are burnt, Selyse Baratheon (Stannis’ wife) is standing among the crowd. She is played by Sarah Mac Keever, but without dialogue or on-screen identification.

Maester Cressen runs along the beach, stopping at Dravos’ side. “We need to stop her.” Dravos does not look as if he feels that is possible as he glances over at Stannis. Cressen runs forward and chastises them for dishonoring the gods of their father. Melisandre comes up to him and tells him “You smell of fear, you want to stop me? Stop me.” He steps aside.

She tells the story of the warrior who will drive the sword from the fire and that sword will be Lightbringer. Stannis walks among the burning idols and pulls out the burning sword to the cheers of his men.

Stannis does not look as if he is truly buying into the whole lord of light.

Stannis is transcribing a letter and it includes details of the incestual relationship within the Lannister royal family. He is very serious about telling the truth. He wants the letter sent to all corners of the realm. He will not rally behind Renly.

Dravos obviously is at odds with the Melisandre. Maester Cressen stands and apologizes for speaking out against burning of the idols. He offers a drink to Melisandre, first drinking it himself. He had poisoned it in hopes that he would take her life along with his.

As he falls to the ground, bleeding from his mouth, Melisandre stands over him and says: “This night is dark and full of terrors but the fire burns them all away.”

Back in Robb’s camp, the King of the North is paying a visit to his prisoner.

Even tied up, Jaime is so freaking arrogant. He suggests to Robb that he doesn’t trust his bannermen. “I trust them with my life, I just don’t trust them with yours.” Jaime does his best to be insulting but Robb is not taking the bati.

“You insult yourself Kingslayer. You were defeated by a boy, you were captured by a boy, perhaps you will be killed by a boy.

Then he does what all the Stark kids do with their dire wolves… All the while Robb calmly tells Jaime of a raven sent by Stannis that lays out the fact that Joffrey is Jaime’s bastard son and not the true king. “You pushed my brother from a window because he saw you with the queen.” Robb is sending a Lannister cousin to Tywin to negotiate.

Jaime tells Robb “three victories don’t make you a conqueror”. Actually, Rob won two battles: the Battle of the Whispering Wood and the Battle of the Camps.

Cersei approaches Petyr about Arya and finding her. He says that she should ask Varys. She remarks on his self created Mockingbird sigil.

She is coy and tells them she heard a song about a young boy raised in a place where there were two young girls, sisters and even though he had eyes for the oldest, she did not return the feelings. Then he made the mistake of telling her the story of the song about incest…

“Knowledge is power.” He says. “Seize him.” She says. And right before they slit his throat she tells them to stop. Back up three paces. Turn around. Then she says “Power is power.” Well played Cersei. Well played.

At the end of that scene there is a small child scrubbing the floor. Perhaps one of Varys’ Little Birds?

Robb Stark is voicing his broker for peace – release his sisters, send his father’s bones and those of his men for proper burials, Joffrey must relinquish his claims to the lands in the north.

There is no Alton Lannister in the novels. According to the novel, it was Cleos Frey, Jaime Lannister’s cousin (son of Tywin’s sister), who was sent to King’s Landing to deliver Robb’s terms.

Theon and Robb discuss what they need to do next. Kings Landing should be taken and the only way to do that is with ships. Theon will go to his father and ask him to raise the ships and help Robb avenge his father.

Lady Catelyn is angry with his decision. Lord Greyjoy is not trustworthy. Robb will not trade his sisters for Jaime. (These are the moments when Catelyn’s inner book dialogue allows her character to be seen in a more diverse light). Robb will not allow her to go to Winterfell. He is sending Rodrick to keep the boys. He wants Catelyn to go to Renly Baratheon to broker terms to work together. It is the only way to get the girls back. Then they will go home together, for good. She agrees.

Joffrey is remodeling the crown room to an amazing glory. He confronts her about the incest rumor. “No one believes this foul gossip.”

During a scene with Cersei and Joffrey, Cersei’s necklace changes direction with the lion emblem facing backwards in several shots.

“Did father fuck other women when he grew tired of you?” SMACK TO THE FACE!

In the novels, Cersei never slaps Joffrey – it is made clear that she never makes any attempt to discipline her children.

“What you just did is punishable by death. You will never do it again. Never.” As he dismisses her, she is seeing him as he truly is.

Holy screaming whores! They change scenes and it is nothing but boobies bouncing and Ros the Whore giving guidance.

Ros’ lines in the scene where she reprimands another prostitute is a nearly verbatim copy of Petyr Baelish’s lines where he advises Ros and a fellow prostitute in their arts in Game of Thrones: You Win or You Die (2011).

Wait – Ros has her own house now? Not really, she is running Petyr’s house for him. In marches the Lord Commander of the King’s Guard. They toss the house and kick in doors. Awww they are gonna kill Robert’s bastar from Season 1. They go door to door killing young men who resemble dead King Robert.

According to the novel, only one of Robert’s bastards is reported to be killed at Cersei’s command (not Joffrey’s command) – baby Barra. It was not Janos Slynt, but one of the Gold Cloaks named Allar Deem who killed her and her mother who tried to stop him.

The blacksmith gives up the details of Gendry and the Bullshead helmet. He tells them he has been given to the Nights Watch. The guard gives the orders to find him.