Both in A Clash of Kings (the second book in Martin’s series) and on Game of Thrones, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) plays an integral part in the defense of King’s Landing against potential usurper Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) and his forces from Dragonstone. Prior to the battle, he employs pyromancers to whip up enough wildfire to do some real damage against the enemy fleet. His gambit is a resounding success, whittling the invaders down to a manageable number. Without that crucial blow, the Lannisters may not have been so successful, and King’s Landing might have been in the hands of Stannis by the time Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) came knocking with a dragon and legion of Unsullied.
When the remnants of Stannis’ army arrive on shore, a battled is joined on the beach, and Tyrion himself takes a backseat to allow the soldiers to do the soldiering. Withstanding the onslaught soon proves more difficult than anticipated, however, and both the Hound and King Joffrey giving up on any semblance of command.
As the only real authority figure left on scene, Tyrion steps up and takes charge. Despite lacking any significant military experience or training, he succeeds in driving Stannis’ men back — until a new wave of soldiers hits. It’s then that he crosses paths with Ser Mandon Moore (James Doran), a Kingsguard loyal to the throne, but unfortunately not to Tyrion. On Joffrey’s orders, he slashes Tyrion’s face with his sword, and only squire Podrick Payne’s (Daniel Portman) intervention saves the day.
