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BY JOHN CROOK War looms in HBO's 'Game' "Winter is coming" was the evocative tag line in the first season of HBO's "Game of Thrones," but it's war that is on the march as the critically acclaimed adaptation of George R.R. Martin's epic books launches its second season on Sunday, April 1. And really, is that any surprise? Let's review some of the highlights of season one, which opened with King Robert Baratheon drafting his old friend, Ned Stark, to serve as his right-hand man, since he needed someone he trusted by his side. And boy, was he right. His wife, Queen Cersei (Lena Headey), was involved in a long- standing incestuous affair with her twin brother, Jaime (Nikolaj Coster- Waldau), who is secretly the father of Cersei's son, Joffrey (Jack Gleeson). By the time that season ended, King Robert had died from injuries sustained in a hunting "accident," and Ned, having caught on to the truth about the young prince's twisted family tree, was imprisoned and subsequently – and very rashly – beheaded by the newly crowned Joffrey. Yoren, a member of the Night's Watch, quickly hustled Ned's young daughter, Arya (Maisie Williams), into a caravan bound back to the girl's family home north in Winterfell. Cersei, however, has things even worse. Whether by inbred genetics or just sheer nastiness, the angelic-looking Joffrey is starting to act like a Nero-grade loon, riling up his subjects with his chronic arrogance and putting his mother on harsh notice that even she is not above his whims. Meanwhile, Cersei's beloved Jaime is held captive in the far north as armies bent on revenge, headed by the families of Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon, march on King's Landing to unseat the abominable Joffrey. "I think Cersei is in a total panic," Headey says. "She has the pride of a man, so I think she is terrified that she has pushed and pushed for this to happen and put her son in this position, and now she does not have an inch of control over what he is doing. She loves him. He's her son, but it is terrifying to her, and she has nowhere to turn, although she would never admit it. She talks to Tyrion about it, but that's admitting weakness and making a mistake, and she can't bear that." Meanwhile, the tomboyish Arya – a strong fan favorite among readers of Martin's books – has her hands full just staying alive long enough to be reunited with her family in Winterfell. "In the first season, Arya has had to go through so much and she's been forced to grow up so quickly," says Williams, 14, a former aspiring dancer who incredibly is making her acting debut in this very high-profile role. "All of a sudden, she is completely on her own. She's got Yoren, but she still doesn't have anyone that she can completely trust. On top of that, she has to pretend to be a different gender and hide her true identity. Arya used to have everything she needed, but she didn't want it, and now she has everything she wanted, but she's found out she doesn't really need it. She just wants her family back." Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. (Live) (HD) THURSDAY 12:00 p.m. (ESPN) 2012 Masters Tour- nament First Round. From Augus- ta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. (Live) (HD) 5:00 p.m. (ESPN) 2012 Masters Tourna- ment First Round. From Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. (HD) 11:35 p.m. (CBS-12) 2012 Masters Tour- nament Highlights From Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. (HD) FRIDAY 12:00 p.m. (ESPN) 2012 Masters Tour- nament Second Round. From Augusta National Golf Club in Au- gusta, Ga. (Live) (HD) 5:00 p.m. (ESPN) 2012 Masters Tour- nament Second Round. From Augusta National Golf Club in Au- gusta, Ga. 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