50 Fun Facts About Game of Thrones Season 2

On what date did the second season premiere on HBO?

The finale aired on June 3. The premiere drew 3.86 million viewers, then a series high.

The season mostly adapts which novel in A Song of Ice and Fire?

Several of that book's characters, including the Reeds, the Tullys and Ramsay Snow, were held back until season three.

On what date did HBO order the second season, two days after the series premiere?

Filming began that July in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Croatia and Iceland.

The season's budget rose by what percentage to stage the Battle of the Blackwater?

Even so, the battle episode needed a further $2 million and an extra week of filming on top of its $6 million allocation.

How many shooting days did the season take?

For three-quarters of them, two crews were shooting simultaneously in different locations.

What were the two simultaneous film crews nicknamed?

The cast was estimated to be the largest on television, which is why so many book characters were merged or postponed.

Which filmmaker made his series debut directing the ninth episode, 'Blackwater'?

He was hired two days before he was due on set after the original director left over a personal emergency.

Who wrote the 'Blackwater' episode?

He called it 'the hardest episode of the season' to write, weighing the budget against the battle he had described in the book.

Which director handled the premiere, the finale and two other episodes this season?

He was promoted to co-executive producer and did not direct again for the show until season seven's 'Beyond the Wall'.

Story editor Bryan Cogman wrote which episode this season?

His first draft ran over three hours; he was proudest of the nearly wordless Pyke scenes he invented for Theon.

Which city replaced Malta as the stand-in for King's Landing?

Its old walls and sea frontage also doubled for Qarth; the Minčeta Tower became the House of the Undying.

Which tower in the Croatian city served as the House of the Undying?

Fort Lovrijenac hosted Joffrey's name-day tourney and the royal family's refuge during the riot.

Scenes set north of the Wall were filmed in which country in November 2011?

Glaciers stood in for the Fist of the First Men; the forested Craster's Keep scenes stayed in Northern Ireland because of the lack of trees.

The expanded Winterfell set was built at which Northern Irish estate?

It lies near the village of Toome. Season one's Winterfell exteriors had used Castle Ward.

Who composed the music for the season?

He adapted 'The Rains of Castamere' from the novels; Tyrion can be heard whistling it in the premiere.

Which indie rock band performs 'The Rains of Castamere' over the 'Blackwater' end credits?

Vocalist Matt Berninger sings it. In the novels the song celebrates Tywin's destruction of the rebellious House Reyne.

How many Primetime Emmy Awards did the season win?

Twelve nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series. The wins were all craft categories: costumes, art direction, makeup, sound and visual effects.

Which cast member received the season's Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor?

He submitted 'Blackwater' for consideration. He had taken the first credit in the opening titles after Sean Bean's exit.

Which major publication gave the season its only negative review?

Neil Genzlinger wrote that it needed 'a fair amount of free time' and 'a fairly low reward threshold'. Metacritic still scored the season 90.

US viewership reached what figure by the season finale?

That was roughly 8% up on the premiere. 'Blackwater' actually dipped, blamed on Memorial Day weekend.

What dubious distinction did the season earn for 2012?

The show would hold the piracy crown for years, a fact HBO executives occasionally claimed to take as a compliment.

Which actor joined the cast as Stannis Baratheon?

He, Melisandre and Davos headed an entirely new storyline that only merged with the main plot at the end of the season.

Carice van Houten had been asked, but was unable, to audition for which season-one role?

Her Melisandre keeps the red robes and hair of the books but not the red eyes, to look a little more human.

Theon's sister Yara was renamed from which name in the novels?

The change avoided confusion with Osha, the wildling at Winterfell. Gemma Whelan plays her.

Which German actor plays the mysterious prisoner Jaqen H'ghar?

His pronunciation of the name, 'Jack-in', was adopted by the show. He had never seen it before taping his audition in Berlin.

Oona Chaplin's Talisa fills the role of which character from the novels?

The two have almost nothing in common: the book character is a Westerlands noble, Talisa a healer from Volantis.

Who plays Xaro Xhoan Daxos, Daenerys's host in Qarth?

HBO had wanted him for a season-one role but a schedule clash got in the way.

Which Qarth character was created specially for the show?

Nicholas Blane plays him; he stands in for the book's Ancient Guild of Spicers, a rival merchant faction.

Who took over the role of Gregor Clegane from Conan Stevens this season?

He had already played a White Walker, and would later play the giant Wun Wun in season five.

Roy Dotrice, the audiobook narrator of the novels, plays which character this season?

He had originally been cast as Pycelle but withdrew for medical reasons; his audiobooks earned a Guinness record for most characters voiced.

Renly's camp was built at which Northern Irish location?

Hurricane Katia wrecked a marquee there in September 2011 and the set had to be rebuilt for reshoots.

Which hurricane's winds destroyed a marquee on the Renly's-camp set on September 12, 2011?

Five extras were slightly hurt and the Brienne-Loras duel had to be shot again in October.

Roughly how much did 'Blackwater' cost to produce in the end?

Early proposals had the battle happen off-screen, seen only from the women's refuge; Benioff and Weiss refused.

Which visual effects studio produced the final wildfire explosion?

The on-set napalm would not burn green, so ordinary fire was colour-corrected in post-production.

Which film battle did the 'Blackwater' director avoid watching as 'an obvious comparison'?

He studied The Vikings and Kingdom of Heaven instead, and shot the battle at night to hide the seams and save money.

Jason Momoa's Khal Drogo makes his final series appearance in which episode?

He appears in Daenerys's visions inside the House of the Undying, holding their son.

Gethin Anthony's Renly makes his last appearance in which episode?

Critics thought his exit felt rushed. The title is how Arya describes herself in the novel, though the phrase is never spoken.

The phrase Jaqen gives Arya in the finale translates to what?

The meaning is not explained until the next season. He also hands her a special coin to find him.

Who is named Hand of the King in the finale, taking over from Tyrion?

Baelish is awarded Harrenhal in the same scene, and Sansa's betrothal is annulled in favour of Margaery.

What job does Arya take at Harrenhal once Tywin notices she is a girl?

In the books she is sent to the kitchens and never speaks with Tywin; the show invented their dinners together.

Whom does Arya name as the first of her three 'lives' owed by Jaqen?

Her second, Ser Amory Lorch, replaces the book's understeward Weese, who was cut from the show.

Who is posing as Sansa's new handmaiden from the third episode?

Sibel Kekilli was promoted to the main cast this season. The Hound nearly uncovers the arrangement during 'Blackwater'.

Tyrion exposes which Small Council member as his sister's informant?

He tells each councillor a different plan for Myrcella's marriage and waits to see which one reaches his sister.

The third episode's title is a prayer used by worshippers of which god?

Bryan Cogman added Theon's shoreline baptism at Pyke to show him committing to his father's side.

What do Sam and Grenn find wrapped in an old cloak at the Fist of the First Men?

There is also a strange horn in the bundle. In the books the cache is found after Jon has already left.

Which Lyseni pirate do Davos and his son recruit for Stannis's fleet?

Lucian Msamati plays him, a casting that departs from the fair-haired Lysene look of the books.

The fake pregnant belly for Melisandre's cave scene was operated by what?

Prosthetics artist Conor O'Sullivan built it; the scene was shot at night in a real cave and could not be rehearsed.

The gardens of Qarth were filmed at a monastery on which Croatian island?

It is a 15-minute boat ride from the King's Landing exteriors and, like Qarth, is famous for its peacocks.

Craster's Keep was built in the forest of which estate?

The producers could not shoot forest scenes with the rest of the far-north material because the glacier country has almost no trees.

Who plays the legendary Night's Watch ranger Qhorin Halfhand?

In the finale he goads Jon into killing him so the wildlings will believe Jon has defected, a capture alive that the books do not include.