Game of Thrones Recap: New Alliances Are Formed, but Which King Is Out of the Game?

Find out who lost the Iron Throne in tonight's episode of the HBO hit

By Christina Dowling Apr 30, 2012 4:00 AMTags
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Last week we saw the crazy birth of a super weapon—will that change the struggle for power in Game of Thrones? The battling kings are gearing up for a showdown, but does King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) have a sound plan to keep his Iron Throne? 

Find out what happened on Game of Thrones now:

MORE: Game of Thrones Star Teases Sex, Family Feuds and the Big Battle Scene You've Been Waiting For!

WHAT WE LEARNED 

Renly's Camp: Stannis' (Stephen Dillane) shadow baby is now a full-grown shadow assassin and wastes no time taking out Renly (Gethin Anthony). While that solves one extra king problem, the Robb-Renley alliance Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) was trying to forge gets taken out as well. This marks the beginning of the spinoff series of Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) and Catelyn on the lam. We like their friendship because there is truly deep respect between the women and Brienne pledges her allegiance to Catelyn.

King's Landing: Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) isn't loving being kept in the dark, but luckily he has a spy in Lancel (Eugene Simon). King Joffrey's big plan to protect King's Landing is a veritable powder keg. And how cool does the title of Pyromancer sound? It's more than just little jars of wildfire that are threatening to explode—the people aren't too fond of their young king in the Landing.

Stannis' Camp: We've seen just how effective Stannis' shadow clone can be, but Davos (Liam Cunningham) warns Stannis about using such a weapon. There's got to be a pretty nasty side effect to using such dark magic, right? Though Stannis is drunk with power, he acquiesces and agrees to sail to King's Landing without Melisandre (Carice van Houten). We predict that Melisandre won't love that news. 

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Iron Islands: Theon (Alfie Allen) is the worst. The absolute worst. OK, maybe he's the second absolute worst behind Joffrey. He is trying and failing to command his men as the captain of the Sea Bitch. However, his first mate does give him a great idea to win daddy's respect. Boo! Hiss! We don't like where this is going.

Harrenhal: Arya (Maisie Williams) has a somewhat cushy new position as Tywin's (Charles Dance) cupbearer, but it's also a dangerous one. It's not all bad—Arya has  interesting friends in Harrenhal. Number one: gorgeous, dirty and gratuitously shirtless Gendry (Joe Dempsie). Thank you for the eye candy, Game of Thrones bosses. And number two: Jaqen H'ghar (Tom Wlaschiha), her creepy friend who talks in the third person and owes her three murders. Time to check some people off her revenge list, but where is that pesky red Sharpie?

Winterfell: While Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) is pretty good as the little Lord of Winterfell, Rickon (Art Parkinson) is comically bad at it. It really reminds us just how young, alone and vulnerable these kids truly are. Where is their mother?

Qarth: You can't take Dothraki anywhere. Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) has to spend the whole lavish party trying to stop her people from stealing gold. Maybe she should be encouraging them, if her only other option is selling herself into marriage for an army and ships. Poor, sad and in love, Ser Jorah (Iain Glen) begs her not to marry for an army. However, he does have a compelling argument about why she deserves to have the Iron Throne and it's not just because of her adorably trained little dragon. 

ONE-LINERS

"You can't avenge him if you are dead." —Catelyn

"No, I want to be the queen." —Margaery

"Oh Lancel, tell my friend Bronn to kill you if anything should happen to me."—Tyrion.

"He's very busy. Being repeatedly humiliated by Robb Stark is time consuming." —Tyrion

"Our order does not deal in pig s--t." —Pyromancer

"He's not my manservant and he's not in love with me." —Daenerys

"You might be a little lord, but don't call me a liar." —Osha

How crazy was Stannis' shadow assassin? Is Jorah right about Dany not tying herself to another marriage? Did you rewind that shot of Gendry? Head to the comments!

(Originally published April 29, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. PT)

PHOTOS: Game of Thrones: Season Two

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