CHRIS GIANCAMILLI
STAFF WRITER
I’ll start with a bit of a disclaimer. There will be minor spoilers for “Game of Thrones” season 2 and major spoilers for season 1 in this article! That being said, continue reading at your own risk.
Alright, you’re still with me. “Game of Thrones” season 1 ended on some major plot points. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) is on her way to the Wall, Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) sets off for King’s Landing as the new Hand of the King, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) joins the expedition beyond the Wall and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) is the new leader of her Dothraki tribe.
Season 2 picks up right where the first season left off. However, with the new season comes new cast members and characters.
Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) is introduced as the younger brother to Robert, the former king of the Iron Throne. Stannis is Lord of Dragonstone Island where he rules with the aid of a mysterious priestess, Melisandre (Carice van Houten). So far, the first few episodes of this season have placed an emphasis on Stannis and Melisandre.
Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) journeys to his place of birth, Pyke. Theon is a returning character from the first season who lived with Eddard Stark most of his life. During his stay in Pyke, Theon is reintroduced to his father, Balon Greyjoy (Patrick Malahide), and his sister, Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan).
Though the introduction of these two new storylines is intriguing, we haven’t seen very much of the other main characters. For example, Daenerys was only given one scene in each of the first two episodes of this season.
It’s understandable that the writers have to cram so much content into each episode. At this point in the season, the story is moving incredibly fast due to the multiple storylines. It’s a little difficult to follow, and it can all seem intimidating to new viewers.
Though it’s still early in the season, we’re seeing a slow build up to something big. While it’s a bit confusing at times, the new season is shaping up to be just as memorable as the first. New alliances and powerful figures are emerging to reinforce this season’s tagline: “War is coming.”