The House of Black and White

"The House of Black and White"
Game of Thrones episode
Arya Stark sitting in front of the House of Black and White.
Episode no.	Season 5 Episode 2
Directed by	Michael Slovis
Written by	David Benioff D. B. Weiss
Featured music	Ramin Djawadi
Cinematography by	David Franco
Editing by	Katie Weiland
Original air date	April 19, 2015 (2015-04-19)
Running time	55 minutes
Guest appearance(s)
Peter Vaughan as Maester Aemon Ian McElhinney as Barristan Selmy Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle Anton Lesser as Qyburn Tara Fitzgerald as Selyse Baratheon Owen Teale as Ser Alliser Thorne Alexander Siddig as Doran Martell Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm Ben Crompton as Edd Tollett Dominic Carter as Janos Slynt Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Mace Tyrell Joel Fry as Hizdahr zo Loraq DeObia Oparei as Areo Hotah Ian Gelder as Kevan Lannister Ian Beattie as Meryn Trant Reece Noi as Mossador Kerry Ingram as Shireen Baratheon Brenock O'Connor as Olly Nell Tiger Free as Myrcella Baratheon Toby Sebastian as Trystane Martell Elizabeth Cadwallader as Lollys Stokeworth Cedric Henderson as Jaqen's other Face Brian Fortune as Othell Yarwyck Gary Oliver as Ternesio Terys J. J. Murphy as Denys Mallister Michael Condron as Bowen Marsh Derek Lord as Mallister supporter
Episode chronology
← Previous "The Wars to Come" Next → "High Sparrow"
Game of Thrones (season 5) List of Game of Thrones episodes

"The House of Black and White" is the second episode of the fifth season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 42nd overall. The episode was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Michael Slovis. It aired on April 19, 2015. Prior to airing, this episode along with the other first four episodes of the season were leaked online.

Cersei (Lena Headey) and Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) receive a message from Dorne: a small viper statue with a necklace in its fangs. Cersei tells Jaime that the necklace belongs to their daughter, Myrcella, who was sent to Dorne by Tyrion. Jaime tells Cersei that he will travel to Dorne and bring Myrcella back. He travels to meet with Bronn (Jerome Flynn), who has gone to Castle Stokeworth with Lollys (Elizabeth Cadwallader), his fiancée. Jaime gives Bronn a letter telling him that he will not be wed to Lollys. When Bronn reminds him of the deal he had with Cersei, Jaime tells him that, should he agree to help rescue Myrcella, he will instead be wed to a woman of higher standing, with a larger castle.

Cersei meets with two hunters who have brought her a severed head, though she is disappointed to find that it is not Tyrion's head. Qyburn (Anton Lesser) lays claim to the head for his research and the two walk to a small council meeting. With the office of Hand of the King vacant, Cersei tells the council that she will stand in temporarily until Tommen chooses a new Hand. She appoints Mace Tyrell (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) as the new Master of Coin and Qyburn as the new Master of Whisperers. When Cersei tries to appoint her uncle Kevan (Ian Gelder) as the Master of War, he declines, telling her that as the queen mother she holds no power, and he has no interest in serving in a council filled with her sycophants. In defiance of Cersei's "orders", Kevan states that he will return to Casterly Rock until he hears direct word from Tommen that he is required.

In the library, Gilly (Hannah Murray) is tutored in reading by Shireen Baratheon (Kerry Ingram) before her mother Selyse (Tara Fitzgerald) orders her to stop. Jon (Kit Harington) is chastised by Stannis (Stephen Dillane) for giving Mance Rayder a merciful death. Stannis shows Jon a letter he received from Bear Island, stating that former Lord Commander Jeor Mormont's relatives will only recognize a Stark as their King. Ser Davos (Liam Cunningham) tells Jon that the Night's Watch will elect a new Lord Commander that night, and that it is almost assured that Ser Alliser (Owen Teale) will win. Stannis asks Jon to kneel before him and pledge his life to him, and in exchange he will legitimize Jon, making him Jon Stark and giving him Winterfell.