Game of Thrones ‘The North Remembers’ Season 2 Premiere [Review]

Game of Thrones had the monumental task of reintroducing a massive cast of key characters and action that spans continents. As a good season premiere should “The North Remembers” seamlessly covers all the key players in Westeros, brings us up to date with their situations, and sets up the action for the rest of the season. It is a big task and doesn’t leave room for new revelations; however, the episode glided through the different groups, allies and enemies, threading them all together with their common themes of war, weather, and power.

Creators and writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss along with director Alan Taylor managed the massive amount of information in this one hour so smoothly. As we travel through Westeros each scene is so deliberate and on point telling us the current status of the characters and how they are affected by the coming war and winter weather. Additionally, many scenes are joined matched by the red comet flying across the sky which is visible across all of Westeros, it’s a brilliant visual device that helps bring the action together, even Daenerys and her followers who are wandering the Red Waste on another continent and Stannis Baratheon with the true claim to the throne over in Dragonstone. Osha notes that many claim different significance for the comet, but the true meaning is dragons. It’s a beautiful way to bring the otherwise isolated Daenerys into the greater narrative.

By the time we roll around to Dragonstone, a new locale for the show, Stannis doesn’t need much introduction. He is the brother of Late King Robert Baratheon, the rightful heir to the throne that Ned Stark attempted to contact last season. Stannis became a character in season one although he was never seen, he was reintroduced in the conversations of others before he appeared on screen in “The North Remembers” making his entrance less jarring and requiring less time on potentially clunky exposition.

The series premiere opens in Kings Landing during the new King Joffery’s bloody name day celebrations. Joffery is as petulant as ever but his Kingship has added a new level of arrogance and cruelty to his already undesirable personality.  The task of recapping last season’s events wisely falls to Tyrion who eloquently sums up the key events of last season in within only a few moments and characterized by his nonchalant manner and pithy remarks taking a brief moment to point out the young King’s ineptitude and inexperience in battle before Joffrey can wrap his head around the insult.

Tyrion’s brief appearance at Joffrey’s name day celebration also provides one of the most heartbreaking exchanges of the episode. The moment Tyrion offers Sansa condolences for the death of his father her heart stopped. Her constraint in that moment, replying with a practiced phrase spoke volumes about how Sansa has had to adapt to survive as a captive princess and about the nature of Joffrey’s reign, that no one is safe and even the most minor transgression can quickly be considered treasonous. Both Peter Dinklage and Sophie Turner hit every note of that scene.  An observant person such as Tyrion can read between the lines, and Sansa is learning to speak without speaking, with their shared looks during this exchange and entirely different conversation was going on.

Last season was characterized by the fall of the old guard. The literal death of the King, Robert Baratheon, and the subsequent beheading of Ned Stark, Lord of Winterfell and the Hand of the King, made way for a new generation to take control of Westeros. By the end of season one the Kingdom was falling apart and it was clear that war was on the horizon. This season will continue to explore this exchange of power and how the new generation comes into their own.

The petulant King Joffrey’s reign is characterized by terror; he refuses advisers, and threatens his own mother with a penalty of death. This is sharply contrasted with young Bran acting as temporary Lord of Winterfell since the death of his father and in the absence of his older brothers. Bran is impatient as he holds council, yet he takes the words of Maester Luwin to heart, as a leader he must learn to listen, even when he doesn’t wish to. This is a lesson that would do King Joffrey a lot of good to learn.

Moving beyond the wall, Jon “Prettier than half my daughters” Snow is learning a similar lesson about the value of listening and patience from Commander Mormont who is grooming him to be a future leader of the Night’s Watch.

Meanwhile, his half-brother Robb Stark (played wonderfully by Richard Madden) is really coming into his own as a leader.  Three battles in and three victories to show for it Robb is exemplifying his Stark characteristics. He is confident in front of his army and his banner men without being cocky. He holds himself with such great poise when he goes to visit Jamie Lannister, his prisoner of war who he wisely keeps close, and alive. Robb shows great restraint with the man who attempted to murder his brother, and whose family was responsible for the murder of his father.

Robb remains vulnerable yet strong with his mother, willing to listen to her advice if not heed it completely. The moment where Robb tells his friend Theon Greyjoy that he needn’t address him as King in private is another telling moment of the kind of leader that Robb has become. Robb has risen to leadership in the wake of his father’s murder; he is becoming a fair leader like his Ned Stark, but let’s hope that he has enough good sense to protect him from his Stark honour.

Daenarys is wandering the desert with her people, with her brother gone and her husband, Khal Drogo, dead she has emerged on her own.  She has her dragons, those that instilled faith in the people who follow her but they are still young and lack the power she needs too fight. Her people follow her and they trust her but a leader needs more than dragons and faith to lead. Her people need water, food and shelter and she needs to figure out a way to provide. Daenarys is more removed from the rest of the action, but is another young leader learning how to navigate the difficult waters.  She is compassionate and caring and determined. She is strong willed but takes council from Ser Jorah and often seeks advice from the women close to her.

In contrast to our young leaders coming into power there are still vestiges of the old guard who refuse to let go without a fight. Cersei Lannister has lost control of her son and is desperately holding onto whatever power she has left. Contrary to what Littlefinger believes, power is power, and Cersei’s demonstration of her power is nothing to sneeze at.

Meanwhile in an absolutely delicious scene in Dragonstone, Stannis dictates his letter in which he makes his claim to the Iron Throne. Unlike the deceased Ned Stark, Stannis plans to use his knowledge of Joffrey’s illegitimacy and his parents’ incestuous affair by spreading the information widely across the Seven Kingdoms. His careful selection of words, including Kingslayer but also the title “Ser” just oozes a certain propriety and venom.

It is (King) Stannis Baratheon’s letter that is the major new item introduced in “The North Remembers” that will sets up action for the rest of the season. The secret that Ned Stark, and others before him, died for knowing has come out and it will have devastating effects. Like the blood thirsty, power hungry Lannister he is, King Joffrey he has no trouble ordering the slaughter of all of King Robert’s bastard children, and there are many. This painful to watch sequence is what the episode leaves us with, the slaughter of children, acts so repugnant even members of the King’s Guard are having trouble carrying out the task.

The closing note is one of hope and foreboding as the caravan carrying the disguised Arya Stark and King Robert’s son Gendry ride off to the Wall together down the apparently calm King’s Road that is almost cruelly beautiful while the King’s Guard is on their trail.

A Few Other Thoughts on “The North Remembers”:

∙ While war is apparent between the houses, the tensions within them provide some amazing drama. In the moment where Tyrion and Cersei face off during small council the tension in the room is palpable.  They are two wonderfully talented actors who play the resentfulness and sibling rivalry just right in that scene that you can feel the hate but also the familial connection.

∙ I loved the shaky POV shots from the perspective of the Direwolf in Bran’s dream. His visions are a more subtle version of the magic that exists in Westeros and this is a really great way of communicating it visually