We are only 2 short months away from Season 2 of HBO’s fantasy epic ‘Game of Thrones’ and like many fans of the first season I’ve been devouring all of the trailers and spots. I have yet to join any GoT forums or read GoT fanfiction but I have been reading through the books like an addict on crack. I can read faster than most, but a fast reading pace is not a quality that you need to get through Game of Thrones. Dedication is the key, and patience – a lot of patience. George R. R. Martin knows how to drag a story out to the point when you feel like the events are happening in real time. But soon enough you feel like a member of the Stark family and you just have to find out when that evil little Draco Malfoy-like character Joffrey Baratheon is going to be dethroned.
A Clash of Kings, the second in Martin’s epic series, will pick up where we left off in Game of Thrones, but if you thought the first season was confusing you’re going to find it even harder to follow with the events that are in store. Not everybody is going to want to re-watch the glorious 10 hours of television from Season 1, so to help you along I’ve devised a list of important facts/events that you should keep in mind when you sit down on April 1 to watch Season 2. No spoilers, just a reminder of what we’ve seen and been told is to come!
The War
At the end of the first season, King Robert Baratheon has died leaving his son Joffrey to inherit his place as King. But as we have uncovered through Eddard Stark, Joffrey and his siblings Tommen and Myrcella are not the trueborn children of Robert but actually the result of an incestuous union between Queen Cersei and her twin brother Jaimie Lannister. War has commenced as a result of this knowledge being made public and so the Baratheon brothers are competing to be King while Robb fights to claim the north as his own.
Magic Exists!
This is absolutely the most important point that you should remember when you watch the next season. Game of Thrones was more political than magical and it was easy to forget that we were watching a fantasy adaptation not merely a medieval political/war series. Daeneyrs and her dragons will be returning as you might have expected. But they won’t be the only magical elements in this next part of the story.
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Three Religions
In the North we were introduced to the Old Gods that the First Men and the Starks believe and pray to in times of trouble.
In the South they believe in the power of the 7: the Mother, the Father, the Warrior, the Crone, the Smith, the Maid and the Stranger.
In A Clash of Kings we are introduced to a third religion: The Lord of Light. One God whose power is often found through fire.
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Five Kings
Five men will claim to be a King. We know of four by the end of season 1: Joffrey Baratheon (King of the seven kingdoms), Renly Baratheon (Youngest brother to the late Robert Baratheon, claiming to be King), Stannis Baratheon (Elder brother to Renly, also claiming his right to be King on the Iron Throne) and Robb Stark (King of the North).
A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords
The producers have already stated that some characters will have their storylines in later books moved forward to be included in this adaptation of A Clash of Kings. Jaime Lannister and Loras Tyrell, for example, who hardly appear in the second novel, will be featured more prominently in the show.
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If the second season is anything like the book it’s going to be filled with shocked plot twists, and some great new stand out characters. Look out for Tyrion Lannister; he’s going to be even more awesome in A Clash of Kings than he was in A Game of Thrones!
The first episode of Season 2 of Game of Thrones will be aired on April 1 on HBO.
What are you most looking forward to seeing in Season 2? Leave your comments and predictions below!
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