"Two Swords" is the first episode of the fourth season of Game of Thrones. It is the thirty-first episode of the series overall. It premiered on April 6, 2014. It was written and directed by executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
Plot
Template:S04E01 Synopsis
Summary
In King's Landing
Tywin Lannister has the ancestral Stark Valyrian steel greatsword Ice melted down into two smaller swords. He then presents one of the swords to his son Jaime Lannister as a gift. Jaime is very impressed by the sword and asks how he forged a Valyrian steel sword. Tywin says a blacksmith from Volantis, one of only three men in the world who can forge Valyrian steel, did so at Tywin's invitation. Tywin then orders Jaime to return home to Casterly Rock, but Jaime refuses and insists on serving in the Kingsguard with only one hand.
Tyrion Lannister, Bronn, and Podrick Payne wait on a road outside the city for the arrival of Doran Martell, who is traveling from Dorne for the royal wedding. Tyrion quizzes Bronn on the sigils of the Dornish houses, none of which he knows, however Podrick answers perfectly. Lord Blackmont approaches them on horseback and says Prince Doran is in poor health and remained at Sunspear. Doran's brother, Oberyn Martell, will be attending the wedding in his stead, and arrived before dawn.
Prince Oberyn and his bastard paramour Ellaria Sand are examining prostitutes in a brothel owned by Petyr Baelish, but currently managed by Olyver, as Lord Baelish has left the capital for The Vale. They choose the contortionist Kayla, and Oberyn orders Olyver to get undressed also. Oberyn suddenly becomes enraged when he hears men singing The Rains of Castamere. He confronts two Lannister soldiers in another room. One of them reaches for his sword, and Oberyn stabs him through the wrist with a dagger. Tyrion and Bronn then enter, and Oberyn and Tyrion step outside to speak privately. Oberyn says he seeks revenge for the murder of his niece Rhaenys, his nephew Aegon, and the rape and murder of his sister Elia during Robert's Rebellion.
Across the Narrow Sea
Daenerys Targaryen sits near the sea with her three dragons, each one about the size of a small horse. Daenerys strokes Drogon's head, while Rhaegal and Viserion fight over a dead lamb, Drogon joins the fight. His mother tries to calm him down, and without warning, Drogon snaps at her with a hiss; a warning to not interfere. He then roars and goes to contest the kill.
Drogon Snarls a warning at his mother; Do not interfere.
This act, that her own children would threaten her, and that they are outgrowing her influence and ability to reign them, leave Daenerys visibly shocked and shacken. Jorah Mormont approaches and tells her that dragons can never be tamed.
Daenerys returns to her Unsullied army to resume the march to Meereen. She notices Grey Worm and Daario Naharis are absent and sets out to find them after being told they are "gambling". She finds the two men sitting face-to-face holding their swords in front of them. Daario explains they are deciding on which of them will ride up front with her in the vanguard. Frustrated, Daenerys states that the honor goes to Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan as they did not keep her waiting all morning. She orders the two men to ride at the back with the livestock. She also adds that the last man holding his sword shall find a new queen to fight for and both men immediately drop their weapons.
Production
Cast
Cast notes
- 18 of 25 cast members for the fourth season appear in this episode.
- Starring cast members Aidan Gillen (Petyr Baelish), Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth), Stephen Dillane (Stannis Baratheon), Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Isaac Hempstead-Wright (Bran Stark), Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Conleth Hill (Varys) are not credited and do not appear in this episode.
Appearances
- Main: Two Swords/Appearances
First
- Prince Oberyn Martell
- Ellaria Sand
- Blackmont
- Deziel Dalt
- Styr, Magnar of Thenn
- Lowell
- Morgan
Deaths
Notes
- Elia Martell, wife of Rhaegar Targaryen, has not been mentioned by name in previous seasons (though her story is detailed in the "Histories & Lore" animated Blu-ray featurettes). After Rhaegar was killed and Tywin's army sacked King's Landing, his soldiers killed Rhaegar's young daughter and infant son (Daenerys's niece and nephew as well as Oberyn's), and Ser Gregor Clegane personally raped and killed Princess Elia. Ser Gregor was never punished. In the books, what happened to Elia and her children was fully explained in the first novel. In the aftermath of the Red Wedding (corresponding to the Small Council scene in the Season 3 finale), Tywin is surprised that the Freys killed Catelyn Stark, because he wanted her taken alive. Tyrion then brings up that Elia Martell was also supposed to be taken alive when Tywin's army sacked King's Landing. Outside of the animated featurettes, the TV series itself has only mentioned it in passing on a few occasions: in Season 1's "Baelor" when Maester Aemon explains that he was a Targaryen and his outrage that the Lannisters killed his family, "even the little children", and then in Season 3's "Kissed by Fire" when Thoros of Myr remarks that he saw the butchered royal children in the aftermath of the sacking of the city.
- Despite appearing in the opening credits, Dragonstone, the Dreadfort, Winterfell, and Meereen do not appear in the episode; Meereen's associated storyline (that of Daenerys) is the only one to be featured.
- At one point Sandor Clegane says "A man's got to have a code" to Arya. This quote is a reference to the tagline of Omar Little, a character from the HBO series "The Wire".
In the books
Memorable quotes
Prince Oberyn Martell: "If the Mountain killed my sister, then your father gave the order. Tell your father I'm here. Tell him the Lannisters aren't the only ones who pay their debts."
Image gallery
