Regardless of the time of year, “Winter is coming.”
As yourGame of Throneswatch begins, here’s an episode-by-episode breakdown of everything you oughta know from season 1.
(Check out our guides for seasons 28 and our list of essential episodes down below.)
Episode 1: “Winter Is Coming”
Writers:David BenioffandD.B.
Grade:A
Episode 2: “The Kingsroad”
Writers:David Benioff and D.B.
En route south, Joffrey orchestrated the beheading of Sansa’s direwolf.
Suspicious of the Lannisters' involvement, she journeyed to King’s Landing to warn her husband.
Bran awakened from his coma after she left.
He claimed Bran’s would-be-assassin’s dagger belonged to Tyrion.
Ned and Catelyn enlisted his help to find the truth.
Arya began sword-fighting classes with a renowned trainer from Braavos.
Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) arrived at the Wall and Jon took pity on his weakness.
At King’s Landing, Ned looked into the previous Hand of the King Jon Arryn’s death.
He met an armorer’s apprentice, Gendry (Joe Dempsie), King Robert’s bastard son.
On the road back north, Catelyn ran into Tyrion.
Lysa had become unhinged and still breastfed her preadolescent son.
Ned refused to have any part in it and gave up his position as Hand.
On leaving, Ned was surrounded by Jaime angry that Catelyn had taken his brother prisoner and his men.
Elsewhere, Dany proved herself to be one of the Dothraki by eating a horse’s heart.
A jealous Viserys drunkenly demanded a crown from Khal Drogo.
Drogo poured molten gold on Viserys' head, thereby crowning and killing him painfully.
However, the king was maimed by a boar during a hunt and later succumbed to his injuries.
Ned realized Littlefinger had double-crossed him when the city guard didn’t come to his aid.
Renly fled the city.
Jon’s direwolf appeared with a severed hand to add flair to the occasion.
Episode 8: “The Pointy End”
Writer:George R.R.
Robb called for his bannermen to march on King’s Landing instead.
Catelyn met Robb on the road, while Tyrion joined his father at the Lannister encampment.
The Dothraki sacked a village to help fund Drogo’s throne quest.
Dany saved some women from rape, and Drogo was injured defending her honor.
They reanimated as wights (zombie-like beings), and Jon saved Commander Mormont from their attack.
Commander Mormont gifted Jon a Valyrian steel sword.
Jon’s loyalty to the Watch was tested when he learned Robb was marching south.
Joffrey had him beheaded nonetheless.
The Night’s Watch went beyond the Wall to find Benjen.
Dany’s son died, his life having been traded for Drogo’s by the witch’s spell.
Drogo’s tribe had left, with their leader alive but in a vegetative state.
Dany smothered him with a pillow.
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