“Game of Thrones” is back! After ten long months of waiting, we are finally brought back to the Seven Kingdoms and the never ending battle for the Iron Throne. This season promises to be a good one, and after two years of betrayal and vengeance, the fight for control of Westeros is at its peak. A lot happened in tonight’s episode, so let’s jump into our recap!
We start the new season right where we left off. Sam is running from the army of White Walkers and wraiths. Alone and freezing in a blizzard, he finds one of his fellow Night’s Watch men decapitated. When Sam turns around, a wraith starts attacking him and Sam is unable to fight the creature off. Nearly defeated, Jon Snow’s direwolf, Ghost, arrives and bites the wraith. The remaining men of the Night’s Watch scouting mission reach Sam and set the wraith on fire, ultimately killing it. The men are covered in blood and exhausted after fighting off the White Walkers and wraiths at the Fist of the First Men. The Lord Commander tells his men they must make for the Wall as quickly as they can in order to warn their brothers of the coming danger.
Meanwhile, Jon Snow is taken to the wildling camp by the wildings that captured him. In the camp, Jon is in awe of a giant working in the camp, but is met by anger from the various wildlings surrounding him. Ygritte takes Jon directly to Mance Rayder’s tent and tells those in the tent that Jon killed Quorin Halfhand and wants to join the wildings. The men tease Jon by pretending to be Mance, but when Jon knells to one of the wildlings named Tormand Giantsbane, they all laugh and the real Mance comes forward. Mance asks Jon why he wants to join the wildlings, and Jon tells Mance about what he saw at Craster’s Keep. Jon explains to Mance he wants to fight for those who protect the living. Mance believes him and allows him to live.
In King’s Landing, Tyrion has barricaded himself in his new quarters. Ceresei comes to visit him with two guardsmen, and he hesitantly lets her in alone. She questions him about his motives for having a meeting with their father, Tywin Lannister. Tyrion asks her why he needs to have a reason to visit his own father. Meanwhile, Bronn arrives and he and Tyrion take a walk around the Red Keep. Tyrion tells Bronn he will continue to pay for Bronn to protect him because he is convinced there are people in King’s Landing determined to murder him. Bronn agrees but demands double the pay because he is now a knight.
Later, Tyrion meets his father and tries to talk to him, but Tywin coldly receives him. Tywin accuses Tyrion of only sleeping with whores and dining with thieves while he was Hand of the King. Tyrion disregards his father’s lies, and questions why Tywin never visited him while he was injured after the battle. Tywin explains he was told Tyrion’s wounds were not fatal. Tyrion tells his father he would appreciate a small bit of gratitude for helping win the Battle at Blackwater, but Tywin grows impatient and demands to know what Tyrion wants. Tyrion tells him he wants his inheritance, Casterly Rock. He explains to his father that Casterly Rock is his by right because his older brother, Jamie, gave up his inheritance when he joined the King’s Guard. Tywin disregards Tyrion’s requests and tells him he will receive accommodations and titles worthy of his position, but he will not have Casterly Rock. Tyrion asks why he will not receive his inheritance, and Tywin cruelly explains he only has the Lannister name because he cannot prove Tyrion is not a Lannister because he killed his mother when he was born.
Outside of King’s Landing in the Narrow Sea, we find Davos stranded on an island, burned from constant exposure to the sun. He washed up there after he was knocked unconscious during the Battle of Blackwater. Davos is able to get the attention of a ship that sails past, and it sends a small dingy is to save Davos. On board the ship is Davos’ friend and ally, Salladhor Saan, who tells Davos what has happened since they lost the battle. He explains that Stannis is a broken man who is no longer fighting and will not see anyone but Melisandre. Salladhor explains Stannis has had men and women burned for not following Melisandre’s gods. Once he hears this, Davos begs Salladhor to bring him back to Dragonstone so he can meet with Stannis and convince him to continue fighting for his claim to the Iron Throne. Salladhor hesitantly agrees but warns Davos it is dangerous to go against Melisandre. Upon arriving in Dragonstone, Davos is brought directly to Stannis and Melisandre. Davos tries to convince Stannis to continue fighting, but Melisandre counters by explaining to Davos that Stannis lost many of his men when they all burned at Blackwater. She tells Davos she could have stopped the wildfire if she was at Blackwater, but points out that it was Davos who convinced Stannis not to bring Melisandre to the battle. Not trusting Davos, Stannis has Davos sent to the dungeons.
In the Riverlands, the Stark army arrives at Harrenhal. Robb Stark and his bannermen walk into the castle to find it abandoned by the Lannister army and all of the northern prisoners murdered. Catelyn Stark walks amongst the murdered men and recognizes one as her father’s bannermen. Robb asks his men to find a place to keep his mother prisoner, and his new wife, Talisa, reminds Robb he should treat his mother well. They find one man still alive and treat his wounds.
Back in King’s Landing, Sansa and Shae sit outside while watching ships leave the city. The women pretend to imagine where the ships are sailing to when Littlefinger arrives and asks to speak with Sansa alone. Littlefinger tells Sansa he recently saw her mother and sister, Arya; Sansa is surprised to hear Arya is still alive. She asks when Littlefinger will sneak her out of King’s Landing, and he explains he plans to leave King’s Landing for a business trip in the future and he may be able to take her with him, but she must be able to leave on a moment’s notice. Meanwhile, one of Littlefinger’s prostitutes turned business manager, Ros, talks to Shae and implies she knows Shae use to be a prostitute. Ros warns Shae to watch out for Sansa and to protect her from Littlefinger.
In the streets of King’s Landing, King Joffrey and his fiancé, Margaery Tyrell, are carried through the streets in guarded litters. Margaery abruptly gets out of her litter and leaves to go visit to the orphan children without her guards. Joffrey is surprised by her leaving but doesn’t stop her, clearly intrigued by his new fiancé. Inside, Margaery sits with the children and tells them that their fathers saved the city under King Joffrey’s leadership. She gives them toy knights and makes sure the children are fed and clothed. Later that evening, Margaery and her brother, Loras, dine with Joffrey and Ceresei. Ceresei questions Margaery about her visit to the orphanage and advises her it might not be wise to interact with the common people. Loras tells Cersei that Margaery is use to working with the poor, and Margaery explains it is important to keep the people fed and that her family is happy to bring their crops to King’s Landing to feed the people.
Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys is on a ship while her dragons fly around it, hunting in the water. She and the Dothraki are heading to Astapor to look into purchasing a slave army called the Unsullied. Ser Jorah explains to Daenerys the Unsullied are the best army in the world, but she is troubled by the fact the the soldiers are slaves. When they arrive in Astapor, Daenerys meets with the owner of the Unsullied and his interpreter. Daenerys inquires about the soldiers’ training and how many men she can purchase. The owner tells her there are 8,000 men available, but she must give him an answer in one day. After their visit, Daenerys and Ser Jorah discuss purchasing the Unsullied when a young girl playfully gets Daenerys attention. The young girl rolls a ball to Daenerys, and when Daenerys picks it up a man suddenly arrives, knocks the ball out of her hand, and Daenerys falls to the ground. The ball opens up and a dangerous insect comes out, intent on stinging Daenerys. The mysterious man stabs the insect and chases the young girl through the streets before the girl disappears into nowhere. When Daenerys and Ser Jorah meet the man, he takes off his cloak and presents himself as Ser Barristan Semly, a knight from the King’s Guard and a loyal follower of the Targaryen family. Ser Barrison left court once King Robert died, and has been searching for Daenerys because he promised to protect her family before they were murdered years ago. He asks Daenerys if he may join her Queen’s Guard while Ser Jorah looks at him suspiciously.
That concludes our first episode of “Game of Thrones” this season! Thankfully, the writers did not waste anytime getting right back into the action. It was very exciting to see Mance Rayder and the Unsullied this early in the show. Unlike last season, it seems Daenerys’ storyline will be very interesting and action packed; we are happy they brought Barristan Selmy back to add some much needed depth to the story across the Narrow Sea. Lastly, it is nice to see they are giving more time to Margaery Tyrell’s character; she certainly is one that is up for playing the game of thrones and it will be fascinating to watch her and Ceresei battle over Joffrey’s affections. Next week we hope to see the other Stark children, Bran and Arya, and perhaps some more of Jon Snow and Robb Stark. Join us again next Sunday and until then remember, winter is coming!
