Top 10 moments from Game of Thrones season 2

Game of Thrones is nearly back! And to celebrate I’m writing 10 blog posts in 10 days, all dedicated to the wonderful world of ice and fire. It’s now 9 days until season 7 premieres and my second post is my 10 favourite moments of season 2. Let’s go!

Season 2 of Game of Thrones was mostly watched in halls of residence whilst riding an exercise bike that was barely functional on its best days and utterly knackered on its worst. Unlike the full HD glory of my season 1 blu-rays, these were low quality streams that stuttered and stumbled through episodes in seven second bursts.

After some excellent world building in season 1, Thrones dived fully into the War of the 5 Kings with less talking, more action, bigger dragons and a whole bunch of top-notch back-stabbing. Children were stabbed, burnt alive and left to die in the cold, whilst the show stepped up the misogyny with some incest, rape, emotional torture and prostitute punctuation.

It wasn’t all about betrayal though, the bromance between Tyrion and Bronn blossomed, Jon kidnapped the wilding Ygritte (who in turn kidnapped and groomed Jon) and the seeds were planted for a Brienne and Jamie double act that managed to capture all the magic of their relationship in the books.    

But enough of my synopsising, here are the top 10 things I loved about Game of Thrones second season:

10. Balon Greyjoy wants the North

The story of Theon’s homecoming is one of the most interesting narratives in season 2 and one that I could write entire essays on. Having been given away at young age as a ward to Ned Stark, he’s essentially been a hostage to ensure his father doesn’t rise in rebellion again.

When he returns home with an offer of an alliance with the north, he’s shocked that it’s thrown back in his face. Balon Greyjoy informs him that the Ironborn aren’t handed anything, they take what they want and what he wants is the entire North.

What makes this moment so enthralling for me is that it sets in motion Theon’s journey down a road of self-destruction and toxic-masculinity. It’s something that feels very real and relatable in a time when an entire generation seems to mourn the loss of traditional patriarchal masculinity, as their “values” are eschewed by their sons.

9. Melisandre just won’t die

Season 2 finally introduces us to Stannis Baratheon, a man who intends on taking his place on the Iron Throne and believes in honour, duty, good grammar and factually accurate letters. It also turns the “Mystery” dial right up to 11 with the introduction of Melisandre, the red priestess of R’hllor.

Worried by Stannis’ affinity to this strange religion, one of his advisors surreptitiously poisons a chalice of wine and proposes a toast. He takes a sip before handing it to Melisandre, who stares him down as he begins bleeding from the nose.

Even so, the red priestess drinks deeply from the goblet whilst staring straight into his eyes, seemingly unaffected by the poison as she watches him die. There’s no reaction from her at all as she proclaims, “The night is dark and full of terrors old man, but the fire burns them all away.”

This scene coming so early into season 2 reeks of the writers saying, “You think you know the rules of the world of ice and fire? Guess again!”

8. Tyrion motivates the troops

There are a dozen brilliant Peter Dinklage speeches I could have chosen for these lists but this is the one I think is most memorable. Even though he might not look like what you’d expect from a war-hero, it’s Tyrion Lannister’s cunning a braver that leads King’s Landing safely through the siege.

After Joffery and the Hound abandon the fighting, it’s Tyrion that volunteers to lead the attack as Lannister soldiers start to wither away. Despite being met with initial scorn, he reminds them that they don’t need to fight for the king or honour, they need to fight to protect their city, their homes and their wives.

And what does he get for his troubles? Some amateur rhinoplasty.

7. Theon’s big speech

Season 2 saw Theon Greyjoy take centre stage as Game of Thrones explored toxic masculinity, with Alfie Allen expertly portraying a young man desperate to win the approval of his estranged father by proving he measures up to traditional Ironborn notions of manliness – basically conquest and killing.

So, Theon turns his back on the Starks and seizes Winterfell but that don’t impress Dad much. With no reinforcements coming and 500 Northern warriors surrounding the castle, Theon finds solace in that universal sign of manliness – dying in a blaze of glory.

This culminates in a rousing speech to his troops, with empty rhetoric about glory soon giving way to incoherent rage as he screams an unintelligible battle cry to his men, before he’s swiftly knocked out cold from behind by Dagmer Cleftjaw – who has the perfect response to another soldier voicing his relief that Theon has finally shut up.

“It was a good speech. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

6. Riot in King’s Landing

Between torturing Sansa and baiting his Uncle Tyrion, it turns out King Joffery isn’t so great at ruling the Seven Kingdoms. This leads to some widespread political unrest and much like in the real world, this ends up with people throwing things at their leaders – with Joffery literally pelted with shit.

As always Joffery responds proportionally and orders his guards to “Kill them all!” (eerily reminiscent of the Mad King) before all hell breaks loose. Other than an Imp-slap to the King, most of the main players escape unharmed thanks to the Hound slaying a few peasants, but Sansa is missing.

The Hound finds her pinned to the ground by 3 men who plan on raping her and brutally dispatches each of them before carrying her to safety. This is one of many early hints we get that Sandor Clegane does have actually have a heart, as he brushes off praise from Tyrion with a gruff, “I didn’t do it for you.”

5. The Faceless Man

J’aquen H’ghar might well be a pain in the arse to spell, but his brief appearance in season 2 of Game of Thrones left fans so desperate for more that he was written back into the show.

His impeccable early-2000’s blonde streaked fringe earned him 10 scene points, his ability to kill someone on command was downright awesome but he was saving his coolest trick for the final episode.

After helping free Arya, Hot-Pie and Gendry from Harrenhal, J’aquen is just chilling out on a rock waiting to offer Arya the chance to become a Faceless Man. Even though she refuses, J’aquen hands her a coin of great value and tells her that if she ever needs to find him she just has to utter the incredibly cool catchphrase, “Valhar Morgulis”.

Then he informs her that J’aquen is dead and with turns away from the camera for a second. When he turns back he’s wearing somebody else’s face, someone that’s sadly doesn’t look like the frontman of an AFI cover-band.

4. Dany’s vision

As I said in my last blog, I love foreshadowing, so visions and prophecies really float my boat. Luckily enough Game of Thrones is full of them and when Daenerys ventures into the House of the Undying to reclaim her dragons there’s a big hint of things to come.

She steps through a door into a room with the Iron Throne sat in the background, it appears to be the throne room we’ve seen in King’s Landing but the building is decimated. The roof is practically destroyed and snow covers everything, perhaps a vision of the Long Night bought about by the White Walkers?

3. Wildfire on the Blackwater

Season 2’s Blackwater marks the first episode of Thrones that focuses on a single location, kicking off a tradition that gives us some of the best episodes of the show. In Blackwater, we see characters in King’s Landing prepare to withstand a siege, with Tyrion proving to be the unlikely saviour of the city. And it’s his cunning plan that provides the visual highlight of the entire season.

Stannis’ fleet approaches King’s Landing but is met with little resistance, just a single solitary ship cuttings its way through the fog, toward the invading army. Much to the confusion of both everyone aboard the ships and manning the defensive walls, including King Joffery himself.

On Tyrion’s cue Bronn fires a flaming arrow towards the boat, just as Davos reveals to the audience that it’s leaking Wildfire. Some serious pyrotechnics ensue as green flame engulfs Stannis’ fleet, quickly followed by shots of the wreckage absent of any score – just the screams of soldiers burning.

It’s the first demonstration of the devastation that even artificially manufactured dragon fire can cause and a big moment in a TV show that’s at its heart an allegory for the dangers of nuclear weaponry.

2. Melisandre’s Baby

The second time that Melisandre makes this list and one of the creepiest moments ever on the show. After Ser Davos smuggles the red priestess into the caves underneath Renly Baratheon’s camp, she strips off to reveal that she’s impossibly pregnant.

As Melisandre screams and grunts, Davos presses himself against a wall in an attempt to put distance between him and the horror unfolding. He just can’t look away though, as we see something move beneath Melisandre’s swollen stomach.

Wisps of shadow spill from between the red priestess’ legs, before something dark and inhuman screeches as it claws its way out from her nether regions.

This moment is truly like something from a nightmare, taking something as pure and natural as childbirth and corrupting it. It also plays heavily on the inherent fears that surround pregnancy and parenting, similar to great horror films like The Babadook, Rosemary’s Baby and Grace.

1. The White Walkers are coming

If the White Walkers that opened season 1 were creepy, the army of White Walkers that closed season 2 were straight up terrifying. Tension builds as a warhorn sounds once…twice…and then a third time, signalling that White Walkers are coming.

The creeping cold arrives first, as a blizzard blows around everyone’s favourite craven, Sam Tarly. He takes cover behind a rock as shadowy figures step out of the snow and we get our first sight of the army of the dead.

The shuffling Wight are straight out a George Romero fever-dream, but it’s the half-decomposed horse that gets our attention. And the White Walker riding it. It’s cold, blue eyes bore into Sam as the Walker lets out a screech and orders his troops forward, giving us the first sign there’s more to them than just mindless killing.

Obviously, I’ve had to miss out on countless amazing moments. I haven’t even mentioned Jon Snow and his exploits North of the Wall or what’s going on with the King in the North. That just goes to show how many great moments this season provided. As always, let me know if you think I’m an idiot for missing out the orgy of nudity on display in season 2 or you just want to let me know what your favourite moment was.

Tomorrow I tackle something a little bit different with my Top 10 Deadliest Game of Thrones characters.