First of His Name

"First of His Name" is the fifth episode of the fourth season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 35th overall. The episode was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss,^[1] and directed by Michelle MacLaren.^[2] It aired on May 4, 2014.^[3]

The title of the episode refers a phrase used during Tommen Baratheon's coronation as king. A similar style is used by Daenerys Targaryen styling herself Queen in Meereen. Each of them are the first claimant to the Throne of the Seven Kingdoms to use that name.

Plot

In King's Landing

Tommen Baratheon (Dean-Charles Chapman) is crowned as king. Afterward, Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) and Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) talk about Joffrey's nature, and how Tommen may be the first truly deserving king Westeros has had in decades. In council with her father Tywin (Charles Dance), Cersei decides that Tommen and Margaery will marry in a fortnight. They also make plans for Cersei's wedding to Loras Tyrell (Finn Jones), and discuss how the gold mines in the Westerlands have run dry. Tywin tells Cersei that the crown is deeply indebted to the Iron Bank of Braavos, and that the union of the houses of Lannister and Tyrell will help rectify this problem. Cersei also tries to influence Tywin into declaring Tyrion guilty in his upcoming trial. In the gardens, Cersei speaks to Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal) about her daughter, Myrcella Baratheon. She asks him to bring a ship back to Sunspear as a gift for Myrcella, which he agrees to do.

In the Vale

Lord Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen) and Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) arrive in the Vale of Arryn. At the Bloody Gate, he tells Ser Donnel Waynwood (Alisdair Simpson) that Sansa's name is Alayne, hiding her true identity as she is still wanted in King's Landing for Joffrey's murder. Upon their arrival they are received by Lady Lysa Arryn (Kate Dickie) and her son, Robin (Lino Facioli). Lysa is aware of Sansa's true identity, and has Robin show her to her chamber. When they have gone, Lysa expresses her desire to marry Petyr that day, and speaks of what she has done for him, including poisoning her previous husband, Lord Jon Arryn, and accusing Lannisters in her letter to Catelyn. In order to quiet her, Petyr agrees to marry her as soon as possible. At night, Lysa and Sansa talk about Catelyn, and how Petyr loved her. Their conversation grows tense, with Lysa accusing Sansa of having seduced Petyr, but is eventually convinced by Sansa that she is a virgin and that Baelish feels little but contempt for Sansa. Lysa tells Sansa that, once Tyrion Lannister has been executed, she will be married to Robin.

In Meereen

News of Joffrey's death reaches Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). At a meeting with her council, Daario Naharis (Michiel Huisman) announces that his forces have taken the Meereenese navy, and Daenerys expresses her desire to use the ships to invade Westeros. While her advisers are optimistic about her chances of seizing King's Landing, Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) warns her that may not be enough to conquer the Seven Kingdoms. He also informs Daenerys that both Astapor and Yunkai have fallen back into old habits, with Yunkai again being ruled by slavers and Astapor now being ruled by a self-declared "imperial majesty". After seeking advice from Jorah, she tells him that instead of sailing to Westeros, she intends to stay for now to rule Slaver's Bay.

On the Kingsroad

Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) and her squire, Podrick Payne (Daniel Portman), ride toward the Wall, believing they may find Sansa there with Jon Snow. At camp, Brienne scolds Podrick for not knowing how to cook or do a squire's proper duties. When asked what he did for Tyrion, Podrick tells her that he once killed a knight of the Kingsguard to protect Tyrion during the Battle of the Blackwater. Impressed, Brienne finally relents by letting Podrick assist her with her armor.

In the Riverlands

Arya (Maisie Williams) and Sandor "the Hound" Clegane (Rory McCann) discuss her ritualistic reciting of the names of people she intends to kill and Gregor "the Mountain" Clegane's appearance on the list. Arya reveals that the Hound's name is on her list as well. In the morning, the Hound finds Arya training with her sword. He insults her swordplay and the man who taught it to her, Syrio Forel, expressing incredulity that Forel was killed by a fighter as weak as Ser Meryn Trant. The Hound challenges Arya to demonstrate her abilities by attacking him, but his armor easily repels her jab and he knocks her to the ground, telling her that her fighting style is useless against armored opponents.

Beyond the Wall

Locke (Noah Taylor) scouts Craster's Keep, and witnesses Rast (Luke Barnes) beating one of Craster's former wives. When he sneaks inside the encampment, he sees Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and his group held captive in a small hut. When Locke returns to the group led by Jon Snow (Kit Harington), he counsels that they should strike soon, as the mutineers are drunk. However, he lies that the hut where Bran is imprisoned contains dogs which will give the alarm if the group ventures too close. Jon informs his group that they will attack the Keep at sundown.

Later, Karl Tanner (Burn Gorman) enters the hut and attempts to rape Meera Reed (Ellie Kendrick), but Jojen Reed (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) stalls him by revealing his greenseeing abilities and taunting Karl that he has foreseen Karl's body burning. Shouting outside draws Karl away as Jon's group arrives to attack the mutineers. A battle ensues in which several mutineers are killed. Locke slips away from the fight unnoticed to see to Bran and his friends. He cuts Bran's ties and his leg, appearing threatening as he picks him up to take him away; Bran uses his warg abilities to enter Hodor's (Kristian Nairn) mind and have Hodor pull free of his chains as Locke carries him outside. Bran, now using Hodor's body, chases down Locke and kills him by snapping his neck. He then returns to his own body and instructs Hodor to free Jojen and Meera, as well as the captive direwolves. Though Bran wishes to reunite with Jon, Jojen tells him that Jon will try to stop his journey north, and the group departs the encampment unseen.

Jon enters the Keep and fights Karl. Though Karl nearly kills Jon due to his dirty fighting style, he is distracted by one of Craster's widows stabbing him in the back. Turning to kill her, Karl is suddenly killed himself as Jon shoves his sword through the back of Karl's head and out his mouth. While counting the dead, Edd (Ben Crompton) notices that Rast is missing. Rast has fled through the woods, but is killed by Jon's direwolf Ghost before the latter returns to his master. Jon asks Craster's wives to come to the Wall, but they decline his offer, due to their mistrust of the Night's Watch. Jon and the Night's Watch then burn Craster's Keep and the bodies of the dead, ensuring that they can't be resurrected as wights.

Production

Writing

The episode was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss.

"First of His Name" was written by executive producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, based upon the source material, Martin's A Storm of Swords. Chapters adapted from A Storm of Swords to the episode were chapters 68 and 71 (Sansa VI and Daenerys VI).^[4] It also covers part of the fourth novel, A Feast of Crows: namely chapter 14 (Brienne III).^[4]

Casting

Kate Dickie (Lysa Arryn) and Lino Facioli (Robin Arryn) make return appearances after an absence of several years (since the first season).

Reception

Television ratings

"First of His Name" established a new series high in ratings, with 7.16 million people watching it during its first airing.^[5]

Critical reception

The episode received universal acclaim from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 100% of the episode's reviews on the site were positive. Its consensus reads: "Only slow by Game of Thrones standards, "First of His Name" demonstrates how carefully constructed this show has been since season one."^[6] Matt Fowler of IGN gave the episode a 9/10 writing that the episode "gave us a much-needed look back at some past events on the series." He highlighted the revelation that Littlefinger's actions "put the story of the entire series into motion."^[7] Erik Adams of The A.V. Club gave the episode an A and praised the writers for their focus on the female characters.^[8]

References

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: First of His Name

• "First of His Name" at HBO.com
• "First of His Name" at the Internet Movie Database
• "First of His Name" at TV.com