Television Review: The Night Lands (Game of Thrones, S2X02, 2012)

The Night Lands (S02E02)

Airdate: 8 April 2012

Written by: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
Directed by: Alan Taylor

Running Time: 53 minutes

Game of Thrones has built a formidable reputation for subverting audience expectations, most notoriously with the shocking execution of its nominal protagonist Ned Stark near the end of the first season. This penchant for narrative deception, however, is not always so grandly tragic; sometimes it manifests in subtler, almost mischievous ways, such as in the titling of its episodes. The second episode of the second season, “The Night Lands,” is a prime example. Its title, a seemingly obscure piece of Dothraki lore referenced in a single, brief scene, belies an hour of television primarily concerned with the intricate political and personal machinations across Westeros. This dissonance between title and content serves as a fitting metaphor for the episode itself: a collection of well-crafted, albeit sometimes meandering, plot advancements that functions effectively as a “great place-holder, yet one which also reveals the early cracks in the series’ adaptation strategy, where creative compromises begin to accumulate.

The episode’s title is drawn from the Dothraki belief in the “night lands,” the afterlife where fallen warriors are said to ride eternal herds. It is mentioned only once, in a haunting scene set in the desolate Red Waste of Essos. Daenerys Targaryen’s khalasar is starving and desperate when a horse returns carrying the severed head of Rakharo, one of her few remaining bloodriders. His companion Irri (Amrita Acharia) laments that, without a proper funeral pyre, he will never reach those promised night lands. This moment is poignant but fleeting, and Rakharo’s death feels somewhat abrupt. For book readers, it marked one of the first significant departures from George R. R. Martin’s source material, as the character survives in A Clash of Kings. This change was a practical one, necessitated by actor Elyes Gabel securing a role in the feature film World War Z. While a minor alteration in the grand scheme, it signposted a willingness to trim and adjust the literary canon for televisual expediency—a practice that would later have far more consequential ramifications.

The bulk of the episode’s runtime is devoted to Westeros, where the narrative tapestry continues to expand. In King’s Landing, Tyrion Lannister consolidates his power as Hand of the King with characteristic cunning. In two superb scenes that showcase Peter Dinklage’s talent, he first parries veiled threats from Varys regarding his secret paramour Shae, and then orchestrates the exile of the odious Janos Slynt to the Wall for his role in murdering King Robert’s bastards. It is here Tyrion learns the chilling truth: the order for the infanticide came not from Cersei, but from the boy-king Joffrey himself. The promotion of the sellsword Bronn to command the City Watch is a typically pragmatic and satisfying Tyrion move, reinforcing the episode’s theme of shifting loyalties and raw power.

Meanwhile, Arya Stark’s journey north with Yoren’s Night’s Watch recruits provides some of the episode’s most grounded and engaging moments. The dynamic between “Arry” and Gendry is natural and uplifting, with Gendry’s realisation of her true gender handled with a quiet respect that strengthens their bond. The arrival of Goldcloaks demanding Gendry’s arrest—a plot point highlighting the ongoing purge—is deftly thwarted by Yoren’s steadfast authority. This sequence also introduces Jaqen H’ghar (Thomas Wlaschina), a captive in a cage whose mysterious demeanour and distinctive speech patterns immediately mark him as a figure of intrigue. His presence, a seed planted for future seasons, is a testament to the show’s adept long-game storytelling.

The Night Lands” also introduces viewers to the stark, windswept Iron Islands, a new location that expands the geographical and cultural scope of Westeros. Theon Greyjoy’s homecoming is a great display of dramatic irony and character humiliation. Having spent nine years as a ward of the Starks, Theon is a man caught between worlds. He mistakes his fierce sister Yara (renamed from the book’s Asha to avoid confusion with the wildling Osha, played by Gemma Whelan) for a common tavern wench, wears finery despised by the ironborn, and is utterly blindsided by his father Balon’s seething resentment. Balon has not forgotten that the Starks killed his eldest son, and he contemptuously rejects Robb Stark’s offer of alliance. Patrick Malahide’s performance as Balon exudes a cold, unforgiving pride, making Theon’s desperate bid for belonging painfully futile. This plotline, while criticised by some as “supremely non-interesting” at the time, is crucial for setting Theon on his tragic path.

Across the narrow sea, the episode continues to establish the fanatical court of Stannis Baratheon on Dragonstone. Davos Seaworth, recruits the flamboyant Lyseni pirate Salladhor Saan to Stannis’s cause, a scene enlivened by Lucian Msamati’s charismatic performance (a casting choice that notably diverged from the book’s description of Saan as fair-haired). Davos’s scepticism towards the Lord of Light is contrasted with his son Matthos’s (Kerr Logan) devout encouragement to learn to read the holy texts. The episode’s most controversial beat in this strand, however, belongs to Stannis and Melisandre. In a brief but significant scene, the Red Priestess seduces the stern Stannis with the promise of a son, a temptation he cannot resist. The resulting coupling, described in one recap as happening feels more like an obligatory narrative checkbox than an organic character moment. Dutch actress Carice van Houten, then best known for her role in Black Book, disrobes for the scene, which critics noted was brief and functional, serving primarily as “sexposition” to underscore Stannis’s motivation and Melisandre’s manipulative power.

Beyond the Wall, the Night’s Watch contingent remains at the unsettling abode of Craster. The episode delves into the grim reality of Craster’s Keep, where Gilly (Hannah Murray), one of his daughter-wives, pleads with Samwell Tarly for help, fearing for her unborn son. Jon Snow initially dismisses her concerns but is compelled to investigate, sneaking out to witness Craster leaving a newborn male child in the woods. The episode’s climax is a genuinely chilling moment of fantasy horror: Jon watches as a White Walker emerges to claim the infant. Before he can react, he is struck down by Craster. This ending powerfully reinforces the existential threat lurking in the north.

Written by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and directed by Alan Taylor, The Night Lands is a professionally executed piece of television. It maintains the high production values and complex plotting the series is known for, deftly juggling its myriad storylines. However, a critical viewing reveals it as an episode where the mechanics of adaptation become slightly more visible. The killing of Rakharo and the renaming of Asha to Yara are early examples of the compromises required when translating a vast literary series to the screen. These were largely justified by actor availability and clarity for a television audience, but they hint at a pattern of simplification that would later, in the show’s final seasons, contribute to narrative and character inconsistencies that many fans found unsatisfying.

The episode’s use of sexuality also warrants examination. The Night Lands features two prominent nude scenes. The first involves Theon and the “Captain’s Daughter,” a woman played by Amy Dawson who exists solely for a scene of steamy “sexposition” where Theon explains Ironborn culture mid-coitus. The second is the aforementioned encounter between Stannis and Melisandre. While sexuality is an integral part of Game of Thrones’ world-building, here these scenes can feel less organic and more like obligatory inclusions. They fit into the episode’s broader, albeit loose, thematic exploration of power and gender.

The Night Lands is a very good, if unspectacular, entry in the Game of Thrones canon. It performs the essential work of advancing multiple plotlines, introducing new players, and deepening character dynamics. Peter Dinklage’s Tyrion remains a highlight, and the introduction of the Iron Islands and the chilling White Walker reveal are significant. During the premiere its was praised for its moodier tone and pivotal character moments.^ Yet, viewed with hindsight, it also stands as a fascinating artefact from the show’s earlier, more faithful days—a “place-holder” that holds the line competently but already shows the strain of the immense narrative burden it carries.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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