Gutting a deer while chastising his son for not killing Ned, Tywin is the very essence of an overbearing father. With a hint of menace in everything he says and does, Tywin cares about his family's legacy most of all, and is not above berating his son for daring to place his ego above the family name. Why is that important? Well, the time for the Lannisters to rise has come. With Robert dead from a hunting accident (where young Lancel Lannister had been plying him with fortified wine), King's Landing is set to explode, with all sides itching to seize power. For Ned, his loyalty is to Robert, and ensuring the kingdom is placed in the hands of a true heir is of the utmost importance. In his eyes, this is Robert's eldest brother, Stannis, who may be a good soldier, but in the eyes of Renly, would be a disaster as a king. Unsurprisingly, the younger Baratheon believes he would make the best successor and begins his bid to win the crown. Meanwhile, Cersei places Joffrey on the throne in order to cement the family's power in the Seven Kingdoms. There's everything to play for, but only one man holds the key to seizing the throne and that's the man who pays the city's guard. Littlefinger is arguably one of the most layered and interesting characters in the saga, and Aidan Gillen plays him with complete relish. The scene in which he recounts how he fought for the love of Catelyn, only to be physically bested by Ned's brother, shows that he's a man who opts for slyness over swordplay. Not only does his final reveal show the true intent of how far he will go to screw over the type of men who have always stood over him, but it shows he's not afraid to screw over his closest allies. Planning the development of (currently) minor characters is something the writers are doing well, with this episode even featuring a little clash between Theon Greyjoy, Maester Luwin and the newly imprisoned Osha (Hey! It's Natalia Tena, Tonks from Harry Potter!), a Wildling who is fleeing the growing evil in the North. Speaking of the North, it's been two episodes since we've seen Jon Snow, Samwell Tarly and the Night's Watch, but it's like we've never been away, with the young men about to take their vows. Not only is the direwolf, Ghost, prominently featured now, but the Night's Watch role is about to be revealed, with Jon's uncle going missing on a patrol. What lies out there? Is The Wall about to be attacked? And whose hand has Ghost found? It also helps that Samwell Tarly is one of this writer's favourite characters and his naivety, optimism and awkwardness around the cooler, more distant Jon Snow makes for a nice break from the darker stuff. Such as poisoning a pregnant lady.
Review of You Win or You Die
