Two Swords (Game of Thrones)

"**Two Swords**"
"Two Swords"
Game of Thrones episode
Episode no.	Season 4; Episode 1
Directed by	D. B. Weiss
Written by	David Benioff; D. B. Weiss
Featured music	Ramin Djawadi
Cinematography by	Jonathan Freeman
Editing by	Katie Weiland
Original air date	April 6, 2014
Running time	58 minutes
Guest appearances
	Diana Rigg as Olenna Tyrell; Pedro Pascal as Oberyn Martell; Indira Varma as Ellaria Sand; Michiel Huisman as Daario Naharis; Ian McElhinney as Ser Barristan Selmy; Peter Vaughan as Maester Aemon; Owen Teale as Alliser Thorne; Anton Lesser as Qyburn; Yuri Kolokolnikov as Styr; Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm; Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei; Dominic Carter as Janos Slynt; Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne; Ian Beattie as Ser Meryn Trant; Tony Way as Dontos Hollard; Will Tudor as Olyvar; Andy Kellegher as Polliver; Chris Reilly as Morgan; Stuart Martin as Morgan's friend; Joseph Gatt as a Thenn Warg; Martin Walsh as an Innkeeper; Daniel Rabin as Lord Blackmont; Brian Fortune as Othell Yarwyck; Dez McMahon as Ser Endrew Tarth; Sara Dylan as Bernadette; Josephine Gillan as Marei; Tommy Dunne as the Valyrian sword smith; Gabrielle Dempsey as Innkeeper's daughter; Maria Sikavica as a whore;
Episode chronology
← Previous; "Mhysa"	Next →; "The Lion and the Rose"
	Game of Thrones season 4
	List of episodes

"Two Swords" is the first episode of the fourth season of HBO's medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. The fourth season premiere and the 31st episode overall, the episode was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Weiss.^[1] It first premiered on April 6, 2014.^[2]

The title of the episode refers to the two swords Tywin Lannister forges from Ice, Ned Stark's large Valyrian steel sword, in the opening sequence. In the episode, Tywin awards one of these swords to Jaime Lannister, who refuses to leave the Kingsguard as Tywin commands. Tyrion Lannister welcomes Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne to King's Landing ahead of Joffrey Baratheon's royal wedding. Sandor "The Hound" Clegane and Arya Stark stop at an inn on their way to the Vale. Jon Snow is interrogated by the Night's Watch council. Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen marches with her army to Meereen.

The episode received positive reviews from critics, praising the final scene in particular, and achieved a viewership of 6.64 million during its initial airing, setting a new viewership record for HBO. The episode was nominated for Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series at the 66th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, sharing its nomination with the following episode, "The Lion and the Rose".^[3]

^ "Two Swords". HBO. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
^ Rosenberg, Alyssa (April 6, 2014). "'Game of Thrones' review: Two swords, and even more dangerous stories". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
^ de Moraes, Lisa (16 August 2014). "Creative Arts Emmy Awards: 'Saturday Night Live', HBO Grab Most Trophies — Full List Of Winners".

[1] "Two Swords". HBO. Retrieved May 20, 2022.

[2] Rosenberg, Alyssa (April 6, 2014). "'Game of Thrones' review: Two swords, and even more dangerous stories". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 20, 2022.

[:0-3] Moraes, Lisa (16 August 2014). "Creative Arts Emmy Awards: 'Saturday Night Live', HBO Grab Most Trophies — Full List Of Winners".

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