Game of Thrones

In the dungeons of King’s Landing, Varys pays another visit to Lord Eddard. He tells him that Sansa begged small council for his life. Varys shares his childhood story how, before he become eunuch, he traveled with a group of actors trough the Free Cities of Essos and learned to act and bend the truth to his advantage.



He also tells that Robb is marching with the northern army to free Ned and that the Queen Cersei is scared of ruthless Stannis Baratheon, a true heir of the Iron Throne. Varys advices Ned to confess the treason and Cersei will allow him to join the Night’s Watch and live the rest of his days on the Wall. Eddard says that he spent his childhood with solders and that he learned how to die long time ago. He would never trade his honor for a couple of year’s longer life. While leaving, Varys asked Ned if his honor is more precious to him than his daughter’s life.

Near the Twins, the only crossing over point of the River Trident, Robb's marksman is shooting down every raven sent from the castle in order to prevent Lord Frey from revealing their position to Lannisters. Since The House Frey is a sworn ally to Catelyn’s father, Lord Hoster Tully, she decided to visit Lord Frey and negotiate conditions of crossing the river. But, Lord Walder Frey is not the same man Catelyn knew then she was a little girl. He is now unreliable and bitter 90 years old men who just married to a 15 years old girl despite having a large number of neglected children, grandchildren and bastards.



Catelyn was disgusted of his way of life, but she agreed to discuss terms of crossing. Finally, they found a way to resolve the old man’s frustration of not being able to marry any of his numerous children to House Tully.

At Castle Black, in sign of gratitude for saving his life, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont gives Jon Snow a special gift. Longclaw, a sword made of Valyrian steel that Mormonts have carried for five centuries. The sward was meant for his son, Ser Jorah Mormont, but after dishonoring their family and leaving for Essos, Jorah had enough decency to leave the sword behind.



Lord Jeor has sent Ser Alliser Thorne to King's Landing to bring the hand (from deceased ranger who had contact with the White Walkers) before the King and ask for his attention. He tells Jon that he doesn’t approve his quarrel with Ser Thorne.

Later, at dinner, all the men congratulated Jon on his bravery and wanted to see the sword up close. Sam tells Jon that, while he was reading mail to blind Maester Aemon, he accidentally found out that Robb is leading an army to South. Jon thinks that he should be with his brother.

Near the Twins, Catelyn is returning back to camp. She says that Lord Frey has granted their crossing and will give Robb most of his army. In return, Robb has to take his son Olyvar as his personal squire, and Arya will have to marry his son Waldron Freyone… And when the war is finished, Robb must marry any one of his daughters. Robb isn’t in a position to refuse.



At dawn, the Northern army passed the Twins and headed South.

At the Wall, Maester Aemon summoned Jon to give him an advice. He explains to Jon that men of the black do not take wives or have children because the love is death of duty. He reveals that once he had a same dilemma as Jon, whether or not to leave his sworn brothers and go to help him family. In his old age, Gods cruelly tested Aemon ‘s vows.



Maester Aemon reveals that his name is Aemon Targaryen; he is the son of a King Maekar I, brother of Aegon the Conqueror, uncle of Aerys II Targaryen (better known as the Mad King) and a great uncle of Viserys and Daenerys. Aemon was heartbroken when his family was killed (during Robert's Rebellion), but for him the Night's Watch vows always came first. He tells Jon to choose wisely. With the choice he makes today, he will have to live for the rest of his life.

On continent of Essos, Khal Drogo is no longer able to ride. When he falls from his horse, Qotho starts to doubt his rights to remain Khal. Daenerys Targaryen, concerned for his festered wound, decides to make a camp and give Khal some time to rest and regain his straight. When she asks to bring her magi Mirri Maz Duur, Qotho is not pleased with her decision to put Khal’s health in hands of a witch.



With Khal in bad condition, Daenerys must keep her integrity as Khalisi as strong as she can.

At the Lannister’s camp, Lord Tywin is not happy that Robb’s army has crossed the Twins and now has Lord Fray on their side. They are only one day’s march away from Lord Tywin’s army. Tywin informs Tyrion that in the next battle, he will lead his savages in the vanguard, the first lines against northern men. Tyrion tells his father that there are easier ways to get him killed and leaves his tent. At Tyrion’s tent, Bronn was waiting for him with a gift: a foreign whore named Shae that he stole from some Lord. Tyrion tells Shae that he expects from her to serve him as a maid and a lover. In return he will grant her safety, provide her with large amount of money and, off course, a pleasure of his company.

In Dothraki’s camp, Ser Jorah is concern that Drogo might die soon and cause disturbance in his tribe. Dothraki do not honor blood and heritage - they only believe in strength, and without Drogo, Khaleesi will be helpless. He urges Daenerys to flee, but she refuses to leave her delirious husband. To her order, Ser Jorah puts his armor.



Mirri Maz Duur comes to help, but she thinks that Khal’s wound is beyond her healing skills. When Daenerys saves her life from furious and blood thirsty Qotho, she offers Khaleesi another way to save her husbands life, but warns her that this kind of magic is sometimes worst than death. Mirri will use a spell of forbidden bloodmagic, and offer one life for another. Khaleesi offers herself, but Mirri says that sacrificing Khal’s horse will be enough. Warriors bring Drogo's black stallion into his tent and Mirri cuts his throat. Now, the ritual has begun, the dead will dance here and no one can enter this tent.

Daenerys leaves and, in front of the tent, gets ambushed by Drogo's warriors who are offended by witch’s ritual. Furious Qotho tries to enter the tent and prevent the spell, but Ser Jorah engages him into a fight. Qotho unsuccessfully tries to pierce Jorah armor and at the end Jorah kills him.



Daenerys starts to go into labor, but Dothraki midwives think that she’s cursed and refuse to help her. For Jorah, there is no other choice than to bring Daenerys into the tent and ask Mirri for help.

At the Lannister’s camp, its night before the battle and Tyrion, Bronn and Shae are playing games. Tyrion amuses himself by playing a drinking game where you need to judge your opponents character, guess theirs’ past and drink if you are wrong. He guessed that Bronn’s parents beat him, that he went beyond a Wall and that he killed his first man (actually a woman) before he was 12 years old. But, Tyrion got almost drunk after many mistaken guesses about Shae’s mysterious past. Now, it is theirs’ turn to guess Tyrion’s past. Bronn says that Tyrion was married once, and soon Imp decides to share his story.



As 16 years old boy, he saved a woman from the rapists and, after spending a night with her, fell in love and married wheelwright's daughter named Tysha. After several weeks with her, his father found out and Jaime had to tell Tyrion the harsh truth. Tysha was a whore that Jaime hired, along with fake rapists, so his shy brother can finally be with a woman. Tywin took Tysha, motivated her with gold and gave her to his guards while Tyrion was forced to watch. Shae said that he should’ve known that she was a whore, because a raped girl would never let a man in her bad so soon after the incident. Touched by his honesty, Shae decided to give him a night that he won’t forget.

Tomorrow morning, Lannisters were ready to go into a battle. Tyrion, as a commander of the fearless tribes of the Vale, gave them a motivational speech.



Tribes cheered ‘Half Man’ and marched into a battle running over him in the process. Unconscious during the whole fight, Tyrion woke up to find out that they have won. Lord Tywin told him that victory was theirs only because scouts were wrong. Instead of twenty, only two thousand of northern men engaged in fight. They didn’t capture Robb because he was elsewhere, with his remaining eighteen thousand men.

Near the Riverrun, in the woods, Catelyn and Ser Rodrik Cassel are expecting the news from the battle. Robb was marching with eighteen thousand of his bannermen to attack Ser Jaime's army. Now, Robb returns victorious and bringing Ser Jaime as a hostage.



Theon Greyjoy suggests cutting Jaime’s head off and sending it to Tywin, but Robb thinks that he might be more useful alive. Ser Jaime suggests ending the war in duel between himself and Robb. Aware of Jaime’s skills and advantages, Robb refuses and takes him into captivity. Rodd, shaken after sacrificing two thousand of his men, tells his warriors that one victory does not make them conquerors. They still need to free his father, his sisters and the North. This is just a beginning of a long war.

At the King's Landing, starved Arya is killing pigeons in order to survive life on the streets. Suddenly, crowd start running and she finds out that her father will be taken before the Sept of Baelor (Sept is a seven-sided church dedicated to the Faith of the Seven, religion that is dominant in the south of Westeros and worships seven new Gods. The Sept of Baelor is named after religious and peaceful King Baelor Targaryen). Arya hurries after them and climbs on the statue of Baelor so she can see her father.



Lord Eddard is chained and brought by City Watch before the Sept. On the stairs, he looks up and sees his young daughter squatting next to the statue of Baelor. The crowd starts yelling and insulting him, but among them he sees a friendly face – Yoren, regruter of the Night’s Watch. He tells him "Baelor" in hope that Yoren can find and help Arya. Yoren understood Ned and headed toward Arya.

While passing towards the Sept, Eddard sees Sansa smiling in relief. In the presence of the Queen Cersei, Joffrey and the members of the small council, Lord Eddard has an opportunity to confess his treason and acknowledge Joffrey as a rightful King. Eddard thinks about his daughters’ safety and decides that they are more important than his honor. To their great pleasure, Eddard confesses everything that Queen and new King wanted to hear. Grand Maester Pycelle tells the crowd that Baelor taught them to be just as well as merciful and asks Joffrey to tell his judgment. King Joffrey says that his mother wished to allow Eddard to join the Night's Watch, stripped of all titles and that his Lady Sansa begged him for mercy. But, they both have the soft hearts of women. Joffrey, as a new King, decides that treason shall never go unpunished and orders Ser Ilyn Payne to bring him Eddard's head.

Sansa screamed in despair and the crowd starts cheering. Queen Cersei and Varys were stunned by Joffrey’s unadvisedly verdict. Arya checked her Needle and jumped from the statue heading towards Eddard. Yoren grabs her from behind and holds her down.



Ser Ilyn Payne draws Eddard's own Valyrian steel sword called Ice.

Lord Eddard Stark, of the House Stark, the first of his name, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, takes one last look upon the raging crowd and the statue of Baelor trying to suit himself by knowing that at least his daughter is safe. He closes his eyes while saying a pray. Ser Ilyn rises Ice and in a single blow cuts off Ned’s head.



Arya, pressed against Yoren’s chest, looks up into the sky and see a dozens of ravens flying from King's Landing.