Game of Thrones: 'The Kingsroad' sees Cersei's cruelty, some thoughts

By April MacIntyre Apr 25, 2011, 22:07 GMT

Game of Thrones is an epic struggle for power set in a vast and violent fantasy kingdom. Summers span decades. Winters can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun. It will stretch from the south, where heat breeds plots, lusts and intrigues; to the vast and savage eastern lands; all the way to the frozen north, where an 800-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom ...more

The second episode ramps up the "Game of Thrones" action, setting in motion the simmering distrust and dislike between the Lannisters and the Starks.

Lady Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) feels the enmity from Queen Cersei (Lena Headey), despite her confessions of losing a child. Women's intuition, and that niggling gut feeling when someone is lying to your face so seamlessly. One errant blonde hair found by the open window where Bran allegedly "fell" seals the deal, as Catelyn is consumed with suspicion now and sets off after alerting the elder Stark children.

As you remember, Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) was shoved out this window after witnessing an unholy act of incest between Queen Cersei and her brother Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau).

This episode sees Bran hanging on to life in a coma, as Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) smacks some manners into the tow-head Prince, Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson).  Dinklage's rapier wit is the grease in this whole series.

Tyrion's fascination with The Wall to the north is well-timed, as Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) is ready to swear the oath and ride up North to make a new life, away from Lady Catelyn's glare, as he is Ned's bastard child. Road trip!

Arya (Maisie Williams) is another favorite, as she, Sansa (Sophie Turner) and their direwolves Nimeria and Lady head to King's Landing with father, Lord Ned, as King Robert commands them so.

Lady Catelyn is extremely upset that King Robert rooked Ned into this "King's Hand" position, as his last away trip with "Bob" netted a bastard child souvenir (Jon Snow).

In the Dothraki camp, Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa) is settling in to married life by his consistent doggie style moves on his new bride, who yearns to endear herself more to the hunky horseman soldier king. She does this by getting some courtesan lessons and is a quick study in the Dothraki language. Clever girl!

Our bastard son Jon is schooled quickly as Uncle Benjen (Joseph Mawle)  introduces Wall recruits, a sad assortment of criminals who will take this assignment over castration.

Back at the Stark-Lannister camp, Sansa's run in with Sandor Clegane (Rory McCann), the Hound. Joffrey swoops in a spares her any more conversation. Sansa come upon Arya play sword fighting with young Micah, the butcher's boy. Long story short, Joffrey acts like an entitled ass (he is) and hurts the butcher's kid, as Arya and the wolf come to the stricken boy's defense. The wolf draws Joffrey's blood.

Queen Cersei is enraged as Lord Ned is forced to defend his daughter's actions with King Robert, disgusted that his son (allegedly) was schooled by a young maiden. "You let that little girl disarm you?"

This ends badly for the girls still, as Queen Cersei extracts her pound of flesh from Lady, the direwolf who must pay for the bite. Ned will kill the wolf.

The lad Micah sadly was slaughtered by the Hound.

Cruelty and evil abounds in this Game of Thrones, and there is still so much more to come.

Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on HBO.