While most major characters featured in the season opener those that didn't got plenty of time here; we are also introduced to several new characters who appear to being set up as important characters.
Bran and Osha continue to head north and meet Jojen and Meesa Reed; strangely Jojen had appeared in Bran's dream the previous night. Jojen goes on to explain that both he and Bran are Wargs; people who can possess animals as well as seeing things that happened long ago, things that are happening far away and things yet to happen.
Arya Stark and her two companions run into the Brotherhood without Banners; a group of warriors with no allegiance; it looks as if they will soon part company but on of their prisoners recognises Arya.
Back in King's Landing Sansa meets Olenna Tyrell; the grandmother of King Joffrey's bride-to-be Margaery. She is asked what sort of person Joffrey is; for the first time she feels safe to give an honest answer: Joffrey is a monster.
Elsewhere we see that things are going very badly for Theon Greyjoy, he is being tortured by unknown captors; Brienne and Jaime Lannister run into some trouble on their way to King's Landing and Jon Snow learns a bit more about Mance Rayder.
This was an impressive episode that successfully introduced a surprising number of new characters. The appearance of Dame Diana Rigg was the most notable and she impressed as Olenna Tyrell; a character who appears to be strong and is likely to be more important as the series continues. Similarly the Brotherhood without Banners are intriguing and it will be interesting to see how important they will be to Arya's plot arc. While Jojen and Meesa aren't as immediately interesting they served to tell us more about Bran and go some way to explain his strange dreams. The scenes with Theon are a little unpleasant as he is tortured and has no idea why. As always the acting is impressive throughout and once it was over I wanted more.
Bran and Osha continue to head north and meet Jojen and Meesa Reed; strangely Jojen had appeared in Bran's dream the previous night. Jojen goes on to explain that both he and Bran are Wargs; people who can possess animals as well as seeing things that happened long ago, things that are happening far away and things yet to happen.
Arya Stark and her two companions run into the Brotherhood without Banners; a group of warriors with no allegiance; it looks as if they will soon part company but on of their prisoners recognises Arya.
Back in King's Landing Sansa meets Olenna Tyrell; the grandmother of King Joffrey's bride-to-be Margaery. She is asked what sort of person Joffrey is; for the first time she feels safe to give an honest answer: Joffrey is a monster.
Elsewhere we see that things are going very badly for Theon Greyjoy, he is being tortured by unknown captors; Brienne and Jaime Lannister run into some trouble on their way to King's Landing and Jon Snow learns a bit more about Mance Rayder.
This was an impressive episode that successfully introduced a surprising number of new characters. The appearance of Dame Diana Rigg was the most notable and she impressed as Olenna Tyrell; a character who appears to be strong and is likely to be more important as the series continues. Similarly the Brotherhood without Banners are intriguing and it will be interesting to see how important they will be to Arya's plot arc. While Jojen and Meesa aren't as immediately interesting they served to tell us more about Bran and go some way to explain his strange dreams. The scenes with Theon are a little unpleasant as he is tortured and has no idea why. As always the acting is impressive throughout and once it was over I wanted more.