Bran has discovered that the Lannisters like to keep it in the family, and has been thrown from the top of a tower for his troubles. Ned Stark has accepted the position of the King's Hand, and Danerys is getting tired of being roughly taken from behind by her new husband. Welcome back to the land of Westeros! The second episode of Game Of Thrones picks up a few days after the events of the first, allowing the producers to keep the story moving, while skipping over a few parts that can be left up to the audience's assumption and intelligence. While some fans may gripe about elements like these being omitted or skimmed over, considering what the show has to fit in its eight remaining episodes, it has to be expected. Game Of Thrones is not going to be able to fit in everyone's favourite scene, it's as simple as that. It does however mean that we have to have it explained to us what the Night Watch is, after Jon has already committed himself to the cause. Considering that life as a member of the Night Watch involves chastity, a life defending The Wall and living with thugs and 'rapers', it does make us wonder why he would want such a life in the first place. Bran's survival has caused the Lannisters a bit of a problem: their secret could be revealed, spelling doom for the Queen and her twin brother, Jaime. Tyrion, who clearly knows what's going on with his siblings, but doesn't seem to really care, has opted to go and see The Wall with Jon Snow, and 'piss off the end of the world'. Meanwhile Catelyn Stark is beside herself with worry about Bran's condition, but still takes the time to coldly ignore Jon as he bids farewell to his beloved half-siblings. Of course, for fans of the book, you know Jon has to bestow a gift upon his tomboy half-sister Arya before he leaves. And so our characters go their separate ways. Jon and Tyrion north to The Wall, and Ned and his daughters, south with the King. However before Ned rides off into the sunset, the Lord of Winterfell gives an emotional."You are a Stark," he tells Jon, who has been told he is anything but his entire life. "You may not have my name, but you have my blood."King Robert meanwhile is convinced that a war is coming and that peace lies in the killing of young Daenerys. Ned is of course horrified by this idea, as she is merely a child and besides, what threat is she on the other side of the sea? While she may not yet be a threat, Daenerys is quickly learning how to gain as much as power as possible. In her case, it's through sex. With the aid of a 'well educated' hand maiden, she quickly learns that while Khal Drogo may rule outside the tent, at night she has the power to bend him to her will. To be fair, if I was the Dothraki warlord, her feminine wiles would probably work on me too. Considering this is her first acting role, Emilia Clark is rather excellent as Daenerys, conveying both her naivety at so many things, and her growth from merely being a pawn of her brother to the Dothraki's khaleesi.
Review of The Kingsroad
