Game of Thrones: The Kingsroad

I thought I was into Game of Thrones but this Florida resident is so down with the Starks that he beat the shit out of his cousin over it. Drawing that kind of fan loyalty after only one episode bodes well for HBO, who just renewed it for a second season. Hells yeah.

After an hour long series of introductions and politics in last week’s pilot, “The Kingsroad” sets those pieces into tense motion. It’s not all love between the Starks and the Lannisters – the only honest, good blood is between Ned and King Robert. The scene in which they talk about their war with the Targaryens was a highlight of the episode for me. Because of his nearly oppressive sense of loyalty, Ned is still willing to travel to King’s Landing to take his position as the King’s Hand despite his son Bran remains in a coma after his fall. We all know that Jamie Lannister pushed Bran from the high window after witnessing his incestual relations with Cersei.

And through her cruelty and overall bitchiness, we see who wears the codpiece in the Lannister household. After the altercation between Arya, the butcher’s son Micah, and that snot-nosed piece of human shit Joffrey, it could have resolved with no more blood being shed. Instead, Cersei demands her pound of flesh to be taken from Lady, Sansa’s direwolf. It was Arya’s direwolf Nymeria who nearly took Joffrey’s hand off, but since he took off, Lady is sacrificed in the name of Lannister Justice. Robert might be a whoring, goofy oaf, but Cersei is one evil bitch. Actress Lena Headey is playing the villain very well so far.

Sansa’s lie may have led to the death of her direwolf, but on an even more brutal level, it caused the death of the butcher’s boy. Ned knows that Sansa was lying, and the moment he sees the dead boy slung over the Hound’s steed he realizes the true weight of the consequence. His daughter’s lie caused the death of an innocent boy. Westero is a brutal place for laymen.

One Lannister I think we can all agree upon is Tyrion, the witty imp who loves whores and crispy bacon. Peter Dinklage is truly killing it as the royal brother no one really seems to like (or trust) and his balls and mouth are sure to get him in trouble down the road. He’s the king’s brother in law, but not untouchable. Bran being shoved out of a window is proof enough that royal blood can’t act as a shield. And with Bran’s awakening at the end of the episode, we’ll see if he spills the beans about the queen’s incest. The failed assassination attempt is proof enough that his fall was no accident.

The Starks have been backed into a corner by the Lannisters, time for Ned and Cat to make their moves!