"A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms", the second episode in Game of Thrones' final season, helped to set the stage for what promises to be the show's biggest battle yet. While some thought the episode was too slow for the shortened season, many praised its character interactions and quieter moments before the bloodshed begins.
As with any episode of Game of Thrones at this point, there is a lot to unpack with "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms". The show seems to be having a lot of fun this season with its callbacks and Easter eggs for fans to enjoy. But with so much going on, it's understandable if you didn’t catch everything. Here are some of the things you might have missed in Episode 2 of Game of Thrones’ final season.
Preparing For Battle
The new opening credits have been a fun change for this season. While the credits have always helped to give us a better understanding of Westeros' geography and introduce new locations, the new credit sequence is going into even more detail.
Along with showing the new, very large hole in the Wall, the credits now include white tiles indicating the White Walkers' march through Westeros. As those tiles move closer to Winterfell, we can see the heroes preparing for battle. The credits show trenches and battlements ready to defend the castle. It will be interesting to see how the credits change after the next episode.
The Seat Of Power
It would be an understatement to say that there was been a bit of a power struggle occurring at Winterfell since Daenerys arrived. Though she has been declared Queen by the King in the North, Sansa and other Northern leaders have been reluctant to acknowledge that power. This caused Daenerys to be a bit more aggressive.
In the first episode when they addressed the gathered lords, Jon was seated in Winterfell’s seat of power with Daenerys and Sansa on either side. However, this time around, when it comes to the trial of Jamie Lannister, Daenerys is front-and-center, cementing her place as ruler.
The Things We Do For Love
One of the most anticipated reunions in the show was between Jaime Lannister and Bran Stark. Unlike some of the other heartwarming reunions we’ve seen, this was one wrought with tension. After all, Jaime did push Bran out of a window last time they saw each other.
Bran may not be the same boy he once was, but that doesn’t stop him from making Jaime sweat a little. His line “The things we do for love” is a callback to Jaime’s words before trying to kill Bran. They have been words that have defined Jaime and his actions, and this may have been Bran’s way of saying that he understands.
Tyrion’s Death Wish
With the White Walkers closing in on Winterfell, death looms over everyone. It seems pretty much every character there has fully accepted that they are soon going to meet their end. Tyrion Lannister certainly seems to have come to terms with it, addressing the situation with his trademark wit.
As he and Jaime discuss their grim prospects, Tyrion wishes for a more peaceful death with "a belly full of wine and a girl’s mouth around my c***." This is the same wish Tyrion told to the mountain tribes when he encountered them and, judging by Jaime's knowing reaction, he's used this line a few more times before.
Davos And Gilly Remember Their Teacher
One of the joins of the episode was discovering or remembering shared connections between characters that have never met before. Though Davos Seaworth and Gilly were housed at Castle Black for a short time together, we have never seen them interact. But a sweet moment reminded us of one person they did share in common.
As they prepare the troops, Davos and Gilly meet a young girl with a scarred face similar to Shireen. Fans might have forgotten that these two characters were separately taught how to read by the young Baratheon girl. Though they never make the connection between them, they each share a moment remembering the kind girl.
Joining Of The Houses
Way back in the very first episode of Game of Thrones, Robert Baratheon visits Winterfell to convince Ned Stark to become his Hand of the King. To solidify their allegiance, Robert proposed his son (Joffrey) weds daughter (Sansa) to join their houses.
We all know how poorly the Joffrey/Sansa romance ended, but all these years later, back at Winterfell, Robert’s wish actually sort of came true. Arya Stark and Robert’s bastard son, Gendry, finally consummated their mutual attraction. While this will likely not have any effect on who sits the Iron Throne, it is interesting how the joining of the houses came down to these unexpected characters.
Two Halves Of Ned Stark’s Sword
The Lannisters really know how to add insult to injury. When Joffrey sentenced Ned Stark to death, few people noticed that the sword that was used to cut off his head was actually the Starks’ own ancestral sword, Ice. To make things worse, Tywin Lannister later had the Valyrian steel sword melted down into two swords for Joffrey and Jaime.
As painful as it was to see that happen, it turns out there is a happy ending. After Jaime gave his sword Oathkeeper to Brienne, he took Joffrey’s sword, Widow’s Wail as his own. Now with the two reunited, the two halves of Ned Stark’s sword have been reunited to protect Winterfell.
White Walkers And Dragonfire
As our heroes plan for their battle against the Night King’s army, it seems as though the dragons will play a big part of their defense. We’ve seen that the dragonfire can be very effective against the wight’s, there seems to be some doubt about if it can be used to kill White Walkers.
Bran states that no one has attempted to kill White Walkers with dragonfire, but in Season 7’s “Beyond the Wall” seemed to show the Night King walk through dragonfire with no harm. This might have been something the show overlooked, but it may be setting up the fact that the Night King can withstand dragonfire.
Tormund’s Love Life
As dramatic and foreboding as the episode was, it did have a fair bit of humor to lighten things up. Certainly, the funniest moment was Tormund Giantsbane’s epic tale of how he earned his nickname.
His bizarre love story might seem like it came out of nowhere, but this actually not the first time he’s told such a tale. Back in Season 3, Tormund annoys Ygritte with an equally ridiculous (though potentially true) story of his mating with a bear.
Pod’s Sad Song
At the end of the episode, we are treated to Podrick Payne’s lovely singing of a melancholy song as we see various characters sharing quiet moments together.
The song, known as “Jenny’s Song,” comes from the books though it was expanded for the show. The song is about Jenny of Oldstone and her memory of all those she loved who had died. In the books, the song is used as payment for a witch who tells prophecies. This is the one responsible for the famous “Prince Who Was Promised” prophecy. It’s interesting then that the song should end on Daenerys and Jon, the two characters who best fit this prophecy. The show could be suggesting one is doomed while the other is doomed to remember them.