[This article contains spoilers for both Season 1 and Season 2 of HBO’s Game of Thrones.]
It’s hard to believe it’s been only a year since George R.R. Martin’s masterful series of books, “A Song of Ice and Fire”, was given new breath through HBO’s stunning (nearly letter perfect) adaptation series, Game of Thrones. And those of us who have been waiting patiently (all right, impatiently) for tonight’s Season 2 premiere will not be disappointed.
Winter is Coming quickly, and it’s going to be long and bloody.
Season 2 will cover the events within the second book in the series, “A Clash of Kings”. The War of the Five Kings, as it’s called, is a bloody civil war between five individuals — each with a chance to win the Iron Throne of Westeros, and dominion over the Seven Kingdoms.
In case you don’t know who the “Five Kings” are, and why they each believe they should be on the winning side of “You Win or You Die”, now is an excellent time to familiarize yourself with the main players…and decide whose side you’re on.
King #1, Joffrey Baratheon:
Currently seated on the Iron Throne, the name ‘Baratheon’ isn’t quite accurate. As we (and the late Ned Stark) discovered last season, Joffrey is not the legitimate heir to the crown Robert Baratheon was wearing at the time of his death. He is, in fact, the inbred bastard son of Robert’s queen, Cersei Lannister, and her brother Jaime Lannister. Added to that, he’s a bit of a snide, sniveling excuse for a ruler; beheading Ned Stark for ‘treason’ was a grave error, and it’s bound to be followed by more. How long will he be able to hold the Iron Throne? Who else will he kill out of sport, boredom or paranoia? Can his mother Cersei protect him (and herself) from an equally bloody end? We shall see.
King #2, Robb Stark:
Robb Stark, the newly proclaimed “King of the North”, has immediately positioned himself as a force to be reckoned with. Backed by the the full army of the North, Robb isn’t going to walk away from the disgraceful execution of his father, Eddard (Ned) Stark, without a fight. And while Robb doesn’t make an immediate claim to the coveted Iron Throne, instead demanding he be given sovereignty over the North, he does make it very clear that he won’t hesitate to massacre the entire Lannister clan if his demands aren’t met — which include having the bodies of his father and all the fallen of Winterfell returned to him immediately. Given what we know about Joffrey, it may be time for the North to sharpen their swords. Winter is Coming, as they say.
King #3, Stannis Baratheon:
As the eldest brother of the late Robert Baratheon, Stannis seems to have the most legitimate claim to the Iron Throne, which he quickly declares he’ll take from Joffrey “by right and birth and blood”. But while Stannis is a fierce warrior, known for his honorable and just nature, he isn’t well-loved by anyone — including his own family. He also boasts an interesting connection to a sorcerous, Lady Melisandre of Asshai. Adding to his popularity problem, not only do his people dislike the “Red Priestess” (who worships “the one true god,” R’hllor, Lord of the Light), they distrust her. But with a brand of magic and power the likes of which we haven’t seen in this game before, will she have the ability to turn the tide in his favor?
King #4, Renly Baratheon:
Renly, the youngest brother of Robert Baratheon, has no legitimate claim to the Iron Throne. However, what he does have going for him is immense popularity, intelligence, charm, and an army large enough to take it by force. Because, while he may not have inherited the crown directly, he has certainly adopted the belief that the Iron Throne belongs to the man with enough power and stamina to win it. But will his loveless marriage of convenience, and passionate relationship with his wife’s brother (Ser Loras Tyrell, the ‘Knight of Flowers’), become a liability in a game where there is no room for error?
King #5, Daenerys Targaryen:
At the end of Season 1, we all watched the iconic moment when Daenerys emerged, unscathed, from her husband’s funeral pyre with a newly hatched dragon (she has three), proving once and for all that she is a Dragon herself. As the exiled daughter of the late King Aerys Targaryen II, not-so-fondly referred to as “The Mad King”, she certainly has the genetic predisposition to burn her enemies to the ground — and laugh while she does. But she’ll need much more than the support of Sir Jorah Mormont and a small band of Dothraki followers to take back the throne she believes is her birthright; she’ll need those dragons to grow.
The civil war begins tonight (April 1st) at 9PM on HBO. Who are you rooting for?
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Stay Tuned: DarkMedia contributor Michele Pearson will be recapping Season Two of HBO’s Game of Thrones, beginning with the season premiere on April 1st, right here on DarkMedia.com. In case you missed it, her full recap of Season One can be found here.
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[Source and photo credit: HBO]
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