Bend the Knee: A Song of Ice and Fire Podcast

We just got an EPIC new trailer for A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms, a new GOT series from George R.R. Martin, premieres January 18, only on HBO Max.

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Sansa is alarmed to discover that Littlefingerhas no intention of bringing her home; instead she is being taken to the Vale of Arryn. They land at the tiny tower of House Baelish that Petyr is lord of, and he stresses that Sansa must use a new name, calling her Alayne Stone so that no one will know who she really is. 

She learns that Oswell is actually the Kettleblacks' father, and Littlefinger leads her to discern that it was the Queen of Thornswho poisoned Joffrey when she took one of the amethysts from Sansa's hair net. All the plans were arranged by Littlefinger, who met Lady Olenna when he brokered the alliance that joined Highgarden and House Lannister. 

Soon after, Lysa Arryn arrives with a small retinue, and she insists that Petyr wed her now at his tower instead of the Eyrie. Lysa wants to make another child with Petyr, after her father aborted the first child years ago. A drunken Marillion tries to seduce Sansa that night, but Lothor Bruneforces him away. The next morning, Petyr tells Alayne that Lysa now knows the girl's identity. Lysa does not like having Sansa around, although she does wish to marry her niece to her son, Robert.

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Jaime is looking through the White Book, the history of the Kingsguard, updated throughout the ages by the Lord Commander. We learn much about Barristan Selmy, who gained the title ‘the Bold’ when he was just ten, riding as a mystery knight in a tourney at Blackhaven, where he was unmasked by the Prince of Dragonflies. Barristan was knighted at sixteen by King Aegon V, and named to the Kingsguard in his 23rd year by Gerold Hightower. 

The deeds and legends of Barristan the Bold are not lost on Jaime. He recalls the awesome fight between the Sword of the Morning and the Smiling Knight of the Kingswood Brotherhood, and thinks of his own childhood wishes: That boy had wanted to be Arthur Dayne, but someplace along the way he had become the Smiling Knight instead. 

Jaime then receives the five Kingsguard currently under his command, and tests each of them. He mocks Boros Blount for his cowardice and inability to protect Prince Tommen, and tells him that from here on in, Blount will taste all the King’s food. Blount storms from the room, and Jaime goes after Osmund Kettleblack. Disgusted that an upjumped sellsword with no reputation has been named to the Kingsguard, Jaime at least concedes that the man probably knows how to fight. 

Having heard the details of the Kingsguard's willingness to beat Sansa Stark on Joffrey's orders, Jaime commands Meryn Trant to temper his obedience to the king while the king remains a boy, and to obey the Queen Regent, the Hand, and the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard instead. He gets Balon Swann to swear he will remain true to the Crown, even though his father and brother’s allegiance are in question. 

Lastly, he questions Loras Tyrell, and finds the Knight of Flowers as cocky as he himself was in his youth. Jaime asks Loras about the supposed ghost of Renly Baratheon that fought at the Battle of the Blackwater at the van of his father's forces, obtaining an admission that it was Garlan Tyrell inside the armor. Then he confronts Loras about Brienne, and commands him to judge the woman fairly, on his honour as a knight. 

Considering Jaime’s words about Renly’s death, Ser Loras nearly breaks down, stating, "When I saw him all bloody, with her fled ... if she’s innocent, then Robar and Emmon…" Jaime absolves him of killing the two Rainbow Guard in a rage, and then sits alone in the room, contemplating the other debts he still has to pay.

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Tyrion Lannister is imprisoned in a tower cell of the Red Keep. His uncle Kevan tells him that Tywin, Mace Tyrell, and Oberyn Martell will stand in judgment of him. When Tyrion claims he may demand trial by combat, his uncle replies that Cersei will name Gregor Clegane as her champion. Tyrion sends for Bronn, but finds the former sellsword to be a changed man, soon to marry Lollys Stokeworth, and now being paid well by the Queen. The mercenary leaves Tyrion to fend for himself, unwilling to stand for the dwarf against the Mountain. 

At the trial, Tyrion declares his innocence, and claims that Sansa was not responsible either. The witnesses that Cersei has brought forth are numerous, and since Tyrion has no witnesses of his own, their word is without refute. Pycelle notes that Tyrion stole poisons from his solar, and Taena Merryweather claims to have seen Tyrion drop something into the King’s wine. 

That night, Kevan tells Tyrion that his only hope is to admit his guilt and he will be permitted to take the black, though Tyrion, remembering what happened to the last man to be made such an offer, is dismissive. They talk about Tyrion's father. Kevan is fiercely loyal to his brother, for it was Tywin who made the Lannisters' enemies pay for their abuse of their father Tytos Lannister, who was a peaceful but weak man. The next morning, Varys nearly seals Tyrion’s fate with damaging evidence against the dwarf.

Later, Oberyn Martell visits Tyrion, and makes it clear that Cersei has tried to buy his vote in the judgment, mentioning marriage. But the Red Viper has other ideas, and even brings up the point that according to Dornish law, Myrcella is the heir, and that his brother may well crown his ward. Oberyn relates the story Tywin had told him that it was Amory Lorch who killed Elia and her children, but Tyrion tells him the truth--that Lorch only killed Rhaenys, and it was the Mountain who killed Aegonand raped and murdered Elia. The Red Viper speaks of saving Tyrion, not as his judge, but as his champion.

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Arya dreams that she is running with a pack of wolves every night, but by day she is still Sandor’s captive. The Hound hit her with the flat of his axe to keep her from entering the Twins. Sandor now intends to take her to the Eyrie and ransom her to Lady Lysa. That night, Arya dreams the wolf dream again, and she watches as the other wolves feast on corpses by the river. She follows a scent that leads her to her mother’s body, and pulls it from the river. Looking at the corpse, Arya’s wolf-self thinks "Rise. Rise and eat and run with us." Then, the pack notices men approaching and flees. Arya wakes up. At some point they encounter a survivor from the Red Wedding, a bowman in service to Ser Marq Piper. The man is injured, and they give him water, then Sandor gives him the gift of mercy. Later, she and Sandor take on work in a village in the foothill of the Mountains of the Moon, and learn that the Vale mountain clans have grown bolder and now carry steel. Realizing they will never reach the Eyrie, Clegane decides to head back to Riverrunand attempt to ransom Arya to the Blackfish. Arya tells the Hound that he has lost his belly for fighting since he ran from the Battle of the Blackwater, but he just laughs at her.

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The remaining members of the Night's Watch from Castle Black and several people from Mole's Townman the Wall as Mance’s army approaches. As the Watch repels attack after attack from their great vantage point, some of the wildlings have reach the gate. To his surprise, Jon is left in command as Donal Noye leaves to defend the gate. Jon orders fire arrows and oil casks dropped on the giants and mammoths, and the defenders once again repel the wildling attack. In the aftermath of the fighting, Jon goes down into the gate tunnel, to find Donal Noye dead alongside Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg. When Jon tells Maester Aemon the news, the ancient maester tells him that he must lead the Watch now.

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Davos and a few hand-picked men he knows to be loyal only to Stannis begin their mission in the dark of night. They find Edric Storm in Pylos' solar, and the maester tells the boy to listen to Davos, as he is the King's Hand. Davos and his men bring Edric in secrecy to a ship of Salladhor's, and Davos tells the boy that he must go with Ser Andrew Estermont on an adventure. With the boy safely away from Dragonstone, Davos goes to face Stannis. He tells the King that Joffrey is dead, and Melisandre states that Tommen will be named king. When she asks Stannis for the boy, the King warns her that she will pay with her life if she is wrong. Melisandre is sure that Stannis is the one prophesied 5,000 years ago, that the comet was his herald. But Davos reveals that Edric Storm is gone, and judges based on her reaction that Melisandre has not foreseen this in her flames. Davos tells Stannis that a king must protect his people or he is no king at all. When Stannis draws Lightbringer to behead Davos, the Onion Knight begins to read out the letter that Maester Pylos received from the Night's Watch.

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At an unnamed inn on the road to King's Landing, Jaime hears that the king is dead, his firstborn son, but he is more concerned about Cersei. Jaime and Brienne have already learned of Robb Stark’s demise, and found out that Lord Clement Piper rode to King's Landing to bend the knee since his son Marq is held captive at the Twins. When they arrive at the Red Keep, Ser Loras confronts Brienne, accusing her of killing Renly. Jaime reminds the Knight of Flowers that he is his Lord Commander and orders him to sheathe his sword, but has Brienne arrested and taken to a tower cell.

Jaime finds Cersei in the castle sept, where Joffrey is lying in state, and shows her his stump. She asks him to kill Tyrion for murdering Joffrey. Despite Cersei's words that Tyrion threatened her when she held Alayaya prisoner, Jaime tells her he wishes to learn more about what happened. He has sex with her on the Mother's altar, and afterwards Cersei calls it folly, saying that they must be more careful with their father in the castle. He responds that they should stop hiding their love and wed, even if Tommenwould lose the Iron Throne, he would still be heir to Casterly Rock, but she sends him away in anger.

Jaime then visits his father, and Lord Tywin is furious when he learns that Vargo Hoat maimed his son. The Hand of the King reveals that the Bloody Mummers were routed at Harrenhal, and that Gregor Clegane will kill Vargo soon but is using him for amusement in the meantime. Tywin then speaks of his plans to bribe the High Septon to release Jaime of his vows to the Kingsguard, find a new husband for Cersei, and perhaps marry Jaime to Margaery. Jaime vehemently refuses to hear of it, stating that he is a knight of the Kingsguard, and that is all he means to be. Lord Tywin turns from his son in disgust, saying, "You are not my son. You say you are Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Very well, ser. Go do your duty."

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Game of Thrones spinoff A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will launch on HBO Max in January 2026, Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO and HBO Max Content, has confirmed.

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Sansa has fled to the Godswood, and when she removes her hairnet, she notices that one of the black amethysts is missing. Dontos told her she must wear it for the wedding feast, but she now remembers that the amethysts are from Asshai, and that Dontos called the hairnet “magic”. Dontos then appears in the godswood, and Sansa accuses him of murdering the King by using one of the amethysts. Dontos denies it, telling her Tyrion has already been arrested for poisoning the King. She dresses under a heavy cloak, and Dontos leads her to a secret stairway down to the river. They are rowed out to a ship, and Sansa is shocked to find Littlefingeron board. When Dontos calls for his reward of ten thousand gold dragons, Littlefinger commands Lothor Brune to kill the drunk.

Littlefinger explains to her that the fool sold her for a promise of gold, and once he drank that up he would sell her whereabouts to the Queen for more gold. He reveals that it was he who wrote the note so long ago, asking her to go to the godswood. Littlefinger also planned for the dwarf jousters at the wedding, and Sansa asks him why he should wish Joffrey dead. Littlefinger responds, "I had no motive. Always keep your foes confused. Sometimes the best way to baffle them is to make moves that have no purpose…Remember that when you come to play the game of thrones." He claims he had her mother's maidenhood and tells her that she could have been his daughter, had he and Catelyn wed, and therefore he must look out for Sansa.Follow Jimmy: https://twitter.com/theFLOCKAVELI

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