“Valar Dohaeris”

After the White Walkers’ attack, the surviving Night’s Watchmen, including Samwell Tarly and Jeor Mormont, pledge to return to the Wall and warn the Seven Kingdoms. Jon is brought before Mance Rayder, the “King beyond the Wall”, and pledges his loyalty to the Wildlings. A scarred Tyrion Lannister attempts to negotiate Casterly Rock from Tywin, who offers lesser promises. Margaery Tyrell engages in charitable acts with King’s Landing orphans. Littlefinger offers to help Sansa Stark escape King’s Landing. Ros warns Shae to distrust Littlefinger. Davos is rescued by Saan, who wants to break ties with Stannis Baratheon. Davos returns to Dragonstone where he unsuccessfully tries to kill Melisandre and is imprisoned. She blames him for convincing Stannis not to let her join the battle. In Essos, Daenerys Targaryen arrives in Astapor to buy an army of brutally-trained mercenary soldiers called the “Unsullied”. The Qarth warlocks attempt to assassinate her, but Selmy, a former Kingsguard commander, saves her and pledges his loyalty.

“Dark Wings, Dark Words”

Brienne continues escorting Jaime Lannister across the Riverlands to King’s Landing. He engages her in a fight, which is interrupted by Bolton soldiers who capture them. Robb Stark receives news that Winterfell was sacked, and his brothers Bran and Rickon have vanished. Robb diverts his attention from the war against the Lannisters to attend the funeral in Riverrun for Hoster Tully, Catelyn’s father. This angers Rickard Karstark, who seeks vengeance against the Lannisters for killing his sons. Arya Stark, Gendry and Hot Pie also make for Riverrun, but are waylaid by the rebel “Brotherhood without Banners”. They stop at an inn, where the captured Hound exposes Arya’s identity. Margaery and her grandmother Olenna, the “Queen of Thorns”, persuade Sansa to describe Joffrey’s deviant character. Theon Greyjoy is tortured by unknown captors. Bran, Rickon, Osha, and Hodor encounter siblings Jojen and Meera Reed, children of Stark bannerman, Howland Reed. Jojen, who shares Bran’s strange dreams, tells Bran that he can enter animals’ minds.

“Walk of Punishment”

Robb and Catelyn attend Hoster Tully’s funeral in Riverrun. Tywin Lannister sends Littlefinger to the Eyrie to marry Lysa Arryn to secure her alliance, and makes Tyrion the new Master of Coin. Hot Pie is employed by the inn, while Arya and Gendry follow the Brotherhood. Learning of the massacre at the Fist of the First Men, Rayder sends Jon and a band of Wildlings to scale the Wall and attack the Watch while it is weakened. The surviving Night’s Watch men return to Craster’s Keep, where Gilly gives birth to a son. Theon is freed by an unknown man, who later rescues him again. Melisandre leaves Dragonstone, mysteriously stating that the blood of a king is required for victory. Daenerys barters for the 8,000 Unsullied and the translator Missandei in exchange for one of her young dragons, ignoring Selmy’s and Jorah’s advice. Jaime persuades his captor, Locke, to prevent Brienne being raped by claiming her father will pay a huge ransom; Locke agrees but he then severs Jaime’s right hand without warning.

“And Now His Watch Is Ended”

Theon’s “rescuer” betrays him, returning him to the prison for more torture. After a failed escape attempt, Jaime believes himself lost without his sword hand; Brienne urges him to remain hopeful. Varys tells Tyrion how he became a eunuch, then shows him the magician who castrated him, who is now his captive. He advises Tyrion be patient for vengeance. At Craster’s Keep, the surviving Night’s Watchmen, starving, come into conflict with their host. Craster and Mormont are slain in the struggle, and Sam flees with Gilly and her new-born son. Arya and Gendry are taken to the Brotherhood’s secret cave, meeting their leader, Dondarrion, who later sentences Sandor Clegane to trial by combat with him. Margaery proposes that Sansa marry Loras, which Sansa finds agreeable, unaware he is gay. Daenerys meets with slaver Kraznys to trade one dragon for the Unsullied army. Once the deal is struck, she commands the Unsullied to kill all the slave masters, and has her dragon burn Kraznys; she frees the Unsullied, who willingly follow her.

“Kissed by Fire”

Tyrion, knowing the Crown is deeply in debt to the Iron Bank, persuades Olenna to pay for half of the royal wedding. Sansa tells Littlefinger she wants to remain in King’s Landing. Tywin discovers the Tyrells’ intend to marry Sansa to Loras. To circumvent this, he plots to marry Sansa to Tyrion, and Cersei to Loras over both Lannister’s objections. Stannis confesses his infidelity to his wife, Selyse, who says she knows and approves. Their daughter, Princess Shireen, sneaks into the dungeon to visit Davos and teaches him to read. Sandor is released after killing Dondarrion in the trial by combat. Thoros resurrects Dondarrion, using the Lord of Light’s power. Gendry remains with the Brotherhood, who intend to ransom Arya to Robb. After being delivered to Roose Bolton, Jaime tells Brienne he killed “Mad” King Aerys Targaryen to prevent his destroying King’s Landing with wildfire. Robb executes Lord Karstark after the latter murders two captive Lannister boys. With the Karstarks abandoning him, Robb hopes to make a new alliance with Walder Frey. Ygritte seduces Jon, who breaks his Night’s Watch vows. Daenerys encourages the Unsullied to choose a leader among them; they choose Grey Worm.

“The Climb”

In King’s Landing, Tywin coerces Olenna into an agreement to marry Cersei to Loras. Cersei admits to Tyrion that Joffrey tried to have him killed during the siege. Tyrion informs Shae and Sansa about his and Sansa’s betrothal. Littlefinger tells Varys that he discovered Ros was Varys’ informant and that Joffrey killed her. In the Riverlands, Melisandre buys Gendry from the Brotherhood, and foretells Arya that she will kill many people with brown eyes, green eyes, and blue eyes; she promises they will meet again. Having married Talisa, Robb strikes a new agreement with Walder Frey by giving him Harrenhal and having his uncle, Edmure Tully, marry a Frey daughter or granddaughter. Roose Bolton plans to send Jaime to King’s Landing, but refuses to allow Brienne to accompany him. At an unknown location, the mysterious man continues torturing Theon. In the North, tension arises between Osha and Meera. Beyond the Wall, Sam continues his flight with Gilly, while Jon and Ygritte scale the Wall with two other Wildlings.

“The Bear and the Maiden Fair”

In the North, Jojen tells Bran they must not stop at Castle Black, but travel beyond the Wall to find the Three-eyed Raven; Osha warns them about the White Walkers. Jon and Ygritte’s relationship deepens, angering jealous Wildling, Orell. Theon’s torturer castrates him. Robb learns Talisa is pregnant. Arya escapes the Brotherhood, only to be captured by Sandor. Melisandre tells Gendry that his father was King Robert. Shae warns Tyrion that their relationship will end once he marries Sansa. Tywin and Joffrey discuss Daenerys; Tywin dismisses her as a potential threat. Daenerys reaches Yunkai and declares war on the city. Roose Bolton leaves Harrenhal for Edmure Tully’s wedding while Jaime bids Brienne farewell as he departs for King’s Landing. On the road, Jaime learns Locke has refused Brienne’s father’s ransom. He returns to Harrenhal to find Brienne in a pit fighting a bear. He saves her and they depart to King’s Landing together.

“Second Sons”

King’s Landing hosts Tyrion and Sansa’s wedding. Cersei shows her displeasure toward Margaery and Loras. At the wedding feast, Tyrion causes a drunken scene. Tywin demands that Tyrion quickly produce a Lannister heir, but Tyrion later assures Sansa their marriage will never be consummated without her consent. Sandor tells Arya they are heading for the Twins to ransom her to Robb. Stannis releases Davos, demanding he respect Melisandre. She arrives in Dragonstone with Gendry, whom she seduces to extract his blood using leeches. In a magical ritual, Stannis casts the blood-filled leeches into a fire while naming three usurpers: Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy, and King Joffrey. Daenerys learns that Yunkai has employed mercenaries called the “Second Sons”. One of their handsome lieutenants, Daario Naharis, kills the other leaders and pledges the company’s loyalty to Daenerys. Sam and Gilly are attacked by a White Walker, which Sam destroys with a dragonglass dagger.

“The Rains of Castamere”

Sam, Gilly, and her son arrive at the Wall. While hiding in a tower during a thunderstorm, Bran enters Hodor’s mind to prevent his revealing their hiding place to Wildlings below with his laments. Nearby, Jon refuses to murder a farmer, whom Ygritte kills; Jon is attacked by the other Wildlings but escapes. Bran uses his warg ability to save Jon, who kills Orell before escaping, leaving a furious Ygritte behind with chief Tormund. Osha, Rickon, and his direwolf, Shaggydog, depart for the Last Hearth, while Bran, Meera, Jojen, Hodor and Bran’s direwolf, Summer, plan to go beyond the Wall. Daenerys sends Jorah, Naharis, and Grey Worm to infiltrate Yunkai and open the city gate for her army. Yunkai slaves willingly surrender to her forces. Robb arrives at the Twins and apologizes to Walder for reneging on his agreement to marry a Frey daughter. Walder appears to accept his apology while Edmure marries Roslin Frey, Walder’s sole pretty granddaughter. After the newlyweds leave the feast, Walder’s men murder Catelyn, Talisa and the Stark bannermen, while Roose Bolton, now a Lannister loyalist, kills Robb. Ser Brynden Tully, Catelyn’s uncle, survives, having excused himself from the feast just prior to the slaughter. The Hound and Arya arrive at the Twins during the massacre, but the Hound carries her to safety.

“Mhysa”

The massacre’s mastermind is revealed to be Tywin Lannister, who rewards House Frey with the Seat of Riverrun and appoints Roose Bolton as Warden of the North. Theon learns his men surrendered him in return for safe passage from Winterfell and that his captor is Ramsay Snow, Bolton’s bastard son. Against Balon’s wishes, Yara leads a mission to rescue Theon. Arya and the Hound kill some Frey soldiers mocking Robb’s death. Jaime and Brienne arrive in King’s Landing where Jamie is reunited with Cersei. Sam and Gilly encounter Bran’s party and, unable to prevent them traveling beyond the wall, Sam gives them dragonglass weapons. Sam returns to Castle Black with Gilly. Maester Aemon has Sam send ravens to alert the Seven Kingdoms about the White Walkers. Ygritte finds Jon and shoots him with three arrows, deliberately only wounding him. He escapes, returning to Castle Black. In Dragonstone, Davos helps Gendry escape to prevent his being sacrificed; Stannis forgives Davos, then heads north to aid the Watch against the White Walker threat. In Essos, the freed Yunkai slaves receive Daenerys as their “mother”.