By Gail Pennington
George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” saga has already filled five volumes and almost 6,000 pages, with two more books promised.
“Game of Thrones,” HBO’s adaptation of the novels, is heading into its fourth season, which will add 10 hours to the 30-plus already filmed.
That’s a lot of story to absorb, and dozens (if not hundreds) of characters to follow.
Don’t get me wrong; where “Game of Thrones” is concerned, every bit of momentary confusion and after-show homework for comprehension is worth it.
But in the 10 months since Season 3 ended, you could be forgiven for losing track of a few folks and wondering where we left them.
To help, here’s a guide to 20 major characters and what they were doing when we saw them last. For clarity, they are loosely grouped by affiliation.
—Robb Stark (Richard Madden)
Status: Deceased “King in the North”
Last seen: Murdered at his uncle’s wedding by Walder Frey, a Lannister ally, as revenge for Robb’s broken promise to marry his daughter.
—Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley)
Status: Deceased mother of Robb (and Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon) and widow of Ned Stark.
Last seen: Murdered along with Robb and his pregnant wife in the Red Wedding slaughter.
—Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance)
Status: Senior Lannister is “Hand of the King,” the most powerful person in the Seven Kingdoms.
Last seen: Trying to manage grandson Joffrey, boy king with a strong crazy streak, and ordering Tyrion to impregnate his wife as soon as possible.
—Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage)
Aka “The Imp”
Status: Youngest son of the Lannisters, a dwarf, is Master of Coin (i.e. secretary of the treasury) for the court of King Joffrey.
Last seen: Married to a reluctant Sansa Stark, who had just learned of the death of her mother and brother.
—Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau)
Aka “Kingslayer”
Status: Member of the Kingsguard, formerly greatest swordsman in Westeros.
Last seen: After being held hostage by the Starks, then by rogue forces of Roose Bolton, he returned to King’s Landing minus his sword hand.
—Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey)
Status: Queen Regent for son Joffrey.
Last seen: Stunned by the return of her worse-for-wear twin brother, Jaime, who fathered her three kids during her marriage to the late King Robert Baratheon. Tywin had ordered Cersei to marry Loris Tyrell, Margarey’s brother, who “prefers the company of men.”
—Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson)
Status: King of Westeros, crowned after the death of his “father,” King Robert Baratheon, set off a fight for the Iron Throne.
Last seen: Preparing to marry Margaery Tyrell, cementing an alliance between two of the most powerful houses in the Seven Kingdoms.
—Margarey Tyrell (Natalie Dormer)
Status: Joffrey’s betrothed.
Last seen: Trying to instill some good into vicious, cruel Joffrey and ambitiously looking forward to becoming queen. Her first husband, Renly Baratheon, youngest brother of Robert and Stannis, launched a claim to the throne but was murdered mysteriously before making much progress.
—Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner)
Status: Elder daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark planned to marry Joffrey but became a captive in King’s Landing after he had her father beheaded. Now she’s newly wed to Tyrion Lannister.
Last seen: Refusing to consummate her marriage and mourning the death of her mother and brother.
—Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen)
Aka “Littlefinger”
Status: Former Master of Coin plays both sides whenever possible.
Last seen: Sent to the Vale to marry Lysa Arryn (Catelyn’s sister) and bring her lands under Lannister control.
—Arya Stark (Maisie Williams)
Status: Running for her life
Last seen: On the road with the Hound (Rory McCann), who planned to sell her back to her mother, Arya arrived at Walder Frey’s just in time for the Red Wedding and was outside when her mother and brother were murdered. After the Hound knocked Arya out and carried her to safety, the two later killed the Frey soldiers who had mutilated Rob’s corpse.
—Jon Snow (Kit Harington)
Status: Illegitimate son of Ned Stark was raised with the Stark kids and considered a brother. A member of the Night’s Watch, Jon penetrated a wildling camp and learned of the danger of Mance Rayder (Ciaran Hinds), who has united 90 clans into a huge army.
Last seen: Shot with three arrows by his wildling girlfriend, Ygritte (Rose Leslie), after he betrayed her, he collapsed over the wall at Castle Black.
—Samwell Tarly (John Bradley)
Status: Member of the Night’s Watch.
Last seen: Bringing news of White Walkers to Castle Black. Sam is in love with Gilly (Hannah Murray), who he saved (along with her infant, Sam) from Craster, who married his daughters and killed his newborn sons.
—Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke)
Aka “Stormborn,” “Mother of Dragons”
Status: Surviving heir to House Targaryen.
Last seen: With a fleet of ships already in hand, Dany continued raising a huge army of slaves to retake the Seven Kingdoms. Her valued allies, Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) and Daario Naharis (Michael Huisman), are by her side.
—Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane)
Status: Legitimate heir to Robert Baratheon is still hoping to rule.
Last seen: Told by priestess Melisandre (Carice van Houten) that he should forget the war for the Iron Throne and instead address the threat from White Walkers in the north.
—Bran Stark (Isaac Hempsted-Wright)
Status: Second son of Ned and Catelyn was paralyzed when Jaime Lannister pushed him out a window.
Last seen: On the road with little brother Rickon, servants Hodor and Asha, and twins Jojen and Meera, who counsel Bran on his ability to enter the body of animals and see through their eyes.
—Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie)
Status: Knight who was loyal to Renly Baratheon, Catelyn Stark and now Jaime Lannister.
Last seen: Returning to King’s Landing with Jaime.
—Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen)
Status: Heir to House Greyjoy, which has rebelled against the Lannisters.
Last seen: Held captive and tortured by Ramsay Snow, illegitimate son of Roose Bolton.
—Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton)
Status: Warden of the North
Last seen: Roose gained power by allying with the Lannisters and turning on the Starks; it was Roose who killed Robb at the Red Wedding.
—Oberynn Martell (Pedro Pascal)
Status: Prince of Dorne, younger brother of ruling Prince Doran.
Last seen: Oberyn, also known as the “Red Viper of Dorne,” is new this season. But his back story is that he hates the Lannisters because their knight “The Mountain,” Gregor Clegane, raped and murdered his sister. He arrives in King’s Landing for Joffrey’s wedding, accompanied by his paramour, Ellaria (Indira Varma).
GAME OF THRONES, SEASON 4
9 p.m. EDT Sunday
HBO
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