Spoilers ahead
Game of Thrones Season four, one which covers a battle at the wall, a trial, and the horrific killing of a Viper. Anyway, we shall move on and begin, with most seasons do, with the first episode.
Episode one of this very season was given the title, ‘Two Swords’. This title referring to the two swords that were created when Tywin Lannister had Eddard Stark’s greatsword, Ice, broken down and made into two smaller weapons. ‘Oathkeeper’ and ‘Widow’s Wail’ were given to Brienne of Tarth and Joffrey Baratheon respectively. Arya wields a sword, named Needle, and in this episode she kills Polliver (a Lannister man) while her and The Hound were on their travels to the Eyrie. It is Sandor Clegane who despatches the other four.
‘The Lion and the Rose’. Joffrey and Margaery. Cersei and Olenna. However, this episode will mark the end of the King’s life, in a rather colourful yet cruel way. On the hand, most fans of the show will say that he deserved this ending. It was to happen at his own wedding feast, in front of a crowd of supporters and fellow Lannister’s. Joffrey is last seen with a blue face and red blood streaming out of his nose. The one woman looking on this incident, with true tears of sadness, was Cersei. A mother’s true love flowed out in her tears that day.
The third episode, known as ‘Breaker of Chains’, is an honorific that is bestowed upon Daenerys Targaryen after her sack of Astapor. Her next stop on her way to conquering King’s Landing was Meereen. To get into the City, a Champion had to be chosen to face off against one of Meereen’s own. Step forward Daario Naharis, a man on foot and holding a dagger against Oznak zo Pahl, sat atop a horse while holding a lance. It is all over in a split second, as Daario throws the dagger at the horse, hitting it in the head. As he watches the horse and rider collide with the floor, he slices the man who once thought he would claim another victory as Meereen’s Champion. Oh well.
‘Oathkeeper’, as I mentioned earlier, is one of the swords made after ‘Ice’, the Valyrian steel greatsword was broken down by Tywin. For this fourth episode, I decided to look into the sacrifice of why any son of Craster and his wife (daughter) is given away to the White Walker’s. Karl Tanner, a deadly assassin who prefers the shard edge of a knife blade, orders Rast to deliver this baby, Craster’s last remaining son. As the baby is brought before him, the women of the Keep chant, “A gift for the Gods”, over and over. The boy is changed into one of the White Walker’s own, with blue eyes and a love for the freezing cold.
The fifth episode of Season four is called ‘First of His Name’. With Joffrey dead, Myrcella in Dorne (and not the next in line), the role of King falls to Tommen. The High Septon says the words, “I now proclaim Tommen of the House Baratheon, first of his name, King of the Andals and the first men and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. Long may he reign”. A speech worthy for anyone with the right and correct surname. Tommen would be no rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms. That title was meant for someone with dark hair, a man hidden from his true heritage until much later in the series.
Episode six, ‘The Laws of Gods and Men’, sees Tyrion Lannister come before Tywin, Mace Tyrell and Prince Oberyn Martell in a trial. He was brought before these three ‘judges’ because it was believed by many that it was Tyrion who possessed the poison which had, not long before, killed King Joffrey. Rumours spread by Cersei Lannister, who had no proof, but was (and always has been) set on seeing her youngest brother die. Witnesses to these proceedings included Ser Meryn Trant, Grand Maester Pycelle, Cersei, Lord Varys and Shae. Tyrion, quite understandably since he had not killed Joffrey, exclaimed, “I saved you. I saved this City and all your worthless lives. I should have let Stannis kill you all”.
‘Mockingbird’, the seventh episode. The part I am going to concentrate on is the part with the little one and the giant. The small Stark and the large Hound of House Clegane. A man finds that even after biting Sandor’s shoulder, he would end up facing a worse fate than his intended target. He would have had the opportunity to claim 100 silver stags from the Lannister’s. The Hound talks with Arya about how his brother, Gregor, holds his face into the fire when they were children. It would be his father who would protect Gregor from Sandor, even after what he did.
‘The Mountain and the Viper’. An episode which should have ended a different way. The trial by combat to decide whether Tyrion Lannister was guilty for killing Joffrey or not. Tyrion is shocked when he sees his champion, Prince Oberyn, drinking before his fight with only the clothes on his back, no armour in sight. “I always drink before a fight.” A civil moment before a fight that sees him upbeat, angered by the memory of what Gregor had done to his sister and her children.
“You raped her, you murdered her, you killed her children.” The words Oberyn shouts over and over, cutting the Mountain when he gets in close enough. When he should have delivered the final blow, Gregor pulls him down, pins the Prince of Dorne and crushes his skull, admitting to all the crimes that Oberyn had sung to the crowd only seconds before. A most gruesome watch.
The second-to-last episode is ‘The Watchers on the Wall’. The men of the Night’s Watch prepare to face the army-from-beyond-the-wall. Mance Rayder’s 100,000 strong group. The Freefolk attack the Southern Gate of the Wall, amongst them is Ygritte, intent on finding Jon Snow and killing as many ‘Crows’ as she can. As the Freefolk begin their attack, barrels of oil are prepared for the archers to set their enemy on fire. Many of the Night’s Watch will die in this attack but not so many that the enemy win. Jon is nearly killed by a Thenn before he sees Ygritte get killed by an arrow, shot by Olly (the latest Night’s watch recruit). “We should have stayed in that cave”.
Episode ten, ‘The Children’, the last one of this very season. Tyrion is set free by Jaime and Lord Varys, who have a ship waiting for him. He then discovers that his father, the powerful Tywin Lannister, has been sleeping with Shae. Enraged, upset, he strangles her to death on his father’s bed before going to see Tywin. At this point in the episode, Tywin is on the toilet and in comes his son, Tyrion, dragging in a crossbow, with two arrows. I think you can tell what happens next, those two bolts find their way into Tywin’s chest and Tyrion walks away as if nothing happened.
A very, very action packed season has come to an end. The many storylines have delved deeper into their individual journeys. The World of Westeros is getting colder and colder as Winter is getting nearer and nearer. The words mentioned by Ned Stark in season one will soon turn true.
The Mother of Dragon’s has almost arrived and her enemies will feel the full burn from her ‘children’ when their wings are sighted. The characters with blood, and not ice for veins, will soon have to realise that it is a fight of the living against the dead. Lannister, Stark (what is left of them), Targaryen, Tully will have to join forces in order to not witness their world freeze over.
I have loved writing these blogs so far.
Do not worry, we are still only half way through. Four seasons left.
RGE
Pen to paper 