Game of Thrones begins....

[Siege]

Bronn doesn't look too swordy.
He makes a couple mistakes that would have cost him his life in a real fight.
He let himself to get forced his back against the hole.
Vardis only had to keep the momentum to make Bronn fly.

Vardis sucks more. With shield and sword he could have easily double swinged Bronn out of balance.
Shields aint just something you hold up so the other dude can slam his sword into it.
Shields are an offensive weapon as well, a battering ram or blunting edge.
Even big kite-shields.

Some tips about swordfighting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Ms9RMH7IA&feature=related

[The Larch]

http://winteriscoming.net/2012/03/six-clips-from-ep-11-the-north-remembers/

Six preview clips from the first episode of the 2nd season have been made available. Enjoy!

Wans't Ser Cleos Frey a little too young, though?

That character is not Cleos Frey, but a brand new Lannister that doesn't appear in the books.

that's always a bad sign

This season will feature a few more profound deviations from the books than that, introducing new minor characters (or changing the names of others, as already happened in season one) won't be a big deal in comparison.

[Siege]

Yeah I forgot about the leeches.  And it does appear that the red religion is the only real religion at this point, or one capable of.....doing things.

The Old Gods have done stuff, peeping tom stuff, but stuff still. Now with Dragons born magic returns. The Alchemists comment on this as well as Melisandre when she has a pov with her preparing her powders.

Magic is connected to the Wall and Dragons. The faith of the seven has hid behind the wall for thousands of years and dragon free for thousands of years until the arrival of the targaryens. So I don't expect that they are very magic friendly. The Maesters do study it, but have given up on it for the most part (probably due to the lack of dragons and others).

I disagree that Westeros have been Dragon free for thousands of years. Daenerys is at the Slavers Bay, farther away than Valyria was from Westeros, yet her dragons have a huge influence on magic and alchemy in Westeros. Since The Doom of Valyria happened 500 years before the books, and after the Doom the Targaryens had dragons at Dragonstone, therefore it is implied that Westeros have been always under the influence of Dragons.

[The Larch]

It is well documented in the books that the last Targaryen dragons died out a couple hundred years before the action of the novels. They're not within living memory but they're a historical certainty, not some kind of legendary creatures.

[The Larch]

And a couple more videos with the new stuff from the second season:

New Characters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWF929rlw10

New Locations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipovPvkOnFc

And an incredibly cheesy montage  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2lzmHXcvR0

[Viking]

That character is not Cleos Frey, but a brand new Lannister that doesn't appear in the books.

Cleos Frey is being Replaced by Alton Lannister. Played by this guy


Karl Davies

I presume they renamed the character to avoid the need to explain why a Frey (nominally Stark allies) was on the Lannister side. Apparently it it too complex to get in the exchange "Since my father Eamonn Frey was married to Tywins sister Genna he sided with the Lannisters over with siding with his father and elder brother Stevron" <brienne scowls at him showing obvious dissaproval, but before she can open her mouth Cleos continues> "It's not like we are the only ones doing it, Balon Swan is in the Kings guard while his brother Donnel is with Renly at Bitterbridge. I'm sure if Lord Gulian had a third son we would have seen him at Riverrun."

Since Cleos' fate is ultimately not supremely relevant to many others than himself and his mother and father. The problem is that with Ser Stevron dead at Oxcross Eamonn is first in line to the Twins and presumably will have Lannister backing for that seat as well (though with Cersei in charge she might try and give the title to a Kettleblack or Qyburn). How Black Walder or Lame Lothar deal with him is still up for discussion; and how they get at him behind the walls of Riverrun is also not clear.

[Sophie Scholl]

And Cersei was raveging, as always.

You do realize how old she is, right?

[Eddie Teach]

And Cersei was raveging, as always.

You do realize how old she is, right?

Are you sure he was going for ravishing and not ravaging? 

[Josquius]

Yeah, I guess having a Frey on the other side would only serve to make the audience go "OMGGGGGG, those Freys are definitely up to no good!!!" in too obvious a fashion.
Considering he isn't really relevant to much its best to keep him low key.

[Sophie Scholl]

And Cersei was raveging, as always.

You do realize how old she is, right?

Are you sure he was going for ravishing and not ravaging? 

A valid point.  Perhaps when Siegey is in his cups (of Coors Light) he actually likes females his own age though.

[jimmy olsen]

A Storm of Swords in Ireland! 

http://www.boomtron.com/2012/03/a-storm-of-swords-in-ireland-for-more-game-of-thrones/

[Admiral Yi]

I assume every one has seen the series opener by now?

How about the Yuropeans?

[Barrister]

I assume every one has seen the series opener by now?

How about the Yuropeans?

It's on in 40 minutes here in Soviet Canuckistan.

[Josquius]

It surprisingly shows tonight in the UK.
I think I will save watching it until later. I should do something productive with my day.
But....tempting....

[Viking]

And a couple more videos with the new stuff from the second season:

New Characters: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWF929rlw10

New Locations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipovPvkOnFc

And an incredibly cheesy montage  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2lzmHXcvR0

BTW, the Iceland tourist board appreciates the publicity and hopes that tourists will now come in winter as well. Coming in winter, get it?