Days later, Jon speaks with Maester Aemon in private for advice on a hard decision he is about to make, noting that half the men in the Night's Watch despise him for his sympathy for the wildlings, but Aemon tells him to "Kill the boy, and let the man be born," in other words: just make the hard choice and do what he believes is the best thing. Taking Aemon’s advice, Jon then meets with Tormund Giantsbane and offers to forge an alliance with the wildlings. He will open the gates for them and give them land south of the wall and in return, the wildlings will fight alongside the Night’s Watch when the wights arrive. To convince Tormund further Jon unlocks his chains and frees him. Tormund eventually relents, and reveals that most of the wildlings are up in a village named Hardhome. He adds that they’ll need ships to bring his people back, which Jon says they can borrow from King Stannis. Tormund's final condition is that Jon accompany him as a guarantee that the wildlings will not fall prey to any traps set by the Night's Watch. Afterwards, Jon's plan is met with harsh criticism by the Night’s Watch, citing the countless innocent lives lost due to the wildlings. Even Jon’s friend Eddison Tollett rejects this decision, stating that the wildlings killed their friends Grenn and Pyp. Jon explains that the goal is to keep the wildlings from falling into the hands of the White Walkers. Jon points out that every single wildling that remains on the north side of the Wall will be killed, then resurrected and added to the White Walker’s ever-growing army of the dead.

Shortly thereafter, Stannis tells Ser Davos that they will march toward Winterfell the next morning. Davos suggests waiting until Jon returns with the wildlings, but Stannis decides against it, as any delay improves the Boltons' chances. He also wants to take Queen Selyse and Princess Shireen with them, as he does not think they will be safe at the Wall, surrounded by criminals. The next morning, Stannis’ army, with Stannis and the Red Priestess Melisandre at its head, start their journey to Winterfell.

Some time later, Jon then prepares to leave Castle Black with Tormund and a group of black brothers, including Eddison. Jon entrusts the care of the Night's Watch to Alliser Thorne, who criticizes his mission, and says his farewells to Samwell, who gives him a bag of dragonglass daggers in case he should run into White Walkers on the way. Jon hugs Sam for what might be the last time and leaves Castle Black on his mission. The following day, after Jon has left, a funeral is held for Maester Aemon, who had died overnight, succumbing to old age.

At the Wall, the mutineers have left Jon Snow's body where he fell. His direwolf Ghost is scratching at the door in grief, while howling, which gets the attention of several people. Amon them is Ser Davos, who leaves his room to investigate. Davos finds Jon's dead body just before Eddison and some other brothers arrive. They take the body inside where Edd clears a table and angrily curses Thorne after closing Jon's eyes. Davos asks if Edd trusts any of his brothers, and Edd replies, "The ones in this room." Davos convinces Edd to go bring Ghost in, deciding that they need all the help they can get. Melisandre then arrives in shock. The Red Priestess states that she had seen Jon fighting at Winterfell in the flames. Davos and the black brothers doubt the now dead Lord Commander could do such a thing. She solemnly returns to her room.

Afterwards, Alliser Thorne, Othell Yarwyck and Bowen Marsh hold a meeting with the remaining black brothers stationed at Castle Black and explain their reasoning for killing the Lord Commander. Most of the brothers come to understand them and side with the mutineers. Back inside the room, Ser Davos notes that Thorne is sure to have made his move by now. In response, Eddison states he doesn't care because Jon was his friend and they butchered him and he rallies the loyal brothers to try and take out Thorne in revenge. Davos responds they are hopelessly outnumbered, stating Ghost isn't enough when Edd brings him up. Davos then reminds them that there are others nearby who owe Jon their lives. Realizing he means the wildlings, Eddison instructs them to bar the door and not let anyone in while he sneaks out to get help.

Later on, Thorne and senior members of the Watch approach the room, with members of the Watch in tow bearing arms. Thorne speaks to Ser Davos through the locked door, stating that they have no cause to fight, as “we are both knights.” He then promises full amnesty for the members of the Watch who throw down their arms by nightfall. As for Davos, Alliser offers him a fresh horse and safe passage to ride south or in any direction he wishes, adding that he can take Melisandre with him. Ser Davos mocks what he knows to be an insincere offer by requesting mutton, informing Thorne that he requires some food if he’s going to make the journey down south. Davos asserts that as he is a poor hunter and does not want to starve. Thorne relents and promises him food will be provided, adding that the offer is available as long as everyone in the room surrenders by sundown.

At Castle Black, nightfall has arrived and the band of black brothers loyal to Jon have not yet surrendered. When Ser Davos refuses a final ultimatum from Alliser Thorne by drawing Longclaw while the others draw their swords, the acting Lord Commander orders the door to be battered down with a sledgehammer. Before the mutineers can break in, however,  Edd returns with Tormund Giantsbane and an army of wildlings. Though Thorne demands that the Watchmen stand and fight, only one of them is stupid enough to try it and is almost immediately cut down by Tormund, enabling an almost bloodless takeover. One archer foolishly looses a crossbow bolt into Wun Wun's back, which only results in the angry giant seizing him from his perch and dashing him against a stone wall before throwing the mangled body at Thorne's feet. The Watchmen, seeing this, quickly throw down their arms and surrender. Alliser Thorne tries to attack while Olly angrily rushes Tormund with a sword, but Thorne is seized and Tormund easily disarms Olly and pushes him into waiting arms. No wildlings are hurt. Thorne, Olly and the officers who mutinied alongside him, are then led away to the Ice Cells. Eddison brings Tormund to see Jon's corpse; noting the many wounds, Tormund quietly says that he'll have his men start gathering wood for pyres.

After being rescued by Eddison and the wildlings, Ser Davos visits Melisandre, who is still gripped by a crisis of her faith. Davos asks her if reviving Jon is possible, if there's any magic she knows of that would result in a successful resurrection. The Red Woman admits to having seen it done, but insists that she herself cannot do it, having lost faith in the Lord of Light due to the failure of her predictions regarding Stannis Baratheon to come true. Davos curtly states that he wasn't asking the R'hllor for help, but Melisandre herself, which convinces her to provide her best efforts.

Joining Jon’s body in the room where they’ve laid him, Melisandre then performs a ritual that includes cleaning Jon’s wounds, cutting some of his hair and burning it in the fire. While she performs the ritual, Melisandre chants incantations in High Valyrian. After the ritual seems to not have any effect after a few minutes, it disheartens Jon’s supporters. After a silent moment, Tormund leaves and Melisandre offers a final "please" in the common tongue, but leaves the room, despondent. Eddison and finally Ser Davos follow her a moment later. Once the room is empty however, Ghost, who had been sleeping underneath the table upon which Jon was lying, perks up to find Jon suddenly awake and gasping for air.

As Jon still finds his breath, he slowly sits up and scans the room. He then looks down and is horrified by his stab wounds, confirming that it's not a bad dream he had. Davos, having returned to the room on hearing him, is shocked but relieved and quickly helps Jon as he struggles to walk. Davos asks Jon if he remembers anything. Jon, still shocked, says yes. A shocked Melisandre enters asks him where he was after his death. Jon replies he saw nothing, much to her disappointment. However, she insists the Lord of Light brought Jon back for a reason. Davos asks Melisandre to leave them alone so Jon can adjust to his revival. Jon laments that he tried to do what he thought was right, but got murdered for it and asks why he returned from the dead. Davos answers that they may never know, but it doesn't matter in the end, and the important thing is to fight and go on living.

After he has recovered somewhat, Jon dons his Night’s Watch armor and walks into the courtyard, seeing many of the Free Folk and his fellow brothers arrive before him. Jon, still struggling to walk properly, comes down and greets the dumbfounded Tormund, who instantly jokes with Jon before hugging him tightly, which slightly pains Jon due to his stab wounds. Jon then greets the relieved Eddison and they embrace. Jon thinks it's still himself in his body, not a wight, so he jokes to hold off on burning his body for the time being.

Some time later, Jon oversees the public hanging of the traitors responsible for the mutiny: Alliser, Olly, Othell and Bowen. Jon asks if the men have last words to say. Bowen states that it's not right Jon is alive as he coldly replies, "Neither was killing me." Alliser says he had a choice: to betray his Commander or the Night's Watch. He then says that Jon bringing the wildlings was dangerous and had to be stopped, warning Jon that he’ll be fighting their battles forever. Jon gives his respect to him, in that Alliser would follow his convictions even if he knew this would be the result as he believed he was doing the right thing. Jon then moves on to Olly, who says nothing and glares furiously at Jon. Jon reluctantly cuts down the rope, killing all four traitors. Jon looks at Olly's lifeless body. Afterwards, Jon takes off his cloak and hands it to the confused Eddison. Jon then says Edd can do whatever he wants with the cloak, unofficially designating Edd as the 999th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Jon then leaves the courtyards and declares his watch has ended, leaving the rest of the brothers to look on in shock.

Some time later, Jon packs his belongings as plans to leave Castle Black. Eddison chastises him for abandoning the Night's Watch despite the threat of the White Walkers looming, and reminds Jon of the oath he swore. Jon retorts by saying that he already died, and that he couldn't stay after what was done to him. They are interrupted by the surprise arrival of his half-sister, Sansa Stark, after escaping her marriage to the deranged Ramsay Bolton, the son of Roose Bolton, who assisted in the Red Wedding massacre. Along with Sansa is her protector Brienne of Tarth and Brienne’s squire Podrick Payne. Brienne of Tarth swore an oath to Lady Catelyn Stark to protect Sansa before her demise alongside their brother Robb Stark. Jon is initially stunned when he sees Sansa and she hesitantly approaches him the in the courtyard. They are both struck with emotions, however, as she runs into a tearful embrace with Jon.

Shortly thereafter, Jon and Sansa talk inside while Sansa eats. The two share their lives since leaving Winterfell, and reminisce about their childhoods. Sansa regretfully mentions how awful she was to Jon during their youth, and that she felt guilty about it for years. Jon shrugs it off as childhood mischief, though he forgives Sansa after she presses the issue. The pair acknowledge that their last haven is Winterfell, and even then, the Boltons are currently occupying it. Despite this, however, Jon is reluctant to fight again after his recent traumas. After noting that he had to murder a boy younger than their brother Bran, he informs Sansa: “I fought… and I lost.” Sansa insists to Jon that if they don’t take back the North, House Stark will never be safe.

Later that day, Jon receives a letter from Ramsay Bolton stating that he has their youngest brother Rickon Stark at Winterfell, who has been separated from his other brother Bran in recent weeks. “Winterfell is mine, bastard, come and see… Your brother Rickon is in my dungeon, his direwolf’s skin is on my floor; come and see…” Jon uncomfortably stops reading the letter upon reading threats against Sansa while she is sitting across from him at the table, but she takes the scroll and reads it aloud instead. Ramsay orders that if Sansa is not returned, he will slaughter every wildling at Castle Black, let his men rape Sansa, and feed Jon and Rickon to his dogs. Jon asks Tormund how many men he has available to fight and Tormund replies he has two-thousand able fighters, far less than the estimated five-thousand Ramsay has. Sansa urges trying to retake their home and rescue their brother, claiming that the Northern houses will unite behind Jon as the son of the true Warden of the North. Jon then agrees to take Ramsay out.

Some days later, a war council is called upon to discuss strategy, and is attended by Jon, Sansa, Ser Davos, Melisandre, Tormund, Eddison, Brienne and Podrick. They discuss the need for more men to defend Castle Black as Jon bitterly notes that they simply don't have the numbers to challenge the Boltons at present. It is then noted that the Karstarks and Umbers, two vassal houses in the North, have already declared for Ramsay Bolton. Davos suggests asking House Manderly, as Jon then points out that they can also summon the rest of the minor houses as well, such as the Mormonts, Glovers, Cerwyns, and Mazins, to rival their enemies., as their combined strength would give them a numerical advantage when combined with his current forces. Sansa states that "the North remembers" - the people of the North are still loyal to the Starks and will risk everything for their name. When Sansa then mentions Brynden Tully's recapture of Riverrun and the virtual guarantee of support from House Tully, Jon is surprised that Sansa has such valuable information. Sansa subsequently tasks Brienne and Podrick with securing Brynden's help while the rest of them leave Castle Black to start building their army. Before leaving Castle Black, Sansa presents Jon with a new fur cloak like their father Eddard’s, carrying the Stark sigil.

Some time later, Jon, Sansa and Davos Seaworth begin searching for allies, starting with the wildlings at their camp along the Wall. With assistance from Tormund and Wun Wun, Jon speaks with the wildlings, and their elders led by Dim Dalba, who are still indebted to Jon for saving them at Hardhome. Jon asks for their help in the coming battle against Ramsay. Though Tormund stands by Jon, Dalba is skeptical, citing that they were allowed into the North to help fight against the White Walkers, not the Boltons. Jon agrees this isn't their fight and he shouldn't be asking for their help but points out that if Ramsay wins, he will wipe them all out anyway. Tormund speaks up for Jon, saying he died for the wildlings' well-being and if they don't help him, they are "cowards". The wildlings agree after Wun Wun stands up and says "Snow", confirming his allegiance. When the meeting disperses, Jon asks Tormund if he's sure that the Free Folk will join him, and Tormund responds: “We’re not clever like you southerners. When we say we'll do something, we do it.”  Prior to traveling to Bear Island, Ser Davos reminds Jon and Sansa of the letter sent by House Mormont leader, Lyanna Mormont, rejecting Stannis Baratheon's previous plea for assistance.

Afterwards, Jon, Sansa and Ser Davos then travel to Bear Island, where they meet with Lyanna, the ten-year old head of House Mormont. Sansa and Jon try to flatter her with small talk about her mother Maege. Jon then tells Lyanna of his friendship and service in the Night's Watch under her uncle, the deceased Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. However, Lyanna is unimpressed and aggressively brushes them off, demanding to know their business in Bear Island. Lyanna initially rejects their request for help and stresses that House Stark is dead and that she needs her forces to garrison Bear Island. She also remarks that Jon and Sansa cannot be considered Starks since the former is a bastard and the latter has been married twice into enemy houses, House Lannister and then House Bolton. Jon reveals that Ramsay is holding their brother Rickon hostage but Lyanna is initially unconcerned about the threat of Ramsay and House Bolton. However, before Lyanna can dismiss them, Ser Davos intervenes. After briefly discussing his background, Davos manages to convince the young Lady Mormont that they need to defeat Ramsay in order to unite the North against the coming white walkers, as he then warns her of the dangers the army of the dead pose to the living. Lyanna agrees and supplies them with sixty-two men, the remaining force of House Mormont, promising that each will fight with the worth of ten men.

Later, Jon and Sansa travel to Deepwood Motte to secure the allegiance of House Glover. They receive a frosty reception from Robett Glover, who points out that the late King Robb failed to protect his home from the Ironborn. Despite his being one of the Starks' most loyal bannermen, Robb did not come to his aid when the Ironborn invaded Deepwood Motte, imprisoned his wife and children, and brutalized his subjects, unaware that this was Robb's intention, but he was persuaded otherwise by Roose Bolton. When Sansa tries to highlight the fact that the Glovers had pledged fealty to House Stark, Robett responds that he received them out of respect for their father Eddard Stark but warns them that they have outstayed their welcome. In the end, Jon and Sansa are only able to recruit a small number of minor houses, only adding a few hundred extra soldiers to their army. Later on, at their camp, Lady Lyanna and her men are seen among the Stark and wildling forces. When Ser Davos leaves to deal with a brawl among the wildlings, Sansa expresses her concerns with Davos’ council. Jon assures her of his experience. Despite being heavily outnumbered, Jon is adamant that they attack Winterfell as soon as possible before Ramsay rallies more forces and before the weather turns on them. Sansa disagrees, instead opting to try and recruit more houses. 

Some time later, outside of Winterfell, Jon, Sansa, Tormund, Ser Davos and the Northern lords that declared for House Stark request a parley with Ramsay Bolton, Harald Karstark and  Smalljon Umber before they commence battle. Ramsay offers surrender terms, saying he will pardon Jon for deserting the Night's Watch and the Northerners in Jon's forces for rebelling  against him if Jon hands over Sansa. Jon refuses and offers Ramsay a chance to settle their dispute in one-on-one combat. Ramsay rejects a one-on-one combat with Jon, noting that he doubts he can best Jon in a duel but he is confident his numerically superior forces will triumph in battle. Jon counters that Ramsay's men may not want to fight for him if he will not fight for them. In response, Ramsay threatens Rickon. Jon and Sansa are wary of whether Ramsay actually has their brother to which Umber throws out his direwolf Shaggydog's head as proof. Sansa refuses the terms of surrender and tells Ramsay he will die the following day. As she rides off, Ramsay comments to Jon that she is a fine woman and will enjoy having her back in his bed after the battle. Ramsay adds that that they are all fine-looking men and his dogs are ravenous, as he then ponders what body part will they attack first, before riding off himself.

Jon later holds a war council meeting when Davos mentions that if the other houses sense weakness on Ramsay’s part, they will stop fearing him. Jon adds that fear is his weakness as well, noting that his men don’t want to fight for him, they are being forced to. He ponders what would happen to Ramsay’s allegiance if the tide turned away from him during battle. Tormund interrupts to express concern over Ramsay’s number of horses, explaining that was how the wildlings were hit the hardest when they were attacked by Stannis. Jon assures as they are digging trenches along their flanks so it shouldn’t result in the same catastrophy. They then discusses their battle plan is to let the Boltons attack the middle of their formation in order to encircle their army. After the meeting, Sansa insists that they should have gathered more men. Jon retorts that this is the largest army they could possibly gather. Late evening, Jon meets with Melisandre and orders her not to bring him back if he should fall in the battle. Melisandre contends that she will try anyway, and that it was not her gift that has brought Jon back but the Lord of Light's, and that only the Lord can decide Jon's fate. Melisandre ponders that the Lord of Light may have brought Jon back to only die in the battle.

The armies gather the following morning as Ramsay brings out Rickon. After menacingly raising a knife, he cuts Rickon's bonds and tells him that they are to “play a game.” The only rule is to run towards his brother Jon. As Rickon does so, Ramsay pulls out a bow and nocks an arrow, prompting Jon to urgently ride out and try to save Rickon. Ramsay appears to have no intention of hitting Rickon with his first few shots but, just as Jon approaches his brother, Rickon is struck in the back with an arrow and is killed. Devastated and enraged over his brother's murder, Jon charges towards the Bolton army, followed by the Stark calvary. The Bolton archers fire at Jon and strike his horse. With Jon now defenseless in the middle of the battlefield, Ramsay orders the Bolton cavalry to charge at him. As Jon brandishes Longclaw and prepares to fight to the death, the Stark cavalry smashes into the Boltons, narrowly saving Jon from being trampled. In the rear, Davos belays his order to his archers to release arrows into the melee of infantry, as he announces that they would kill his men, engaged in close-quarter fighting, as well the enemy. He eventually sends the archers forward to be of more use in the middle of the battlefield. Ramsay, however, has no such compunction; he has twice the men to lose and little concern for killing his own. He repeatedly and purposefully orders arrow fusillades that kill all combatants in the middle of the field, apparently in an effort to create a strategic barrier of human death in the center of the battlefield.

The Stark forces seem unaware of this strategy and developing trap. Bolton soldiers are ordered forward to create an impenetrable horseshoe formation of tall shields and spears (in a phalanx configuration) that surround three sides of the Stark forces against the death mound and progressively compresses them into a helpless and dysfunctional mass. Simultaneously, Smalljon Umber leads a group of soldiers across the mound of corpses to attack the beleaguered Stark infantry from behind and complete the deadly envelopment. While Wun Wun is able to kill a few Bolton soldiers, it is not enough to break their phalanx. Panic sets in and Tormund, sensing futility, urges his wildlings backward towards the pile and possible escape. Amidst all of this, Jon is trampled by his own forces, nearly suffocating under a group of men crawling on top of him, but is eventually able to get back to his feet. At this point, where the Stark forces face imminent destruction, a horn sounds out in the distance as Sansa and Petyr Baelish arrive with the Knights of the Vale, waving banners bearing the House Arryn sigil. On horseback, they begin to cut down the Bolton soldiers from behind to disrupt the encirclement. Smalljon, momentarily distracted by the arrival of the Arryn forces, is caught off-guard by Tormund, who bites out his foe's throat and then kills the stricken northman, stabbing him multiple times in the face with a dagger.

As Ramsay sees his soldiers being cut down, he decides to retreat inside Winterfell. His general insists the battle is lost but Ramsay assures him they still have Winterfell, and the Stark Army is too weak for a siege, despite the Vale reinforcements. Wun Wun, however, is able to break down Winterfell's gates, allowing wildling archers to pour into the castle; the last vestiges of the Bolton garrison are quickly overwhelmed and slaughtered. The giant is nevertheless overwhelmed by arrows and finally killed by Ramsay's shot. As Jon approaches, Ramsay fires three arrows at him with his bow but Jon blocks them all with a Mormont shield that he picked up from the ground. Before Ramsay can fire the fourth arrow, Jon gets close enough and smacks the bow out of Ramsay's hands before striking him in the chest with the shield with enough force to send Ramsay down. Before Ramsay can stand up, Jon pounces on him and proceeds to savagely beat him with his fists, while Ramsay uncharacteristically does not attempt to defend himself and fight back, merely grinning maniacally. Jon stops upon noticing Sansa, realizing she has more right for revenge, and subsequently orders Ramsay locked up as a prisoner. The Bolton banners on Winterfell are torn down and the Stark banners are raised in their place. Melisandre looks over the courtyard while Davos glares at her from below, clutching Shireen's burned stag he found. Jon orders Rickon's body to be buried next to his father in the crypts as Sansa demands of Jon to tell her where he is keeping Ramsay prisoner.

That evening, Sansa visits Ramsay, who is lashed to a chair within the common area of the dog kennels. Ramsay, belligerent and sadistic to the end, goads Sansa by telling her how she will never be rid of him because “I’m part of you now." Sansa retorts that Ramsay's words, House and name will disappear from all future memory. He then realizes that his hounds are slowly approaching him, Jon having deliberately left the kennel doors open to where Ramsay is bound, still covered in his own blood. At first, Ramsay denies his peril, claiming that his dogs are loyal to him. Sansa coolly reminds him that he had been starving his dogs for a week. As they begin sniffing at him and licking their chops, Ramsay desperately orders them to heel, but they refuse to listen, and as Ramsay's smug overconfidence finally crumbles into panicking terror, the hounds attack and begin to tear him apart as Sansa walks away, smirking with dark satisfaction as the barking of the hounds mingles with Ramsay's screams.

Following the aftermath, in the Great Hall, Jon recalls to Melisandre how his family sat at the main table during feasts while he was mostly made to sit away at another table. Despite this, Jon and Melisandre both agree that he was luckier than most bastard children. Ser Davos then enters and openly accuses Melisandre of sacrificing Princess Shireen. Although Melisandre readily admits this, she also points out that her magic still brought Jon back to life. Shocked at the revelation, Jon then orders Melisandre to leave the North on threat of execution.

Shortly thereafter, Jon watches Melisandre riding away from the top of the castle's walls. He informs Sansa that the lord's chambers are being prepared for her and when Sansa tries to say Jon should have them, Jon responds he's not "a Stark" and that Sansa is the Lady of Winterfell. Jon continues that the battle was won because she brought in the Knights of the Vale, who had saved them all. Sansa apologizes for not telling him about the Vale army and when Jon asks her about Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish, Sansa says he is not trustworthy. Jon responds he and Sansa must trust each other completely now and kisses her on the forehead. Sansa informs him that a white messenger-raven has just arrived from the Citadel, officially announcing that the years-long autumn is over, and winter has come. Jon wryly points out that their father always promised it would come some day.

Some time later, the surviving heads of all the Northern vassal Houses convene in Winterfell's great hall. They debate what to do next. Lyanna Mormont rises to shame those who did not join Jon and Sansa in helping defeat Ramsay. She reiterates that the North knows no king but the King in the North, whose name is "Stark." Lyanna continues by saying that Jon may be a bastard but she doesn't care and he is a Stark to her. She then hails Jon as the new King in the North. Wyman Manderly, rises to apologize, saying he didn't send aid before because he didn't want to send his men to die for nothing. However, he goes on to call Jon "the White Wolf" and he too proclaims him King. Robett Glover then apologizes profusely, saying that he dishonored himself by not aiding him before, and he only didn't help Jon because he thought he had no hope of winning. Lord Cley Cerwyn also swears his allegiance. All of the gathered lords of the North and the Vale draw and raise their swords and hail Jon as the new King in the North, echoing how the late Robb Stark’s bannermen previously proclaimed him king. Surprised, Jon shares a look with Sansa, who returns Jon's smile as he stands.

At Winterfell, the new King in the North, Jon Snow, organizes the defense against the Night King and his army. Jon asks that all maesters start searching for dragonglass, stressing it is now more valuable than gold due to its effectiveness against the White Walkers. Jon also requests that Tormund Giantsbane and his people man Eastwatch-by-the-Sea and orders for all able-bodied men and women in the kingdom to be trained in combat. While Robett Glover balks at the idea of arming his young granddaughter, young Lyanna Mormont gives her assurance that every girl on Bear Island will be trained alongside the boys. Jon notes if the Wall is breached the castles of Last Hearth and Karhold will be the first affected. Lord Yohn Royce of the Vale opines that the castles should be demolished as they supported House Bolton, but Sansa interjects that the children committed no crimes and urges Jon to instead strip the Umbers and Karstarks of their castles as punishment for turning against the Starks. However, Jon advocates forgiveness and summons Ned Umber  and Alys Karstark - both of whom played no part in their father's betrayals. He asks them to reaffirm their loyalty to House Stark as they kneel before Jon.

In private, Jon chides Sansa for questioning his decision-making in front of the other lords and ladies. He tells Sansa that while she is his sister and she can question his decisions, doing so in public undermines his position with the Northern lords. Sansa urges him to be wiser than their late father and brother. She confides that their father sought to protect her from the harshness of reality, including swearing. Maester Wolkan then delivers a message from the newly-crowned Queen Cersei Lannister; though she is apparently not opposed to House Stark reclaiming the North from House Bolton, she demands that they submit to her authority. While Jon is preoccupied with preparing to fight the Night King, Sansa warns him not to underestimate Cersei.

Some days later, Jon, Sansa and Ser Davos discuss a letter they’ve received from the imp, Tyrion Lannister, who is now the Hand of the Queen to Daenerys Targaryen. Jon asks for Sansa's opinion and while Sansa remembers that Tyrion was kind to her and was unlike the rest of his family, she wonders if the message is truly from Tyrion. Jon confirms the letter's authenticity as it ends with the line "For all dwarfs are bastards in their fathers' eyes," which is what Tyrion told Jon when they first met. Even so, Sansa worries it is too big a risk and Jon concedes that now is not the right time to go to Dragonstone. Davos opines that Daenerys will make a good ally in the war to come as, “what creatures just happen to breathe fire?”

Later on, after receiving a message from Samwell Tarly in the Citadel, Jon gathers the Northern lords to announce that the letter reveals there is dragonglass beneath Dragonstone. Jon adds that Tyrion has invited him to the island to meet with Daenerys, and then announces his decision to travel there and convince Daenerys to join their fight. Jon accepts that he is taking a risk, but stresses the need of Daenerys' aid if the North is to be saved. Sansa reiterates her objection to Jon going, and Jon tells Sansa that he is appointing her as ruler of the North in his absence. In the crypts beneath Winterfell, Petyr Baelish finds Jon, who is visiting his father Eddard’s tomb, and vouches that Tyrion Lannister can be trusted. When Jon, who clearly distrusts Littlefinger, says that Petyr shouldn't be there and that they have nothing to say to each other, Baelish replies that Jon should be grateful to him for saving him from death at the hands of Ramsay. Petyr tells him that he loves Sansa as a disgusted Jon then lashes out and seizes Baelish by the throat, slamming him into a wall. He tells Baelish, "Touch my sister and I'll kill you myself." Outside, Jon, Ser Davos, and several horsemen prepare to ride south to White Harbor while Sansa watches from the battlements. Before Jon leaves, he and Sansa bid farewell.

Days later after travelling south, Jon and Ser Davos arrive at the island of Dragonstone, and are immediately greeted by Tyrion Lannister and Missandei, an advisor to Queen Daenerys. Upon meeting, Tyrion addresses Jon as the “bastard of Winterfell”, while Jon addresses him as the “dwarf of Casterly Rock” – the two share a friendly grin. Jon observes that Tyrion has picked up some scars. Jon also introduces Davos while Tyrion introduces Missandei, who requests that they surrender their weapons. Jon and his entourage hand over their weapons to Daenerys' Dothraki guards. On the walk to the castle, Missandei walks with Davos and tells him that she comes from the island of Naath. Davos remarks that it was a paradise full of palm trees. Jon and Tyrion talk about Sansa's brief marriage to Tyrion as Jon is assured that it was a sham that was never consummated. Tyrion remarks that Sansa is a lot smarter than she lets on, to which Jon agrees. While Jon is aware of the fate that the previous Starks were met with upon meeting a Targaryen, Jon insists that he is not a Stark. Suddenly, Jon and Davos are startled at the sight of two dragons, Drogon and Viserion, as they fly low over the causeway and dive to the ground, while an amused Missandei and Tyrion retain their composure. Offering Jon a hand up, Tyrion says he wishes he could tell Jon he'll get used to the dragons – but no one is quite used to them except their mother, who is waiting for Jon inside.

In the throne room, Daenerys thanks Jon for traveling so far and quickly requests for Jon to bend the knee, but he refuses. When Daenerys accuses him of breaking faith with House Targaryen, Jon reminds her that the Mad King burnt his grandfather and uncle to which Daenerys apologizes for her father's actions. Jon expresses agreement with Daenerys's view that children should not be punished for the crimes of their parents, but argues that he is not beholden to his ancestors' oaths. Jon tells her that he has come because he needs her help as he reveals the  army of the dead is their true enemy. Daenerys is skeptical, but Tyrion vouches for Jon. Jon says that they need to make cause to fight against the army of the dead. When Daenerys reiterates that she is destined to rule the Seven Kingdoms, Jon retorts that she will be ruling over a graveyard if the Night King is not defeated. Tyrion says they cannot split their forces. Davos then speaks up saying it doesn't matter who bends the knee, as if they don't put aside their enmities to focus on the undead they will all die, but Tyrion doesn't see the point of Jon's refusal to submit. When Jon disputes Daenerys' claims to queenship, Dany responds that he is in open rebellion since he has declared himself King in the North and orders Missandei to give Jon and his followers food and lodging. When Jon asks if he is a prisoner, she says "not yet".

Later, Jon and Tyrion discuss his predicament. Jon is unhappy that he is a prisoner while the Night King still poses a threat. Tyrion says he trusts the word of Jeor Mormont. Jon asks Tyrion how he can convince people about the existence of things which they don't believe exist to which Tyrion encourages Jon not to give up. When Jon remarks that he is a fool for going south, Tyrion reassures him that Daenerys is not her father and has protected people from "monsters," telling him to speak with her servants. Tyrion asks if there is something he can do to help Jon.

Later, while Daenerys is watching over her three dragons outside, she is joined by Jon. She tells him that she named two of her dragons, Rhaegal and Viserion, after her brothers Rhaegar and  Viserys Targaryen. Jon realizes that Tyrion has been petitioning her. Daenerys insists that she is determined to remove Cersei Lannister from the throne, but allows Jon to mine the dragonglass, agreeing to provide men and equipment. Desperate for some validation, he asks if she believes in the White Walkers existence, however, she only responds by telling him to get to work.

Some days later, Jon leads Daenerys on a tour of the long-abandoned Valyrian dragonglass mine that Samwell told him about. As they proceed deeper into the mines, Jon shows her cave paintings they discovered left behind by the Children of the Forest, filled with arcane magical symbols. Jon then shows her ancient carvings of the wights themselves, one of which Jon recognizes as an image of the Night King. Jon asks Daenerys to ally with him to defeat the Night King. Daenerys says that she will fight for him and the North after he bends the knee, insisting that if he does the North will follow. As they exit the cave to the beach, they are joined by Lord Varys and Tyrion, with grave looks on their faces. Tyrion informs that his military strategy and their forces have been compromised. Daenerys is furious and struggles to keep her temper, as now all three of her major allies in Westeros are gone, but her desire to assault the Red Keep with all three of her dragons, intending to raze it to the ground with all her enemies inside it. However, Jon argues against such a course of action when she asks him his opinion. By bringing dragons back to into the world and breaking the back of the slave trade, Daenerys has proven she might be capable of doing things differently. However, if she uses her dragons to "melt castles and burn cities", she will be no different from any of the more tyrannical of her Targaryen ancestors who came before her.

Later, Jon and Ser Davos proceed back up to the castle. Davos tells Jon he seems attracted to Daenerys but Jon brushes Davos' observation aside, saying he doesn't "have time for that.” Jon stresses that they need to ally with Daenerys, because the North itself is largely depleted of soldiers after so many years of war, so they only have maybe 10,000 soldiers or less left, to which Davos corrects by saying "fewer". They then run into Missandei, who politely enquires why Jon's surname is "Snow" even though House Stark has ruled the North for centuries, and his father Ned and brother Robb both had the surname "Stark", while he doesn't. Jon explains that because his parents weren't married, he is bastard-born as a result and uses the regional surname “Snow” - the name reserved for highborn Northern bastards of nobility. Davos asks Missandei if they have similar customs for bastards on Naath. Missandei explains that "marriage" as such does not exist in her birthplace of Naath, so she finds the idea of a "bastard" to be quite an alien concept. Davos remarks that it sounds liberating. He then asks why she left, to which Missandei finally reveals that she was taken by slavers, to be freed only years later by Daenerys. When Davos suggests Missandei simply traded one master for another, she counters that she and all the freed slaves serve Daenerys because they choose to. Davos keeps pushing, asking what would happen if Missandei decided to return to Naath immediately. She responds that Daenerys would give her a ship and wish her good fortune.

While they are still on the causeway, they see a lone Ironborn ship approaching the island, a survivor of Yara Greyjoy's fleet. Eddard Stark’s former steward Theon Greyjoy and some of his men come to shore on a rowboat. As Theon disembarks, he is stunned to see Jon, whom he had last seen leaving Winterfell to join the Night's Watch. Since then, Theon had betrayed House Stark, a factor that nearly destroyed House Stark and contributed to the death Jon's half-brother, Rickon. Jon is stunned for a moment as well. Theon walks up to Jon and asks him if Sansa is alright. A furious Jon angrily grabs Theon by his coat and shakes him, remembering Theon's past treachery. Jon tells Theon that what he did to save Sansa is the only reason that he is not killing him on the spot and releases him. Visibly relieved, Theon informs them that his uncle Euron Greyjoy attacked their fleet and took Yara prisoner. He says he has returned to ask Daenerys' help in saving her. Jon grudgingly tells him that Daenerys has just left.

Some time later, Jon is walking on the grounds of Dragonstone island when Queen Daenerys  arrives on the back of her dragon Drogon, returning from a mission. Drogon roars at Jon at first and stretches out his head to face the King in the North. Drogon calms down and perhaps recognizes Jon as a friend of his master, allowing him to stroke his snout, much to Daenerys’ surprise. When Jon, under slight duress, agrees that the dragons are beautiful beasts, Daenerys responds that the dragons are her children. When Jon observes that she was not gone for long, Daenerys curtly replies that no she wasn't, and she now has fewer enemies to deal with. Daenerys then asks Jon about the battle against House Bolton as well as "taking a knife in the heart for his people.” Jon deflects this and replies that Ser Davos likes to embellish things. Their conversation is interrupted by the return of a recently-healed Ser Jorah Mormont, who was suffering from an affliction called greyscale. Daenerys introduces Jorah to Jon, who says he worked under Jorah's father Jeor in the Night's Watch. When Ser Jorah reaffirms his allegiance to Daenerys, she accepts his offer of service and hugs him.

While holding a war council meeting Daenerys is informed by Jon about the news of his brother Bran and sister Arya's recent returns to Winterfell. He urges to return home, concerned by a vision Bran had, which warns that the army of the dead are getting closer, adding his worry that they will make it past the Wall and advance on the North. Daenerys notes that Jon doesn't have enough men to fight the army of the dead and he asks her again to join him. However, Dany is worried that Cersei will take advantage and march in if she turns her focus to the army of the dead. Tyrion is present and proposes bringing a wight south to King's Landing in order to prove that the army of the dead is real and convince Cersei, so they can form a truce. Lord Varys opines that it is suicide trying to appeal to Cersei but Tyrion argues that he can persuade his brother  Jaime Lannister. Ser Davos, as the only one who might be able to smuggle Tyrion into King's Landing, reluctantly agrees to. Ser Jorah then volunteers to go north to help capture a wight while Jon insists to lead the expedition, since the Free Folk won't follow Jorah and he is the only one who has the most experience facing their enemy. Upset over the idea of Jon leaving, Daenerys responds that she did not give Jon permission to depart from Dragonstone, but Jon reminds her that he is the King in the North. He tells her she has the power of life and death over him but that he trusted her even though she was a stranger. Jon pleads with her to return the favor by trusting him.

Later on, Ser Davos and Tyrion return from King’s Landing with Gendry, a Baratheon bastard of the late King Robert. At the dragonglass mines, Gendry meets Jon, who is supervising the diggings and excavations. Gendry remarks that Jon is a lot shorter than he expected – and immediately blurts out his true parentage, on the assumption that Jon will value honesty and will appreciate the idea of Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon's bastards joining forces. Gendry volunteers to accompany Jon on his mission to the North to capture a wight and convince Queen Cersei that the true war lies to the North. As Jon Snow and his party, including Jorah Mormont, prepare to depart on boats for Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, Daenerys and her entourage arrive to bid them farewell. Dany quips to Jorah that they should be used to saying farewell to each other. Jon arrives at the beach as they are saying goodbye. Jon playfully quips to Daenerys that if their mission is unsuccessful and he doesn’t return she at least won’t have to deal with the King in the North anymore. Dany responds that she’s "grown used to him", hinting that she may have feelings for him. Jon wishes her good fortune in the wars to come before he leaves. Daenerys and Tyrion watch as Jon Snow and his party depart on their boats for Eastwatch.

After landing at Eastwatch, Jon Snow and his band meet with Tormund Giantsbane, who thinks that Jon's new plan is suicidal, and mockingly asks which of the two ferocious Queens is it they need to convince, as Jon replies both. Ser Davos volunteers to stay behind at Eastwatch because he regards himself as a liability, given his age and relative lack of fighting ability. Afterwards, Jon learns that the Night's Watch has detained a handful of members of the Brotherhood Without Banners, including Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr and Sandor "The Hound" Clegane. Jon and his team meet with the prisoners in the cells beneath Eastwatch, where the entire group swiftly establish their reasons for hating each other, given past histories. Gendry Baratheon opines that they should not trust Thoros because the Brotherhood sold him to Melisandre, raising Davos and Jon's hackles. Thoros, in turn, is surprised to see Ser Jorah, an old comrade and rival from the Siege of Pyke. While the wildlings, Mormont and the Brotherhood Without Banners distrust each other, they decide to put aside their differences to fight against the army of the dead. Sandor Clegane then quips over the freezing cells. After the Brotherhood is released, Jon, Jorah, Tormund, Gendry, Sandor, Beric, and Thoros exit Eastwatch's gate and set out into the lands beyond the Wall on their dangerous mission to capture a wight.

As Jon and his ranging party travel through the lands beyond the Wall, Gendry complains about the bitter cold and asks Tormund about life as a wildling, who later confides with Jon about the foolhardy nature of their mission, while Jon discusses his difficult negotiations with Daenerys. Tormund points out that the pride of the Northmen may cost them too many lives, citing Mance Rayder and the wildlings as an example. While walking, Jon and Ser Jorah chat about their relationships with their fathers, Eddard Stark and Jeor Mormont. They say that their fathers were good and honorable men and did not deserve their deaths. Jon tells Jorah about the brutal death of Jeor at the hands of the mutineers and that Eddard was beheaded. Jon tries to return to Jorah his father's sword Longclaw but Jorah tells him that he is not worthy to bear his father's sword and adds that his father gave the sword to Jon, and gives his blessing for Jon and his future children to keep it. As they continue onwards, Jon and Beric Dondarrion talk about how they’ve both been resurrected by worshipers of the Lord of Light. Beric warns Jon that they have to work together to fight death and defend those who cannot defend themselves. Jon reflects on his Night's Watch oath about being the "shield that guards the realms of men" and agrees. Sandor Clegane then sees the mountain from a vision he’s had and steers the group in that direction.

Later on, while trudging through a brutal snowstorm, Jon and his party sight a massive polar bear with blue eyes approaching them. The snow bear turns out to have been resurrected by a White Walker. The monstrous creature charges at the group, mauling and killing three of their hunting party. Beric manages to set the snow bear alight with his flaming sword but it continues to attack, forcing Thoros of Myr to get in its' way when it attacks Clegane, who is too terrified of the flames engulfing the beast even to defend himself. Thoros is unable to break free of its jaws until Ser Jorah kills it with a dragonglass dagger. Beric then cauterizes Thoros' wounds with his flaming sword.

Some time later, while navigating through a mountain range, they see a White Walker leading a column of wights marching through the canyon below. The ranging party plants a fire and then ambushes them when the White Walker stops to investigate. Jon manages to kill the Walker with Longclaw, causing most of the wights associated with him to disintegrate themselves upon his death. The rest of the group manages to capture the only unaffected wight. The creature unexpectedly screeches for help, which echoes throughout the canyon. Sandor slaps his gloved hand over the wight’s mouth, but it wrenches its face away when its mouth skin tears off into the glove. As Jorah pulls out a bag from his jacket and secures it over its head, Sandor and Tormund bind the creature with a coil of rope. In the middle of this, they realize their captive's howls have drawn the attention of a massive host of wights now heading their way, hastening their work. As the noise of the horde approaches, Jon sends Gendry, over his protest, back to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea to bring news to Daenerys, as he is the fastest. Before leaving, the former blacksmith Gendry gives his war hammer to Tormund, who hands it to Sandor who has the wight slung over his shoulder. The wights pursue the group over a lake of weak ice, as they flee toward a large stone island jutting out in the middle. One of the party trips and falls behind; a few of the horde tackles him, the combined weight breaks the ice, and they fall through. This causes a chain reaction of breaking ice all around the rock until the horde slows to a stop to avoid the water. Throughout the night, Jon and his comrades wait in the middle of the ice while encircled by the army of the undead. Meanwhile, Gendry eventualy reaches Eastwatch's outer gates but collapses from exhaustion. Ser Davos and several guards attend to him as Gendry tells him to prepare a raven for Daenerys. Davos then orders to bring the maester to tend to Gendry.

In the morning, Jon and his company awake to find that Thoros has died from his wounds. Beric and Sandor pay their last respects, with the former praying for the Lord of Light to guard them as the latter assures him freezing to death is said to be one of the better ways to die. At Jon's insistence, they burn the body with Beric's flaming sword so Thoros can't be reanimated. The wights watch while their captive wight struggles under its hood and restraints. Ser Jorah proposes killing the wight but Jon counters that they need to keep it as evidence. Beric suggests that Jon kill the Night King, who has just arrived on horseback; given that they've seen killing a Walker destroyed the wights it controlled, killing the Night King might destroy them all. He then adds that the Lord of Light has not resurrected Jon for no reason, but Sandor reminds him that they have just lost their priest, and Beric is now down to his last life. Bored, Sandor hurls two rocks at one of the undead minions, knocking its jaw off. The second however, skids across the ice, and both the party and the undead quickly realize the ice, which has hardened overnight, is strong enough to support their weight, and in ever-increasing numbers, the horde attacks the group's position. The ranging party hack and slash at the wights with their blades but are unable to stem the tide. With the group overwhelmed, Jon orders them to fall back to the highest part of the island. Tormund is overwhelmed by several wights and is nearly dragged under the ice, but is saved by Sandor, who drags him back onto the island. The group continues fighting against the wights. One of the wildlings falls off a ledge and is ripped apart by the creatures, who begin to scramble up the ledge towards the living. When all seems lost, Queen Daenerys then arrives with her dragons, who attack the wights with dragonfire. Hundreds of wights are burned to ashes while others collapse under the ice that has been melted by dragonfire. Jon and his party rush to Daenerys and her dragon Drogon, dragging their captive wight with them, while Viserion and  Rhaegal provide covering fire from above. Meanwhile, the Night King obtains an icy javelin from one of his lieutenants and hurls it at Viserion, scoring a direct hit. Viserion is struck in the neck and plunges helplessly into freefall, shrieking in agony as blood and fire pour from the fatal wound. Drogon and Rhaegal cry out for their brother, but are powerless to help him as Daenerys watches in horror and sorrow. Viserion crashes onto the frozen lake, shattering the ice, and slowly sinks beneath it. As the Night King readies another spear, Jon hollers at Daenerys and company to leave with her remaining dragons before being dragged under the ice by two wights. Daenerys and the survivors of Jon's ranging expedition flee with Drogon and Rhaegal before the Night King can kill them. He hurls the second javelin, but Drogon narrowly dodges it. With the dragons gone, the Night King and his army leave the scene. Within moments of their retreat, Jon climbs out of the ice and regains Longclaw. Jon is then quickly spotted and pursued by a large horde. Before the wights can finish off the King in the North, Jon’s long-lost uncle Benjen Stark  makes a surprise arrival on horseback with his flaming flail. Benjen tells Jon to flee on his horse while he stays behind to buy time for Jon to escape. While riding away on horseback, Jon watches his uncle being overwhelmed and devoured by the undead.

At Eastwatch, Sandor Clegane carries the struggling wight into a boat. Tormund Giantsbane and Beric Dondarrion inform him they will meet again but Sandor retorts that he hopes not. Daenerys sends her dragons Drogon and Rhaegal to scour the surrounding mountains for Jon. Jorah tells Daenerys that it is time to leave but she insists on waiting a bit longer. Before she can leave, they hear a horn blowing signaling a rider approaching. Looking down below from the Wall, Daenerys sees a wounded Jon approaching on horseback. After boarding him on the ship, Davos and Gendry remove Jon’s frozen-stiff garments and tend to him, who has suffered severe hypothermia and several minor injuries. Daenerys also notes the massive scars on his chest from his previous fatal wounds.

Later, in the Narrow Sea, the wounded Jon wakes to find Daenerys watching over him in his chambers. Jon apologizes for the disastrous ranging party and the fact it caused Viserion's death, but Daenerys tells him not to apologize because she now knows that the army of the dead is real. Overcome with emotion, she tells Jon that the dragons are the only children she will ever have, and vows that she and Jon together will destroy the Night King. Jon thanks her for her support, addressing her as "Dany", and Daenerys realizes that the last person to address her by that name was her older brother Viserys Targaryen, whom Daenerys had an abusive history with. Jon apologizes and asks if "My Queen" would be more appropriate. Realizing he is agreeing to bend the knee, Daenerys asks Jon what the Northern lords loyal to him will make of this. Jon assures her they will come to see her for the good person she is, as he already has. Touched by his statement, Daenerys gently takes Jon's hand in her own for a moment. They gaze into each other's eye for a moment – a long moment – but Daenerys suddenly pulls away and tells him to get some rest and leaves him alone.

Days later, as they arrive in the harbor of the capital of King’s Landing, Jon, Tyrion, Ser Davos, Lord Varys and Missandei nervously sail past Euron Greyjoy's fleet. The group arrives and are escorted to the Dragonpit, the location of the summit. Tyrion reconnects with Bronn, who concedes it is good to see him again. The pair greet Podrick Payne, who had arrived earlier with Brienne of Tarth. As Podrick goes off with an ally of Tyrion’s named Bronn, Brienne hangs back to talk with Sandor Clegane. They both acknowledge that they only fought to protect Arya Stark, and she tells him that Arya doesn't need looking out for anymore; rather, he should reserve his concern for whoever is unfortunate or stupid enough to stand in her way, which seems to amuse him. At the Dragonpit, the various factions meet: Cersei Lannister and her brother Jaime, her Hand Qyburn and Euron Greyjoy representing the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, Jon, Ser Davos and Brienne represent the North, alongside Daenerys' court that includes Tyrion, Jorah, Missandei and Theon Greyjoy. When Cersei demands to know where her rival is, Daenerys makes a suitably dramatic entrance on Drogon's back, with Rhaegal flying overhead.  Getting the meeting on track, Tyrion and Jon attempt to convince the Lannister queen of the greater threat coming for them all. Cersei refuses to believe the claims, dismissing them as a ploy to trick her into lowering her defenses. To prove their claims, Sandor returns with the crate containing the wight and gives the crate a massive kick and knocks it over; the enraged wight promptly clambers out and charges toward the nearest target - Cersei, appropriately enough. Stunned at the sight of the undead creature the Lannister queen and her allies recoil in horror as Sandor pulls the wight back on a chain and manages to slice the creature in half as Jon then steps forward and takes the wight's severed hand, using a torch to demonstrate how fire can be used to stop them. He then uses a dragonglass dagger to kill the wight's upper half, bluntly stating that if they don't win the coming war, such a fate awaits every person in Westeros. Daenerys states that she didn't believe it herself until she saw them all personally. A horror-struck Jaime asks how many wights are coming, and Daenerys tells him the army of the dead numbers at least 100,000. Euron asks if the wights can swim and when Jon responds, "No," Euron announces to Cersei his intention to withdraw his fleet back to the Iron Islands, declaring that he has been around the entire world and has never been terrified until now. Seemingly convinced, Cersei immediately offers terms: she will not withdraw her troops, but guarantees they will not hinder them in any way during the battle. She refuses to deal with Daenerys at all, however, and calls on Jon to keep the truce and to stay out of any future conflict between Cersei and Daenerys. Jon, however, says that he cannot serve two queens. Declaring that there will be no truce if it is just her and Daenerys, Cersei storms out, content to let the Starks and Targaryens battle the undead alone and then deal with whoever emerges victorious from that conflict. After Cersei’s departure, Daenerys and Tyrion criticize Jon over declaring his allegiance in public. Daenerys points out that if they leave without an alliance, everything they've sacrificed, including Viserion's death, will be made worthless.

A short time later, as Tyrion has been sent to speak with Cersei himself, Daenerys and Jon discuss the dragons and how her ancestors caged them here in the Dragonpit, and in turn become less impressive as the power of the dragons waned. Jon questions Daenerys' assertion of infertility, particularly when she admits that she never got an informed opinion about her condition from anyone except from a witch in Essos named Mirri Maz Duur. Their conversation is interrupted by the return of the three Lannister siblings. Queen Cersei has agreed to work with Queen Daenerys, but not by keeping her troops back: the Lannister army will march north to fight alongside the Starks and Targaryens in the coming war.

Back at Dragonstone, Jon, Daenerys and her court discuss logistics in travelling to Winterfell.  Ser Jorah points out that the North is not really safer for her than anywhere else, as someone with a memory of Robert's Rebellion and an idea of becoming a hero could easily take her out with a single crossbow bolt. He suggests she fly to Winterfell to avoid any potential setback. However, Jon counters that Daenerys ride with them so that the North can see her as a liberator and ally. After a moment's consideration, Daenerys decides to sail to Winterfell with Jon. Jorah, suspecting a different reason for her decision, throws her a look, which she notices but avoids. After the meeting, Theon Greyjoy talks privately with Jon, telling him that, even when they were growing up at Winterfell, Jon always seemed to know the right thing to do. Jon explains he has made mistakes and has done things he regrets. Theon replies, "Not compared to me, you haven't," and confides that he has always felt torn between his Greyjoy heritage and his Stark upbringing, tried to do the right thing, but was uncertain about the right step to take. Jon is angry about Theon's betrayal against House Stark and tells him that his father Eddard was more a father to Theon than Balon Greyjoy ever was. However, Jon relents and tells Theon that he never lost Ned, as he is part of both of them, and Theon is both a Greyjoy and a Stark. Jon asserts that he can forgive Theon for what is in his power to forgive. Theon then confides that when he was  Ramsay's prisoner, his sister Yara tried to save him and he needs to save her now.

Meanwhile, in Winterfell, after Samwell Tarly returns from the Citadel he meets with Bran Stark, who also returned home some weeks back. When Samwell reiterates his loyalty to Jon, Bran reveals a truth about Jon's origins he has discovered on his journey: Jon was born in secret to Daenerys’ brother Rhaegar Targaryen and Eddard Stark’s sister Lyanna Stark, who asked her brother to raise Jon as his illegitimate son as she died on her birthing bed. Jon is not a bastard at all, he is a Targaryen and by birthright now has the true legitimate claim to the Iron Throne.

Sometime after setting sail in the Narrow Sea, Jon knocks on the door of Daenerys' cabin. She answers and meets his gaze without words. After a moment, he enters, and, with their eyes still locked, shuts the door as they finally give into the burgeoning passion between them and consummate their relationship, neither aware as yet of their blood relation. Unknown to both of them, Tyrion had also been on his way to speak with his queen, and had seen Jon enter the cabin. Silently concerned at the possible implications of their union, Tyrion walks away.

Upon arrival in the North, Daenerys, Jon and their combined forces march through the small village of Winter Town on their way to Winterfell. Arya Stark is amongst the crowd and excited to see Jon after so many years apart. The townspeople provide a less-than-enthusiastic welcome, however, as many of them cast Daenerys suspicious looks over her horde of Unsullied and Dothraki soldiers. Jon reminds her that Northerners have a long-established distrust of outsiders. Immediately following this exchange, Daenery’s dragons fly overhead, startling the townspeople and causing Daenerys to smile proudly. Sansa Stark warily watches from Winterfell's battlements as Drogon and Rhaegal circle above the castle. Once inside the walls of the castle, Jon sees a wheelchair-bound Bran Stark, whom he last saw in a coma several years ago now. Jon quickly dismounts and greets Bran with a kiss on the forehead. Bran reacts warmly to seeing Jon again, but does not meet their reunion with the same level of emotion. Jon then embraces his sister Sansa, who keeps a wary eye on his queen. Jon then introduces Daenerys and Sansa to one another. Sansa formally, yet begrudgingly, welcomes Daenerys to Winterfell and Daenerys thanks her, remarking that Jon told her about the beauty of the North and Sansa herself. Bran curtly interrupts that there is no time for pleasantries, informing Jon and Daenerys that the Night King has resurrected her deceased dragon, Viserion, who has now become part of their undead army.

As Jon tries to organize the defense against the undead in the Great Hall of Winterfell, Lyanna Mormont voices the anger that many lords have toward Jon bending the knee to Daenerys since they named Jon their King in the North. She presses that “you left Winterfell a King and came back a- - I’m not sure what you are now.” Jon gravely answers that he said he would protect the North, and the only way they could do that is with allies. Amidst their uproar, Tyrion speaks up to insist that they'd all be dead already without Jon, who has brought dragons and a large army back with him. Tyrion then adds that the Lannister army Cersei has promised will soon arrive to reinforce them as well. With this announcement the lords resume their objections. Tyrion insists that although House Lannister are their enemies, they must come together now in the face of the coming war: “we must fight together now, or die.” Sansa asks how they are meant to feed Daenerys' army, "While I ensured our stores would last through winter, I didn't account for Dothraki, Unsullied and two full-grown dragons." She scoffs, "What do dragons eat, anyway?" to which Daenerys snarkily quips, "Whatever they want.” Sansa and Daenerys cast a side-gaze towards one another knowing that they’re disagreements have only just begun.

After the meeting, Jon visits Winterfell's godswood, and while standing in front of the heart tree, his sister Arya Stark appears seemingly out of nowhere and startles Jon. Arya jokes that he used to be taller, referring to the last time she’d seen him as a little girl. Jon turns and asks how she was able to sneak up on him, prompting Arya to ask how he survived a knife to the heart. Jon responds, "I didn't.” Arya runs to Jon and they embrace, Jon lifting Arya in his arms. Jon asks Arya if she still has her sword Needle that he gave her before leaving Winterfell. Arya proudly unsheathes it. He asks if she's ever had to use it and Arya quietly responds, "Once or twice." After a silence, Jon shows her Longclaw. Arya admires it but remarks it's too heavy for her. Jon confides that he could have used her help with Sansa in the Great Hall and Arya surmises that Sansa doesn't like his new queen, Daenerys. Jon asserts that Sansa thinks she's smarter than everyone but, to Jon's confusion, Arya defends her sister, telling him that Sansa is the smartest person she knows and is defending her family. Arya tells him not to forget that he is family as well and hugs him.

While inspecting the preparations for the coming battle, Daenerys remarks to Jon upon Sansa's apparent dislike for her. While Jon assures her that Sansa wasn't overly fond of him when they were growing up, Daenerys rebuffs him by saying that they don't need to like each other, but she will be respected. Several Dothraki approach the pair and mention that the dragons haven't been eating as much as normal. Jon and Daenerys ride out to visit them in a bone pit outside of Winterfell. Daenerys asserts that they must be upset being in the North. She then mounts Drogon, but then on a whim, asks Jon if he'd like to ride Rhaegal, ignoring the fact that only the royal Targaryen bloodline are known to be dragonriders. After much trepidation, Jon climbs on top and the dragon accepts him. The dragons take the pair on a lengthy, romantic flight over the surrounding countryside, though Jon initially struggles to fly on Rhaegal. Daenerys is somewhat pleased with Jon's almost instant connection with her dragon. Eventually, they land near a waterfall in an area where Jon used to hunt as a youth. Away from all concerns about the coming battle, Daenerys and Jon share an intimate moment. With her back turned, unbeknownst to Daenerys, as Jon is kissing her he catches eyes with Drogon, who stares at Jon intensely, making Jon uncomfortable pondering what her dragon may be contemplating.

After returning to Winterfell and having a discussion with Sansa, Jon finds his way to the family crypts in the catacombs. Samwell joins Jon, who is visiting the tomb of his father Eddard Stark. After a jubilant reunion Sam informs Jon that Daenerys and her dragon Drogon are responsible for the death of his father and brother, Randyll and Dickon Tarly. Although sensitively, Jon defends Daenerys saying that he himself has also had to execute people who disobeyed him, and so must she as queen. With this, Samwell then reveals that she isn't really the rightful heir to the Iron Throne: Jon is. He informs Jon of his and Bran’s discovery: Jon’s mother was actually Eddard's sister, Lyanna Stark, and his father was none other than Rhaegar Targaryen - crown prince of the Seven Kingdoms, and Daenerys' older brother. Jon is stunned and refuses to believe this as his "father" Eddard was the most honorable man he ever knew and wouldn't lie like this. Samwell counters that Eddard, who really was his uncle, was an honorable man and promised Lyanna that he would keep him safe and hide his identity. Sam further explains that if Robert Baratheon had ever found out about the Targaryen heir, he would have had him killed. As Lyanna and Rhaegar were secretly wed before both of their deaths, Jon should in fact be "Aegon Targaryen, Sixth of his Name" and the true ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.

Some time later, when Tyrion’s brother Jaime Lannister arrives at Winterfell, he is escorted to the Great Hall. After Daenerys idly threatens the man who murdered her father, she informs Jaime that his sister Cersei had pledged to send her army north, and as he came alone it appears she has lied. Jaime makes it clear that Cersei lied to him as well, never having any intention of sending her army. Jaime then informs that Cersei has Euron Greyjoy's fleet and 20,000 fresh troops. Even if they defeat the army of the dead, she'll have plenty of men left to kill the survivors. Jaime asserts that he promised to fight for the living and he intends to keep that promise. Brienne of Tarth steps forward on Jaime's behalf and insists that he is a man of honor and adds that without him, she wouldn't be alive to protect Sansa. Sansa eventually agrees that they should let Jaime stay. Daenerys then asks Jon his advice on the matter who informs her they need every man they can get. Daenerys eventually acquiesces, as Tyrion sighs in relief. As Sansa leaves, Daenerys turns to face Jon but Jon awkwardly avoids her gaze.

Later that afternoon, the sound of the horn brings Jon out into the courtyard, where to his delight, he finds Tormund, Eddison, Beric Dondarrion and the rest of the Night's Watch  dismounting from their horses. Unfortunately, the new arrivals bring bad news: Last Hearth has fallen and anyone who has not reached Winterfell by now have joined the army of the dead, who should be arriving before daybreak. Jon then meets with all the prominent commanders to discuss strategy and notes that even with dragonglass, Valyrian steel and the defenses they have laid, they are still outnumbered and then suggests to make the Night King their primary target; given that if he raised every monster in the army of the dead they should die with him. Jaime Lannister predicts that the Night King, knowing this weakness, will never risk himself on the battlefield, but Bran Stark interjects that he will come for him as his ultimate desire is to erase all memory of the world of men, something which Bran now possesses as the Three-Eyed Raven. Ser Davos suggests the dragons will be helpful on the battlefield but Jon notes they need the dragons near the godswood to protect Bran when Bran is luring the Night King in for an ambush. Arya then asks if dragonfire will kill wights, to which Bran can only reply he has no idea, as no one has ever tried it.

Late night, Jon, Samwell and Ghost stand along the battlements peering into the blackened sky, hours away from the coming war. Sam attempts to put Jon at ease with regards to informing Daenerys about his parentage. After Eddison joins them, Sam asserts that while Gilly and Little Sam will be down in the crypts during battle, he himself will be out in the field fighting, much to Jon’s disapproval. The trio then reminisce over their time together in the Night’s Watch and Eddison instructs that whoever is the last man standing should burn the rest.

Afterwards, down in the family crypts, Daenerys finds Jon staring at a statue of Lyanna Stark. She wraps an arm around his waist as he holds her hand before Daenerys asks who the statue is of. He explains as Daenerys mentions her disbelief that her own brother Rhaegar, had raped her, knowing how out of character that would've been for him. Jon turns to face Daenerys and tells her the truth about his new-found knowledge of Rhaeger and Lyanna and states that his true name is Aegon Targaryen. Daenerys finds it nearly impossible to believe, especially that the truth came from two men so close to Jon: Bran and Samwell. However, as the pieces quickly fall into place she realizes that Jon is the last living male Targaryen heir. Before any other words are spoken or reactions can be reached, a horn is heard sounding in the distance. Jon and Daenerys run to the roof walkways to see the army of the dead in the distance, as they stand in formation, ready for battle.

Daenerys and Jon ride Drogon and Rhaegal away from the castle, to not alert the enemy to their presence. They view the battle from the west in the distance and the Dothraki army charges the army of the dead, but when the Dothraki are slaughtered, Daenerys breaks away from Jon's plan to wait for the Night King and attacks the army of the dead with dragonfire, Jon following behind to assist on Rhaegal. They make strafing runs on the undead army, just behind the faltering human forces. Thousands of wights are incinerated: for a short time this stems their tide, but more keep coming. Daenerys and Jon's visibility is then cut off when the White Walkers summon a blizzard. High in the skies above Winterfell, Daenerys and Drogon are suddenly attacked by the Night King on Viserion, but she is able to evade him. When she finds Jon above the clouds as well, the Night King has disappeared and makes a run towards the godswood where Bran is. As Jon knows where the Night King is heading, he attacks him from atop Rhaegal as they approach the castle walls. Rhaegal clashes with the undead Viserion and a battle between the two factions ensues in the skies above Winterfell. Daenerys quickly approaches on Drogon and collides with Viserion with such impact that the Night King is spilled from his mount, plummeting to the ground, while Drogon tears into Viserion. Rhaegal, however, is badly wounded enough that he needs to make a forced landing, dropping Jon on the ground again before fleeing. Drogon sends the badly injured Viserion crashing into the castle while Jon regains himself on the ground, not far from the Night King, who survived the fall and is proceeding on foot to the breach the godswood. Daenerys reaches the Night King, and with the command of "Dracarys!", has Drogon blast him with dragonfire. When the smoke dissipates, however, it’s confirmed that dragonfire cannot kill the Night King, who is completely unharmed. The Night King still has one ice javelin left and as he readies to throw it at Drogon, Daenerys flees and manages to narrowly dodge the shot. Jon continues to pursue the Night King and just as he is about to reach him, the Night King silently turns to him and raises his arms, resurrecting all of Winterfell's defenders who died in the battle up to this point. This includes Eddison Tollett and Lyanna Mormont, as they rise up into wights. Jon finds himself surrounded again and struggles to fight off the new wights, as the Night King continues into the godswood. Daenerys appears with Drogon and burns the wights surrounding Jon. He then calls to Daenerys, planning to pursue the Night King, and Daenerys tells Jon to go. After Jon runs off, Daenerys and Drogon land but stay on the ground for moments too long, finding Drogon being swarmed by dozens of wights. He just barely manages to fly away still covered in them, but Daenerys is knocked off his back in the process. However, Ser Jorah Mormont appears and helps Daenerys fight off the wights. Meanwhile, Jon fights his way back into the courtyard of the castle - only to be pinned down by the grounded, but still very dangerous Viserion. A stab from Jon's Valyrian steel sword might kill the undead-dragon, but it is simply too volatile to approach as the dragon is so badly wounded that huge rents in his body leak great bursts of icey fire around him. Jon is hastily forced to dive for cover, as Viserion catches sight of him and lets loose a torrent of fire, incinerating the courtyard which barely misses Jon. Facing certain death and with the battle seemingly lost, Jon emerges from his hiding place and, resolving to die with whatever courage he can muster, bellows defiance at Viserion as the undead dragon's jaws gape open, either to devour Jon or blast him with flame. However, at the very moment Viserion himself falls dead, with his lifeless carcass crashing down right in front of Jon. The rest of the wights suddenly fall dead all around the castle, confirming the assumption that the death of the Night King was key to winning the war. Jon learns shortly thereafter that Arya Stark had snuck up behind the Night King and stabbed him with a dragonglass dagger just as he’d reached Bran in the godswood. The ancient threat of the White Walkers and their army has now been destroyed forever.

Following the victorious battle against the White Walkers, Winterfell has been cleared of the thousands of corpses in and around it. The fallen are gathered into funeral pyres, as Jon then gives a eulogy that it is the duty of those who survived to keep them alive in memory for generations to come. He notes to the survivors in his eulogy: “Our fellow men and women, who set aside their differences to fight together, and die together, so that others might live. Everyone in this world owes them a debt that can never be repaid.” He also quotes the funeral speech used for members of the Night's Watch, he announces that they were the shields that guarded the realms of men, and they will never see their like again: “now their watch is ended.” The assembled leaders go forward with torches to light the pyres: Sansa weeps over Theon Greyjoy's body, taking a pin with the Stark direwolf sigil off of her own gown and adding it to his chest, to show that he was a Greyjoy and had redeemed himself as a Stark. A devastated Daenerys then lights Jorah Mormont's pyre, as Jon lights young Lyanna Mormont's pyre. Meanwhile, Arya lights the pyre for Beric Dondarrion as Samwell lights the pyre of Eddison Tollett. As the pyres go up in flames Daenerys in particular is absolutely distraught at losing her longest confidante and advisor Jorah.

That night, the survivors hold a victory feast in the great hall of Winterfell, though so many have died that the mood is somber. Daenerys calls on Gendry, noting that he is Robert Baratheon's son - the man who overthrew her family. Gendry humbly responds that he didn't even know that Robert was his father until after he died. Daenerys then appoints Gendry as the new Lord of Storm's End, as a reward for his heroism. Quietly at the main table, however, Tyrion notes to Daenerys - with approval - that this wasn't an altogether altruistic move, but politically wise: this props up Gendry as a rival claimant to rule of the Stormlands instead of Cersei, while at the same time pacifying what could have been a rival claimant to the Iron Throne by making him dependent on her favor. After the announcement, the mood is lightened and the hall becomes more celebratory, as everyone starts drinking heavily and discussing the battle. Daenerys stands up and makes her own toast, "To Arya Stark, the hero of Winterfell!" prompting an entire room of cheers, though Arya is not in attendance. Jon and Daenerys share a smile, which is noticed by Sansa who leaves the table. Daenerys despondently watches the surplus of celebratory exchanges around the room, including Tormund and Jon drinking together in celebration. Lord Varys specifically notices Daenerys' mood and isolation, quietly becoming concerned. Daenerys gets up to leave the hall as Jon and the rest continue to celebrate.

In his chambers later that evening, Jon is visited by Daenerys and he offers his condolences for Ser Jorah's death. Daenerys affirms that Jorah loved her but she couldn't love him the way he wanted, not the way she loves Jon. They kiss and begin to undress, before Jon stops himself due to the recent discovery of blood relation. Daenerys laments that she wishes Jon never told her about his true identity because otherwise, she'd be happy. She is afraid others will press his claim and take the throne from her. Jon tries to assure her he doesn't want the throne. Daenerys tells Jon it doesn't matter what he wants or how many times he swears fealty to her - he didn't want to be King in the North either. Jon gets on one knee before her and says that he'll refuse the crown because she is his queen. Daenerys begs Jon not to tell anyone else about his parentage, fearing that it will destroy them. Jon insists he must tell his sisters because he owes them the truth about who he is, certain his sisters will keep it secret, everything will work out, and they can all live together. However, Daenerys believes the only way they can live together is if Jon keeps his identity secret. Jon insists “you are my queen, nothing will change that. And they are my family. We can live together.” Daenerys coldly replies with “We can. I just told you how.” After an intense linger their physicality towards each other changes immensely.

The following day, Daenerys, Jon and their remaining leaders hold a war council. Grey Worm informs that half of the Unsullied and most of the Dothraki were killed in the battle as Jon adds about half of the Northern armies were destroyed as well. Daenerys says that they must attack King's Landing, and rip out Cersei root and stem. Tyrion warns her that a direct assault on King's Landing would result in so many civilian casualties that it would make the smallfolk hate her, so their focus should be to turn them against Cersei instead. As Daenerys is still insistent on an attack Sansa counters that they are not in a strong position to immediately mount a new offensive as most of their combined soldiers need rest. Daenerys tells her, "I came north to fight alongside you at great cost to my armies and myself. Now that the time has come to reciprocate, you want to postpone," but Sansa pointedly reminds her that this is the same for both the Northern armies and Daenerys' as well. Jon interjects that the North will honor its allegiance to Daenerys, whom he has bent the knee to, and they will just have to leave the badly wounded back home and march south with a smaller army. Daenerys declares to the war council that this will be the last war they have to fight in the Seven Kingdoms - adding "ALL of them.” Daenerys and Sansa exchange a tense look as Daenerys leaves. Arya then asks Jon for a word in private.

In the godswood, the three surviving Stark children gather with Jon, who is irritated with his sisters regarding Daenerys. Sansa replies that Arya is the one who killed the Night King but Jon reminds Sansa that Daenerys' men gave their lives to fight the undead alongside the North. Sansa insists that she won't forget that but it doesn't mean that she wants to bend the knee to Daenerys. Jon asserts his pledged allegiance to her and although Arya respects his decision, she doesn't trust Daenerys either. Jon informs Arya that she doesn't know Daenerys yet but Arya insists "She's not one of us,” then stresses that they are the “last of the Starks,” the last of Ned's children, and they must remain loyal to each other. Weighed down by the truth, Jon grimly says that he has never been a Stark. Sansa urges Jon that he is as much Ned Stark's child as they are while Arya lovingly insists that she is her brother - not a "bastard brother" or a "half brother" to her, she loves him completely. Unable to bear the lie, Jon looks at Bran, who only quietly says that it's Jon's choice to tell them. Jon urgently makes both girls swear, truly swear that they will never tell anyone else this secret. Sansa and Arya swear and then, at a loss for words, Jon gives Bran permission to tell them of his parentage.

Some time later, in the castle courtyard of Winterfell, Jon is getting ready to leave south with the army, while Tormund and Samwell come to bid farewell. Tormund informs Jon that he is also leaving to return north with his people: the surviving wildlings will travel to Castle Black. Once spring arrives and the winter snows have cleared, they will then return to the lands beyond the Wall. Jon states that the Free Folk are welcome in the North, but Tormund declares that the lands north of the Wall are their home. When Jon says this is farewell, Tormund says, "You never know. You've got the north in you. The real north." They hug goodbye. Jon then spots his direwolf Ghost in the courtyard, who was badly wounded in the battle, having lost his right ear, but managed to survive and is up and about. Jon instructs Tormund to take Ghost with him as a direwolf has no place in the southern kingdoms, and would be happier in the northern forests, where other direwolves still live. Gilly then says goodbye to Jon with a hug, as he then realizes that she is pregnant again, this time with Samwell's child. Gilly proudly informs that if it's a boy, she hopes to name it "Jon". After congratulating the couple, Jon then shares a long hug with Samwell and tell each other they were the best friend each other had. Jon then rides out of the castle as Samwell, Gilly, Tormund and Ghost look on.

Several days later, after travelling down the Kingsroad, Jon returns to Dragonstone by boat. At some point during his travels, Jon has been informed of a tragic unravelling of events that have occurred. Daenerys’ dragon Rhaegal was shot down from the sky and killed right outside of Dragonstone by Euron Greyjoy’s fleet as she was returning from Winterfell. During the attack, Euron’s fleet also had kidnapped her advisor Missandei. This ultimately resulted in Missandei’s beheading at King’s Landing, on Cersei Lannister’s orders, as Daenerys was forced to witness in horror. When Jon arrives onshore, he is met by Lord Varys and asks how Daenerys is doing, with Varys responding that Daenerys is refusing to eat or leave her chambers. Jon replies that Daenerys shouldn't be alone as Varys expresses his concern for them all and speaks of Daenerys' mental state: "They say that when a Targaryen is born, the gods flip a coin." Varys claims that he knows not what side Daenerys' coin will land on, but insists that he knows which side Jon's will land on, implying that he wants Jon to take the Iron Throne over Daenerys. Jon vehemently refuses, to which Varys declares that he has advised kings and rulers for many years, and knows how Daenerys will end up, given everything he has seen. That evening, Lord Varys is taken to the shores of Dragonstone, where Daenerys, Jon and Tyrion are waiting for him, as word of his betrayal was communicated to Daenerys by Tyrion. Varys understands and quietly states to Tyrion that he hopes that he is wrong about Daenerys. Following an emotional farewell from Tyrion, Drogon burns Varys alive, on Daenerys’ command. Jon and Tyrion both watch their Queen with large concern.

After the execution, Jon visits a sullen Daenerys in her bed chambers, who was commiserating with Grey Worm over their shared loss of Missandei. Daenerys asks Jon what she said would happen if he told his sister about his parentage. Jon upholds that he doesn't want the crown and urges that this is what he’d told Varys. Daenerys insists that Sansa betrayed Jon's trust, "She killed Varys as much as I did. This was a victory for her. Now she knows what happens when people hear the truth about you."  Daenerys confides that the people of Westeros love Jon more than her, that all she has here is fear, not love. Jon tells Daenerys, "I love you," adding that she will always be his Queen regardless of how others feel about her. Daenerys ponders, "Is that all I am to you? Your queen?" She and Jon then start to kiss. However, Jon breaks off the kiss, still unable to get over their blood ties. In response, Daenerys accepts this but firmly asserts: "Alright then. Let it be fear."

After travelling overnight by boat, Jon, Tyrion, Ser Davos and the Targaryen army arrive and set up camp on the coastal outskirts of King’s Landing, eagerly awaiting for battle. The following morning, the Unsullied, Dothraki, and Northmen united army are waiting outside the walls of King's Landing. Tyrion tells Jon that when they hear the bells, to call off his men. Meanwhile, a select score of citizens from the capital have been crowded inside the gates of the Red Keep in order to protect them the coming invasion. Cersei overlooks the city and sees her plan coming to fruition: she intends to keep the vast swath of innocent civilians in the path of the castle, seeing if Daenerys will truly burn the city and all the inhabitants with it. In Blackwater Bay, the Iron Fleet wait in silence as the deafening quiet permeates throughout the rest of the city. Suddenly, however, Daenerys, riding atop Drogon, ambushes Euron Greyjoy’s fleet by diving directly out of the sun, obstructing their view. The Ironborn then fire their scorpions, but are unable to land a hit, for their target is far too fast for them. With his flames, the mighty dragon all but destroys the Iron Fleet, though Euron himself is able to escape by jumping into the sea. As the armies wait at the gates for the bells to ring, Daenerys and Drogon suddenly burst through the gates in a fiery blast, quickly scattering the Golden Company mercenaries Cersei had hired. Grey Worm  leads the united army as they charge the gate and take care of what remains of the Golden Company's men. In the mayhem, Grey Worm himself impales a fleeing Captain Strickland in the back with his spear, killing him. As Jon and the united army takes to the streets of King's Landing, taking out any and all enemy soldiers in their path, Daenerys and Drogon strafe the city walls, destroying the remaining scorpions. They make their way to the gates of the inner-most part of the city, where Lannister soldiers are waiting. The two opposing armies come to an intense standstill. Daenerys perches Drogon atop one of the walls. Realizing their chances of winning are dwindling fast, the Lannister soldiers throw down their weapons and surrender. Tyrion and Jon are both visibly relieved as the battle is seemingly finished. The citizens of the city cry out for the bells to be rung. The city goes quiet again, awaiting the bells with anticipation. Eventually the bells are finally rung, signaling what appears to be the end of the sack of King’s Landing. While the bells keep ringing, however, Daenerys stares at the Red Keep with a look of pure hatred in her eyes, becoming more unstable by the second. Without uttering a single word, Daenerys takes Drogon to the skies, and in a terrifying  display of rage, proceeds to burn down the entirety of King's Landing, scorching entire buildings and  neighborhoods, killing both soldiers and innocent civilians alike as Tyrion and Jon witness in horror. Grey Worm takes his spear and throws it at a Lannister captain, impaling him through the chest. With that, it becomes the call to arms as the Unsullied and Dothraki begin attacking and killing surrendered forces. Jon, horrified by this action, orders his own men back and tries to get them and the Unsullied and Dothraki to stop fighting. Unfortunately, the Northmen are in no mood to be merciful towards House Lannister and join their new allies in the slaughter. Chaos erupts as the Unsullied, Dothraki, and Northmen alike charge into the inner-most parts of the city, killing anyone, soldier or civilian, as well as raping women they come across. Jon is caught up in the disorder, deflecting attacks and shouting at his men to stop fighting. Jon finds one of the soldiers grabbing an innocent woman and intervenes to stop the soldier from raping her. The soldier attacks Jon and Jon is forced to kill him. Meanwhile, Daenerys continues to wreak havoc as Drogon destroys the crumbling Red Keep in a few breaths of dragonfire, with both Cersei and Jaime Lannister still inside the castle. Ser Davos and Jon are reeling at the carnage and fire surrounding them as caches of wildfire explode. They share a look of devastation and Jon orders his forces to fall back. He and Davos then rush people out of the city as fire rains down upon them from above. The historical last words of Mad King Aerys, "Burn them all," comes to life at his daughter's hand as King's Landing burns to ashes.

Hours after the flames have burned down to ashes, Jon, Ser Davos and Tyrion walk through the devastation, with charred bodies of civilians and soldiers everywhere. Tyrion leaves them and walks alone towards the Red Keep, to find his siblings, Jaime and Cersei, whom he eventually finds later to have both perished inside the castle, buried under rubble as result of the castle crashing down. Meanwhile, Jon finds Grey Worm about to execute the remainder of the Lannister forces and tries to stop him, telling him it's over. Grey Worm says it won't be over until Daenerys's enemies are defeated, but Ser Davos asks him, "How much more defeated do you need them to be? They're on their knees!" Grey Worm tells Davos that he only obeys the queen's commands as Jon then asks Grey Worm what those commands are. Grey Worm insists that he has orders to kill all who follow Cersei Lannister and that these men chose to fight for her. Grey Worm takes out his knife to execute the men, and Jon tries to stop him. Immediately, all of Daenerys' soldiers take aim at Jon, while the Northerners accompanying Jon draw their swords. Ser Davos diffuses the confrontation, telling Jon they should speak with Daenerys. As Jon and Davos leave, Grey Worm starts to slit the prisoners' throats one by one.

Outside the gates of the city, the remaining Dothraki are celebrating their victory. Jon walks up the stairs toward the gate, upon which a large Targaryen banner is proudly draped. As he reaches the top, he and Grey Worm exchange a tense look. Daenerys then lands Drogon and walks out to address her army: "You tore down their stone houses, you gave me the Seven Kingdoms," she tells her Dothraki and Unsullied armies, naming them “liberators” for “freeing” the people of King's Landing. Jon watches this with concern. Daenerys then asks her army to break the wheel and enlists them to aid her in “liberating” not only all of Westeros, but the rest of the world. When a devastated Tyrion joins them on the steps, Daenerys accuses him of treason since he freed his brother to convince Cersei to retreat. Tyrion coldly replies, "I freed my brother, and you slaughtered a city," with a look of disgust, throwing away his "Hand of the Queen" brooch. Outraged by this show of defiance, Daenerys tells her men to take him away. Perturbed, Jon and Tyrion make eye contact before Jon turns to face Daenerys. They share a tense silence before she leaves. Jon’s sister Arya silently appears beside him as Daenerys walks away. Jon is surprised that his sister is in King's Landing as Arya tells him that she came to kill Cersei, but Daenerys got to her first. She also informs Jon that Sansa will never bend the knee to Daenerys. Jon urges Arya to wait for him outside the city gates, but Arya warns him that Daenerys will always view him as a threat due to his rightful claim. Before she leaves, Arya asserts to Jon "I know a killer when I see one."

Jon later visits an imprisoned Tyrion, who tells him now he's seen what Daenerys is truly capable of. Jon is disturbed by what Daenerys’ actions and is unable to justify it, but believes the war is over now. Tyrion questions Jon, "When you heard her talking to her soldiers, did she sound like someone who's done fighting?" He goes on to say, "Varys was right. I was wrong. It was vanity to think I could guide her. Our queen's nature is fire and blood." Jon is upset by the notion that blood defines who they are, and says Daenerys is not her father as Tyrion is not his father. Tyrion admits that his father and Cersei were both evil, but reminds Jon that Daenerys has now killed more people than any of the evil people he knows. Jon attempts to rationalize over Dany’s various traumas in losing Ser Jorah, Missandei and two of her children, but Tyrion reminds Jon of her actions and asks him if he would have done that. Tyrion claims that Daenerys will do whatever it takes to build the ideal world she wants, no matter how many must die to make it reality. Tyrion reasons with a tortured Jon, "I know you love her. I love her too. Not as successfully as you. But I believed in her with all my heart. Love is more powerful than reason." Recalling Maester Aemon's wise words, Jon reflects, "Love is the death of duty." Tyrion agrees and says that sometimes, duty must be the death of love, "You are the shield that guards the realms of men. Who is the greatest threat to the people now?" Tyrion acknowledges it's a terrible thing he's asking Jon to do, but says it's also the right thing. As Jon resists the idea of assassination Tyrion reminds him of his sisters. Jon insists that his sisters will be loyal to the throne, but Tyrion informs that the reason Sansa told him about Jon's parentage is because she won’t bend the knee. Tyrion then urges Jon to make a choice, "And you have to choose now." A rattled Jon exits the cell.

Troubled, Jon walks through the ruins of the Red Keep. From under the snow, Drogon appears, comes face to face with Jon, and goes back to sleep, allowing him to continue. As Jon enters he finds Daenerys standing next to the infamous Iron Throne as she recounts to him the conquest of her ancestor Aegon and how he had the Iron Throne built. Jon confronts her about the many atrocities she committed during the battle; however, she justifies her actions and, despite Jon's pleas for her do so, she refuses to forgive Tyrion and the people of King's Landing. He begs Daenerys to make the people see that they made a mistake, and to make them understand. Unswayed by Jon's reasoning, Daenerys asserts that they can't hide behind small mercies and the world they need cannot be built by those loyal to the old one. Jon desperately argues that their world must be one of mercy; Daenerys assures him that she is building a good world. Distressed, Jon asks her how she knows it's good and Daenerys confidently asserts that she does know what is good, trying to convince Jon that he does too. An upset Jon is not convinced, asking about everybody else who thinks they know what is good, to which Daenerys responds, "They don't get to choose." Daenerys embraces Jon and makes clear her desire for Jon to help her build the new world she envisages and urges him that this is how they break the wheel. Jon tells Daenerys that she is his queen, "Now and always." As the two of them share a final kiss, Jon reluctantly thrusts a dagger into her heart. He catches Daenerys as she falls, blood escaping her nose and mouth, with a look of confused heartbreak drawn upon her face. She dies in Jon's arms as he weeps over her body. Drogon suddenly arrives and when the dragon approaches, Jon carefully lays Daenerys down. Drogon tries to wake his mother by softly nudging her lifeless body with his nose. After a few attempts, to no avail, Drogon faces Jon, and Jon prepares himself for Drogon's flames. He stands and awaits his impending death as Drogon roars in grief. However, Drogon does not kill Jon; instead, he channels his rage towards the Iron Throne and melts it down to nothing, symbolizing perhaps that it was the journey to the throne itself that killed Daenerys. Drogon proceeds to gently pick up his mother's body and flies away into the gloomy sky, still bellowing in grief. Jon is left standing alone in the demolished throne room, stunned by his own actions.

Weeks after murdering his Queen, the Unsullied army have imprisoned Jon for Daenerys' assassination. At the Great Council of 305 AC, where Jon and Tyrion are to be put on trial, only Tyrion is present, as Grey Worm informs Sansa upon questioning his whereabouts that the Unsullied will decide Jon's fate. Sansa objects to this. Tyrion convinces Grey Worm to allow the new King of the Andals and the First Men instead to decide Jon's punishment since the crime was committed in Westeros. When it's pointed out there now isn't a ruler, Tyrion insists that as the most powerful lords and ladies in the kingdoms gathered, they can pick one from their number. Ultimately it is voted upon that Jon’s brother Bran Stark is elected as the new king after Tyrion persuades the council: “The crippled boy who crossed the Wall and became the Three-Eyed Raven. He's all our memory. Who better to lead us to the future?" The newly-elected King Bran then decides to exile Jon to the Night's Watch in order to avoid a war between the North and the Unsullied army. The new Hand of the King, Tyrion, later visits a dejected Jon and informs him he will be banished to the Night's Watch for the rest of his days. When Jon asks if there still is a Night's Watch, Tyrion responds the world still needs a refuge for bastards and broken men. Jon asks if what he did was right and Tyrion responds they did it together. Jon declares that killing Daenerys doesn't feel right as Tyrion requests Jon to ask him again in 10 years. Jon tells Tyrion that he doesn't think they'll ever meet again but Tyrion informs that he might want to piss off the top of the Wall again after serving as Hand, referencing their time together years ago.

A defeated Jon is later shown leaving King's Landing. As he is brought to the port so he can set sail for Castle Black, the city is bustling with people again as the city is being rebuilt. Jon then passes Grey Worm's ship, their eyes meet as Grey Worm himself gives Jon a fierce look, still unsatisfied with his treason and punishment. Sansa, Arya, and King Bran meet Jon at the dock to bid him farewell. Sansa asks for Jon's forgiveness with regards to his exile. Jon hesitates before responding, "The North is free, thanks to you," but Sansa says, "But they lost their king." Jon tells her, "Ned Stark's daughter will speak for them. She's the best they could ask for." The siblings share an emotional hug. Jon tells Arya she can come and see him at Castle Black, but Arya gives him a sad smile when she tells him she's not coming back North. When Sansa asks her where she's going, Arya informs that she’s going west of Westeros to explore lands that have yet to be discovered. Jon asks, "You have your Needle?" Arya tells him she has it right here and starts to cry. Jon wipes away Arya's tear and they share a long hug. Jon then turns to Bran and kneels, "Your Grace, I'm sorry I wasn't there where you needed me." However, Bran responds, "You were exactly where you needed to be.” After a lingering look towards his siblings, Jon walks towards his boat, unknowing if he will ever see them again as he spends the rest of his days at the Wall.

Some time later, when Jon reaches Castle Black, he is greeted by Tormund Giantsbane, who gives Jon a sympathetic look. After dressing in the black garb of the Night's Watch and grabbing his sword Longclaw off the table, Jon leaves his quarters to join the wildlings outside in the courtyard where he reunites with his direwolf, Ghost. Ghost is still visibly scarred after the battle at Winterfell, similar to Jon’s scarring himself. Jon and Tormund together then lead the wildlings outside the gates of Castle Black on horseback, with Ghost walking ahead of the group. As they make their way beyond the Wall and into the Haunted Forest, Jon silently watches the gate closing behind them. Jon takes a moment to look at the wildling men, women and children as they walk into the forest and has a brief look of peace. Jon then rides among the group as they progress towards the true North, as the wildling people are finally free from the threat of the White Walkers. As they continue deeper into the forest, a piece of grass can be seen emerging from the thawing snow as the first signs of spring begin to slowly appear in Westeros.