Beware of spoilers, for they may be the death of those who have not caught up – then again, all men must die.
After the devastating massacre at the end of the third season of “Game of Thrones,” season four has fans wondering, “Well – who’s next?”
Luckily for us, season four starts off slow, as if to assuage the mourning souls of its loyal viewers. Regrettably, though, it probably won’t last for long. Episode one, “Two Swords,” reintroduces the characters where they left off in the previous season as they deal with the repercussions of the infamous Red Wedding and prepare for yet another, hopefully less tragic, royal wedding: King Joffrey’s. All the while, Daenerys and her dragons are slowly but surely pushing their way to Westeros, the land of the Seven Kingdoms.
This first episode provides some much-needed humor, specifically poking fun at the hated and cruel Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), who has been in great need of some humility. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) and ‘The Hound’ (Rory McCann) make an especially memorable appearance and are reintroduced this season amid some dry comedic banter, offering hope that not all is lost for the young Stark girl.
In addition to their sarcastic exchanges, Williams particularly stands out in this premiere episode, displaying immense levels of bravery and valiance. The final scene of the episode in which Arya slowly slides her reclaimed blade, Needle, into the throat of the man at her feet, leaves us dripping with pride, and certifies that she will have an integral role in the future development of the series. Williams does an excellent job in portraying a child that has been forced to abandon her innocence for the sake of survival – one of many conflicts of the series that makes the story so enticing for many viewers.
While some characters were lost, new faces join the screen, including Prince Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal), otherwise known as the Red Viper, who has come to King’s Landing for Joffrey’s wedding. Even with the humor, valiance and new faces to slightly fill the void of loss, it is quite apparent that something drastic is on its way. Unless you are an all-knowing reader, it is hard to tell at this point what that something is, as HBO does an excellent job of keeping predictability low.
Now that the Northern Starks of Winterfell appear to be at a major disadvantage in the battle for the Iron Throne, the series appears to be taking a new direction. “Game of Thrones” provides the perfect platform for “picking sides,” and the death of one major character has the potential to reek havoc on the hearts and minds of fans – this is perhaps one of the greatest accomplishments of the series, both on screen and in George R.R. Martin’s novels.
At this point, even obvious villains are starting to become more likable and may start to sway the opinions of devoted fans. Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), now that he has returned to King’s Landing, is not quite as despicable. Yes, he may still be in love with his malevolent sister, but his demeanor in this new episode suggests a growing desire for defiance. HBO’s adaptation has engrossed audiences into something more than just mere attachment to these fictional characters, and now that some vital characters have been lost, fans’ allegiances may soon change.
This episode is strong in its ability to portray the characters and story in a way that almost everything any character does makes us question his or her motives and the outcomes. Will Jon Snow (Kit Harington) be executed for his crimes? Will Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer), Joffrey’s bride-to-be, be able to put up with Joffrey’s naive cruelty?
HBO and Martin have definitely left us on the edge of our seats, waiting to see whose detached head is next to tumble lifeless to the ground. At this point, the absolutely most surprising thing “Game of Thrones” could muster would be a season void of any deaths at all.
It will be interesting to see whether or not “Game of Thrones” will keep its current momentum during this season – it has certainly built up plenty of anticipation, and this first episode may just be the calm period before a storm of raging havoc.