The Thinking Man Recommends: Game of Thrones

The Specs

Currently: OFF SEASON
Season 3 Premiere:  March 31, 2013 

Channel: HBO
First Episode: "Winter is Coming"
Season 1 Premiere Date:  April 17, 2011 
Seasons: 2
Episodes: 20
Running Time: 60 Minutes

Based On: A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R. R. Martin
Creators:

David Benioff

D.B. Weiss

George R. R. Martin

Synopsis

Game of Thrones follows the Major Houses of Westeros as they vye for control of the Seven Kingdoms following the death of King Robert Baratheon. The main struggle takes place between House Lannister, led by Tywin Lannister, House Stark, led by Eddard Stark and later Robb Stark, and House Baratheon, led by Stannis Baratheon. There is also another House vying for power in House Targaryen, led by Daenerys Targaryen "The Mother of Dragons". Daenerys is the daughter of the former King of Westeros, Aerys Targaryen "The Mad King", but she was exiled to the far east after her father was deposed by Robert Baratheon in what came to be known as Robert's Rebellion. She has no great army to stand with her in this fight, but she does have one advantage, dragons.

Meanwhile, in the far North the men of the Night's Watch, entrusted with defending the wall that seperates the wild Northmen from the Seven Kingdoms, face another kind of threat. After a thousand years of silence the White Walker, magical creatures who raise armies of the undead, have reawakened and now march to war. Furthermore, Mance Rayder the King of the Wildlings (barbarian Northmen) has raised a massive army and plans to take them south. Only the Night's Watch, with their limited resources and shrinking numbers, can protect the Seven Kingdoms from utter destruction. 

The Cast

Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister (20 episodes, 2011-2013)	Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister (20 episodes,   2011-2013)
Maisie Williams as Arya Stark (19 episodes, 2011-2013)	Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark (18 episodes, 2011-2013)
Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen (18 episodes, 2011-2013)	Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy (18 episodes, 2011-2013)
Richard Madden as Robb Stark (14 episodes, 2011-2012)	Kit Harington as Jon Snow (17 episodes, 2011-2013)
Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark (17 episodes, 2011-2013)	Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon (17 episodes,   2011-2013)
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister (13 episodes,   2011-2013)	Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark (16 episodes, 2011-2013)
Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister (12 episodes, 2011-2013)	Sean Bean as Eddard Stark (10 episodes, 2011)
Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth (7 episodes, 2012-2013)	John Bradley as Samwell Tarly (12 episodes, 2011-2013)
Stephen Dillane as Stannis Baratheon (8 episodes, 2012-2013)	Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon (7 episodes, 2011)

**Spoiler Alert: The following may contain spoilers from Season 1 and 2 of Game of Thrones. But NO spoilers from the books are revealed.**

Season 1 Overview

The Wall: 

"When dead man and worse come hunting for us in the night, do you think it matters who sits on the Iron Throne?" - Jeor Mormont Lord Commander of the Night's Watch

In the very first scene of the season we are introduced to the White Walkers, an ancient evil that has reemerged after a thousand years of hiding. They have returned to bring ruin and destruction upon Westeros as they did in the Age of Heroes long ago. Furthermore, there are rumors of a vast army being assembled by the Wildlings, who follow a King beyond the wall named Mance Rayder. They too threaten the Seven Kingdoms. But they will not go unchallenged as the men of the Night's Watch man the wall and guard the continent against all such threats. Unfortunately, we learn early on that the Night's Watch is but a shadow of its former self. It is now made up of criminals who take the vows to avoid punishment or execution. There numbers are under a thousand and they've abandoned many of their former fortresses as a result. 

However, there are some men of virtue who still join the Watch as an act of honor. Men like Jon Snow, the bastard son of Lord Eddard Stark, joins the Watch and quickly becomes a major player. He is made the Stuart of the Lord Commander in order to train him for a position of leadership. When Jon learns of the war in the South and the terrible fate of his father he considers leaving the Watch, but the vows of the Black Brothers are taken for life and he decides that his place is at the Wall, now and forever. By the end of the season the Lord Commander decides they can no longer wait for the enemy to come to them. He raises a host of Rangers and marches into the Wild North. As he told young Jon Snow, "The Nights Watch will ride in force against the Wildlings, the White Walkers and whatever else is out there." Whatever else indeed.

March of the Night's Watch

The Seven Kingdoms:

"When you play the game of thrones you win or you die." - Cersei Lannister Queen of the Seven Kingdoms

There is peace in the Seven Kingdoms with Robert Baratheon as King. Robert, who decades earlier led a Rebellion against Mad King Aerys, had ruled Westeros through a series of Alliances with all the major Houses. Unfortunately, he was not the King for whom many had hoped. Though no one disputed his skills as a warrior, as a King he gave himself to drink and borrowed massive sums of coin with little to no oversight over the day to day operations of the Kingdom. As a result Westeros became divided. Factions were growing in secret and all it would take was a single act to throw the continent into chaos. This act came in the murder of Jon Arryn.

When Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, dies under mysterious circumstances, Eddard Stark the Lord of Winterfell is brought to King's Landing to take his place. There he discovers the true cause of Jon Arryn's death, information. He learns that the children of King Robert and Queen Cersei Lannister are not truly of Robert's line. Instead, they are the bastard born children of incest between the Queen and her brother, the Captain of the King's guard, Jamie Lannister. Quickly after this discovery he is told that his friend King Robert has been gravely injured during a hunting expedition and is going to die. Lord Stark is unwilling to burden the King in his final moments with the truth about his children and must therefore marshal support to take the crown by force following the death of the King. He makes a deal with the Master of Coin Petyr Baelish and gathers the support of the city guard. Upon the death of King Robert, his "son" Joffrey Baratheon is crowned King. Lord Stark being a man of honor refuses to kneel and announces that it is Stannis Baratheon, the eldest brother of Robert, who is the true heir to the throne. At this moment Lord Stark is betrayed by Petyr Baelish and the city guard. Lord Stark's men are all killed and he is taken into custody.

His eldest daughter Sansa, who is betrothed to King Joffrey, is held as a hostage, while his other daughter Arya manages to escape the castle. Lord Varys, the Master of Whispers, convinces Lord Stark to openly admit he lied and in return the King would spare his daughters and allow him to allow execution by joining the Night's Watch. Lord Eddard agrees but only to protect his loved ones. Lord Stark does as he is told, but rather then receive mercy King Joffrey demands that he be beheaded. And he is. When Robb Stark, his eldest son, learns of this he calls the banners of the North and marches his men South to reign destruction upon those who murdered his father. He proves himself an able commander and wins the respect of his men. So much so that they call for the North to be freed from the yolk of Southern oppression and declare Robb Stark "The King in the North".

Meanwhile, we learn that both brothers Stannis and Renly Baratheon are claiming the Kingdom for themselves. With so many Kings and factions fighting in the game of thrones, it is uncertain who will come out victorious. For it is not only the weight of war with which they must contend, it is also the seasons, after all Winter is Coming.

The King in the North

House Targaryen:

"Fire cannot kill a dragon." - Daenerys Targaryen The Mother of Dragons

When Mad King Aerys was deposed and killed during the rebellion of Robert the Usurper, the two surviving Targaryen children were sent across the narrow sea to protect them from the wrath of the Usurper's men. Many years later Vycerys and his sister Daenerys do all in their power to raise an army in the hopes of retaking the Iron Throne of their father. To do this Vycerys marries his sister to Khal Drogo, the leader of a Dothraki army and in exchange he is told they will help him invade Westeros. 

Unfortunately for him, they are in no rush to fulfill their end of the agreement. Vycerys, who we can already identify as a fool and coward, loses his patience and starts demanding that the Dothraki bring him his crown. In the meantime, Daenerys adjusts well to her new role as Khaleesi of the Dothraki Horde. During the day she learns the Dothraki language and immerses herself in the culture and at night she attends her husband for whom she grows genuine affection. During one of their nights a baby is conceived. The stallion who will mount the world. And all the while she bonds with the dragon eggs given to her as a wedding present. The eggs are little more then expensive stones since the dragons died off long ago but still she feels a connection to these eggs and cares for them as children, all the while knowing they will never hatch.

Vycerys grows more and more impatient and begins to act out in increasingly foolish ways. Daenerys protects him as much as she can but it's not long before he takes things to far. During a Dothraki celebration Vycerys bursts into the tent, drunk and armed, and points the tip of his sword to his sister's pregnant belly, demanding that Drogo give him the crown he was promised. Khal Drogo agrees. He then pours molten gold over his head burning him alive and giving him a "Crown fit for a King".

After the death of the last Targaryen male, it is up to Daenerys to preserve the Targaryen line and take back the Iron Throne. But things do not go well for her after the death of her brother. A witch doctor curses her beloved Drogo and he dies as a result. Her child is also cursed and is born monstrous and deformed. He dies quickly after birth. The army abandons her and all that is left is a small host of guards and slaves who gave oaths of loyalty to the Khaleesi. With all hope lost, Daenerys builds a funeral pyre for Drogo and she, along with her dragon eggs, walks into the fire prepared to join her husband in death. But death does not come, instead she emerges from the fire unscathed and with three newly born dragons.

A Crown For A King

Season 2 Overview

The Wall:

"You want to lead, learn to follow." - Jeor Mormont Lord Commander of the Night's Watch

The men of the Night's Watch have ventured beyond the wall in full force ready to face whatever dangers lurk in the frozen North. To aid them in their journey is the Wild man Craster. A man of depravity who marries his daughters and uses them to birth more daughters for his future pleasure. Despite his obvious faults he has long been a friend to the Watch and offers his home as a sanctuary for the Black Brothers on their journey. Craster tells the Lord Commander of a vast army being raised by the King Beyond the Wall Mance Rayder. And also of rumors surrounding the undead who now walk the lands in service to the White Walkers. 

The Lord Commander decides to send a scouting mission, including Jon Snow and the veteran Qhorin Halfhand, to find the gathering army and collect whatever information might be useful in the battle to come. As the men move across the frozen waste lands they encounter a group of Wildlings and kill all but a young woman, Ygrett. Jon Snow is left to finish the job while the others continue to move forward. However, he cannot bring himself to kill a defenseless women. Ygrett takes advantage and runs away forcing Jon to run after her and bind her hands. Unfortunately, by the time he catches her he is lost and is unsure of how to catch up to his Brothers. A bond grows between Ygrett and Jon, though he refuses her advances because of his Oath to the Watch. 

It's not long before other Wildlings find them and to his surprise Qhorin Halfhand is already their prisoner. Ygrett convinces the Wildlings to spare him and bring him before Mance Rayder due to the fact the he is the son of the Lord of Winterfell. As they march, Halfhand tell Jon that he must infiltrate the Wildlings and learn as much as he can about them and when possible return to the Lord Commander with what he knows. Jon is confused and does not understand how this can be accomplished. But it is made clear when Halfhand attacks him and forces Jon to kill him. Having seen Jon murder a fellow Brother, the Wildlings are convinced that he can be trusted among them and releases him from captivity. 

Meanwhile Sam, Jon's friend, and some the other Brothers are out collecting wood for the main host of the Night's Watch which is further south waiting to hear from the scouts. As they work they hear the bellow of a horn back at camp. They hear the first blast, which means Jon and the scouts have returned. They hear a second blast, it's not Jon, it's Wildlings attacking the camp. They hear a third, which can only mean one thing... White Walkers.

The White Walkers

The Seven Kingdoms:

"Three great men sit in a room. A King, a Priest and a Rich man. Between them stands a common sell sword. Each great man bids the sell sword kill the other two. Who lives? Who dies?" - Lord Varys Master of Whispers

They call it the War of Five Kings. Since the execution of Eddard Stark, war has ravaged the lands of Westeros and nearly every great faction has allied itself with a would-be King. In the North, there is King Robb Stark who commands the loyalty of the North and the Riverlands. In King's Landing and in the Westerlands, is King Joffrey Baratheon who commands the loyalty of House Lannister. In the Western Sea is King Balon Greyjoy who has declared himself King of the Iron Islands and wages war against the North which has no protection since the men of the North have gone South to fight the Lannisters. In the Stormlands there are two more in King Stannis Baratheon, eldest brother of King Robert, supported by a small faction of the Baratheon Bannermen. And King Renly Baratheon, the youngest brother of King Robert, who is supported by the other Baratheon Bannermen and House Tyrell. 

Five Kings, not including the King Beyond the Wall who is as yet a peripheral figure in the game of thrones. And yet with such great armies taking the field, much of the war is being decided by other means. Including magic. Stannis Baratheon who has adopted the religion of the Red God, uses his priestess Melisandre to kill his brother Renly, freeing the men under his control. Upon learning of the death of Renly many flock to join Stannis.With his forces now marshaled, Stannis sets sail to invade King's Landing and take the Throne from Joffrey the pretender once and for all.

Meanwhile, King Robb wins battle after battle against the Lannister armies but is troubled by the invasion of the North by the Greyjoys and the betrayal of Theon, his oldest friend. In his despair he finds solace with Talisa Maegyr, a noble woman from Essos. This however is problematic since he is betrothed to the daughter of Lord Frey, one of his most important Northern allies. In addition to all this, his most prominent hostage Ser Jamie Lannister, is freed by his mother who hopes that this will make the Lannister's release her daughters who are, as far as she knows, being held in King's Landing. King Robb is greatly angered with this betrayal and confines his mother to her quarters. 

Returning his focus to matters of war he must find a way to free the North from the Greyjoy invasion. He decides to send the son of his general Roose Bolton with an army of 500 men to free his home of Winterfell. As for the troubles of his heart, they are not so easily mended. After spending so much time with this woman from across the sea he finally gives into temptation. He betrays his betrothal to House Frey and marries Talisa angering his mother and creating a rift between his allies. Though he has won every battle in the field he has more and more difficulties with the internal politics of being a King.

In the North, the House Greyjoy has invaded and plundered the land for all it's worth. Theon Greyjoy, son of the King and former ally of King Robb, takes it upon himself to capture Winterfell and holds the other Stark children hostage. Fortunately, Rickard and Brandon Stark manage to escape and head North to find help from Jon Snow at the Wall. As for the other Stark children Sansa continues to live as a hostage of House Lannister while Arya Stark travels every which way pretending to be a commoner, learning from Bravosi mentors and surviving on her cleverness. Robb's Northmen led by the bastard son of Roose Bolton manage to take back Winterfell without a fight and capture Theon Greyjoy. Though oddly enough, Winterfell burns.

In King's Landing, Tyrion Lannister, the Imp, has been made Hand of the King in the absence of his father who is busy fighting Robb Stark. He immediately sets to work reforming and reorganizing the capital city as it has fallen to ruin under the tenure of his sister the Queen and his nephew King Joffrey. Tyrion prepares them as best as possible for the upcoming invasion from Stannis. And in Episode 9 entitled "Blackwater" we are given an epic battle of monstrous proportions. Tyrion is able to hold the line for some time but Stannis' forces are too great in number. Just when all seems lost for House Lannister, Lord Tywin rides in with his army and his new ally House Tyrell and saves the day. They beat back Stannis' forces who flee on whatever ships remain. The Lannister's have victory.

In the end Tyrion is stripped of his titles and it is Tywin who is praised as savior of King's Landing. Stannis is forced into retreat and must somehow reassemble the remains of his army. House Greyjoy has some secure holdings in the North but have lost the son of the King. King Robb continues to win in battle but faces the wrath of his own men as his alliances fall apart. As for who will ultimately win out, only time will tell. As Lord Varys so eloquently said in answering his own riddle, "Power resides where men believe it resides, it's a trick, a shadow on the wall. And a very small man can cast a very large shadow." 

What is Power?

House Targaryens:

"Fire and Blood." - Daenerys Targaryen The Mother of Dragons

Daenerys Stormborn, last of the Targaryens, Khaleesi of the Dothraki Horde and now, Mother of Dragons. With her rebirth in the funeral pyre of her beloved Khal Drogo, Dragons have returned to the world and with them the magic of old Valyria. Yet despite this tremendous gift, Daenerys finds herself in perilous circumstances as season two begins. The majority of the Dothraki army has abandoned her and she is lost in the deserts of the red waste with her starving and dehydrated followers. 

She sends riders to find help and they make their way to the prosperous city of Qarth. She addresses the Council of Thirteen, who run the city, and asks for refuge. She is denied, but for one man, Xaro Xhoan Daxos, who vouches for her and gives her refuge in his home. Unfortunately, things quickly take a turn for the worse and her Dragons are kidnapped by the warlock Pyat Pree who executes the Council of Thirteen and reveals himself to be the partner of Xaro Xhoan Daxos who has betrayed Daenerys in exchange for being made King of Qarth. 

As she returns to gather her men she discovers that they too have been slaughtered and only her man Jorah Mormont remains. Together they travel to the House of the Undying where the warlock has placed her dragons. She enters and discovers a maze of illusions and magic that prey on her vulnerabilities and desires. Eventually, she finds her dragons and has them burn the House of the Undying and kill the Warlock Pyat Pree. 

Upon escaping with her Dragons she finds Xaro Xhoan Daxos and her handmaiden who she discovers also betrayed her, and locks them both inside his own vault to die slow and painful deaths. She then claims his riches for herself and prepares to buy ships and soldiers for her return to Westeros where she will retake the Iron Throne with Fire and Blood.

The House of the Undying

Episode Guide

Season 1 (10 episodes)  April 2011 – June 2011

Episode 1 Winter is Coming
Episode 2 The Kingsroad
Episode 3 Lord Snow
Episode 4 Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things
Episode 5 The Wolf and the Lion
Episode 6 A Golden Crown
Episode 7 You Win or You Die
Episode 8 The Pointy End
Episode 9 Baelor
Episode 10 Fire and Blood

Season 2 (10 episodes)  March 2012 – June 2012

Episode 1 The North Remembers

Episode 2 The Night Lands
Episode 3 What Is Dead May Never Die
Episode 4 Garden of Bones
Episode 5 The Ghost Of Harrenhal
Episode 6 The Old Gods And The New
Episode 7 A Man Without Honor
Episode 8 The Prince of Winterfell
Episode 9 Blackwater
Episode 10 Valar Morghulis

Houses of Westeros

House Stark

Current Patriarch: King Robb Stark

Lands: The North

Ancestral Seat: Winterfell

Words: Winter is Coming

Blood: First Men

Religion: The Old Gods

House Lannister

Current Patriarch: Lord Tywin (by title King Joffrey)

Lands: The Westerlands

Ancestral Seat: Casterly Rock

Words: Hear my Roar

Blood: Andal, First Men

Religion: The Seven

House Baratheon

Current Patriarch: King Stannis Baratheon

Lands: The Stormlands

Ancestral Seat: Storm's End

Words: Ours is the Fury

Blood: Andal, First Men and Valyrian

Religion: The Red God

House Arryn

Current Matriarch: Lady Lysa 

Lands: The Veil of Arryn

Ancestral Seat: The Eyrie

Words: As High as Honor

Blood: Andal

Religion: The Seven

House Targaryen

Current Matriarch: Daenerys Targaryen "The Mother of Dragons"

Lands: None

Ancestral Seat: Dragonstone

Words: Fire and Blood

Blood: Valyrian

Religion: Old Valyria

House Tully

Current Patriarch: Lord Hoster Tully 

Lands: The Riverlands

Ancestral Seat: Riverrun

Words: Family, Duty, Honor

Blood: Andal

Religion: The Seven

House Tyrell

Current Patriarch:  Mace Tyrell 

Lands: The Reach

Ancestral Seat: Highgarden

Words: Growing Strong

Blood: Andal

Religion: The Seven

House Martell

Current Patriarch: Prince Doran Martell 

Lands: Dorne

Ancestral Seat: Sunspear

Words: Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken

Blood: Andal, Rhoynar and Valyrian

Religion: The Seven

House Greyjoy

Current Patriarch: King Balon Greyjoy

Lands: The Iron Islands

Ancestral Seat: Pike

Words: We Do Not Sow

Blood: First Men, Andals

Religion: The Drowned God

A Song of Ice and Fire

Game of Thrones is based on the book series "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R. R. Martin.

Though there are some discrepancies between the book and the series, Game of Thrones has remained largely faithful to the books. And George R.R. Martin personally writes one episode per season for the show. 

Season 1 is based on Book 1 "A Game of Thrones"

Season 2 is based on Book 2 "A Clash of Kings"

Season 3 will be based on the first half of Book 3 "A Storm of Swords"

Season 4 will be based on the second half of Book 3 "A Storm of Swords"

Season 5 will be based on Book 4 "A Feast for Crows"

Season 6 will be based on Book 5 "A Dance with Dragons"

Book 6 "The Winds of Winter" and Book 7 "A Dream of Spring" are currently being written. No release date has been given.

In addition to the main books in the series 3 Novellas have been written, set in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire about a hundred years before the events of A Game of Thrones.

Tales of Dunk and Egg follow the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Prince Aegon Targaryen.

Book 1: The Hedge Knight

Book 2: The Sword Sword

Book 3: The Mystery Knight

Extras

The Battle of Blackwater Bay

Part 1

Part 2

The Words of Khal Drogo

The Age of Heroes

The Children of the Forest, the First Men and the Andals

The Old Gods and the New

The Order of Maesters

Valyria and the Dragons