Episode 7: You Win or You Die - Ned and Cersei have a meeting about Jon Arryn's death. Jon Snow takes his vows to become a man of the Night's Watch. Khal Drogo has an abrupt change of mind after an assassination attempt on Dany. King Robert is severely injured by a boar and must make decisions on the future of his kingdom.

Episode 6: A Golden Crown - Reinstated as the Hand, Ned sits for the King while Robert is on a hunt, and issues a decree that could have long-term consequences throughout the Seven Kingdoms. At the Eyrie, Tyrion confesses to his “crimes,” and demands that Lysa give him a trial by combat. Joffrey apologizes to Sansa; Viserys receives his final payment for Daenerys from Drogo.

Episode 5: The Wolf and the Lion - Tyrion's predicament becomes known in King's Landing, making life difficult for Eddard Stark. Ned's position is already precarious due to a disagreement with King Robert over plans to assassinate Daenerys before she can rally the Dothraki to invade Westeros. In the Eyrie, Catelyn is shocked by her sister Lysa's paranoia and distrust.

Episode 4: Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things - Ned looks to a book for clues to the death of his predecessor, and uncovers one of King Robert’s bastards. Robert and his guests witness a tournament honoring Ned. Jon takes measures to protect Samwell from further abuse at Castle Black; a frustrated Viserys clashes with Daenerys in Vaes Dothrak; Sansa imagines her future as a queen, while Arya envisions a far different future. Catelyn rallies her husband’s allies to make a point, while Tyrion finds himself caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Episode 3: Lord Snow - Arriving at King’s Landing after his long journey, Ned is shocked to learn of the Crown’s profligacy from his new advisors. At Castle Black, Jon Snow impresses Tyrion at the expense of greener recruits. Suspicious that the Lannisters had a hand in Bran’s fall, Catelyn covertly follows her husband to King’s Landing, where she is intercepted by Petyr Baelish, aka “Littlefinger,” a shrewd longtime ally and brothel owner. Cersei and Jaime ponder the implications of Bran’s recovery; Arya studies swordsmanship. On the road to Vaes Dothrak, Daenerys finds herself at odds with Viserys.

Episode 2: The Kingsroad - Bran’s fate remains in doubt. Having agreed to become the King’s Hand, Ned leaves Westeros with daughters Sansa and Arya, while Catelyn stays behind to tend to Bran. Jon Snow heads north to join the brotherhood of the Night’s Watch. Tyrion decides to forego the trip south with his family, instead joining Jon in the entourage heading to the Wall. Viserys bides his time in hopes of winning back the throne, while Daenerys focuses her attention on learning how to please her new husband, Drogo.

Episode 1: Winter is Coming - Beyond a gigantic protective wall of ice in the utmost north of Westeros something cold stirs. Robert Baratheon, the king of Westeros, arrives with his royal retinue at Winterfell south of the Wall to seek the help of his old friend Eddard Stark in ruling his kingdom. At the same time on a different continent, the last survivors of the previous Targaryen regime are seeking a new alliance to acquire an army to take back their kingdom from the "usurper" king Robert.