Directed By: Alan Taylor / Written By: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss

Original Airdate: June 12, 2011

In King’s Landing, with Sansa Stark's life in danger, her father Eddard Stark, Warden of the North, makes a fateful decision that could affect all of the Seven Kingdoms. Elsewhere in the Riverlands, his wife Catelyn Stark brokers an unsavory deal with the slippery Walder Frey. Tyrion Lannister acquires a mistress and is forced by his father Tywin Lannister to fight on the front lines. Eddard’s eldest son, Robb Stark, wins his first major victory and captures a prized prisoner that changes the scope of the war. At Castle Black, Jon Snow is rewarded for his valor and discovers a dark secret about Maester Aemon. Over the Narrow Sea in Essos, as Khal Drogo's wound festers, Daenerys Targaryen defies his bloodrider Qotho and desperately puts her trust in the enslaved witch Mirri Maz Duur to save his life.

main cast

THE TWINS

Following their journey south from the Neck, Robb Stark's Northern army have reached the Twins, a heavily fortified castle consisting of two near-identical towers and a bridge that crosses over the Trident River. Theon Greyjoy shoot downs a messenger-raven exiting the fortress, as Lady Catelyn Stark advises that no word of their presence at the Twins can be relayed to the Lannisters. However, after reading the message, they find nothing more but words to the extended family members of House Frey. Though the Freys are bannermen to Catelyn Stark's father Hoster Tully, ruling Lord Walder Frey has not yet taken up arms with them as yet. Greatjon Umber asserts that if you expect nothing of Walder Frey, you’ll never be surprised. Theon urges for Robb to take the crossing with force, as the numbers are on their side. However, it is noted that they couldn’t sieze the Twins in time to intercept Tywin’s army. It is also noted that entering the castle himself could be perilous for Robb, so Catelyn enters to negotiate their crossing in hopes she can bargain with Walder provided their long history.

Inside the hall, when Catelyn asks why Lord Frey has not taken up arms, he insists that he had been preparing to march and was just waiting for all his forces to arrive. As with his reputation, the reality is that he is waiting to see which side was winning before deciding whether to get involved. Now, House Tully's army has been defeated and Riverrun is held by the Lannisters, led by Ser Jaime Lannister. After remarking on the Tully’s fraught history with his house, Lord Frey wants to know why he should be helping Robb and taking up arms against Joffrey Baratheon and Tywin Lannister. Walder bitingly asserts to Catelyn that she is in no position to negotiate due to Lord Eddard Stark’s arrest and Robb’s lack of war experience. After some hard bargaining between Catelyn and Walder, however, they eventually strike a deal to join Robb's cause, allowing him to cross, as well as commit troops to his army. In return, both Robb and his youngest sister Arya Stark must each marry one of his own children and he is to take Olyvar Frey as a squire. When Catelyn returns back to Robb’s camp, she informs him of this proposal. Robb notes that Arya especially won't like this arrangement, and then asks Catelyn if she saw any of the Frey girls, infamously known for their lack of beauty. Robb ultimately feels that he has no choice and reluctantly agrees to the proposal for the sake of safe passage.

CASTLE BLACK

At Castle Black, following their encounter with a wight, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont gives Jon Snow a Valyrian steel sword named Longclaw, in thanks for saving his life during the attack. Jon is taken aback at the honour, as the Lord Commander explains that the ancestral sword has belonged to House Mormont for five centuries. He adds that Longclaw was meant to be carried down to his own son, Ser Jorah Mormont, but he had disgraced his family working as a slave trader and eventually fled in exile to Essos. Jeor then informs Jon that he has dispatched Ser Alliser Thorne to King's Landing in order to lay the hand of the wight that Ghost found in the Haunted Forest at the feet of the “boy king,” Joffrey Baratheon. He hopes that this should get Joffrey’s attention when asking for the crown’s aid. Mormont then notes that this provides Jon some time to cool off from his fight with Thorne. Afterwards, Jon goes to the dining hall and is greeted with enthusiasm from the other recruits who make a fuss over his new sword. Samwell Tarly, however, remains distant from the revelry but eventually takes Jon aside to inform him that Robb is leading an army south to war. Jon is in shock over the news, declaring that he should be with his brother.

Some time later, Maester Aemon speaks with Jon regarding the vows of the Night's Watch, enlightening Jon to the fact that in the eyes of sworn brothers: “love is the death of duty.” Despite the honor of family, Aemon emphasizes that their oaths comes first. A disgruntled Jon then asserts that no one can understand his plight. To his surprise, however, Aemon speaks from personal experience, stating that “the gods were cruel when they saw fit to test my vows.” He then reveals that his full name is Aemon Targaryen: the son of a king, brother to another and the uncle of the Mad King. Aemon explains that despite being old and blind at the time, due to his oath as maester, he still had to stand aside and “do nothing” during Robert's Rebellion, which resulted in the ruin of House Targaryen. Trembling with rage, Aemon recounts that even his nephew's grandchildren were butchered during the war. The maester declares that it is not an easy life the men of the Watch have chosen, yet remarks that he cannot make Jon stay or go either way. Like Aemon once had, Jon must make the choice himself and live with the consequences of it for the rest of his life.

lhazar

Far to the east, a heavily-pregnant Daenerys Targaryen is concerned over the festering wound her husband Khal Drogo took from fighting Mago, which has now become infected. A delirious Drogo eventually falls from his horse, as a panicked Daenerys then runs to his side. His bloodrider, Qotho, however, displays no concern for Drogo’s health and is quick to remind Daenerys that this is a grave sign of weakness amongst the Dothraki. Daenerys commands for the khalasar to stop, then ordering Qotho to bring her Mirri Maz Duur, the healer from Lhazar. Although Qotho is unhappy with entrusting Drogo's care to the “witch”, he eventually relents. Shortly after, a fully-armored Jorah Mormont joins Daenerys and the comatose Drogo inside their tent where he strongly advises her to leave with him immediately. He declares that Drogo is certain to die from his wound and when that is to occur, the Dothraki lieutenants will fight amongst themselves over who will become Drogo’s successor. Ser Jorah also stresses that whoever becomes the successor will then kill Daenerys' son, rather than risk the boy growing up as a rival to their leadership. However, Daenerys firmly refuses to abandon her husband. After escorting Mirri Maz Duur into the tent, Qotho is in outrage over the use of the healer. The bloodrider reminds Daenerys that when Drogo dies she becomes “nothing” and can no longer command him as a Khaleesi. After Qotho exits, Mirri Maz Duur informs Daenerys that Drogo’s condition is beyond a healer’s skills. She does, however, promise to save Drogo's life using bloodmagic, but needs to sacrifice another life in exchange. Mirri then requests for Drogo's horse to be brought into the tent, as she begins the ceremony by slitting the animal's throat over Drogo’s comatose body. She demands to be left in private in order to conduct the ritual, as Daenerys and Jorah then join the Dothraki horde outside. To the crowd’s horror, loud growls are heard from inside the tent as the supernatural ritual begins. Many of Drogo's warriors become enraged at Daenerys, viewing her as an affront to their beliefs by attempting to interfere with the natural order of things. Qotho eventually pushes Daenerys to the ground, as Ser Jorah then swiftly kills him once they engage in combat. Due to the fall, Daenerys immediately begins to go into labor, but none of the Dothraki midwives will help her, thinking that she is cursed with bloodmagic. Without any choice concerning her safety, Jorah carries Daenerys back inside the tent as the ceremony continues.

THE RIVERLANDS

Meanwhile, the Lannister army prepare for battle in their camp in the Riverlands. Ser Kevan Lannister informs his brother Lord Tywin that Robb Stark’s forces are a day’s march north. Tywin comments on Robb’s lack of experience, however, does have “mindless, provincial courage.” After his son’s arrival, Lord Tywin commands that Tyrion Lannister and his recently-acquired hill tribe forces the Vale of Arryn are to lead from the front of the vanguard. Though Tywin claims this will give them an edge against the Starks, Tyrion understands that the hill tribes are essentially to be used as cannon fodder. Tyrion angrily accuses his father of trying to kill him, sarcastically advising Tywin that there must be other ways to get rid of him without affecting the war effort. Tyrion then storms back to his tent to find that Bronn has found him a foreign whore from Essos named Shae. She is one of several camp-followers who offer their services to the Lannister army as they move across the Riverlands. Bronn excuses himself, stating his intention to find a whore of his own. Tyrion takes an immediate liking to the elusive Shae, who is as quick-witted as he is. When Shae asks what Tyrion wants from her, he requests for her to “fuck me like it’s our last night on earth together.” Shae starts to remove her clothing and then straddles on top of Tyrion in his chair, kissing him passionately.

That evening, Tyrion attempts to learn more about Shae via a drinking game he plays with her and Bronn. Tyrion makes observations and if he is correct the person has to drink. He guesses correctly that Bronn has been beyond the Wall and killed someone before he was twelve years old. Tyrion guesses that Shae's mother was a whore, her father deserted them, and she is low born; however he is wrong on each guess. Tyrion cannot read Shae's personality, but this only makes her more intriguing to him. When Shae starts to question Tyrion, Bronn reveals that he heard Tyrion was once married. Reluctantly, Tyrion explains that when he was very young, he and his brother Jaime Lannister were out riding near Casterly Rock and found a young common girl in distress from bandits. While Jaime chased the bandits off, Tyrion comforted the girl, whose name was Tysha. They ended up getting drunk at a local inn, and she became so enamored of him that Tyrion felt like he wasn't an ugly dwarf. Later that night she had sex with Tyrion, the first time he was ever with a woman. Tyrion fell madly in love, and bribed a drunken septon to marry them in secret. However, two weeks later, his father Tywin found out and was utterly furious that his son had married a commoner. Tywin forced Jaime to reveal the truth: the girl was a prostitute. Jaime set the situation up to do something nice for his little brother. Tywin then instructed his guards to have sex with her, with her being paid a silver coin for each man, while Tyrion was forced to watch. Shae points out that Tyrion was foolish to believe a woman would sleep with him just hours after almost being raped. Despite turning away from the light mood it started out in, Tyrion and Shae start intensely kissing, as Bronn leaves them to it and exits the tent.

The following morning, at daybreak, Bronn hurriedly awakens Tyrion and Shae with news that Robb’s army have stolen the march on them. Bronn explains that the Lannister army are about to be attacked and have to hastily prepare for battle. After dressing in his armor, Tyrion gives a rousing speech to his hill tribesmen as they prepare for battle at the Green Fork. However, as they charge towards the front of battle, Tyrion is trampled on within seconds by several stampeding tribesmen, only to then be knocked unconscious by an accidental blow to the head from someone's club. When Tyrion eventually regains consciousness on the back of a wagon, Bronn informs him that the while Lannisters did win the battle, it was a feint. As a diversion, Robb sent two-thousand of his army to confront and delay Lord Tywin's forces, while the main army of approximately eighteen-thousand marched onwards to Riverrun in order to attack Ser Jaime's army instead.

Meanwhile, Lady Catelyn and Ser Rodrik Cassel are waiting in the Whispering Wood as they hear sounds of battle in the distance. Suddenly, Robb victoriously returns on horseback alongside his guards as well as a prisoner: Ser Jaime himself. The battle of the Whispering Wood has lifted the siege of Riverrun, and Jaime's army has now been destroyed. Catelyn demands for the return of her daughters and husband, while Theon tells Robb to send Jaime’s head to his father. Knowing they can leverage the Lannister knight for his own family, Robb states that Jaime is of more use to them alive than dead. Jaime then suggests, however, that they can simply end the war now with a bout of single combat. Robb refuses the renowned warrior and has him imprisoned. After Jaime’s is escorted away, Robb laments to his mother that his diversion sent two-thousand men to their deaths. He then gives a speech to his army declaring that while they have won a great victory, the war is far from over.

king’s landing

Some time later, in the capital, Lord Varys visits Eddard Stark in the Black Cells underneath the Red Keep. Varys informs Eddard that his daughter Sansa Stark begged for his life before the entire court. He also tells Lord Stark that his son Robb is leading an army from the North. In addition, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister is more concerned over the intentions of the late King Robert's brother, Stannis Baratheon, a proven battle commander known to be without mercy. For the sake of his daughter's life, Lord Varys urges Eddard to confess to the treason charge against him. In return, Cersei will let him take the black and join the Night’s Watch at the Wall, alongside his younger brother  Benjen Stark and bastard son Jon Snow. Lord Eddard is angered by the suggestion that he would trade his honesty and honor for his life, though he appears to have second thoughts when Varys insinuates that Sansa would also pay the price for his defiance.

Some time later, Arya Stark is living on the streets of the city, unwashed and starving. In hungered desperation she attempts to capture a pigeon. Suddenly, she notices a commotion of smallfolk hurrying along and then follows the crowd to the Great Sept of Baelor. Unable to see the steps of the Sept, she climbs onto the pedestal of a statue of Baelor and sees her father Eddard being brought in chains to the steps of the temple. Amidst the commotion, he spots his youngest daughter on the statue, and while he is dragged through the crowd Eddard passes  Yoren of the Night's Watch. He looks in the direction of the statue and simply says "Baelor" to Yoren. The Night’s Watchman quickly understands and then moves toward the statue where Arya is watching. On the steps, Eddard is given a chance to confess his "crimes." He then declares that Joffrey is the true king, appeasing him. Joffrey then informs that he could be merciful and send Eddard to the Night's Watch, but instead commands Ser Ilyn Payne to bring him the traitor's head. The crowd goes into an uproar. Arya tries to make her way through the crowd, drawing her sword to save her father, but Yoren grabs and stops her, shielding her from seeing her father's death. Sansa screams and is restrained by guards as she faints. A visibly horrified Cersei frantically tries to persuade her son to reconsider, as does Varys, but there is no time. Ser Ilyn draws Eddard's own sword and cuts his head off with a single blow.

*Episode descriptions from GOT Wiki