HBO's hit series "Game of Thrones," based on George R. R. Martin's book series "The Song of Ice and Fire," returned to television three weeks ago. Co-created by Dartmouth's own David Benioff '92, the fantasy series tells the complex story of a medieval kingdom marked by corruption, adultery, betrayal and violence. Now in it's second season, the show will follow the plot of the second book in Martin's series, "A Clash of Kings." Aptly named, the book deals with the formation of six different factions, each battling for control of the fictional kingdom.
So far, the new season has been characterized by graphic violence and sex, much like the first season and HBO shows in general. A new, rather disconcerting trend of the season, however, is the murder of at least one child in each episode. This week's episode, "What Is Dead May Never Die," featured a particularly gory instance of child murder. Having read the books, I thought I would be desensitized to everything the TV show threw at me, but nothing can really prepare you for watching someone stick a sword through the throat of a little boy. It should be noted that this show is not for the weak-stomached.
"What Is Dead May Never Die" also introduced two new characters to the already large cast. The theme of this week's new characters was evidently strong women. First, we meet Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer), who recently married Renly Baratheon (Gethin Anthony), the brother of the late king and one of the contenders for the throne. Dormer is well-known for her role as Anne Boleyn in "The Tudors." It is revealed that although they seem like a happily married couple, Renly has not yet consummated the marriage because he is actually in love with Margaery's brother Loras, played by Finn Jones.
This plot development allows Margaery's true nature to reveal itself. Although the show generally stays faithful to the books, one significant deviation is the further development of Margaery's character. It generally annoys me when an adaptation differs significantly from the book on which it is based, but I didn't mind this alteration because it allowed for the greater use of Dormer's talents, and I hope they continue to feature her in further episodes.
In the book, it is hinted that Margaery is more clever and conniving than the innocent maiden she appears to be, but this is never fully proven. The show, however, presents her as a strong, ambitious character. Although I found it extremely awkward, for instance, when Margaery acknowledged that she knows about Renly's affair with her brother, the awkwardness is immediately overshadowed by her advice to Renly to do whatever it takes to secure his claim to the throne.
The second new character introduced in this week's episode is Brienne of Tarth, played by Gwendoline Christie. Although she is of noble blood, Brienne has cast off all expectations of her status and is a fierce warrior. This is evidenced by the fact that she wins a combat tournament, besting all of her male competitors. As a reward for her triumph, Renly appoints her as one of his personal guards, much to the chagrin of the other male guards. It is not hard to see why I consider Brienne a strong female character. She does not play a significant role in the episode, yet she makes a lasting impression.
My favorite parts of "What Is Dead May Never Die" were any scenes with Tyrion, played by Peter Dinklage, who is superb in the role and conveys his dry humor and wit perfectly. Known for his wit and intelligence, Tyrion certainly lives up to his reputation in this episode. At one point, he wishes to discover whom amongst his acquaintances spies for his sister Queen Cersei, played by Lena Headey. To do so, he tells each suspected spy that he plans to marry the queen's daughter off to a different person, and then waits to see which person the queen believes the princess will marry. The mole, Voila, is thus revealed.
Although the pace of "What Is Dead May Never Die" was a bit slow, the action-packed ending more than made up for it. Even though I have read the books and theoretically should know what happens, the show has me hooked, and I can't wait to see what next week's episode will bring.
