Game Of Thrones returns this weekend to HBO in America and to Sky Atlantic this coming Monday, but while we can’t wait to delve right back into the world’s most interesting and bloody political drama, there might still some of you yet to embrace the fantast epic.
With a web of characters so complex you usually need a PhD to navigate it, we thought it would be nice to offer you a cheat sheet and fill you in on the biggest things you need to know. Warning though, there will be spoilers for the first two series of the show.
The Struggle
The show takes place in the land of Westeros, where three families are fighting for control of the ‘Iron Throne’, the seat of ultimate power in the kingdom. The seat is currently held by the young King Joffrey, although many would like to see him off the throne.
The three groups taking to battle are the Lannisters, the Starks and the Baretheons, with all three with grudges to bear and a thirst for ultimate power.
The Good Guys
This basically contains the house of Stark. They’re led by Rob, the eldest son of the clan who’s out for revenge on King Joffrey after he killed his father Ned. Then we have his younger sister Arya, who might only be small, but also has sworn revenge on the entirety of House Lannister for what they did to her dad. They’re joined by their mother Cat, who wants to look out for her family, but isn’t afraid to play hardball to get that.
Then we have Tyrion Lannister, definitely the good apple from a bushel of rotten ones. While he’s no saint ‘The Imp’ is possibly the cleverest character in the show, and has an axe to grind against his kin in this series. Easily the most likeable and funny presence in Game Of Thrones.
The Bad Guys
This is mainly the house of Lannister, who might just be the best group of villains we can remember seeing on TV. In their number we have the king, who despite being called a Baratheon, is Lannister through and through as he’s the incestuous son of his mother and her brother. Yep, we know, it’s gross.
Cersei, his mother and the Queen Regent might not be quite as vindictive and sadistic as her son, but she makes up for it in sheer spite and malicious intent. Her brother and lover Jaime is currently on his way back to his family, after being released from capture by Cat Stark under false pretences, and is a wickedly dangerous swordsman with no morals.
The Loose Cannons
This list is headed up by Daenerys Targaryen, the only character who might actually have a legitimate claim to the throne. The last of her family, she’s more than a little angry about how the world’s treated her and is intent to make everyone pay who gets between her and the throne. Clever, resourceful and with a trio of dragons at her disposal, she makes for an imperious force.
Next up we have Stannis Baratheon, the ruthless but rather dull brother to the old king who wants to sit on the throne. He’s a man who might have gotten in over his head though, after teaming up with a mysterious fire priestess who’s not the most saintly of types.
The Wall And Beyond
Whilst all this is going on however, we also have a completely different story taking place on ‘The Wall’ and in the wintery wastes that lie beyond it. Here we follow Jon Snow, the illegitimate child of Ned Stark as he joins ‘The Nights Watch’ a group that defends Westeros from all the nasty things that might lie beyond a rather large wall they’ve erected.
This year we’ll see John dealing with ‘The Wildlings’ who live beyond The Wall and the deadly ‘Whitewalkers’ that could spell the end for them all.
Hopefully that’s made all this a little clearer for anyone wanting to jump into the show at this point, although we do highly recommend that you do a little marathon and watch the first two series. It’s definitely worth it.
Game Of Thrones starts again this Sunday on HBO in America and this Monday on Sky Atlantic in the UK.
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