Directed By: Michael Slovis / Written By: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss

Original Airdate: April 12, 2015

In King’s Landing, Cersei Lannister arrives for the funeral of her father Tywin Lannister and blames her brother Jaime for his death. The son of the slain, Tyrion Lannister, arrives overseas in Pentos, transported in a wooden box and accompanied by Lord Varys, who reminds Tyrion the of the risk he took in assisting their escape. In Meereen, a radical faction called the Sons of the Harpy murder an Unsullied soldier and as result Daenerys Targaryen asks Grey Worm to find the killer. Meanwhile, she visits her dragons in the dungeons but they do not respect her since their imprisonment. At Castle Black, Stannis Baratheon assigns Jon Snow to convince Mance Rayder to bend the knee for him and encourage the wildlings to join his army.

main cast

the westerlands

Twenty-five years ago a young Cersei Lannister and her wary tag-along Melara Hetherspoon are creeping through the woods of the Westerlands. They reach a hut within the woods, which belongs to a Woods witch named Maggy. Unafraid, Cersei walks in first. Upon meeting this "witch", Cersei demands to have her future read. Maggy is hesitant at first, but after Cersei threatens to have her eyes gouged out, the witch relents. After Cersei pricks her finger on a dagger, Maggy then tastes her blood and offers the young girl three questions. Cersei's first question was if she will marry the prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Maggy says she will not marry the prince, though she will marry the king, and become queen, who ends up as Robert Baratheon. She then asks if she will have children, and Maggy tells her that she will have three: gold will be their crowns and gold their burial shrouds, indicating that all three will predecease their mother. Finally, she tells Cersei that her reign will not last: she will be queen, but eventually a younger, more beautiful queen is fated to take her place, along with everything she holds dear.

king’s landing

In the present, at King’s Landing, some time has passed since Cersei’s last conversation with her father Tywin Lannister where she admitted to the rumors of her incestuous relationship with brother Jaime Lannister. Following the murder of Lord Tywin at the hands of her brother Tyrion Lannister, Cersei is escorted by Ser Meryn Trant to the Great Sept of Baelor for Tywin's funeral, surrounded by numerous lords and ladies, including Queen Margaery Tyrell, who she glances at suspiciously. Cersei is stopped by the High Septon, who suggests to her that they start soon, since lords and ladies have come from all over Westeros, but she says they will wait a little longer while she has a moment alone with her brother Jaime and their father's corpse. Inside, Jaime warns that all the power and prestige their father built for House Lannister belongs to them now, and that once everyone sees that Tywin is truly dead, their enemies will do everything they can to take it away from them. Cersei bluntly states that their true enemy is Tyrion and that Jaime is partly responsible for Tywin's death since he was the one who released their father's murderer, and then she leaves him.

That evening, during Tywin's wake, Cersei is approached by Ser Loras Tyrell, who babbles on with platitudes about her father Tywin, but she ignores him, as she is intently watching her son King Tommen Baratheon and Queen Margaery sharing a few words and holding hands. Grand Maester Pycelle offers his condolences, yet she completely ignores him as well. She is then approached by her cousin Lancel Lannister, who has recovered from his wounds from the Battle of Blackwater long ago. Since then Lancel has become extremely pious and joined the Sparrows, a new religious movement that has risen from within the Faith of the Seven. Cersei’s uncle Kevan Lannister apologizes for the appearance of his son, but Cersei comforts him by saying Lancel will grow out of this phase. While she is having a private moment upstairs, Lancel approaches her again and asks for her forgiveness for their "unnatural" and incestuous relationship they once shared together during Jaime’s absence. Lancel then asks forgiveness for serving the late King Robert Baratheon the wine that eventually led to the boar accident, culminating in the former King’s death. The way Lancel phrases this statement is somewhat accusatory which then causes Cersei to deny knowledge of any involvement in Robert’s death as she then brushes off Lancel's request as well as his prayers for Lord Tywin's soul.

Some time later, while in bed together, Ser Loras Tyrell and his squire and lover Olyvar contemplate a birthmark on Ser Loras' thigh, which Olyvar believes resembles a similarity to the shape of the southern region of Dorne. Though Loras does not share his opinion, Olyvar insists that it does, pointing out on his thigh where the capital of Sunspear is located and adding that they should visit the southern region. Then Loras’ sister, Queen Margaery, walks in on the two of them in bed, stating that she and Loras are late for dinner. An impatient Margaery insists for Olyvar to leave as they are keeping King Tommen waiting. Once Olyvar departs from Loras’ chambers, Margaery complains to her brother about his lack of discretion. However, Loras retorts that since his sexuality is an open secret in the capital anyway and there isn't much point in discretion. He also opines that with Tywin Lannister now dead, nobody will be enforcing the marriage agreement between himself and Cersei, which he then adds is unfortunate for Margaery herself. Loras points out that as Cersei will now remain in King's Landing, free to harass Margaery. However, Margaery coolly replies with "perhaps," alluding to the potential of her own scheme in organizing Cersei’s exit from the capital.

pentos

With the aid of Lord Varys, Tyrion Lannister has sailed across the Narrow Sea to the continent of Essos and brought to the home of Magister Illyrio Mopatis in the Free City of Pentos. Varys pries Tyrion out of the crate in which he had to be hidden in for the duration of the long voyage. Despite Tyrion’s warranted gripe, Varys insists that he risked his life smuggling him out of the capital. Varys then informs Tyrion that he and the merchant Illyrio once had worked together in secret to restore House Targaryen to the rule of Westeros. He explains that Illyrio and himself saw the late King Robert Baratheon for the “disaster he was.” Varys then notes that their errors had left them in Pentos and unable to return to King's Landing, as he also urges that Westeros needs to be saved from itself. While Tyrion pours himself some wine, he asks Varys if he can still be addressed as a “Lord,” considering his actions in murdering his father Tywin. Since violently killing Tywin and his former lover Shae, Tyrion has descended into bitterness and self-loathing over his actions, seemingly determined to drink himself to death. Varys stresses for Tyrion to seize drinking and focus on the future of their country. After pouring another glass, a defeated Tyrion states that “the future is shit, just like the past.”

Some time later, Tyrion remains in a drunk and depressive state when calling himself a “coward” to Lord Varys, who insists to Tyrion that he is many thing, but not a coward. When Tyrion asks Varys why he risked his life to set him free, Varys declares that he did so for the realm. He then notes his belief that Tyrion, as a “man of talent,” has a part to play in the war to come. Thoigh Tyrion still wallows in self-pity, Varys insists that he still has talents that may yet be of use; talents that he could use to seat the right candidate on the Iron Throne. Grabbing Tyrion’s attention, Varys adds that Westeros is mired in chaos and on the brink of ruin as the Seven Kingdoms require a ruler, one stronger than King Tommen, yet gentler than Stannis Baratheon. They should be beloved by the people, able to please the common folk and keep the nobility in line. When Tyrion retorts that such a man does not exist, Varys points out that he never said this ruler would be a man. Varys then offers Tyrion the choice of either drinking himself to death in Pentos, or traveling with him to Meereen to meet and negotiate with Queen Daenerys Targaryen. After a moment, Tyrion agrees, but only if he can continue drinking on the road.

meereen

Meanwhile, the Unsullied topple the large golden harpy from the top of the Great Pyramid in  Meereen to show the Meereenese people they are under Targaryen rule now and their old traditions are no longer in practice. After the removal one of the Unsullied soldiers, White Rat, is seen walking into a brothel and pays a prostitute he visits regularly to lie with him and comfort him. While he lies in bed, eyes closed and listening to her hum and stroke his head, suddenly his throat is slashed by a member of the Sons of the Harpy, an insurgency group operating in Meereen who oppose Daenerys’ reign. The prostiute rises from the bed and stands beside the Harpy, indicating her involvement. Afterwards, in Daenerys Targaryen’s quarters the murderer's mask left at the scene is presented to her. Barristan Selmy assures her that conquerors are always met with resistance as Mossador reminds her that the Harpies do not see the freed slaves as people. Daenerys then orders Grey Worm to find those responsible and also commands that the murdered soldier is to be buried in the Temple of the Graces as a statement. After the council meeting, Missandei approaches Grey Worm in private, expressing concern for his safety. She then asks him why White Rat would visit a brothel given that he and all of the Unsullied are eunuchs, adding that she has heard many Unsullied have visited. Uncomfortable with the probing question, Grey Worm states the he does not know why they would visit brothels. He then leaves her to carry out his commands.

Some time later, Daario Naharis and Hizdahr zo Loraq return to Meereen and declare that their mission to Yunkai has been successful. They inform Daenerys that the Wise Masters will turn over power to a council of former slaves and former slave owners. However, Daenerys is then informed that in exchange, the Wise Masters have asked that the dragon queen consent to the reopening of the fighting pits, an arena where slaves used to fight to the death in front of an audience. Viewing this old custom as barbaric, Daenerys denies the request despite Hizdahr’s advice that this would show respect for tradition. Later that evening, Daario convinces Daenerys to reconsider, as his youth fighting in the pits gave him the fighting skills necessary for him to join the Second Sons, where he met her. Then upon hearing that her missing dragon Drogon hasn't been seen in weeks, Daario muses on the irony of a dragon queen with no dragons. Following their conversation, Daenerys attempts to visit the imprisoned Viserion and Rhaegal in the catacombs, whom she locked underground in order to prevent them from killing innocents or fleeing, both of which Drogon has done. When she approaches them, they attempt to attack her, forcing her to briskly escape the room in panic.

the vale of arryn

In the Vale of Arryn, Sansa Stark, still under the guise as “Alayne,” attends a sword jousting session for Lord Robin Arryn at Runestone, the castle of House Royce. She and Petyr Baelish watch over Robin's struggles while sparring with another young boy. Lord Yohn Royce, also in attendance, is visibly unimpressed with Robin's sub-par skills at swordsmanship. While watching Robin spar, Sansa witnesses Baelish receive a scroll from a messanger-raven, which he quickly hides. Yohn Royce has agreed to take Robin as his ward and train him to fight, but is not optimistic of his abilities, stating "he swings a sword like a girl with palsy". Meanwhile in the Vale, Podrick Payne attempts to plan the next move for himself and Brienne of Tarth, but Brienne tells him that she doesn't want anyone following her. He reminds her of the oath she swore to Jaime to find the Stark girls, but she states that Arya Stark did not want her protection. Brienne also points out that Podrick was not safe in King's Landing and now that they are far away from the capital, he is safe and they can go their separate ways but he is insistent in staying. Petyr Baelish and Sansa's carriage passes them, with Brienne unaware of how close her goal is. Inside the carriage, Littlefinger explains that even though he told Lord Royce that they would be traveling to the Fingers, where House Baelish rules, they instead head west. Sansa asks if they have anything to fear from Lord Yohn as Littlefinger explains that he doesn't trust the retainers and soldiers who saw them, and is taking Sansa somewhere the Lannisters will never find her.

castle black

Meanwhile, at Castle Black, Jon Snow spars with young Olly, along with other some other new recruits. As they Samwell Tarly attempts to comfort Gilly since she is worried of being sent away with Little Sam by Ser Alliser Thorne. With the election just days away, this would most likely happen if Thorne is elected as the new Lord Commander. However, Samwell reaffirms his promise that wherever Gilly and Little Sam go, he will follow in order to protect her. Interrupting his training, Jon is then summoned by Melisandre to see Stannis Baratheon atop the Wall. He questions the Red Priestess if she is cold, as she is dressed in unusually light clothing for the local climate, but she states that "the Lord's fire" lives within her. Melisandre asks if Jon is a virgin. Jon replies he is not, which she approves. Jon then meets with Stannis and Davos Seaworth, kneeling before the King. With Roose Bolton ruling Winterfell, Stannis asks Jon if he wants to avenge his fallen brother Robb Stark. Jon reaffirms that he is sworn to the Night's Watch and cannot seek revenge. However, Davos states that his loyalty to the Watch is considered dubious because of his time spent with the wildlings. Nevertheless, Stannis wants Jon to retake  the North with the help of the wildlings, stating that he will pardon them and declare them citizens of the realm once the war is won. Stannis will give the wildlings their lives and freedom if the captured Mance Rayder bends the knee and swears his loyalty. He gives Jon until nightfall to convince Mance, or the King-Beyond-the-Wall will be burned as a sacrifice to R'hllor.

Some time later, Jon visits Mance in the room where he is being held captive. Mance muses over the irony of the fact that when they first met Jon was his prisoner, and now with their last meeting, he is the one in chains. When Jon insists that this doesn’t have to be their last meeting, Mance declares that it will be, then confirming his understanding of Stannis’ wish for him to bend the knee and also have the Free Folk fight for him. Mance admits his respect, claiming that Stannis would be a better ruler than “the fools sitting on the Iron Throne the last hundred years”. Despite this opinion, however, Mance confirms his refusal in bending the knee. Jon states that Mance spent his life convincing ninety different clans of Free Folk to come together and breach the Wall in order to save themselves from the coming winter. A frustrated Jon asks Mance if their survival is more important than his own pride. Mance stands up and asserts to Jon that his defiance isn’t about pride, explaining that the wildlings only follow him because he kneels to no one. He notes that if he was to kneel to Stannis, they would lose all respect for him and ignore his commands anyway, so he might as well die with his honor intact by refusing. Jon stresses his opinion that Mance is making a terrible mistake, however, the principled Mance calmly declares that the “freedom to make my own mistakes is all I ever wanted”. Late that evening, the King-Beyond-the-Wall is then marched out into the courtyard and King Stannis gives him one last chance to save his life. Mance politely refuses, however, remaining true to his conviction, as he simply wishes Stannis “good fortune in the wars to come”. As Mance is then led to the pyre and tied to the stake, Melisandre lights it aflame. As the fire quickly spreads through the pyre, Stannis’ wife, Queen Selyse Baratheon, watches with sick pleasure but their daughter Princess Shireen Baratheon stares with horror. Samwell and Gilly also look-on with horror, as well as Tormund Giantsbane, who is now without a leader. Unable to watch Mance suffer, Jon storms off, however, just as the fire begins to fully consume Mance, he is mercifully shot through the heart with an arrow by Jon from across the courtyard.

*Episode descriptions from GOT Wiki