Catelyn has captured Tyrion and plans to bring him to her sister, Lysa Arryn, at the Vale, to be tried for his supposed crimes against Bran. Robert plans to have Daenerys killed, but Eddard ... Read allCatelyn has captured Tyrion and plans to bring him to her sister, Lysa Arryn, at the Vale, to be tried for his supposed crimes against Bran. Robert plans to have Daenerys killed, but Eddard refuses to be a part of it and quits.Catelyn has captured Tyrion and plans to bring him to her sister, Lysa Arryn, at the Vale, to be tried for his supposed crimes against Bran. Robert plans to have Daenerys killed, but Eddard refuses to be a part of it and quits.
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In this episode, "The Wolf and the Lion," King Robert learns that the Dothrakis are going to bring war to the kingdom, so he plans to murder Vaenerys. Ned Stark brings the anger out of the king when he refuses. Arya overhears of a plot against her father. As Ned leaves Kings Landing, he runs into some trouble. Meanwhile, Catelyn Stark brings her prisoner, Tyrion to her sister's keep, where she happens to be the widow of Jon Arryn.
Overall, this is another solid early entry in the Game of Thrones catalog. I really enjoyed the episode, particularly the rivalry between the Lannisters and the Starks which culminates in an epic sword battle towards the end. I did find the little kid who played the son of Catelyn's sister quite annoying, but other than that the acting was really good.
My Grade: A-
We get a good scene between Ned and Ser Barrister Selmy (Ian McElhinney) Tyrion and a nameless character played by Jerome Flynn (yes him from Robson & Jerome) enjoy some post battle banter, the high point of the episode is a spectacular confrontation between The Hound and his brother The Mountain. There is a brilliant exchange between Varys and Littlefinger too, an then of course we have the ending. Another great ending.
This is an episode that really shows Sean Bean's gift both for the physical side of acting and the emotional side. His Eddard carrying the weight of his disappointments and his honour to do his duty on his shoulders.
Then there is his fight against Jaime Lannister. I need to praise Bean and Coaster-Waldau for their performance here; Coaster-Waldau especially carries off Jaime's cockiness and his rage when a fair single combat is disrupted.
But Mark Addy? I've not been a fan of him in this show, however there is Brilliant acting on his part. Especially his rage at Ned.
9/10.
Everything else is done well. The acting continues to shine from all of the actors' performances especially Eddard who has a sense of humanity to him under his smug face when he chose not to kill Daenerys. The story is well-written, the script is smart, the dialog is excellent, the music score is still amazing, and it has a much fine pacing this time around.
Overall, great episode and a great improvement.
What I Liked:
The scene between Robert and Cersei was brilliant, adding plenty of depth to both characters, showing how they once felt something for one another (especially Cersei). It is perhaps the best scene so far, and there are plenty of contenders, including the battle of wits between Varys and Littlefinger earlier in the same episode.
Once again, it is impossible not to be impressed by the high-quality production value, as well as the meticulous attention to detail. On top of that, all actors provide solid performances once again, with Mark Addy being a standout.
The fight between Ned and Jaime was wonderfully crafted, feeling completely organic and perfectly paced. Jaime is a complex character, and the final scene reveals that he isn't as dishonourable as everyone believes him to be.
What I Disliked:
The scene between Renly and Loras was jarring and unnecessary. It was already heavily inferred that Renly and Loras were secretly together, so showing them be intimate with one another later on felt superfluous.
Overall:
Game of Thrones delivers perhaps its best episode to date. Aside from one subpar scene, this was an exceptionally enthralling viewing experience.
9/10
King Cadmium.
Did you know
- TriviaDedicated to Caroline Benoist, the film's animal trainer, who died of swine flu during production.
- GoofsAfter overhearing a conversation, Arya is pulling at the padlock. It makes no sense, because the bars of the gate are spaced far enough for her to easily squeeze through.
- Quotes
Robert Baratheon: So here we sit, seventeen years later, holding it all together. Don't you get tired?
Cersei Lannister: Every day.
Robert Baratheon: How long can hate hold a thing together?
Cersei Lannister: Seventeen years is quite a long time.
Robert Baratheon: Yes, it is.
Cersei Lannister: Yes, it is.
[they drink from their cups]
Cersei Lannister: What was she like?
Robert Baratheon: [slightly puzzled] You've never asked about her, not once. Why now?
Cersei Lannister: At first, just saying her name even in private felt like I was breathing life back into her. I thought if I didn't talk about her, she'd just fade away for you. When I realized that wasn't going to happen, I refused to ask out of spite. I didn't want to give you the satisfaction of thinking I cared enough to ask. And eventually it became clear that my spite didn't mean anything to you. As far as I could tell, you actually enjoyed it.
Robert Baratheon: So why now?
Cersei Lannister: What harm could Lyanna Stark's ghost do to either of us that we haven't done to each other a hundred times over?
Robert Baratheon: [leans forward] You want to know the horrible truth? I can't even remember what she looked like. I only know she was the one thing I ever wanted... someone took her away from me, and seven kingdoms couldn't fill the hole she left behind.
Cersei Lannister: I felt something for you once, you know?
Robert Baratheon: [lowers his gaze] I know.
Cersei Lannister: Even after we lost our first boy. For quite a while, actually. Was it ever possible for us? Was there ever a time, ever a moment?
Robert Baratheon: [hesitates before answering] No.
[Cersei drinks from her cup]
Robert Baratheon: Does that make you feel better or worse?
Cersei Lannister: It doesn't make me feel anything.
[Cersei places her cup on the table, stands and leaves]
- Crazy creditsThe 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 three 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.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Imagine: Who's Afraid of Machiavelli? (2013)
Details
- Runtime
- 55m
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1