Game of Thrones Episode 1 Review

As some of you know, I went to NY for Thanksgiving to visit family. While I was there I did so many cool things, and my aunt introduced me to Game of Thrones. I think I would really like the books, but apparently the author still has three or four more to write, and so I thought I better just watch the tv show. I really can't stand it when I start a series and then find out it's not finished.

Episode 1 begins rather creepily. I'm not really sure what to make of it, but there's dangerous things in the snow that come from the corpses of people. There's also three riders, who are witnesses to the dead people, who disappear into the snow. One of these three people is later beheaded for treason as he goes mad and abandons his friends. Here is where we are introduced to the Stark Family, the patriarch Eddard (Nedd), his wife Catelyn, and their children Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon, as well Nedd's bastard son Jon Snow. Nedd beheads the traitor boy and Bran, Robb, and Jon go with him. Nedd tells Bran that their way is the old way and that the one who passes the sentence should be the one who carries it out.

 On their way back, they come upon a dead stag and a dead direwolf female who has left behind six direwolf pups. Six direwolf pups for the six Stark children. Jon says that they are gift from the old gods, as the direwolf is the house sigil of House Stark.

Meanwhile, one of Nedd Stark's friends, Jon Arryn, also Hand of the King, has died. News of his death comes to Winterfell and the king and queen visit. King Robert and Nedd visit the crypts to see Lyanna's statue. Lyanna was loved and betrothed to Robert before she was kidnapped and killed by Prince Rhaegar of House Targaryen.

Across the Narrow Sea, in the free city of Penthos, the last of their house, lives Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen (also called Dany for short). Viserys plans to wed Dany to Khal Drogo, leader of the Dothraki in exchange to use the army to reclaim the Seven Kingdoms. Dany prepares by taking a bath that has just been poured and worries her maid worries that it will be too hot, but Dany does not seem to notice and enjoys the hot bath. After, Dany meets Drogo, who merely looks at her and rides off without ever dismounting from his horse.I feel very sorry for Dany as she is not treated very well by her brother and has never seen the seven kingdoms that is "home" for her. I'm curious to see where she will go after she and Drogo are married and she becomes a part of the Dothraki.

Next, we see Dany and Drogo's wedding day. She sits beside him and they watch the Dothraki men fight over women, her face emotionless. Dany is given three gifts: three dragon eggs that have turned to stone with the passing of time, a collection of stories from the seven kingdoms, and the loyalty of Ser Jorah Mormont, Drogo gives her a beautiful white filly horse. Drogo helps Dany on her horse and they ride up to the sand dunes where they have their wedding night.

Back in Winterfell, King Robert offers Nedd the position of Hand of the King and says that they should unite the houses, as they should have done if Lyanna hadn't died. Nedd and Catelyn come to an agreement that Sansa can marry Joffrey, as she seems to want to be queen and marry him. A feast is held and Catelyn and the queen talk about the engagement, and it is revealed that Sansa has not yet bled. Nedd accepts the king's offer, although he would rather stay in Winterfell. He also receives a letter that night saying that John Arryn was murdered by the queen, Cersei Lannister. We find out why when Bran is climbing the castle walls and discovered Cersei with her brother, Jamie Lannister. Perhaps John Arryn found out something he wasn't supposed to know...