Episode 2 – The Kingsroad – New Viewer Recap

Episode two of Game of Thrones has just aired. New viewers (ie those who haven’t read the book) are encouraged to share their thoughts in the thread below. New WiCnet team members, We Do Not Sow, has his take on this episode after the break.

Spoiler note: This post is intended for new viewers ONLY (book fans can discuss the show here). We ask all the series veterans to refrain from posting spoilers in the comments here, veiled or otherwise. This show is best viewed without knowing all the surprises beforehand, so please be respectful of your new, fellow fans. Thank you!

We Do Not Sow: Waiting for episode 2 seemed like forever, I thought re-watching the premier episode on Wednesday would let me get my GoT fix, but it only made me more impatient for Sunday night. The second time through I did pick up on a few more things and added more questions like, What the heck is behind the wall in the north? Will Bran live to tell what he just saw? and I’d love to know more about Lyanna Stark, and also about the war that brought Robert Baratheon to be king and exiled the Targaryens.

The episode picks up with Ned Stark agreeing to become the King’s hand and leaving Winterfell with his two daughters Sansa and Arya. Also, after saying his goodbyes to the Stark household Jon Snow is gearing up to to join the brotherhood of the Night’s Watch. Tyrion Lannister accompanies Snow, Benjen Stark and the rest of the crew up to the northern gate. In this episode Tyrion came across much differently than I perceived him last week. I think he is very clever and cunning, he knows that there isn’t to much expected of him and seems to enjoy those low expectations so fills his time with folly. I can see Tyrion being a behind the scenes type, pulling the strings of the queen to make sure he gets what he wants.

As the episode unfolds we get to see some great dire-wolf action, after learning that Bran might pull through from his fall, Cersei plots an attack on Bran to make sure he doesn’t tell anyone what he saw. A fire was started to distract Bran’s watchers and a man was sent with a knife to finish the boy off. (That was a pretty damn creepy scene.) Catelyn Stark’s motherly instincts took over and held the knife welding man at bay until Bran’s dire-wolf comes to save the day. On the way down Kingsroad, the caravan had stopped and we saw the prince Joffrey and possible future princess Sansa taking an innocent stroll when they find the youngest Stark daughter, Arya, and a boy playing with sticks like they were swords. Joffrey looks to take control and humiliate Aryas playmate. Well the cliff note version is: Arya’s dire-wolf leaps out and escalates the situation by biting the prince. Looking back last week at Arya and her bow and arrow skills, sneaking around with a helmet on to get a closer look at the King’s arrival and this weeks shenanigans I really thing she is going to be a fun character. We haven’t seen a strong minded woman besides the Queen and this week I think you get a glimpse of Arya and Daenerys both become strong willed and both have the possibilities to become major players down the line.

So lets sum this week up, The King feels a little safer now with his long time friend Ned Stark at his right side. The Lannisters, the kind of people you love to hate, are scheming away to get rid of the King. Ned has left his eldest son in charge of Winterfell, and has his girls with him on the way to the capital. Jon Snow is about to join the night watch, Daenerys is learning how to please her husband and Viserys is eager to start his campaign back to his throne.

Looking ahead, Bran just woke up, his father and sisters are their way south, his mother believes he was pushed out of the tower and Snow has left for the north wall. Robb is left in charge and once Bran confirms his mothers intuition how does Robb get that information to his mother or father? What is Tyrion’s real motivation for going to the wall? I know she wants to go “home” but does Daenerys have the same interest as her brother?

All in all, a good second episode tonight, we got deeper into a few more characters. We learned that dire-wolves go for the jugular, reading is much better with wine in your belly, and just like when you had to have a pet… your parents end up taking care of them in the end.

Fire And Blood add: Bonus! Here’s good ol’ Larry from OTAKU ASSEMBLES with his fresh take on week 2: The Kingsroad! Remember when you comment not to spoil anything!

• Published on 04/24/2011 at 10:00 PM CDT
• Last updated on 10/20/2016 at 6:04 PM CDT