Blackwater

This page is about the episode. For other uses, see: Blackwater (disambiguation)

Blackwater
Game of Thrones
Season 2
Episode 9
Episode information
Air date	May 27, 2012
Run time	55 minutes
Written by	George R.R. Martin
Directed by	Neil Marshall
Chronological information
Year	299 AC
← Previous	"The Prince of Winterfell"
Next →	"Valar Morghulis"

"Blackwater" is the ninth episode of the second season of Game of Thrones. It is the nineteenth episode of the series overall. It premiered on May 27, 2012 on HBO. It was written by George R.R. Martin and directed by Neil Marshall.

Premise

Tyrion and the Lannisters fight for their lives as Stannis' fleet assaults King's Landing.

Synopsis

In King's Landing

Bronn singing with the Lannister soldiers

Tyrion Lannister leads the defense of King's Landing against an assault by King Stannis Baratheon in the Battle of the Blackwater. He spends the night before the expected siege in bed with Shae, telling her she can still leave the city, but she stays loyal to him. Tyrion has Varys provide him with a map of the tunnel network beneath the city. Varys tells Tyrion that he is all that stands between them and defeat. Bronn drinks with the Lannister men and has a confrontation with Sandor Clegane.

Bronn fires the arrow that triggers the wildfire explosion.

Stannis plans a naval assault aiming to overcome the city's small defensive fleet and land his troops at the walls of the city near the Mud Gate, unaware of Tyrion's plan. From the battlements, Joffrey berates Tyrion, demanding to know why his ships are not meeting Stannis's fleet. Tyrion has anticipated his strategy and does not field his fleet. Instead he sends a single ship filled with wildfire into the heart of Stannis's fleet, leaking the volatile substance over the surface of the water. Bronn has been awaiting Tyrion's signal outside the city on the shores of the bay, and when Tyrion drops a torch from the battlements, Bronn fires a flaming arrow triggering a massive explosion. The ensuing conflagration devastates Stannis's fleet and destroys the ship of Davos Seaworth, as well as killing Davos's son Matthos.

Sandor breaks down.

Stannis responds by putting his men ashore inside row boats, landing further from the walls to avoid the still-burning inner bay. With less protection for his troops he predicts that thousands will die. He leads the assault personally and is the first to reach the walls. Tyrion orders Sandor to lead a sortie beyond the Mud Gate to repel the attackers. The Hound does as he is asked but is terrified and demoralized by the fire. Ser Lancel Lannister accompanies him and is wounded by an arrow. Bronn joins the fight in time to save the Hound, who is petrified by fear at the sight of burning men. The Hound retreats after losing half of his men and refuses to go out again. He demands wine and walks away from the battle and his place in the Kingsguard, after saying in the presence of all, including the king, "Fuck the Kingsguard. Fuck the city. Fuck the king."

Queen Regent Cersei Lannister offers protection to the ladies of the court in Maegor's Holdfast. She was previously given essence of nightshade (which was explained as "calming" with one drop in wine; will send one into a deep sleep with three drops, and with ten drops is lethal) by Grand Maester Pycelle and keeps the headsman Ser Ilyn Payne at her side at all times, preparing for the worst. She drinks wine heavily during the assault and seems to simultaneously torment and mother her captive, Sansa Stark, with matter-of-fact descriptions of the rapes that will occur if the city should fall. She also begins to question Shae, who seems to her perhaps an unlikely handmaiden. When Lancel comes to tell her that Stannis has reached the walls, Cersei orders him to bring Joffrey back to the Red Keep, ignoring his protests that it would damage morale.

Tyrion rallies the troops

Joffrey willingly leaves the defensive line with Lancel and charges Ser Mandon Moore and Ser Boros Blount of the Kingsguard to fight in the king's name. The gold cloaks' morale is broken by his departure. Tyrion steels himself to lead a sortie of his own; he rallies his men by telling them that if not for their king, kingdom, glory, or riches, to fight for their city, their homes, and their women, and gives them a final boost of morale by confidently saying "Those are brave men knocking at our door. Let's go kill them!" He leads his men through the tunnels beneath the city and is able to defeat Stannis's troops manning a battering ram at the Mud Gate. Tyrion is betrayed by Ser Mandon while fighting against a group of reinforcements: Mandon attacks Tyrion with the intent of killing him but misjudges the distance and only slashes Tyrion across the surface of his face with his sword. Before he can strike Tyrion again, Tyrion's squire Podrick Payne kills Ser Mandon from behind with his spear. Tyrion, barely conscious and held by Podrick, watches a battle that seems lost before losing consciousness.

Lancel wounded by arrow to shoulder

Lancel returns to Cersei to warn that they are defeated unless Joffrey returns. When Lancel tries to be firm with her, Cersei ignores his counsel, pushes him out of the way (deliberately causing him pain by hitting his injured side), and storms out.

Sansa tries to keep up the morale of the other women, frightened by Cersei's sudden departure. She leads the sheltered noblewomen in singing the Mother's hymn. Shae tells Sansa to go to her chambers, lock herself in, and await Stannis, as he would not harm her but Ser Ilyn might.

Sansa finds the Hound waiting in her room. He offers to take her north to Winterfell, but she says she will be safe there when Stannis takes the throne. The Hound scares Sansa, but tells her to look at him, saying that since the world is made up of killers like Stannis, her father, her brother Robb, and he himself, she better get used to looking at them. Though he promises to protect her, she is still too afraid of him to go with him.

Cersei and Tommen sit on the Iron Throne as the battle rages.

Cersei has taken Tommen to the throne room. She sits with him on the Iron Throne, and tells him a story about a young lion and how he did not need to fear other beasts of the forest, the wolf and the stag. As she does this, she readies a lethal dose of essence of nightshade for herself and for her son.

Tywin and Loras lead their victorious forces into the throne room.

The forces of Tywin Lannister and his new allies in House Tyrell join the battle. Their cavalry charge is led by a warrior dressed in the armor of Renly Baratheon and he decimates Stannis's army. The survivors flee to their ships. Stannis is dragged from the battle by his guards, screaming for his men to stand and fight. Tyrion collapses into unconsciousness as the battle turns in the Crown's favor. Tywin enters the throne room and announces their victory, just in time to stop Cersei from killing Tommen. Ser Loras Tyrell reveals himself as the knight wearing Renly's armor.

Appearances

Main page: Blackwater/Appearances

Firsts Ser Boros Blount (first identified) Ser Imry Florent

Deaths Matthos Seaworth Ser Mandon Moore

Cast

Starring Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister Charles Dance as Lord Tywin Lannister Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth Jack Gleeson as King Joffrey Baratheon Sophie Turner as Princess Sansa Stark Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane Stephen Dillane as Lord Stannis Baratheon Jerome Flynn as Bronn Conleth Hill as Lord Varys Sibel Kekilli as Shae

Guest starring Roy Dotrice as Wisdom Hallyne Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle Eugene Simon as Ser Lancel Lannister Kerr Logan as Matthos Seaworth Finn Jones as Ser Loras Tyrell Sahara Knite as Armeca Tony Way as Dontos Hollard Wilko Johnson as Ser Ilyn Payne Stephen Swift as a singing Lannister soldier Callum Wharry as Prince Tommen Baratheon Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne Gordon Mahn as Ser Imry Florent James Doran as Ser Mandon Moore Kieran Cunningham as a Baratheon officer Michael Grennell as the captain of the archers Uncredited Robert Atkinson as a Baratheon archer Hugh Irvine as a Lannister archer Graeme Peacock as a market trader Darran Watt as a soldier

Notes

• 11 of 25 cast members for the second season appear in this episode.
• Starring cast members Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), James Cosmo (Jeor Mormont), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell), Michelle Fairley (Catelyn Stark), Aidan Gillen (Petyr Baelish), Iain Glen (Jorah Mormont), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Isaac Hempstead-Wright (Bran Stark), Richard Madden (Robb Stark), Carice van Houten (Melisandre), and Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), are not credited and do not appear in this episode.
• Rory McCann is credited ahead of Sibel Kekilli when he was credited after her when they last appeared together in "The Prince of Winterfell."
• Rory McCann is credited ahead of Stephen Dillane and Jerome Flynn when he was credited after them when they last appeared together in "Garden of Bones."
• Jack Gleeson is credited ahead of Sophie Turner when he was credited after her when they last appeared together in "The Old Gods and the New."
• Ashley Beck, Ferenc Berecz, Nick Chopping, Stuart Clark, Jonathan Cohen, Rob Cooper, Ben Dimmock, Richard Dwyer, Jamie Edgell, Balázs Farkas, Jozsef Fodor, David Forman, Stuart Frift, David Garrick, James Grogan, Mark Franklin Henson, Paul Herbert, Gergö Horpácsi, Paul Howell, Tolga Kenan, László Kósa, Norbert Kovács, Mike Lambert, Akos Lenkei, Guy List, Michelle McKeown, Erol Mehmet, Rory Mulroe, Camilla Naprous, Daniel Naprous, Chris Newton, David Newton, Ray Nicholas, James O'Donnell, Domonkos Pardanyi, Andy Pilgrim, Marcus Shakesheff, Matt Sherren, C.C. Smiff, Shane Steyn, Matthew Stirling, Gabor Szeman, Roy Taylor, and Steen Young were stunt performers in this episode.

Quotes

Joffrey Baratheon: "Dog, I command you to go back out there and fight!"

Tyrion Lannister: "You're Kingsguard, Clegane. We must beat them back, or they're going to take this city! Your King's city!"

Sandor Clegane: "Fuck the Kingsguard. Fuck the city. Fuck the king."

— Sandor Clegane forsakes his vows and leaves the battle.

"Any man dies with a clean sword, I'll rape his fucking corpse!"

―Sandor Clegane

"The gods have no mercy, that's why they're gods."

―Cersei Lannister

"Tears aren't a woman's only weapon. The best one's between your legs."

―Cersei Lannister

"Those are brave men knocking at our door, let's go kill them!"

―Tyrion Lannister

"Someone bring me a drink. Fuck the water, bring me wine."

―Sandor Clegane

"The worst ones always live."

―Sansa Stark regarding Joffrey Baratheon

"I'm entirely sure you're entirely sure what I'm suggesting."

―Tyrion Lannister to Varys

"That would make me the quarter man, and that just does not have the same ring to it."

―Tyrion Lannister after Joffrey Baratheon threatens to have him chopped in half.

"Don't feel sorry for him, he'll be half-way up your ass before the night's through."

―Bronn to Armeca, referring to his nose.

"Come with me and take this city!"

―Stannis Baratheon

Behind the scenes

A promotional poster released by HBO to especially promote this episode.

• The episode is named after the Blackwater Rush. The battle takes place where the Blackwater Rush pours its waters into Blackwater Bay.
• This is the second episode of the series written by George R.R. Martin, the writer of the novels, following on from "The Pointy End" in the first season. It was also the first episode of the second season to be named, with Martin revealing the name "Blackwater" in a blog post on June 1, 2011, a year before broadcasting.
• George R.R. Martin especially announced on his blog that director Neil Marshall would be helming this episode, noting that he was a fan of Marshall's feature film work, particularly the 2005 horror film The Descent.
• It was reported that co-executive producer Vince Gerardis had said that the titular and iconic Battle of the Blackwater will take up 16 minutes of the finished episode. However, this was later corrected to a general statement that it takes up a notable portion of the episode and is impressive, but likely not as impressive as some fans would like it to be.
• Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were disappointed at not being able to film the large-scale battle on the Green Fork in Season 1, so always planned to shoot the Battle of the Blackwater. At one stage budgetary restrictions made it look like it would not be possible and the battle would have to take place off-screen, but the producers were able to convince HBO to provide a larger budget for the episode.
• Despite the larger budget and a creative decision to move the battle to the night, there was still not enough time or money to film the battle as depicted in the books. George R.R. Martin was aware of this and pared the battle down significantly in his script. However, it still retained several elements that the producers then had to remove to make the budget work.
• The original director for the episode pulled out due to his father being ill. Neil Marshall was a last-minute replacement, though the producers were familiar with his feature work. Marshall ended up adding more elements and sequences to the battle than the producers had envisioned after the script rewrites. Marshall has not read the books, but marathoned Season 1 for two weeks prior to the beginning of the month-long filming of the episode. According to Marshall, none of the specific instances of gore during the battle scenes were specifically written into the script (The Hound cutting a man in half, Stannis cutting the top of a man's head off), but were improvisations he was left to develop on his own.
• Marshall had a week and a half of prep before the start of shooting. Marshall was puzzled by the script, in which Stannis disappears once the fighting at the wall starts. The entire sequence of Stannis climbing the wall, fighting off the defenders and watching his army's defeat before being dragged from the field was added by Marshall.
• This episode had the largest budget and largest number of visual effects of any episode of Game of Thrones until the end of the fourth season with the episode "The Watchers on the Wall," which surpassed it as the series' most expensive episode.
• The song playing over the end credits is "The Rains of Castamere" performed by The National.^{[citation needed]}
• George R.R. Martin's original script featured both the chain and also large number of horses in the battle. The former was removed for budgetary reasons, and the latter for pacing.
  • Actually, Martin specifies in the Blu-ray commentary for this episode that the chain was never included even in the earliest drafts he wrote of this episode. Producers Benioff & Weiss told him right from the start that given all of the other expenses of the Battle of the Blackwater scenes (which had already broken their budget), they knew going in that the chain sequence was simply beyond their available price limit. Martin did include in the earliest draft a sequence from the books featuring three great trebuchets in the city known as the Three Whores, which Joffrey uses to launch Stannis-loyalists known as the Antler Men over the walls at the approaching army (they're called the "Antler Men" because in mockery Joffrey ordered his soldiers to physically nail deer antlers onto the men's heads, then shoot them over the walls as they're bleeding but still alive). Ultimately, the Three Whores and the Antler Men also had to be cut for budgetary reasons.^{[citation needed]}
• Martin also said in the Blu-ray commentary that Benioff and Weiss rewrote the dialogue in the final scene with Cersei and Tommen sitting on the Iron Throne, and he liked their revised version much more than what he had originally written.^{[citation needed]}
• Initially HBO asked the producers if they needed an extra $500,000 to film the battle. Benioff and Weiss ended up asking for $2,500,000, and got slightly more than $2,000,000. The conference call to discuss this was described as "intense."
• According to Martin's Blu-ray commentary, he didn't write the scene at the tavern before the battle between Bronn and Sandor Clegane. He enjoys this scene, which was written by Benioff and Weiss.^{[citation needed]}
• The scene where Cersei prepares to poison Tommen was inspired by Magda Goebbels poisoning her own children before committing suicide during the Battle of Berlin in World War II.
• Martin in the Blu-ray commentary for this episode, as well as Benioff and Weiss in their Blu-ray commentary two episodes prior in "A Man Without Honor", both stated that despite all of Sansa Stark's scenes in Season 2 involving severe beatings, rapes, and threats of violence, easily the scene actress Sophie Turner was most frightened of filming was the brief moment when she has to sing in front of everyone in this episode. All agreed that Turner had a good singing voice, and she only sang three lines from the Mother's hymn, but she was still quite terrified. Benioff and Weiss speculated that this was because while an attempted rape scene might seem scary to viewers, the actors rehearse the scene in so many alternate takes that they are no longer surprised by what is happening. In contrast, no matter how many takes are filmed, there is always the danger that you might perform badly while singing.^{[citation needed]}
• Benioff claimed that the battle at the end of the fourth season, the battle for the Wall, would dwarf the Battle of the Blackwater. He envisaged more complex negotiations to secure the budget for it.
• Cersei notes that Shae is from the Free City of Lorath, as she recognizes her accent from a Lorathi handmaiden she used to have. In the books, Shae isn't from the Free Cities, but is a camp follower from Westeros. The TV producers stated that they changed it so that when she is introduced in Season 1, Shae is stated to be "from the Free Cities" (they hadn't settled on which one yet) because they enjoyed the audition of actress Sibel Kekilli, but wanted to have some explanation for why she speaks with a German accent.^{[citation needed]}
• The episode won two Creative Arts Emmy Awards, for Sound Mixing and Sound Editing, in 2012. It went on to win the prestigious 2013 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form. Previously, Season 1 as a whole won the 2012 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form, but no individual episode was nominated for Short Form. Conversely, Season 2 was not nominated for Long Form at all, but "Blackwater" itself was nominated and won for Short Form, as the climactic episode of the season. Game of Thrones.^{[citation needed]}
• Dinklage deviated from the script when Tyrion says "I'll lead the attack", improvising that he says it under his breath first, in a moment of surprise and realization. D.B. Weiss said, "I think that that choice is such a smart choice. You can see the look of shock on his face that he's actually made this decision. It's at the crux of the question: Is Tyrion surprised by his own actions?"
• In a podcast interview with Empire magazine on June 1, 2012, Marshall was asked about the "sexposition" in the TV series: frequently invented scenes of predominately female nudity to serve as backdrop for exposition or dialogue. He recalled that an executive producer repeatedly urged him to add more full-frontal nudity during filming, for the pre-battle scene with Bronn and the Lannister soldiers at the brothel. Marshall felt that the scene didn't require full frontal nudity from the actress, and was distracting, and requested that they take it out. Marshall ultimately lost this disagreement and the full frontal nudity was put in. According to Marshall, this producer overruled his request by saying, "everyone else in the series [represents the] drama side. I represent the perv side of the audience, and I'm saying I want full frontal nudity in the scenes." Marshall described the meeting as "pretty surreal."
• In a subsequent interview, Rory McCann (Sandor Clegane) stated that showrunners Benioff and Weiss would disagree with the instructions that episode director Neil Marshall gave him on how to play several scenes in the episode, to the point that when Marshall wasn't around, they went behind his back and commanded McCann to ignore Marshall's instructions and play scenes the way they wanted him to. McCann followed the showrunners' commands, because as he put it, "You don't bite the hand that feeds you."

In the books

Main page: Differences in adaptation/Game of Thrones: Season 2#"Blackwater"

• The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Clash of Kings:
  • Chapter 57, Sansa V: Sansa talks with Tyrion; Joffrey then forces Sansa to kiss his sword immediately before the battle. She takes refuge with the women of the court in Maegor's Holdfast. Sansa and Cersei talk about why Ser Ilyn is present.
  • Chapter 58, Davos III: Davos sails towards King's Landing with the fleet behind him, their drums sounding the call to arms. The wildfire explosion throws Davos overboard.
  • Chapter 59, Tyrion XIII: Tyrion sees the destructive power of his wildfire. The Hound flees the battle. Tyrion decides to lead a counterattack.
  • Chapter 60, Sansa VI: Sansa and Cersei are talking when Ser Mandon Moore announces the capture of some traitors. Cersei commands Lancel to fetch Joffrey back to his chambers. She reveals that she lied about Ser Ilyn and says that he is there to ensure that Stannis will not take them alive.
  • Chapter 61, Tyrion XIV: Tyrion is attacked by Ser Mandon Moore in the midst of the battle. He is rescued by Podrick and passes out in the squire's arms. Stannis scales the castle walls.
  • Chapter 62, Sansa VII: Lancel tells Cersei that their troops are routing. She ignores his pleas to return Joffrey to the front and storms out of Maegor's Holdfast. Her guests panic and Sansa is left to calm them down. Sansa returns to her chamber where she is found by the Hound. He tells her that he is leaving.

Gallery

Videos

Game Of Thrones Season 2: Episode 19 - Battle Tease

Game Of Thrones Season 2: Episode 19 Preview

Game of Thrones: Season 2 - Episode 9 - War Of The Kings Trailer (HBO)

Game of Thrones: Season 2 - Episode 9 Recap (HBO)

Game of Thrones: Season 2 - Inside Episode 9

Game of Thrones Season 2: Episode 9 - Extreme Behavior (HBO)

Game of Thrones Season 2: Episode 9 - Flaming Arrows (HBO)

Game of Thrones Season 2: Episode 9 - The Throes of Battle (HBO)

Game of Thrones Season 2: Episode 9 - Turning Yellow (HBO)

Game of Thrones Season 2: Episode 9 - Unexpected Maturity (HBO)

Game of Thrones Season 2: Episode 9 - Kill, Rape or Protect (HBO)

Game of Thrones Season 2: Episode 9 - One-Way Ticket (HBO)

Game of Thrones Season 2: Episode 9 - On the Same Side (HBO)

Game of Thrones Season 2: Episode 9 - Do or Die (HBO)

Images

A promotional image of Davos in "Blackwater."

A promotional image of Joffrey in "Blackwater."

A promotional image of Cersei and Tommen in "Blackwater."

A promotional image of Stannis in "Blackwater."

A promotional image of Tyrion in "Blackwater."

A promotional image of Tyrion in "Blackwater."

External links

• Blackwater (TV) on A Wiki of Ice and Fire
• Blackwater on HBO
• Blackwater on IMDb
• Blackwater (Game of Thrones) on Wikipedia