Game of Thrones Episode Summaries

Episode One

This pilot episode begins the process of interweaving action happening in multiple separate locations within and around the fictional continent of Westeros. Most of the action takes place in and around Winterfell where Lord Eddard Stark (Sean Bean) is the feudal overlord of the northern reaches of the kingdom. Outside of Westeros is a land across the Narrow Sea where the two surviving members of House Targaryen, previous rulers of Westeros, live in exile.

Beyond the Wall

The episode opens with three rangers of the Night's Watch scouting beyond the Wall, a massive barrier of ice at the north end of the kingdom. After finding the mutilated corpses of some wildlings, tribal humans who live north of the Wall, the rangers are surprised by supernatural creatures and the undead wildlings. Two of the rangers are killed by the monsters, while the third, Will (Bronson Webb) is for some reason left alive.

At King's Landing

In King’s Landing, Queen Cersei (Lena Headey), and her twin brother, Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), are watching as the dead body of Jon Arryn, The Hand of the King is tended to by the Silent Sisters. They discuss whether or not he revealed any dangerous information to anyone before his death.

In the North

After the opening sequence, the Starks of Winterfell are introduced, including Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark, his wife, Lady Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) and his five children: their heir Robb (Richard Madden), their elder daughter Sansa (Sophie Turner), younger daughter Arya (Maisie Williams), ten-year-old son Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and youngest son, Rickon (Art Parkinson). Also introduced is Ned's illegitimate son Jon Snow (Kit Harington), who, like Robb, is an older teenager.

Ned is informed that a deserter of the Night's Watch, the young ranger Will from the prologue, has been captured. Members of the Night's Watch are sworn never to desert their posts, upon penalty of death. Ned takes his sons Robb, Jon and Bran to witness the execution of the deserter Will. Will faces death bravely, admitting that he deserted the Wall after being attacked, but stands by his statement that he saw White Walkers. Ned himself passes sentence and beheads him. He tells his young son Bran that he who passes sentence "should swing the sword." When Bran asks his father about the ranger's talk of White Walkers (the demonic creatures that ambushed the rangers), Ned dismisses it as a madman's ravings, insisting that the Walkers have been considered extinct for a thousand years.

Upon their return, the Starks find a dead direwolf and her surviving pups. Noting that the direwolf is the sigil (seal) of the Stark family and there are as many pups as the Stark children (even an albino runt for Jon), they take the pups in as companions.

Back at Winterfell, Catelyn informs her husband of a letter announcing the death of Lord Arryn, Eddard's old mentor. The message also reports that the king himself is coming to Winterfell. Winterfell receives the royal court, including King Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy), his wife Queen Cersei, their three children; the heir Prince Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), Princess Myrcella (Aimee Richardson) and the youngest Prince Tommen (Callum Wharry), as well as Cersei's brother, Jaime Lannister, a member of the Kingsguard, and their younger brother, Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), a dwarf known as "The Imp". As Robert pays his respects to Lyanna Stark, his late fiancée and Ned's sister, Robert confides to his old friend that he doesn't trust anyone around him. He decides to name Ned as the new Hand of the King, and to solidify the alliance between the two families, he suggests that Ned's daughter, Sansa, be betrothed to his son, Joffrey.

At night, Catelyn receives a troubling message from her sister, Lord Arryn's widow. She suspects her husband Jon was murdered by the king's in-laws, the powerful Lannisters. Ned, who at first was reluctant to accept the position of Hand of the King, does so in order to protect his old friend. Bran, who enjoys climbing on the walls of Winterfell, climbs an abandoned tower where he stumbles on Queen Cersei and her brother Jaime having sex. In order to keep the incestuous relationship a secret, Jaime shoves Bran out of the high window.

Across the Narrow Sea

Exiled prince Viserys Targaryen (Harry Lloyd) plots to overthrow King Robert and reclaim his father's throne. To this end, he brokers a marriage between his sister Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and a powerful warlord Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), leader of a nomadic horde of Dothraki.

Daenerys voices her fear of the barbarian lord, but her brother tells her to marry him. During the wedding ceremony, Daenerys is given two wedding gifts. The first is a collection of books from the Seven Kingdoms, given by Ser Jorah Mormont, an exiled knight loyal to the Targaryens. The second gift is a chest containing three petrified dragon eggs, given by Magister Illyrio Mopatis, the man who helped arrange the marriage.

Episode Two

Across the Narrow Sea

On their way to Vaes Dothrak with all the khalasar, Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) reveals to Viserys (Harry Lloyd) that he was exiled for selling poachers to slavers. Viserys assures him that he would not have been punished had he been the king, and demonstrates impatience for his new brother-in-law, Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), to lend him his army.

Daenarys (Emilia Clarke) has difficulty adjusting to the nomadic lifestyle of her adopted people. Her only comfort is three petrified dragon eggs that were among her wedding gifts. She asks one of her handmaidens, a former courtesan named Doreah, to teach her how to please her new husband.

In the North

Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) has fallen into a coma since his fall from the tower. After slapping his nephew for refusing to give his condolences to the Starks, Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) informs his siblings that despite Bran's fall, the boy will survive, much to the dismay of the Lannister twins.

It is time for farewells, with the Stark family having to split apart. Ned's two daughters journey with their father to the capital, while Jon Snow (Kit Harington) joins his uncle Benjen (Joseph Mawle) at the Wall, along with Tyrion, who wants to see the "edge of the world". Before leaving, Jon gives a sword to his sister Arya (Maisie Williams) as a present. Lady Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) is devastated by her husband's imminent departure and has stood vigil beside her son Bran since his fall. She asks Jon to leave when he comes to say goodbye to Bran and chastises her husband Ned (Sean Bean) for leaving her and giving in to the demands of King Robert (Mark Addy). Before they part, Jon asks Ned about his mother, and Ned promises to tell Jon about her the next time they meet.

A fire breaks out at Winterfell, and during the ensuing chaos, a hired assassin tries to kill Bran. Catelyn holds off the attacker long enough for Bran's direwolf to jump in and tear out the assassin's throat. The murder attempt arouses Catelyn's suspicions, and after finding a strand of long blonde hair in the abandoned tower where Bran fell, she concludes that the Lannisters are somehow involved. After confiding with her most trusted advisers, her son Robb (Richard Madden), Maester Luwin (Donald Sumpter), Master-at-Arms Ser Rodrik Cassel (Ron Donachie) and the Starks' ward Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), she decides to go to King's Landing in secret with Rodrik as her escort to warn her husband.

At the Wall

Jon and Tyrion see the wall for the first time as they arrive with Benjen and the other recruits.

At the Inn at the Crossroads

On their way to King's Landing, the king's entourage has stopped to rest at an Inn. While the recently-promised Prince Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) and Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) are walking along the river, they run into Arya sparring with sticks with a butcher's boy, Mycah. Taunting the boy, Joffrey draws his sword and demands a duel, under pretext of punishing him for accidentally hitting Arya, a member of the nobility. Mycah and Arya desperately explain that she asked him to spar with her so she could practice. As Joffrey savors the butcher boy's pain and fear, Arya hits Joffrey while her friend flees. Enraged, Joffrey turns on Arya and is about to strike her with his sword when her direwolf Nymeria bites his wrist. Arya seizes his sword and throws it into the river before running away into the forest, where she drives away Nymeria and hides until dark.

Afterward, Joffrey lies to the courtly entourage and accuses Arya and her direwolf of ganging up on him. Unwilling to lose favor with her betrothed by publicly exposing his lie, Sansa claims she doesn't remember anything. Sick of the petty bickering, King Robert chastises his son for allowing himself to be disarmed by a girl and declares that the fathers themselves will punish their respective children, dismissing the audience. However, Robert gives in to his wife Cersei's (Lena Headey) demands and orders the direwolf killed. Since Nymeria has fled, Sansa's wolf Lady is to be sacrificed. Unable to convince the king otherwise, Eddard takes responsibility for killing Sansa's pet himself. He kills the wolf and encounters Joffrey's bodyguard, Sandor "The Hound" Clegane (Rory McCann), who has ridden down the butcher's boy and brought in his bloody corpse for the prince.

In the closing scene, Bran awakens from his coma and opens his eyes moments after Sansa's wolf died.

Episode Three

Across the Narrow Sea

Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) is beginning to gain confidence in her new role as the Khal's wife, and gains the respect of the exiled knight Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen). But the relationship with her brother Viserys (Harry Lloyd) becomes strained when he angrily assaults her under the assumption that she is giving him commands. As punishment, he is choked and nearly killed by Daenerys's bloodrider Rakharo (Elyes Gabel) and forced to walk back to camp after Daenerys intervenes to spare his life.

Irri (Amrita Acharia) notices that Daenerys is pregnant, and shares the news with Jorah and Rakharo. Rather than be pleased, Jorah mysteriously departs for Qohor for supplies. In their tent, Daenerys reveals to Drogo (Jason Momoa) that their child is a boy.

In the North

With Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) now awake, Old Nan (Margaret John) tells him a tale of a long-ago endless winter, where the White Walkers first appeared riding their dead horses and raising Wights from the men they slaughtered. Her story is interrupted by Robb (Richard Madden) who sadly confirms to Bran that his injuries are permanent, and he'll never walk again. Bran, unable to remember anything about his fall, wishes he were dead.

At the Wall

Jon has joined the other recruits under the firm hand of Ser Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale), and easily beats every opponent sent against him. Ser Alliser berates them all for their poor performance, but has no kind words for Jon, dubbing him "Lord Snow" to mock his bastard heritage and telling him "You're the least useless person here." Disheartened, Jon asks Benjen (Joseph Mawle) to take him in a several-month-long ranging north of the Wall, but his uncle shoots him down, telling him, "Here, a man gets what he earns when he earns it."

Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) informs Jon that he isn't "better" than any of his new "brothers", but only more fortunate, as he was trained by a master-at-arms, while the others are all orphan boys or criminals who have likely never held a sword before today. To make amends, Jon decides to teach his fellow recruits proper sword training. Later, Tyrion is beseeched by Lord Commander Mormont and the ancient, blind Maester Aemon (Peter Vaughan) to ask his sister and brother-in-law for more men for the Night's Watch, as the wildlings are massing in numbers greater than the Watch is able to deal with, and rumours that the White Walkers have returned are becoming more widespread. Tyrion is skeptical, but agrees to do so. Before leaving the Wall, Tyrion fulfills his ambition to urinate off the top of the Wall and says goodbye to Jon, who finally accepts Tyrion as a friend.

At King's Landing

Eddard's party arrives at King's Landing. Eddard (Sean Bean) is immediately summoned to a meeting of the king's Small Council. On his way through the throne room he encounters Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and it is revealed to the audience that Jaime killed the Mad King Aerys Targaryen. Jaime reminds Eddard that Aerys murdered Eddard's father and brother; Eddard does not consider this grounds for Jaime to break his oath as a knight of the Kingsguard.

Eddard joins the Small Council, consisting of the king's brother, Lord Renly (Gethin Anthony), the eunuch Lord Varys (Conleth Hill), Grand Maester Pycelle (Julian Glover) and the master of Coin Lord Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish (Aidan Gillen). Littlefinger once dueled Eddard's brother for Catelyn's hand in marriage, and implies that he is still in love with her. Renly announces that Robert plans to hold a great tourney in honor of Eddard's appointment as the hand of the king. Eddard learns that the crown is heavily indebted, primarily to the queen's father, Lord Tywin Lannister.

Eddard returns to his keep only to find his daughters arguing. Arya (Maisie Williams) is furious at Sansa (Sophie Turner) for lying to protect Joffrey. Ned reminds her that Joffrey is a prince, and will be king one day with Sansa as his wife. Learning that his younger daughter aspires to be a swordsman, and has a sword of her own, he hires a Braavosi "water dancer" (fencer), Syrio Forel (Miltos Yerolemou) to teach her the art of swordsmanship.

Catelyn has arrived in King's Landing, supposedly in secret. However, she is taken by a pair of city watchmen to a brothel owned by Littlefinger. He meets her there and tells her that he had her brought there to keep her safe and anonymous. Varys, also present, reveals that he learned of Catelyn's arrival through his spies. The three of them and Ser Rodrik (Ron Donachie) discuss the attempted murder of Bran. Littlefinger shocks them all by admitting that the assassin's dagger was once his own. He claims that he lost it in a bet with Tyrion Lannister; betting on Jaime Lannister to win a previous tourney. Littlefinger arranges a meeting between Eddard and his wife, and Lord Stark reluctantly takes on Littlefinger as an ally who will help them find Bran's assailant.

Episode Four

Like previous episodes, "Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things" interweaves action happening in multiple separate locations within and around the Kingdom of Westeros. Most of the action takes place in the capital, King's Landing, where Lord Eddard Stark (Sean Bean) has just arrived to take up his position as Hand of the King. The Wall, home to the Nights Watch, and Eddard's home city of Winterfell in the north of the Kingdom also feature. Outside of Westeros in a land across the Narrow Sea the Dothraki arrive at the city of Vaes Dothrak.

At King's Landing

Lord Eddard Stark begins quietly inquiring into the death of Jon Arryn, the previous Hand of the King, who had long served as the Kingdom's chief administrative nobleman. Questioning Grand Maester Pycelle (Julian Glover), who tended Jon Arryn in his final days, Stark learns that his last words were "the seed is strong" and that he was reading a book titled "The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms".

Helped by Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish (Aidan Gillen) and his net of informers, Stark follows up on two more clues regarding the last days of his predecessor. He questions a smith's apprentice whom Jon Arryn had visited in his last days and, due to his resemblance to King Robert, he deduces that the boy is the king's bastard son. He also plans to question Jon Arryn's former squire, but the now-knighted young man is killed while jousting at the tournament held in Eddard's honor. The knight responsible for his untimely end is Ser Gregor Clegane (Conan Stevens), also known as "the Mountain" due to his towering size. He is a Lannister bannerman and is brother to "the Hound" Sandor Clegane. Baelish tells Sansa the secret of the Clegane brothers; as children, Gregor brutally burnt his brother's face, thus explaining the Hound's scars.

Across the Narrow Sea

The Dothraki horde arrives at the city of Vaes Dothrak. Exiled prince Viserys Targaryen (Harry Lloyd) is impatiently waiting for the army Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa) agreed to lend him, the bride price offered for his sister Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), to reconquer the Seven Kingdoms. When Viserys misinterprets Daenerys' invitation to dinner as an order, he becomes angry and strikes her. For the first time, Daenerys fights back, hitting her astounded brother and promising that the next time he raises a hand against her will be "the last time [he] has hands". Later, the banished knight Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) tells her that Viserys would not be a good leader for the invasion of Westeros and despite what Viserys believes, the people of the Seven Kingdoms do not care who rules them as long as they are ruled well.

At the Wall

The Night's Watch receives Samwell Tarly (John Bradley), a new recruit who rapidly becomes the focus of bullying by master-at-arms Ser Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale). Sam is fat, cowardly, and clumsy. His father forced Sam to "take the Black" and forsake his inheritance because he considered him unworthy, threatening to kill Sam and pass his death off as a hunting accident if he refused.[2] Jon Snow (Kit Harington) defends Sam and convinces the rest of the recruits not to harm him, much to Thorne's rage. Thorne defends his treatment as essential, since life north of the Wall is very harsh especially during winter, warning Jon and Sam to toughen up or they will have no chance of survival.

In the North

Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) stops at Winterfell as he is returning to King's Landing after his visit to the Wall. He gets a cold welcome from Robb Stark (Richard Madden), acting Lord of Winterfell in his father Eddard's absence. Robb suspects the Lannisters are behind his younger brother Bran's fall and the subsequent assassination attempt. Despite the cold reception, Tyrion shows the now crippled Bran an act of kindness by giving him blueprints for a saddle that will allow him to ride again despite his paraplegia. Before he leaves Winterfell, Tyrion has a talk with Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), a ward of House Stark, and mocks him on how his family and their land, the Iron Islands, attempted a failed rebellion against King Robert, calling Theon a "hostage" to the Stark family.

At the Inn at the Crossroads

Further south, Tyrion and his small retinue stop to spend the night at the Inn at the Crossroads. There he recognizes Lady Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) in disguise. With her cover blown, she requests help from her father's bannermen present at the inn to seize Tyrion to face trial for Bran's attempted murder.

Episode Five

Like previous episodes, "The Wolf and the Lion" interweaves action happening in multiple locations within the Kingdom of Westeros. Most of the action takes place in the capital, King's Landing, while other scenes are located at the Starks' ancestral fortress of Winterfell and The Vale, ruled by Catelyn Stark's sister Lysa Arryn. Unlike previous episodes, none of the action involves The Wall at Westeros' northern border, nor the Dothraki across the Narrow Sea.

In the Vale

Lady Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) leads her entourage east through the Mountains of the Moon to get to the Vale, with Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) as her prisoner. However, they are soon attacked by barbarian tribesmen. During the fight, Tyrion saves Catelyn's life, attacking and killing a barbarian with a shield. The party arrives at the Eyrie, ruled by Lord Jon Arryn's widow, Lysa (Kate Dickie), who is also Catelyn's sister. However, when the two meet for the first time in five years, it becomes apparent that Lysa is mentally unstable and fears the Lannisters' power. Catelyn also meets her nephew, Robert Arryn (Lino Facioli), the heir to the Eyrie - an eight-year-old boy whom Lysa still nurses. Tyrion is consigned to the Eyrie's dungeon, the "sky cells", which are prison cells with slanted floors that slope down to a precipitous drop. Meanwhile Lysa prepares to pass judgment on Tyrion as an accomplice for her husband's murder.

In the North

At Winterfell, Theon (Alfie Allen) grows more jealous of Tyrion after his favorite prostitute Ros (Esmé Bianco) taunts him that she prefers the dwarf as he is a better lover and from a richer family. Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) is depressed over his paralysis and the fact that his mother left him while he was in a coma. To cheer him up, Maester Luwin (Donald Sumpter) decides to teach Bran the Dothraki art of horseback archery.

At King's Landing

After Eddard 'Ned' Stark (Sean Bean) convinces King Robert (Mark Addy) not to join the Tourney, the crowd watches a jousting match between the fearsome Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane, brother of "The Hound", and Ser Loras Tyrell, "The Knight of Flowers". The Mountain is a formidable opponent, but Tyrell cleverly defeats him in the joust by riding a mare in heat, distracting Clegane's stallion. Furious, Clegane beheads his horse and attempts to kill Loras. Sandor "The Hound" Clegane comes to Tyrell's rescue and defends him against his brother until Robert orders them to stop. Grateful for being rescued, Tyrell calls Sandor a hero where he is cheered by the crowd.

Later, Varys (Conleth Hill), reveals to Ned that Jon Arryn was killed for asking questions, succumbing to a poison called the "Tears of Lys". He also suggests that Lord Arryn's former squire, the recently-slain Ser Hugh of the Vale, was the poisoner.

Meanwhile, Arya (Maisie Williams) continues her training by chasing a cat through the Red Keep, and stumbles upon a secret conversation between two men (Varys and Illyrio), who appear to be plotting against the throne.

Arya tries to warn her father, but is unable to identify the two plotters and fumbles her words. They are interrupted by the arrival of Yoren (Francis Magee), who informs Ned of his wife's arrest of Tyrion.

The news of Daenerys' pregnancy reaches the Small Council, delivered by Varys' spy, Ser Jorah Mormont. Fearing a possible invasion by the Targaryen/Dothraki alliance, Robert orders that she and her unborn child, along with Viserys, be assassinated. Ned refuses to obey such a dishonorable order as Robert's hatred against Targaryens is clouding his judgement and doing so will make him not different than the Mad King. When Robert's mind is clearly made, Ned resigns the office of Hand of the King much to Robert's anger. As Robert drinks in sorrow over his fight with Ned, Cersei (Lena Headey) visits him where he explains why he takes the Dothraki threat seriously. Meanwhile, Robert's youngest brother Renly (Gethin Anthony), is with his lover, Ser Loras, where the latter convinces him that he should be King as he will be a better ruler than his brothers and nephews.

Before he can leave the capital, Littlefinger offers to take Ned to the last person Jon Arryn spoke to before his death. It turns out to be a prostitute named Mhaegan, the mother of a baby daughter who is another of Robert's illegitimate children. Littlefinger reveals Jon Arryn had been searching for Robert's bastards for an unknown reason. When Ned and his guards try to leave, they are ambushed by Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and his men, who want answers for Tyrion's arrest. Ned claims responsibility for Tyrion's arrest which leads to a brutal fight between his and Jaime's men. In the end, Ned's guards are killed including his captain Jory Cassel (Jamie Sives). Ned duels Jaime but is speared through the leg by one of Jaime's guards before Stark and Lannister can finish the fight on their own. Jaime knocks out the guard who interrupted the fight and decides to let Ned live but warns that he wants his brother back, then storms away, leaving Ned bleeding in the dirt.

Episode Six

Like previous episodes, "A Golden Crown" interweaves action happening in multiple separate locations within and around the Kingdom of Westeros.

In the North

Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) is awakened from one of his recurring dreams of a three-eyed crow with the pleasant surprise that the specially designed saddle that will allow him to ride has been finished. He goes to test it in the forest under the supervision of his brother Robb (Richard Madden) and Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen).

While Theon is trying to convince Robb to avenge his father for the Lannister's attack, a small group of wildlings (humans who live north of the wall, outside of "civilized" lands) that have ventured south capture Bran. Robb and Theon manage to kill all the men and capture the woman Osha (Natalia Tena), but despite Theon's help, Robb chastises him for endangering Bran's life when he shot an arrow at the wildling that was holding Bran.

In the Vale

Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) is able to trick Lysa Arryn (Kate Dickie) into summoning a court to listen to his confession, at which he confesses nothing about the attempt on Bran's life or Lysa's husband's death. After Tyrion publicly demands a trial by combat and the mercenary Bronn (Jerome Flynn) volunteers to fight for him, Lysa Arryn is forced to allow it. Bronn defeats Lysa's champion by tiring the heavily armored knight, and Tyrion is allowed to walk free with Bronn as his escort, much to the dismay of the Tully sisters.

At King's Landing

Eddard Stark (Sean Bean) awakens in his chambers with Robert (Mark Addy) and Cersei (Lena Headey) watching him. Cersei accuses him of kidnapping her brother, Tyrion, and claims he was drunk and attacked Jaime first, but she is silenced by a slap from Robert. After she leaves, Robert tells Eddard that he cannot rule the kingdoms if the Lannisters and Starks are at war and insists that Eddard remain the Hand of the King, or else he will give the position to Jaime. He also informs Eddard that he will be regent while Robert departs on a hunting trip.

Meanwhile, Arya (Maisie Williams) deals with her father's injury and her loss of Jory during her sword-dance lessons; Syrio (Miltos Yerolemou) tells her it's a perfect opportunity for her to learn to avoid distraction while fighting. In the Stark's common room, Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Septa Mordane are interrupted by Prince Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), who apologizes to Sansa for his earlier behavior and gives her a necklace. Sansa accepts the apology, unaware Joffrey has been forced into it by his mother.

While acting as regent, Eddard learns that Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane was spotted leading brigands and attacking villages in the Riverlands. Realizing this is revenge for Tyrion's arrest, Eddard orders Gregor's arrest, strips him of his lands and titles, and summons his Lord Tywin Lannister to answer for Gregor's actions. Fearing war with the Lannisters and for his daughters' lives, he orders Arya and Sansa to return to Winterfell for their safety. Sansa protests and mentions Joffrey's blond hair; Eddard realizes something and re-reads the book of lineages of the Baratheon family. Doing so, he puts the pieces together: Joffrey does not have black hair like his father, his father's ancestors, and Robert's bastards whom he and Jon Arryn had been researching. Eddard concludes Joffrey is not Robert's real son, despite not having any other evidence to lead him to this conclusion.

Across the Narrow Sea

Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) takes one of the dragon eggs and places it on a glowing-hot brazier. She reaches in and picks up the blisteringly hot egg. Her handmaiden rushes in to take the hot egg from her hands, burning herself in the process but Daenerys' hands are unscathed.

In Vaes Dothrak, Daenerys begins the ritual with the Khaleen by eating a raw heart of a stallion. After some struggle, she completes the task and stands up to proclaim her unborn son as the Khal who will unite the entire world under one banner, and she names him Rhaego. Viserys (Harry Lloyd) grows angry at his sister's popularity among the Dothraki, but Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) urges patience. Viserys will have none of it, though, and sneaks away to Daenerys' tent to steal the dragon eggs to fund his army. However, Jorah confronts him and forces him to leave the eggs behind, and Viserys storms off after a tense exchange of barbed words between the two men.

Later, at a feast for Daenerys and Khal Drogo, a drunken Viserys draws his sword on his sister, threatening that if the Khal does not give him an army to take back the Seven Kingdoms, he will take back Daenerys and cut out her child. Khal Drogo agrees to give him the "Golden Crown" that he wants. But to Viserys' horror, the "Golden Crown" is actually molten gold, poured on his head. Viserys dies screaming in agony. Daenerys watches her brother's death calmly and coldly replies: "He was no dragon. Fire cannot kill a dragon."

Episode Seven

Like previous episodes, "You Win or You Die" interweaves action happening in multiple separate locations within and around the Kingdom of Westeros. While the dramatic center of this episode is in the capital of King's Landing, where the titular quote is issued, ongoing events at The Wall and Winterfell in the north and with the Dothraki across the Narrow Sea continue, and events at the Lannister army's camp are depicted as well.

At the Lannister Camp

Lord Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) has a talk with his son Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) while the former is skinning a stag (the sigil of the current ruling family, House Baratheon). While Tywin chastises his children for causing the recent troubles with the Starks, he nevertheless believes this war is the perfect opportunity for the Lannisters to set up a dynasty as the new rulers of the Seven Kingdoms and gives half of his forces to Jaime to attack Riverrun, an area ruled by House Tully and Lady Catelyn's childhood home, in retaliation for Catelyn's seizure of Tyrion Lannister.

At Winterfell

The captured wildling Osha (Natalia Tena), now a servant of the Starks, is harassed by Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) who warns her that if she had been arrested in his homeland the Iron Islands, she would have suffered a worse fate. As Maester Luwin (Donald Sumpter) tells Theon to leave her alone after witnessing Theon's sexual advance on her, he asks Osha why she and other wildlings are coming south from the Wall. She reveals they were fleeing from the White Walkers, who have apparently returned after millennia of slumber, and opines that every army in the Seven Kingdoms should be marching north to confront that threat.

At the Wall

Benjen Stark's horse returns from north of the Wall without him, much to the worry of his nephew, Jon Snow (Kit Harington). The new members of the Night's Watch are finally given their assignments on the Wall and take their oaths; however, to Jon's disappointment and anger, he has been assigned as a steward to the Lord Commander instead of a ranger like Benjen. Jon suspects Ser Alliser Thorne's involvement, as revenge for Jon defying him; however, his friend Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) assures Jon that being the Lord Commander's steward might mean he is being groomed to be the next Lord Commander. As Jon and Sam take their vows near a tree dedicated to the Old Gods north of the Wall, Jon's direwolf brings him a dismembered hand.

Across the Narrow Sea

Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) attempts to convince Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa) to return to her homeland and reclaim the throne of the Seven Kingdoms, but he is not interested. While Daenerys and her entourage go sightseeing at a market, Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) receives a pardon for him to return to the Seven Kingdoms from an informant of Lord Varys (Conleth Hill). Jorah realizes this means the order to assassinate Danaerys has been officially issued and quickly saves her from a wine merchant who tries to poison her. His plot discovered, the merchant tries to escape only to be caught by Daenerys's bodyguards. Drogo, angered by the attempt on his wife's life, vows to his followers that he will lead his horde to cross the Narrow Sea to invade the Seven Kingdoms as revenge and reclaim the Iron Throne for his unborn son.

At King's Landing

Ned (Sean Bean) confronts Queen Cersei (Lena Headey), stating that he knows Prince Joffrey and his siblings are not King Robert's (Mark Addy) children, but were incestuously fathered by her brother Jaime. Cersei defends her affair with Jaime, comparing it to the ancient Targaryen practice of wedding brothers to sisters and saying she tried to love Robert but he refused to love her because he was still in love with his deceased fiancee, Ned's sister Lyanna Stark. Ned shows Cersei mercy and tells her to leave the capital with her children and get as far away as they can before he tells Robert the truth.

However, Lord Renly Baratheon (Gethin Anthony) returns and informs Ned that Robert has been mortally wounded by a boar on his hunt. On his deathbed, Robert dictates his will to Ned, in which Robert makes Ned the Lord Regent and Protector of the Realm until Joffrey comes of age. Ned writes down Robert's words, but instead of using "Joffrey", Ned writes "my rightful heir", making the succession ambiguous. Robert signs the will without reading this change in wording and begs Ned to make Joffrey a better man.

Fearing Cersei and the Lannisters will use this time to their advantage, Renly tries to convince Eddard they should raise an army and launch a coup d'état. However, Ned refuses to dishonor Robert in his final hours and wants to assure the crown passes to the rightful heir: Stannis Baratheon, Robert's younger and Renly's older brother. Ignoring Renly's advice saying that they need a better leader to rule the Seven Kingdoms, Ned writes a letter to Stannis informing him of the situation, dispatching it to Dragonstone, Stannis's island fortress. Ned also reveals to Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish (Aidan Gillen) the truth of Joffrey's heritage, to which Littlefinger suggests they allow Joffrey and the Lannisters to take the throne, and if Joffrey proves to be an unfit ruler, they can use the truth to overthrow him and make Renly the King instead. Ned refuses such treason, asking Littlefinger to secure the support of the City Watch to overpower Cersei's men-at-arms if they attempt to seize the throne.

By the time Robert finally dies, Renly has fled the capital with his men and Joffrey has ordered his coronation within the fortnight. As Ned, his men, Varys, Littlefinger and the City Watch enter the throne room, Ned gives Ser Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney) of the Kingsguard Robert's will to read out aloud. However, Cersei refuses to follow Robert's will and tears it up, ordering Barristan to seize Ned. Ned orders his army to arrest Cersei and Joffrey, and not to harm Barristan. As both sides prepare to fight, the City Watch slaughters the Stark guardsmen while Littlefinger holds Ned at knife point, telling him he should have listened to his warning not to trust him.

Episode Eight

At King's Landing

After Ned Stark (Sean Bean) is imprisoned following his failed attempt to arrest Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) and Cersei Lannister (Lena Headley), the Lannisters move against the rest of the Stark household. While Ned's eldest daughter Sansa (Sophie Turner) is detained, Arya (Maisie Williams) is able to escape after her fencing teacher Syrio Forel (Miltos Yerolemou) holds off the Lannister men. As Arya runs outside looking for her sword, a stable boy tries to detain her, but she fatally stabs him before fleeing the castle.

Cersei convinces Sansa that in order to save her father's life, she must write a letter to her brother Robb imploring him to come to King's Landing and swear fealty to Joffrey. Later, Joffrey and Cersei hold court, where they reward Janos Slynt, the Captain of the City Watch, with a lordship while Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) is named the new Hand of the King. Joffrey also relieves Ser Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney) as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and gives his post to Jaime Lannister. Furious, Selmy throws his sword at Joffrey's feet and storms out in disgust. Sansa takes the opportunity to publicly plead for her father's life, and Joffrey agrees to spare him if Ned accepts him as the rightful king.

At the Lannister Camp

As Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Bronn (Jerome Flynn) head towards Tywin Lannister's camp, they are surrounded by a barbarian hill tribe. Tyrion convinces them to serve as his escorts by promising them gold, weapons and an army to help them seize the Vale of Arryn. Tywin is displeased, but agrees to keep Tyrion's promises if the hill tribes join the fight against the Starks. The tribesmen agree, but want Tyrion to follow them as insurance, much to Tyrion's discomfort.

In the Vale

Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) confronts her sister Lysa (Kate Dickie) about the letter she received regarding events at King's Landing. Lysa refuses to send troops to help the Starks against the Lannisters, as she only cares for the safety of her son Robin (Lino Facioli). Therefore Catelyn leaves the Eyrie.

In the North

After receiving his sister's letter, Robb (Richard Madden) decides that Cersei is manipulating Sansa. He calls his family's bannermen to war against the Lannisters, much to Theon Greyjoy's (Alfie Allen) pleasure. After gaining the respect of Stark bannerman Lord "Greatjon" Umber (Clive Mantle) and leaving Bran in charge of Winterfell, Robb and his army march South and are later joined by his mother Catelyn. During a council of war at which Robb ponders whether to attack Tywin's or Jaime's forces, his men capture a Lannister scout. Robb decides to let him go with a message to Tywin that the North is coming for him.

At the Wall

Jon Snow (Kit Harington), Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) and their party return to the Wall after finding two frozen corpses. Lord Commander Mormont (James Cosmo) recognizes them as Benjen Stark's fellow rangers and orders their bodies examined. Sam points out that there is no sign of decay on their corpses even though they have apparently been dead for weeks. Later, Mormont informs Jon about events in the south and warns him to keep his commitment to the Night's Watch. Jon loses his temper after Ser Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale) mocks Eddard Stark's treason. Enraged, Jon charges at Thorne with a knife, but is held back by his companions and confined to his quarters by Mormont.

Later that night, Jon's direwolf Ghost behaves strangely, prompting Jon to investigate Mormont's quarters. As Jon enters, he is attacked by one of the dead rangers, returned to unlife as a wight. The undead monster is immune to Jon's sword, continuing to attack even after being run through and losing an arm. As Mormont enters, Jon throws a lantern at the wight, setting the wight ablaze and finally destroying it. The next morning, Mormont and the Night's Watch burn the two bodies, and Sam tells them that he read that corpses touched by the White Walkers are reanimated, and can only be killed by fire.

Across the Narrow Sea

Khal Drogo's (Jason Momoa) horde sack a village in order to gather funds for the ships they need to invade the Seven Kingdoms. Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) is shocked by their brutality. After seeing Dothraki raiders gather several village women for rape and enslavement, she orders Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) and her bodyguards to claim the women as hers. Challenged in front of Drogo, she defends her actions with her rights as khaleesi and demands that the raiders marry rather than enslave the women they desire. Impressed, Drogo sides with his wife. The leading raider challenges the Khal to a duel, in which he is swiftly killed by Drogo. Daenerys worries about a cut Drogo received in the fight, and the Khal reluctantly allows one of the spared villagers, a healer by the name of Mirri Maz Duur (Mia Soteriou), to treat his wounds much to the distaste of the Dothraki, who derisively call the woman 'maegi' (a witch).

Episode Nine

At the Lannister Camp

At dinner, Lord Tywin (Charles Dance) tells his son Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) that he and his barbarian allies will fight in the vanguard of the army. Tyrion is less than pleased and leaves the table. He returns to his camp and finds the prostitute Shae (Sibel Kekilli) whom Bronn (Jerome Flynn) found for him at his request. As the three of them swap stories, Tyrion reveals that, when he was sixteen, he married a woman named Tysha whom Jaime and he had rescued. When his father Tywin learned of this, he made Jaime confess that she was actually a hired prostitute. Tywin then made Tyrion watch as Lannister guardsmen all had sex with her, each paying her one silver coin provided by Lord Tywin.

Later, Tyrion is awakened by Bronn as a Stark force approaches. He leaves his tent dressed in armor and orders the hill tribes to combat, but he is trampled as they rush to war. By the time he regains consciousness, the battle has been played out. Lord Tywin reveals that the Stark host was only 2,000 men, leaving them to wonder where the other 18,000 went.

At the Twins

The Stark army arrives at the Twins, a fortified bridge controlled by the cranky Lord Walder Frey (David Bradley), who is nominally sworn to Catelyn's (Michelle Fairley) father Hoster Tully. However, Lord Frey has sealed off the bridge and refuses to let the army cross, so Catelyn negotiates on her son Robb's behalf. After some hard bargaining, Frey agrees to allow the Stark army to cross through The Twins and to commit some of his troops to the conflict with the Lannisters; but, in return, he wants Robb (Richard Madden) and his sister Arya (Maisie Williams) to marry two of his children, to which Robb reluctantly agrees.

After crossing the river, Robb divides his forces, sending the aforementioned 2,000 men to distract Lord Tywin's army. Due to the false information Robb gave to a Lannister scout, Lord Tywin's force believes it is the whole Stark army. The remainder of Robb's men sneak up on Jaime Lannister's (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) army, defeating them and capturing Jaime. When captured, Jamie offers Robb a one on one duel to settle the matter which Robb refuses.

At the Wall

Lord Commander Mormont (James Cosmo) gives Jon (Kit Harington) a sword of Valyrian steel named Longclaw, which was originally meant for his son Ser Jorah (Iain Glen) before his exile, as a reward for saving his life from the undead ranger. Jon is upset, however, when Sam (John Bradley) tells him about Robb's war against the Lannisters, feeling that he should be there to help Robb.

Maester Aemon summons Jon and explains to him the reason why members of the Night's Watch do not marry: it would force them to choose between their duty to the order or loyalty to their loved ones. Aemon knows this very well as he is actually Aemon Targaryen, the Mad King Aerys Targaryen's uncle and Daenerys' (Emilia Clarke) granduncle, who dutifully and reluctantly stayed at the Wall while his family members were killed or exiled when the Targaryens were overthrown. Aemon advises Jon that he must choose either his duty to the Night's Watch or his family, but also warns that the consequences of his choice will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Across the Narrow Sea

Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa), delirious from an infection caused by the chest wound he suffered in a fight depicted in the previous episode, falls from his saddle, a sign of weakness among the Dothraki. Daenerys takes Drogo into her tent and sends for Mirri Maz Duur (Mia Soteriou) to help him. However, Ser Jorah Mormont advises Daenerys that they should leave now because the Dothraki only respect the powerful and once Drogo dies, Qotho (Dar Salim) and the other bloodriders will fight amongst themselves to be his successor; whoever wins will kill her and her unborn child to prevent Drogo's son from growing up to be a rival. Daenerys refuses to abandon her husband even when Mirri tells she cannot save him and instead advises giving Drogo a quick, clean death. In desperation, Daenerys encourages Mirri to use blood magic despite her warning about the consequences of such a spell, that only death can pay for life. Mirri brings Drogo's horse into the tent, slits its throat, and orders everyone to leave and warns that none must enter during the spell. Qotho, shocked over what Daenerys has done, tries to stop the spell but Mormont kills him to prevent interference. Daenerys then goes into premature labor, and none of the Dothraki midwives will help her, owing to their belief that she is cursed. In desperation, Mormont carries Daenerys into Drogo's tent to seek Mirri's help.

At King's Landing

Varys (Conleth Hill) visits Ned (Sean Bean) in the dungeons and tells him that if he makes a false confession and swears loyalty to King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), Cersei (Lena Headey) will spare him and let him serve the Night's Watch as his exile. Ned initially refuses but relents after Varys tells him that his daughter Sansa's (Sophie Turner) life is also at stake.

Arya, who has been living as a beggar in the streets of King's Landing since her escape from the Lannisters, learns a crowd is gathering at the Great Sept of Baelor, where her father will be judged before the gods. With Sansa, Cersei, Joffrey and the Small Council looking over him, Ned confesses to treason and swears fealty to Joffrey in front of the crowd. Satisfied, Sansa and Cersei ask Joffrey to spare Ned as promised, but Joffrey breaks his promise and orders Ned beheaded. As Sansa watches in grief, Cersei, Varys and the Small Council attempt to intervene, and Arya tries to rescue Ned only to be stopped by Night's Watch recruiter Yoren (Francis Magee), who prevents her from seeing her father's execution. Just before he is decapitated, Ned sees that Arya is safe.

Episode Ten

In the North

Crippled Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) has Osha (Natalia Tena) carry him into the Stark family crypt beneath Winterfell. There, they encounter the youngest Stark brother, Rickon (Art Parkinson), and his direwolf Shaggydog. Both brothers felt drawn to the crypts after dreaming about the death of their father Ned (Sean Bean). As they leave the crypt, Maester Luwin (Donald Sumpter) arrives to inform Bran of his father's execution.

In the Riverlands

At the Stark army camp, Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) counsels her son Robb (Richard Madden), who grieves over his father's death. Robb vows revenge on the Lannisters, but Catelyn reminds him that they must first rescue his sisters Arya (Maisie Williams) and Sansa (Sophie Turner). As the Starks consult their followers over whether to support Stannis or Renly Baratheon, both of whom have challenged Joffrey Lannister's (Jack Gleeson) claim to the throne, Lord Greatjon Umber (Clive Mantle) instead makes the case for Northern independence. Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) and the others agree, proclaiming Robb the "King in the North". Later, Catelyn interrogates the captive Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). He admits having pushed Bran out of the tower window, but refuses to tell why.

At King's Landing

Offering the bard the choice between his hand or his tongue, Joffrey sentences Marillion (Emun Elliott) to have his tongue cut out for composing a bawdy song about King Robert's death. Joffrey then leads Sansa onto a small wooden bridge at the top of a battlement and forces her to look upon the heads of her father and other Stark household members mounted on spikes. When Joffrey tells her his plans to add Robb's head to the collection, Sansa defies him by wishing to see his own head mounted there, for which Joffrey has one of his guards slap her. As Sansa contemplates pushing Joffrey off the bridge, she is stopped by the "Hound", Sandor Clegane (Rory McCann), who wipes the blood off her mouth and tells her to obey Joffrey for her own safety.

Meanwhile, Arya, after being rescued by Night's Watch recruiter Yoren (Francis Magee), takes on the identity of the boy "Arry" to escape with Yoren and his new recruits. After being picked on by two boys who plan to steal her sword, Arya threatens to kill them until Gendry (Joe Dempsie), King Robert's bastard son, chases them off. Arya and Gendry leave with Yoren's caravan, bound for the Wall.

At the Lannister Camp

Lord Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) and his followers discuss their recent setbacks: not only have they lost an important battle, and Jaime, to the Starks, but both Baratheon brothers now also threaten them. Because his grandson's execution of Ned Stark destroyed any hope for peace between the Starks and the Lannisters, Tywin orders his son Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) to go to King's Landing in his stead as Hand of the King in order to keep Joffrey under control. Against his father's orders, Tyrion has the prostitute Shae (Sibel Kekilli) follow him to the capital.

At the Wall

Jon (Kit Harington) attempts to desert the Night's Watch to join Robb and avenge his father, despite the pleading of Sam (John Bradley). Pursued by Sam, Pyp (Josef Altin) and Grenn (Mark Stanley), Jon tells them to leave, but they convince Jon to return to the Watch by reciting their oath. The next morning, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont (James Cosmo) lets Jon know that he is aware of Jon's attempt at desertion. Nevertheless he orders Jon to join him in an expedition over the Wall, intended to counter the threat of the Wildlings and the White Walkers, and to find the missing First Ranger, Benjen Stark (Joseph Mawle).

Across the Narrow Sea

On waking up, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) learns from Ser Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) that her unborn son died, his life used up in Mirri's (Mia Soteriou) spell that saved the life of Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa). Drogo has fallen into a comatose state, which leads most of his followers to abandon him. Daenerys accuses Mirri of tricking her by not revealing the real price of her magic, and Mirri reveals that she sought to avenge the destruction of her village and her people. Unable to bear her husband's condition, Daenerys smothers Drogo with a pillow, killing him.

Daenerys and her remaining followers build a funeral pyre for Drogo. Daenerys places her dragon eggs atop the pyre, and she orders Ser Jorah to tie Mirri to it. Having set fire to the pyre, Daenerys declares herself queen of a new khalasar, freeing those that would remain with her. Despite Jorah's worries, Daenerys steps onto the pyre herself. By daybreak, Jorah and the khalasar are surprised to find her unharmed in the ashes, carrying three dragon hatchlings. Amazed, they bow to Daenerys as one of the hatchlings clambers onto her shoulder and lets out a screech.