Game of Thrones season 4, episode 1 finally airs tonight! Here is everything you need to know about the season premiere, titled “Two Swords.”
Update: Read our recap of tonight’s episode now!
HBO’s epic fantasy drama at last returns tonight – and things are only going to get more epic. Game of Thrones season 4, episode 1, titled “Two Swords,” will plunge viewers back into the intrigue and excitement that we have learned to expect from the wild world of Westeros.
What happened last season on ‘Game of Thrones’?
Quite a lot.
Tyrion Lannister struggled to re-assert himself in the King’s Landing political scene while his father Tywin took over as Hand of the King. With Joffery ready to marry Margaery Tyrell, Tywin forced Tyrion to marry Sansa Stark, and betrothed Cersei to Loras Tyrell to solidify the Lannister-Tyrell alliance.
Almost nobody was happy about these arrangements.
Also unhappy was Jaime Lannister, who had his right hand cut off while being returned to King’s Landing by Brienne of Tarth. (He did become slightly less of an asshole, though.) Also in the Riverlands, Arya Stark was taken hostage by Beric Dondarrion’s Brotherhood Without Banners, but was soon kidnapped by Sandor Clegane.
Up in the North, Jon Snow infiltrated the wildlings and got jiggy with Ygritte, but then betrayed them to return to the Night’s Watch. Unfortunately, the Watch is in a bad state, as Lord Commander Mormont was murdered by his own men in Craster’s Keep. Luckily, Samwell Tarly managed to escape with his wildling not-girlfriend Gilly, and her infant son. Sam also figured out how to kill White Walkers with dragonglass blades.
At the same time, Theon Greyjoy was tortured to insanity by Ramsay Snow, the bastard son of Roose Bolton. He is forced to call himself “Reek” because Ramsay is a freaking psychopath.
Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen met up with Ser Barristan Selmy and a flirty sellsword named Daario Noharis. She stole an army of Unsullied slave soldiers from the city of Astapor, and then beat the crap out of Yunkai. Now she is headed toward Meereen, watching her three dragons grow more fearsome by the day.
Also, Robb Stark, his wife Talisa, Catelyn Stark, and pretty much the entire Stark-Tully host were all slaughtered by the Frey family at literally the worst wedding ever.
What’s happening tonight?
The official synopsis for Game of Thrones season 4, episode 1 says:
Tyrion welcomes a guest to King’s Landing. At Castle Black, Jon Snow finds himself unwelcome. Dany is pointed to Meereen, the mother of all slave cities. Arya runs into an old friend.
And a new preview for “Two Swords” makes it clear that the action kicks off right from the start.
Still images also give us a hint at the main players in tonight’s episode.
Before Game of Thrones season 4, episode 1 begins, test out your Thrones-IQ in our quiz on the first three seasons! Also check out our unspoiled predictions for season 4, and – if you’ve read A Song of Ice and Fire – read up on the book-to-screen changes we are most excited to see!
Game of Thrones season 4, episode 1, “Two Swords,” airs tonight at 9:00 p.m. on HBO.