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

Original Airdate: April 1, 2012

Several months later, as Robb Stark and his northern army continue the war  against the Lannisters, Tyrion Lannister arrives in King's Landing to counsel  King Joffrey Baratheon and temper the young king's excesses. On the island of Dragonstone, Stannis Baratheon plots an invasion to claim his late brother Robert's throne, allying himself with the fiery Melisandre, a mysterious priestess of an even more mysterious god. Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen, her three young dragons and khalasar of Dothraki warriors desperately trek through the deserts of the Red Waste in search of  allies. In the North, Bran Stark presides over a threadbare Winterfell while, beyond the Wall, Jon Snow and the Night's Watch must shelter with a devious wildling.

main cast

winterfell

Several months later, at Winterfell, Prince Bran Stark holds court with his vassals. A lord begs for assistance preparing his holdfast for the coming winter. The lord recalls the skill of the builders who worked on Torrhen's Square and complains at length about the poor condition of his own home. Maester Luwin reminds the man that the maintenance of one’s homefast is his own responsibility. The lord complains that his young men are fighting Robb Stark's war. Bran is offended by the man's failure to refer to Robb as his King and his inference that Robb wanted the war. Bran questions the Lord’s fealty, reminding him of King Joffrey Baratheon’s treachery that cost the North their Warden, Eddard Stark. The Lord’s defensiveness is interrupted by Luwin who informs him that they will lend the man four masons for a week, concluding the discourse. Bran stares at his counselor and Luwin jokes that they didn't want the Lord there all day. Bran says that he did not like the way he spoke about Robb and Luwin sympathizes before reminding Bran of his responsibilities as Lord of Winterfell.

That evening, Bran dreams that he is Summer and is seeing the world through his direwolf’s eyes, as he stalks through the godswood of Winterfell and looks up at the Red Comet. He goes to the pool next to the weirwood tree and looks down at his wolf’s reflection in the water. As result of his latest dream, the following morning Bran has Hodor carry him out to the godswood, strapped on his back. The wildling Osha accompanies them and finds a plant that she informs can be used to make a pain-relieving tea, pointedly stating to Bran that hey carry healing properties. Bran curtly informs Osha that he does not feel any pain, as she then retorts in saying that he is lucky. She then asks Bran if he has had any more strange dreams/ Bran lies, claiming that he does not dream at all. He then quickly changes the subject to the comet, saying that he has heard men say it is an omen favoring Robb in the war. Osha says that she has heard people say the comet is Lannister red and favors their enemies and that she heard a stable boy say the comet was blood red and marked the death of Eddard. Hodor kneels by the pool and Osha helps Bran to the ground by its edge, affectionately stroking his hair. She tells him that stars do not fall for men and that a red comet signifies dragons. Bran stares at his reflection in the water and asserts that dragons are extinct.

the red waste

Meanwhile, in the deserts of the Red Waste of Essos, a young dragon alights on the shoulder of  Daenerys Targaryen and hisses at the desert. Daenerys tries to feed the dragon raw meat but it shows no interest. Her handmaiden Doreah asks what Viserys Targaryen had said about dragons and Dany reports that he claimed they ate meat. Daenerys holds her palm out for the dragon and then returns it to a wicker cage on a horse’s back. Up ahead the silver horse that was her wedding present from the late Khal Drogo suddenly keels over. Daenerys runs from the cages and joins Ser Jorah Mormont to be with her dying horse. She laments her inability to protect her people from starvation and asks if the desert ever ends. Jorah admits that he has never been this far East but asserts that everything end, stating the dangers that lie in the other directions. He believes that her dragons will make her a target to other Dothraki khalasars and that her people are too weak to defend her and that she must be their strength. She responds “As you are mine.” Daenerys then tasks her bloodriders Rakharo, Aggo and Kovarro to ride ahead on the last of their horses to search the surrounding desert. She approaches Rakharo in private and tells him that he is her last hope. He promises that he will not fail her and she says that he never has. He looks at the sun and says that it is a bad time to start. She stands back as the riders depart before gazing up at the comet.

CRAster’s Keep

In the far North, beyond the Wall, the great ranging of the Night's Watch under Commander  Jeor Mormont traverses through the Haunted Forest. Jon Snow passes the sledge housing their ravens. He asks Samwell Tarly if he is having a hard time and Sam responds that nothing has killed him. Grenn is trying to push the sledge through the mud and complains that Sam’s weight damaged it. Sam counters that Grenn offered him a ride and Grenn says that he only did so because he was fed up of Sam's complaints about his blisters. Eddison Tollett watches the bickering pair. Jon dismounts and leads his horse towards the wooden hall known as Craster's Keep. Edd stands beside him and deadpans that he was born in a similar place but that he has now fallen on hard times. Sam joins them and notes the women working around the hall, asking if they are girls. Sam says that he has not seen a girl for six months and Edd warns the younger men not to speak to them. Grenn is curious as to why Craster does not like people speaking to his daughters. Eddison then notes that his daughters are also his wives, explaining that Craster marries his daughters and breeds more daughters with them. Samwell and Grenn state their disgust in this and Edd counters that while all the other wildlings in the area have disappeared Craster is still present so he must be doing something right. Jon ominously wonders what happens to Craster's sons.

Inside the hall Jeor questions Craster about the missing Benjen Stark, who says he hasn’t seen him in three years. Meanwhile, after a conversational row with Craster about “southerners”, Jon looks around at Craster’s numerous daughter-wives as Craster reveals that the other wildlings have all gone to join their King-Beyond-the-Wall, Mance Rayder, who has been gathering an army and plans to march south into the Seven Kingdoms. Jeor warns that it is a bad time to live alone in the wild and that “The cold winds are rising.” Craster is unimpressed and says that his roots are sunk deep. He pulls over his daughter-wife Gilly and instructs her to tell Jeor how content they are, calling him the Lord Crow. Gilly says that they are protected by Craster and that it is better to live free than die a slave. Craster asks if Jeor is jealous of his many wives. Jeor says that they chose different paths and Craster jokes that Jeor’s path has only boys on it. Craster stands and asks if they would like to stay and Jeor accepts the offer. Craster warns that he will take the hand of any man who touches his wives and threatens to gouge Jon’s eyes out if he so much as looks at them. After they leave the hall Jeor pins Jon against a wall and demands that he state their respective roles as Lord Commander and Steward. He tells Jon that he must learn how to follow before he can lead.

dragonstone

Elsewhere, on the island of Dragonstone, formerly the ancestral seat of House Targaryen, Maester Cressen rushes along a beach holding a torch to light his way. Beneath the cliffs of the keep, a Red Priestess named Melisandre conducts a ceremony for her god, the Lord of Light. She calls for him to protect them from the darkness. Behind her are burning statues representing the Faith of the Seven, the religion widely worshipped in Westeros, and Melisandre offers them to her own god. She intones “The night is dark and full of terrors” and the crowd of onlookers repeat her words. King Stannis Baratheon  allows Melisandre to burn statues, however, Maester  Cressen is outraged at the affront to his gods and fearful that Melisandre is leading Stannis into a war that he cannot win. Melisandre proclaims Stannis a champion of the Lord of Light, as he draws a burning sword from one of the statues. Melisandre predicts that a heavy darkness will fall on the world in the wake of the long summer and claims that the stars will bleed while the cold breath of winter will freeze the seas. Cressen asks Stannis’ advisor Ser Davos Seaworth, standing alongside his son Matthos Seaworth, to help him intervene but Davos says that it is not the right time.

Some time later, Stannis holds a meeting as he has received Eddard Stark's letter that was sent prior to the Northern lord’s execution. The letter informs Stannis that he is the true heir to his older brother, the late King Robert Baratheon. Matthos Seaworth reads aloud from a letter that he has prepared stating Stannis's claim to the Iron Throne. Stannis informs that he will send copies of a letter announcing his claim to Lords throughout the realm. He details the incestuous relationship between Cersei and Jaime Lannister, challenging Joffrey's legitimacy. He rejects Davos's appeal to consider an alliance with his brother Renly Baratheon or even with Robb Stark, since while Robb does not seek the throne, he desires independence, which Stannis sees as Robb "stealing the Northern half of his kingdom." Cressen then stands and offers an apology for his actions on the beach before inviting Melisandre to share his wine. Having witnessed the contamination, Davos Seaworth warns Cressen against his effort in trying to poison Melisandre. However, Cressen ignores the warning as he drinks out of the goblet first before handing it to her. Unbeknownst to Cressen, she is aware of what his is attempting yet with a smile she drinks the poisoned wine anyway. In vain, the Maester starts to bleed and then collapses on the floor to his death, while Melisandre is entirely unaffected by the poison. As she watches over the dying man, Melisandre informs that the fire burns the terrors of the night away as the red jewel in her choker pulsates with light.

the riverlands

In the Riverlands, Robb Stark is shown into the cell of Jaime Lannister in the midst of his camp. Jaime wonders why Robb has not kept him in the castle of one of his bannermen as Robb explains that he knows Tywin Lannister would bribe and threaten his bannermen into giving Jaime up. Jaime needles that Robb does not trust his bannermen and Robb counters that he trusts them with his life but not with Jaime's life. Jaime is then startled by Grey Wind circling the cage as Robb says that he is only insulting himself because he was defeated and held captive by a boy. Robb then warns that Jaime might be killed by a boy as his direwolf enters the cell to stand behind him. Robb tells Jaime that he has received Stannis' letter and knows that Jaime is Joffrey's true father and correctly asserts that he pushed Bran out of the tower because he caught Jaime with Cersei together. After Jaime insinuates that without proof it is purely gossip, Robb says that he is sending peace terms to King's Landing. Jaime claims that Robb does not know Tywin if he expects him to negotiate as Robb retorts that Tywin is starting to know him. Jaime then informs that three victories do not make a conqueror to which Robb states that it is better than three defeats. Robb leaves Grey Wind alone with Jaime as the direwolf rushes forward, snarls and snaps at Jaime's face. Jaime cowers and closes his eyes. When he opens them the direwolf has left.

Afterwards, Robb sends his prisoner Alton Lannister to King's Landing with peace terms. His demands include the release of his sisters, still unaware of Arya’s disappearance from the capital following Ned’s death. His other demands include the return of his father's remains along with the remains of all those who served him as well as the recognition of the North as a free and independent kingdom. Theon Greyjoy appeals to Robb to send him back to his home of Pyke to seek an alliance with his father Balon Greyoy, citing their need for a fleet in order to attack King's Landing. Theon assures him that as Lord Balon is his only son, he will listen to him and rally behind Robb. Once in private, however, Lady Catelyn Stark counsels her son against putting trust in Balon Greyjoy because of his previous history of rebellion. Catelyn asks Robb to consider exchanging Jaime for his sisters, exclaiming that they have heard nothing about Arya especially since Ned’s execution. She notes her desire to return to her younger sons at Winterfell. but Robb tasks her with seeking an important alliance with Renly Baratheon, sending Ser Rodrik Cassel  instead to Winterfell.

KING’s LANDING

Outside of the Red Keep, King Joffrey holds a tournament to celebrate his nameday. Sandor ‘The Hound’ Clegane defeats his opponent, knocking him over the walls of the castle. He shouts congratulations to the Hound and then asks Sansa Stark if she enjoyed the duel. As Joffrey's captive, Sansa, still reeling from Eddard’s execution, is deferent and subdued. Joffrey is then irritated by Ser Dontos Hollard, who arrives both late and intoxicated for his bout. Joffrey orders his guards to pour an entire barrel of wine down Dontos' throat with a funnel.  Sansa, however, intercedes telling Joffrey that ordering a death on one's name day is bad luck. Joffrey dismisses this as a mindless superstition, but Sandor Clegane seconds her. Sansa convinces Joffrey to instead make Dontos his court fool, for which Dontos is grateful. Tyrion Lannister, accompanied by Bronn, then arrives to the tourney, much to Joffrey's disdain, but to the delight of his nephew  Tommen and niece Myrcella, who had worried that he was dead with regards to his long absence away from the city. Tyrion mockingly notes Joffrey’s absence from the battlefield and Joffrey indignantly responds that he has been ruling the kingdoms. Tyrion then greets Sansa and offers his condolences to the loss of her father, much to Joffrey’s annoyance.

Afterwards, the small council meet to discuss the Conclave's announcement that the long summer has ended. Queen Regent Cersei Lannister orders the city gates closed to refugees from the war in the Riverlands. When Tyrion arrives with a letter from Lord Tywin, appointing him as acting Hand of the King in Tywin's stead, Cersei becomes livid. She is suspicious that Tyrion is taking power for himself, but he convinces her that he is there to act as an advisor. He criticizes his sister for failing to rein in Joffrey and overseeing numerous bad decisions. Their actions have sparked a war, which, he adds, their side is currently losing. He is even more incredulous when he learns that Arya Stark has escaped the city, noting how much stronger their position could have been with three Stark hostages. Later, Tyrion hides his lover Shae in his chambers in the  Tower of the Hand because he was forbidden by his father Tywin to bring her with him to the capital. Shae is thrilled with King’s Landing, insisting that big cities make her "want to fuck". Tyrion emphasizes that no one can know of her presence, as the capital is littered with liars and no one can be trusted.

Shortly after the small council meeting, Cersei tasks Petyr Baelish with finding Arya Stark. She needles Petyr about his unrequited love for Lady Catelyn, using this knowledge to manipulate him. However, Littlefinger counters this by referencing her relationship with Jaime, telling her that knowledge is power. In retaliation Cersei responds by threatening his life in a demonstration of her control over her guards, ordering them to first seize Baelish and cut his throat and almost immediately rescinding the order. Amending his previous statement Cersei warns Petyr that power is power. Afterwards, Cersei enters the throne room to find that her son King Joffrey has redecorated, hoping to restore the intimidating grandeur it held under the Targaryen reign. Joffrey refuses his mother's suggestion that they ask his grandfather Tywin for aid in the search for Arya because he does not feel it is necessary to find her and does not feel it is fitting for a king to ask for help. He blames Tywin for their losses in the war and the capture of Jaime. Having heard rumors about his parentage, he confronts his mother. She dismisses it as gossip spread by his enemies. He questions her about Robert's bastard children and insults her by saying that the late King had grown tired of her. She slaps him, and he warns her never to hit him again under threat of death.

Some time later, Ros is introducing a new prostitute named Daisy to the inner-working’s of Littlefinger’s brothel when they are interrupted Lord Janos Slynt who is leading a city-wide massacre of Robert's bastard children. Mhaegen is dragged into the room, holding her raven-haired baby who Eddard previously had met at the brothel. Janos looks at his prisoner who nods recognition and then signals one of his men who takes the baby from the sobbing Mhaegen, draws his knife and then hesitates. Janos tells his man to kill the baby and then does it himself when his subordinate cannot, horrifying both Ros and Mhaegen. After a handful of other brutal slaughterings across the city, Janos goes to Tobho Mott’s smithy on the Street of Steel. The blacksmith is being tortured and questioned about his former apprentice Gendry. His face is pushed closer to the coals of his fire until he reveals that Gendry has left to join the Night’s Watch, is on his way to the Wall and can be identified by his bull’s head helmet. Janos orders one of his men to find Gendry. Meanwhile, along the Kingsroad and far from the city, Gendry Baratheon climbs onto the back of a wagon to help Arya Stark up beside him as they travel further North with Yoren’s recruits.

*Episode descriptions from GOT Wiki