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Game of Thrones
S1.E8
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IMDbPro

The Pointy End

  • Episode aired Jun 5, 2011
  • TV-MA
  • 59m
IMDb RATING
8.9/10
42K
YOUR RATING
Jason Momoa in Game of Thrones (2011)
ActionAdventureDramaFantasy

The Lannisters press their advantage over the Starks; Robb rallies his father's northern allies and heads south to war; The White Walkers attack the Wall; Tyrion returns to his father with s... Read allThe Lannisters press their advantage over the Starks; Robb rallies his father's northern allies and heads south to war; The White Walkers attack the Wall; Tyrion returns to his father with some new friends.The Lannisters press their advantage over the Starks; Robb rallies his father's northern allies and heads south to war; The White Walkers attack the Wall; Tyrion returns to his father with some new friends.

  • Director
    • Daniel Minahan
  • Writers
    • David Benioff
    • D.B. Weiss
    • George R.R. Martin
  • Stars
    • Sean Bean
    • Michelle Fairley
    • Lena Headey
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.9/10
    42K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Daniel Minahan
    • Writers
      • David Benioff
      • D.B. Weiss
      • George R.R. Martin
    • Stars
      • Sean Bean
      • Michelle Fairley
      • Lena Headey
    • 29User reviews
    • 28Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos60

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    Top cast58

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    Sean Bean
    Sean Bean
    • Eddard 'Ned' Stark
    Michelle Fairley
    Michelle Fairley
    • Catelyn Stark
    Lena Headey
    Lena Headey
    • Cersei Lannister
    Emilia Clarke
    Emilia Clarke
    • Daenerys Targaryen
    Iain Glen
    Iain Glen
    • Jorah Mormont
    Aidan Gillen
    Aidan Gillen
    • Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish
    Kit Harington
    Kit Harington
    • Jon Snow
    Richard Madden
    Richard Madden
    • Robb Stark
    Sophie Turner
    Sophie Turner
    • Sansa Stark
    Maisie Williams
    Maisie Williams
    • Arya Stark
    Alfie Allen
    Alfie Allen
    • Theon Greyjoy
    Isaac Hempstead Wright
    Isaac Hempstead Wright
    • Bran Stark
    Jack Gleeson
    Jack Gleeson
    • Joffrey Baratheon
    Rory McCann
    Rory McCann
    • Sandor 'The Hound' Clegane
    Peter Dinklage
    Peter Dinklage
    • Tyrion Lannister
    Donald Sumpter
    Donald Sumpter
    • Maester Luwin
    Conleth Hill
    Conleth Hill
    • Lord Varys
    Jerome Flynn
    Jerome Flynn
    • Bronn
    • Director
      • Daniel Minahan
    • Writers
      • David Benioff
      • D.B. Weiss
      • George R.R. Martin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews29

    8.941.8K
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    Featured reviews

    9lachezarmatneshliev

    Max your life...

    By the old Gods & the new one, this is the future, I've seen many of stars beyond the grey skies beyond the wall, it's a treason only if we lose, all i want is to be a wizard! I couldn't see beyond my own anger, my day became my mirror, sparked the power of who I became i paid in blood! Majestic horror & winter is coming! Voices stay silent to everyone else, voiceless grandeur, a sword in justice! Sequences finally unleashes potential for smooth attempt at nothing less than a present day life, fame is well deserved, and i will find the money, without any guiding point on his own way convincing performances of all cast & crew from GOT is locate realistic and inspiring indeed changing time and place a iron nerves to sail off into nowhere just because an orange was round..!?
    9TheLittleSongbird

    On point

    Came to 'Game of Thrones' fairly late in the game and due to being so busy the binge-watching was gradual. Have found myself truly loving the show, very quickly becoming one of my favourites. It totally lives up to the hype and not only does it do the brilliant source material justice (a rarity in television) it is on its own merits one of the finest, most addictive and consistently compelling shows in recent years and quality-wise it puts a lot of films in recent years to shame.

    'Game of Thrones' first season continues to keep going from strength to strength. There is not a bad episode in the season and to me "The Pointy End" is one of its best. Not sure about it being THE best though, for such a lot going on and being so rich in story and character occasionally it was a little too busy and could have had more time to breathe. A couple of the side characters are given short shrift somewhat too. Otherwise, "The Pointy End" is a wonderful episode.

    Already great characters like Tyrion and Arya are given plenty to do and have all of what makes them such good characters in the first place. Seeing Robb get the spotlight and mature was also a great strength, and any episode that makes Sansa interesting and sympathetic is deserving of a medal. The ending is a nail-biter and makes one want to see how the season ends, Syrio Forel's confrontation with the Lannisters is another highlight. Author George R. R. Martin's involvement is a large part to "The Ponty End's" success, before this episode he hadn't written a teleplay in a decade but he writes as if this big gap didn't happen.

    Visually, "The Pointy End" looks amazing. The scenery is throughout spectacular, the sets are hugely atmospheric and beautiful on the eyes with a real meticulous eye for detail and the costumes suit the characters to a tee. The make-up is beautifully done. The visual effects are some of the best of any television programme and are not overused or abused, the scale, the detail and how they actually have character and soul are better than those in a lot of the big-budget blockbusters. As well the cinematography and editing, which are cinematic quality as well.

    One cannot talk about "The Pointy End" without mentioning the thematically, orchestrally and atmospherically multi-layered music scoring and the unforgettable main theme. Again, worthy of a high-budget fantasy/action/drama film.

    It is hard not to be bowled over by the quality of the writing, outstanding isn't a strong enough adjective to describe how good the writing is once again. It always has a natural flow, is layered and thought-provoking and demonstrates a wide range of emotions such as suspenseful tension, poignant pathos and witty humour. As well as being one of the most thematically rich ones of Season 1, the story is paced beautifully, structured with such nuance and attention to coherence, a high emotional level and is done with intelligence, passion and sensitivity.

    Helped by the superb character and multi-layered writing throughout (some of the richest of Season 1 in fact), the acting is hard to find fault. Peter Dinklage, Sophie Turner and Richard Madden are particularly strong, Dinklage has always been a high-point of 'Game of Thrones' while the other two really allow their respective characters to grow.

    In short, an on point episode with almost everything executed wonderfully. 9/10 Bethany Cox
    9claudio_carvalho

    War Strategy

    The Lannister guards slaughter Stark guards and staff and take Sansa arrested. They try to capture Arya, but Syrio Forel defends her and she escapes but finds her sword Needle and beings with her. When a boy tries to grab her, she accidentally kills him. Varys visits Ned in the dungeon and gives water to him and updates him with the news. Sansa agrees to send a letter to Robb to protect her father. Jon is frustrated that he cannot join his brother in the imminent war. He saves Commander Mormont during the night when a monster tries to kill him. Tyrion and Bronn are under siege of hill tribes and the cunning dwarf negotiates with them and they travel together to the place where the Lannister army is camped. Khal Drogo and his warriors destroy a village to take people to sell as slave to finance his invasion of the Seven Kingdoms. Daenerys orders to stop killing and raping the villagers and one of the Drogo's men offends Daenerys and challenges Drogo to fight with him. Drogo is wounded on his chest and one of the women she saved that is a witch treats his wound. Robb has a meeting with the lords and consolidates his leadership. When his men capture a Lannister scout, Robb releases him and sends a message to Lord Tywin telling that he will fight against him. Tyrion meets his father with the hill tribes that join their army. Sansa begs to her father's life in the court and Joffrey says that he will not kill Ned if he confesses his treason and recognizes him as king.

    "The Pointy End" is a great episode with many plot points. Varys is a despicable eunuch, serving the realm in order to be always with The Powers That Be. At the Wall, the dead raises when they are touched by the Night Walker. The strategy of Robb releasing the Lannister scout is certainly to lure Tywin. What will happen to Drogo? Ned will certainly not confess treason and how will he be saved? My vote is nine.

    Title (Brazil): "The Pointy End"
    10bevo-13678

    Him too

    That Joffrey is a jerk too. Almost as bad as little finger
    9gavin-thelordofthefu-48-460297

    The Pointy End successfully sets-up the last two episodes

    The Pointy End does a very successful job in setting up the last two episodes while still bringing character study to the Starks and Lannisters. Also, the relationship between Daenerys and Khal Drogo played by Jason Momoa is very interesting especially the way they speak the Dothraki language especially in the last few episodes. Also, the end scene where Joffrey promises to show mercy to Ned Stark if he confesses his treason and accept him as the rightful king is very intense. My only quibble is that some of the other side characters weren't given much to do, but it doesn't matter.

    It's still well-acted, it's still well-written, and the pacing is much tighter this time around. The music score still manages to be beautiful and the direction is really good. So, overall another great episode and a great set up to the last two episodes of Season 1.

    Related interests

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    Fantasy

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is the first episode in the series written by George R.R. Martin, and the first screenplay which Martin has written in almost a decade and a half (although the "Not today" lines and Drogo's fight scene were inserted by showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss). On the commentary track, Martin relates that prior to Game of Thrones, he was never allowed to adapt his own work to the screen, since original authors are supposedly too close to their own material.
    • Goofs
      When defending Arya from the Lannister henchmen, Syrio Forell handily dispatched the first attacker while the others were all several steps away. This gave him an opportunity to take the first henchman's sword to defend himself with steel, instead of ridiculously using wood. The First Sword of Bravvos would certainly have thought of this. Even though he knew he was a better swordsman than the Lannister men, he was greatly outnumbered and would never fall into the trap of arrogance by choosing to fight with a wooden sword in a contest of life and death.
    • Quotes

      Shagga: How would you like to die, Tyrion, son of Tywin?

      [a pause]

      Tyrion Lannister: In my own bed, at the age of 80, with a belly full of wine and a girl's mouth around my cock.

      [Shagga bursts out laughing. Tyrion and Bronn smile]

    • Crazy credits
      The 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 3 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.
    • Connections
      Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Game of Thrones Quotes (2016)
    • Soundtracks
      Main Title
      (uncredited)

      Written and Performed by Ramin Djawadi

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 5, 2011 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • jiocinema
    • Language
      • English
    • Production companies
      • Television 360
      • Grok! Studio
      • Generator Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 59m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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