The Kingsroad (24 Apr. 2011)

While Bran recovers from his fall, Ned takes only his daughters to Kings Landing. Jon Snow goes with his uncle Benjen to The Wall. Tyrion joins them.

Director:

Timothy Van Patten

Writers:

David Benioff (creator), D.B. Weiss (creator),

Stars:

Sean Bean, Mark Addy, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Bean	...	Eddard 'Ned' Stark
Mark Addy	...	Robert Baratheon
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau	...	Jaime Lannister
Michelle Fairley	...	Catelyn Stark
Lena Headey	...	Cersei Lannister
Emilia Clarke	...	Daenerys Targaryen
Iain Glen	...	Ser Jorah Mormont
Harry Lloyd	...	Viserys Targaryen
Kit Harington	...	Jon Snow
Sophie Turner	...	Sansa Stark
Maisie Williams	...	Arya Stark
Richard Madden	...	Robb Stark
Alfie Allen	...	Theon Greyjoy
Isaac Hempstead Wright	...	Bran Stark
Jack Gleeson	...	Joffrey Baratheon

Storyline

Although his son Bran is lying in bed unconscious from his fall, Ned Stark must return with King Robert to King's Landing. His wife Catelyn stays behind in in Winterfell, though there appears to be little hope of Bran's recovery. The King has agreed that his son Joffrey and Ned's daughter Sansa should marry, uniting their families forever. Problems arise when Joffrey challenges the butcher's boy who is out playing with Sansa's younger sister Arya. Joffrey is injured when Arya's pet wolf attacks him. The King's justice is swift but fair even if his wife Cersei doesn't agree. Meanwhile, Ned illegitimate son heads north to join the Night Watch. Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys is having some difficulty accommodating herself to married life. She turns to one of her servants, a slave whose job it once was to pleasure men, to learn how she could make her husband happy.

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Plot Keywords:

fall | boy | wolf attack | intrigue | abuse | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Country:

USA Ireland UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 April 2011 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Television 360, Grok! Studio, Generator Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

56 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

The novel does not indicate any connection between Lady's death and Bran's awakening from coma.

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Goofs

In episode 1, Jon Snow and Robb Stark have their hair cut and their beard/stubble clean-shaven. By the start of this episode (which starts immediately after episode 1 left off) Jon Snow and Robb Stark have completely regrown their hair and stubble.

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Quotes

Eddard Stark: The butcher's boy... you ran him down?
Sandor Clegane: He ran. Not very fast...

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Crazy Credits

The sun tells an important part of the series back story, on its panels. It does so in three segments. First, as the credits start up, the sun depicts how the Targaryens and their dragons conquered Westeros. The second time the sun is shown, a dragon is depicted in a mortal struggle with 3 other animals: The Stag, the Lion and the Wolf. It is a very literal way to show how Robert Beratheon and Ned Stark rebelled, with Tywin Lannister reluctantly supporting them, in the end. Finally, the third time the sun is shown, before the series title enter the scene, a lion (among other animals) is shown "kneeling" to a triumphant Stag. Just as Robert was crowned King after winning the war.

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Soundtracks

"Main Title"
(uncredited)
Written and Performed by Ramin Djawadi

User Reviews

Second hammering to rule the Emmy

Dead or alive ? The question shameful viewers like me, because we haven't read the novel yet, had in their mind for a week after the pilot tragic events. It was answered right after the fantastic title sequence that smooths the immersion process dramatically. At the start your mind is still thinking about your day but once the episode begins it has entered a medieval realm one can only be reluctant to leave.

Indeed all parallel stories have potential and despite their slow pace even an impatient wouldn't leave its seat for a second. Indeed on the Stark and Lannister side the boy's accident has unveiled the true nature of some characters like Cersei (Lena Headey), a Queen gnawed by anger, and Jaime (Nikolaj Coaster-Walday), the white knight a damsel in distress would regret to be rescued by. To tell the truth in Winter is Coming I had no idea they were related because I just couldn't keep up with all the names and locations. But when watching becomes nearly as demanding as reading then you know the adaptation was respectful of its source material. Still even if all these webby connections between players, because chess is a great metaphora of life, are exciting I hope their profiles are not as Manichaean as they seem. Hopefully we should know why some love while others hate. Otherwise I have no doubt about Arya Stark, the little girl vigorously played by Maisie Williams, and her mother Catelyn. Michelle Fairley revealed a palette of extreme emotions that forged her scenes like blades of steel. As for her daughter you really have to see her play with the gift one of her brothers offered her. If it had been Chucky it would have either fall in love with her or worry about its life because when Arya is angry, well she seems as dangerous as an innocent clown piranha about to have its midnight breakfast.

Juggling is both an entertaining and interesting medieval craft but now the mysterious and worried Daenerys Targaryen has convinced me to throw dragon eggs in the mix. Emilia Clarke gave a seductive performance and I like the way her whiteness contrasts with her tribal husband. Harry Lloyd's appearances as her wicked brother Viserys are rare but percussive. Will he get his crown back ? Will she free herself from him ? In fact does she even want to ? There's almost something mystical about their story and I wonder if she has other resources to survive than her exquisite shapes. But between two shy glimpses at her royal hips I also strongly recommend the audience to pay attention to the dialogs because this time they were heavy on mythology. Where do the dragons come from ? What do the fields represent for the Dothraki people ? Similar questions could also be raised considering the Stark side as some friendly battle between the bastard and the dwarf occurred in the woods. It should even make you question what happened at the very beginning of the pilot even if I have no doubt about it…

Other gems include the Dothraki language, specially developed for the show – very Tolkienian, an almost sapphic kamasutra lesson – can't wait the next, and an ongoing investigation about the boy's fall. But this short list, compared to the installment diversity and greatness, would be even more incomplete if one word wasn't added : Wolf. Indeed the story was wild every which way. What a thrilling way to use these majestuous and savage hunters ! They actually reminded me of White Fang (Jack London) and I wonder how they see things from their point of view. Wouldn't it be dazzling to actually film a scene from there ? So let's hope the other directors and minds behind the show will surprise us with their creativity. All in all it was an other awards magnet and if the end doesn't electrify you well I don't know what will !