Game of Thrones Refresher: Season 4 recap
Game of Thrones season 4 is when we picked ourselves off the ground and cheered collectively after being gutted in the previous season.
We thought we knew pain in the first season of Game of Thrones. The third season, however, was nothing that could have been anticipated. The Red Wedding had us reeling.
So the fourth season needed to be something that wasn’t complete despair. There needed to be excitement. Some good guys winning. Season four didn’t disappoint.
Season Intro
The Starks are nearly extinct. The known Baratheons are in shambles. Only the Lannisters really remain as powers, with the Tyrell clan inserting themselves wherever possible. The War of the Five Kings is down to three, and no one is truly aware of how fickle their battles are compared to the incoming White Walkers.
Episode Highlights
A+. <ul><li>Daenerys is shaken by her first bout of dragon disobedience</li><li>Jon Snow debriefs a Castle Black panel about his time with Wildlings</li><li>As a team, Arya Stark and the “Hound” butcher Lannister men</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S4E1. Two Swords
The Lion and the Rose. A+++. <ul><li>The Purple Wedding ends Joffrey’s miserable life</li><li>Melisandre immolates Queen Selyse Baratheon’s brother</li><li>Bran discovers where to find the Three-Eyed Raven</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S4E2
Who killed Joffrey?! Meanwhile, Roose Bolton disapproves of Ramsay’s torture of Theon Greyjoy. Prince Oberyn Martell makes a splash upon his arrival at King’s Landing by stabbing a Lannister in the hand and making everyone aware he plans to kill The Mountain. It’s also worth noting there is other discontent in the Lannister house. Tywin made two Valryian steel swords from the Stark sword, and gave one to both Jaime and Joffrey. Joffrey obviously doesn’t need it, and Jaime has to use it lefty. To make matters worse, Tywin learned of Tyrion’s whore, and reacts disappointingly when Jaime chooses King’s Guard. Last but not least, Cersei is suddenly not attracted one-handed Jaime. Fans collectively fist bump until the next episode.
A+. <ul><li>Cersei accuses Tyrion and Sansa Stark of killing Joffrey</li><li>Sansa escapes King’s Landing with Littlefinger</li><li>Jaime and Cersei have sept-sex near Joffrey’s corpse</li><li>Daario Naharis pisses on the Meereen champion’s corpse</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S4E3. Breaker of Chains
Oathkeeper. A+. <ul><li>Olenna Tyrell & Littlefinger admit to involvement in Joffrey’s death</li><li>Slave mutiny in Meereen after Dany has Grey Worm infiltrate</li><li>Jaime gifts Brienne his Valyrian sword: now named Oathkeeper</li><li>White Walker on an undead horse converts Craster’s last son</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S4E4
Dany orders 163 aristocrat crucifixions: justice for injustice. There is no way the people in charge of Slaver’s Bay are going to sit and take it. Their entire way of life is changed, and she doesn’t realize what she’s done. It’s worth noting that her most trusted advisors recommended against the move.
Up north, Bran Stark, Hodor, Meera, and Jojen are captured by the mutinous men from the Wall hanging out at Craster’s Keep. Apparently Craster and family have been supplying the White Walker’s with male babies. The real question at this point is, do the babies grow into useful undead soldiers?
S4E5. First of His Name. B+. <ul><li>Tommen is crowned king and Margaery woos him</li><li>Lysa Arryn reveals she killed her husband with Baelish’s urgings</li><li>Jon Snow reunites with Ghost, sacks Craster’s Keep, kills mutineers</li></ul>. Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones. S4E6. The Laws of Gods and Men. B+. <ul><li>Yara Greyjoy lays siege to Dreadfort to save Theon, but Reek resists</li><li>Shae betrays Tyrion in trial, he erupts and demands a trial by combat</li><li>Drogon torches some goats, and Daenerys must placate her supplicants</li></ul>
S4E7. Mockingbird. A+. <ul><li>Oberyn offers to be Tyrion’s champion versus Gregor Clegane</li><li>Daenerys and Daario fornicate, but Jorah suggests peace with Yunkai</li><li>Sansa slaps Robin Arryn, and Littlefinger pushes Lysa out the Moon Door</li></ul>. Game of Thrones
The shenanigans at the Eyrie reveal Lysa and Littlefinger conspired to poison Jon Arryn, which ultimately led to framing the Lannisters, and most problems in Westeros.
It seems insignificant to those at the Great Wall, but ignoring Jon Snow’s recommendation to reinforce defenses against Wildlings is potentially deadly.
Game of Thrones. S4E8. The Mountain and the Viper. A+++. <ul><li>Ramsay Snow becomes Ramsay Bolton after telling Reek to be Theon</li><li>Dany expels Jorah after learning he used to spy against her in Essos</li><li>The Mountain smashes Oberyn’s eyes and squashes his skull</li></ul>
A+. <ul><li>Ygritte tells her people she’s going to kill Jon Snow</li><li>Wildlings, Giants, and Mammoths attack the gate and Castle Black</li><li>Jon leaves Castle Black to assassinate Mance Rayder</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S4E9. The Watchers on the Wall
A+++. <ul><li>Stannis Baratheon’s army attacks the wildlings, resulting in uneasy peace</li><li>The Children of the Forest save Bran so he can meet the Three-Eyed Raven</li><li>Daenerys chains and makes slaves of Rhaegal and Viserion in catacombs</li><li>Tyrion strangles Shae, kills Tywin with a crossbow, and escapes</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S4E10. The Children
End of season recap
“The Children” is probably the best episode in the history of Game of Thrones. Not only did all of the above happen, but Cersei share her incestuous secrets with her father. Additionally, Brienne defeated The Hound, allowing Arya to escape to the city of Braavos. Other interesting developments: Grey Worm and Missandei are courting; Sansa is lying to keep Littlefinger out of trouble; Qyburn is capable of turning Ser Gregor Clegane into a zombie.
House Rankings
Lannister – Weaker without Tywin and Joffrey, they still hold the crown.
Targaryen – Her army and power is undeniable, but can she control the dragons?
Baratheon – Hey, Stannis won a battle!
Stark – Sansa and Arya are free, Bran is about to be very powerful
Frey – Still holders of a strategic point in Westeros
Greyjoy – Theon’s still neutered
Martell – Basically neutered without Oberyn
Arryn – May as well be neutered
Next. Season 8 Preview. dark
Game of Thrones returns to HBO Sunday, April 14 at 9/8c.