Game Of Thrones Season 4 Premiere Recap: New Swords, Harsh Words And Vengeful Lords

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<h2> Arya Stark</h2>After arriving at Walder Frey's estate just as half of her family was being massacred, young Lady Stark happened upon one of the men who desecrated her brother Robb's body and murdered him with her knife. Now, she's the Hound's sidekick. If anyone has taken <I>valar morghulis</I> to heart, it's this kid.

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<h2> Sansa Stark</h2>In essence a Lannister prisoner, Sansa entered a forced marriage to Tyrion – who refused to consummate the marriage until she was ready – and fell to pieces upon learning of Catelyn and Robb's deaths. (Psst... no one tell her that her beloved Ser Loras plays for the other team, ok?)

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<h2>Tyrion Lannister</h2>A quick list of those who hate Tyrion at the end of Season 3: His wife, his mistress, his sister, his father – and he's the <I>nice</I> Lannister!

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<h2>Cersei Lannister</h2>The queen regent was upstaged by her future daughter-in-law, promised in marriage to someone who prefers the company of knights and gobsmacked by the return of her maimed twin/lover. Is it any wonder her wine consumption increased accordingly?

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<h2>Tywin Lannister</h2>The Hand of the King had trouble controlling his upstart of a grandson, though he deftly negotiated the marriage of two of his children and held his own against the sharp-tongued Lady Olenna Tyrell. Not bad for a lion going gray in the mane.

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<h2> Joffrey Baratheon</h2>He used Ros the redhead as target practice, got engaged to the lovely Margaery Tyrell and stopped listening to his mother. (Those last two sound much better than they actually are.)

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<h2>Jaime Lannister</h2>Ser Jaime got captured <I>again</I>, stopped Brienne from being raped, lost a hand, saved Brienne from a bear and took a tearful bath – during which we learned that his kingslaying wasn't quite as black-and-white as we'd believed. Upon returning to King's Landing, Cersei regarded him with suspicion and sadness… and a noted absence of affection or lust.

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<h2>Brienne of Tarth</h2>The lady knight was forced to wear a dress and battle a bear -- we're still not sure which was the greater indignity.

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<h2>Daenerys Targaryen</h2>The Mother of Dragons freed several slave cities and added their ranks to her khalasar, all in preparation for an eventual return to reclaim the Iron Throne. Along the way, she picked up a right-hand woman (Missandei) and a pretty-boy warrior (Daario Naharis). Oh, and those dragons? They just keep getting bigger.

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<h2>Jon Snow</h2>The young crow's ploy to insinuate himself into north-of-the-wall culture backfired when he bedded and fell in love with wildling woman Ygritte… who eventually shot three arrows into him after learning of his treachery. An injured Jon made it back to the wall, where he proved he did know something, after all: He warned his brothers of the Night's Watch that they were about to have an epic war on their hands.

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<h2>Hodor</h2>HODOR, HODOR HODOR HODOR, HODOR HODOR. HODOR? HODOR HODOR HODOR… HODOR!

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<h2>Bran Stark</h2>Catelyn and Ned's son realized he could control some people (like an agitated Hodor) during his visions. A chance encounter with Samwell, Gilly and baby Sam at Nightfort left Bran, Jojen, Meera and Hodor with the dragonglass weapons they'd need to fight whomever (or whatever) they encountered up north.

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<h2>Margaery Tyrell</h2>King's Landing's answer to Kate Middleton charmed the commoners, calmed Joffrey (somewhat) and prepped for her ascension to queen (despite Cersei's best efforts to the contrary).

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Theon Greyjoy After spending much of the season being tortured, Ned Stark's former ward lost a key piece of himself and accepted his new, downtrodden identity of Reek -- both thanks to Roose Bolton's sadistic bastard, Ramsay Snow. (Chin up, Reek; at last glance, your sister Yara was headed your way with reinforcements.)

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<h2>Stannis Baratheon</h2>Robert's throne-hungry brother oscillated between the counsel of spooky Melisandre and salt-of-the-earth Davos Seaworth. Still, it looked like the Lord of Light's emissary -- with her leeches and her incantations -- was winning the wannabe king's ear.