Episodes 01

“The Wars to Come”

In a flashback, a witch foretells a teenage Cersei that she will one day be a queen until a younger and more beautiful queen usurps her. The witch also predicts Cersei will have three children and her king husband will have twenty. In the present, Tywin is buried, and Lancel Lannister returns, now a devoted convert of a fanatical religious cult called the “Sparrows”. In Pentos on Essos, a despondent Tyrion accompanies Varys to Meereen to meet Daenerys, who Varys believes may be worthy of the Iron Throne. In Meereen, the insurgent “Sons of the Harpy” murder an Unsullied. Daenerys angrily resists restoring old local traditions, including reopening the fighting pits. Missandei asks Grey Worm about why some Unsullied visit brothels. Daenerys visits her two confined dragons, who act aggressively toward her. In the Vale, Littlefinger puts Robin in House Royce’s care when he and Sansa depart. At the Wall, Stannis Baratheon seeks to recruit the Wildlings in his war against Roose Bolton, offering citizenship and land as a reward. Jon is unable to persuade Mance Rayder to “bend the knee” to Stannis. As Mance is burned alive, Jon ends his agony with an arrow to the heart.

Episodes 02

“The House of Black and White”

Arya arrives in Braavos and is accepted into the “House of Black and White” by Jaqen H’ghar, who calls himself and his colleagues, “no one”. Jaime recruits Bronn to travel to Dorne with him to retrieve Jaime’s niece/daughter Myrcella, who is now betrothed to Trystane Martell, Prince Doran’s son. Podrick recognises Littlefinger and Sansa in a tavern; Brienne offers Sansa her protection but is rebuffed. Littlefinger insists Brienne come with them, but she refuses and escapes with Podrick, then secretly follows Sansa. Stannis offers Jon legitimacy and lordship of Winterfell if he leaves the Night’s Watch and supports him, but Jon keeps his vow to the Night’s Watch; Samwell nominates Jon as Lord Commander against Alliser Thorne; Maester Aemon casts his ballot for Jon, breaking a tie vote. Daenerys incites a riot by executing a former slave who murdered a Sons of the Harpy prisoner prior to his trial. Drogon reappears, but soon leaves.

Episodes 03

“High Sparrow”

Margaery, newly wed to King Tommen Baratheon, manipulates him to consider sending Cersei to Casterly Rock to eliminate her interference. Littlefinger takes Sansa to Winterfell to cement an alliance with Roose Bolton through marriage to his son, Ramsay and Sansa without the Lannisters knowledge. Sansa’s unconsummated marriage with Tyrion is considered void. Brienne trains Podrick in swordsmanship. To conform to the House of Black and White, Arya tosses her personal effects into the harbor, but hides Needle in a pile of rocks. At Castle Black, Jon names Thorne First Ranger. When Slynt disobeys Jon’s orders, Jon executes him. Lancel discovers the High Septon in a brothel, and he is forced to walk the streets nude as punishment. The High Septon protests to Cersei, who imprisons him. She meets with the High Sparrow, approving the Sparrows’ actions. Tyrion and Varys arrive in Volantis. Soon after, Tyrion is abducted by Jorah, intending to give him, “to the queen”.

Episodes 04

“Sons of the Harpy”

Cersei authorizes arming the Sparrows as the Faith Militant, who then arrest Loras Tyrell for homosexuality. Queen Margaery is enraged, but Tommen proves too weak to countermand them. Melisandre attempts to seduce Jon as a means to convince him to accompany Stannis to Winterfell. In Winterfell, before Littlefinger heads to King’s Landing, he dispels Sansa’s misgivings about marrying Ramsay, promising that Stannis will defeat the Boltons and rescue her, and even if not, she can manipulate Ramsay. Bronn and Jaime secretly land in Dorne to retrieve Myrcella; hearing this, Ellaria and her Sand Snakes plot to avenge Oberyn’s death by abducting Myrcella. Jorah intends to redeem himself to Daenerys by presenting Tyrion as a prisoner. In Meereen, Loraq again appeals to Daenerys to reopen the fighting pits, a local tradition; the Sons of the Harpy ambush an Unsullied patrol inside the citadel, critically wounding Grey Worm and killing Ser Barristan Selmy.

Episodes 05

“Kill the Boy”

Brienne and Podrick arrive at an inn near Winterfell and smuggle a message to Sansa, offering her help if it is needed. Sansa discovers Theon is at Winterfell, and Ramsay forces him to apologize to her for supposedly killing her younger brothers. At the Wall, Tormund Giantsbane agrees to an alliance with the Night’s Watch in return for the Wildlings to settle south of the Wall. Jon and Tormund travel to Hardhome to persuade the Wildlings. Stannis’s army leaves for Winterfell, taking his family and Melisandre with them. In Meereen, as Grey Worm recuperates, he and Misandei develop romantic feelings. Daenerys feeds one Meereen nobleman to her dragons, Viserion and Rhaegal, and imprisons the others. She later agrees to reopen the fighting pits and weds Loraq to facilitate peace. At sea, Tyrion and Jorah sail through Valyria, seeing Drogon flying overhead. They are attacked by stone men and escape, but Jorah is infected with greyscale.

Episodes 06

“Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”

H’ghar takes Arya to a chamber filled with the faces of dead people. Jaime and Bronn reach the Water Gardens and find Myrcella with Trystane. The Sand Snakes attack them but Dornish guards arrive and arrest everyone. Jorah and Tyrion are captured by pirates. They narrowly escape slavery when Tyrion manages to talk their way to the fighting pits of Meereen. Littlefinger informs Cersei that Roose Bolton intends to marry Sansa to Ramsay. He offers to lead the knights of the Vale to Winterfell to defeat whichever weakened side wins the conflict between Roose and Stannis. If successful, Littlefinger will be named Warden of the North. Olenna Tyrell arrives in King’s Landing and warns Cersei that imprisoning Loras has jeopardized their alliance. At Loras’ inquest, Loras and Margaery both deny his homosexuality. The male prostitute, Olyvar, contradicts their testimony and Margaery is arrested for lying to the gods. Tommen is uncertain and ineffective. At Winterfell, Sansa weds Ramsay. On their wedding night, Ramsay rapes her in front of Theon.

Episodes 07

“The Gift”

Jon leaves for Hardhome with Tormund and some rangers. Maester Aemon dies shortly after. Gilly is attacked by two Watchmen. Samwell intervenes and is overpowered until Ghost threatens them. Samwell and Gilly consummate their relationship. Sansa begs Theon to help her escape Winterfell, but instead he informs Ramsay, who then flays Brienne’s informant inside Winterfell. At his army camp, Stannis refuses Melisandre’s request to sacrifice Shireen to gain the Lord of Light’s favor. Jorah and Tyrion are sold to slaver, Qaggaz, and are taken to Daznak’s fighting pit. Daenerys and her consort, Loraq, inspect the pit in preparation for the upcoming games. Jorah defeats the other fighters, reveals his identity and Tyrion appears as his “gift” to her. In Dorne, while in the dungeon, Tyene Sand gives Bronn the antidote to a poison called “The Long Farewell” that she has infected him with. Prince Doran allows Jaime to take Myrcella and her fiancé, Prince Trystane, to King’s Landing. The High Sparrow denies Olenna’s demand that Loras and Margaery be released. The High Sparrow then arrests Cersei for her previous affair with her cousin Lancel.

Episodes 08

“Hardhome”

Cersei’s uncle, Kevan Lannister, is appointed as the Hand of the King. Cersei refuses to confess her crimes. H’ghar tasks Arya to study a marine insurance vendor who defrauds beneficiaries. Disguised as a shellfish peddler, she is to first learn about the insurer and then poison him. Theon tells Sansa that he faked killing Brandon and Rickon. Ramsay asks Roose for twenty men to attack Stannis’s camp. In Meereen, Tyrion convinces Daenerys to spare Jorah’s life; she does but exiles him again. Jorah returns to Yezzan and asks to fight in the pits. Daenerys accepts Tyrion into her council. Arriving in Hardhome, Jon and Tormund recruit five thousand Wildlings but an army of wights attacks them. Jon kills a White Walker with Longclaw, his Valyrian steel sword. As he, Tormund, and the other survivors escape by sea, they witness the Night King reanimating the dead Wildlings.

Episodes 09

“The Dance of Dragons”

Ramsay leads a covert attack on Stannis’ camp, destroying siege equipment, food stores, and killing many horses. After dispatching Davos to Castle Black to request more supplies, Stannis, with Selyse’s approval, allows Melisandre to sacrifice Shireen, burning her alive at the stake, believing it will help win the war. Jon and the other survivors return to the Wall, allowing the Wildlings to pass South. In Dorne, Prince Doran has permitted Jaime and Bronn to return to King’s Landing with Myrcella, provided Trystane accompanies them and serves on the small council in Oberyn’s stead. Doran also pardons Ellaria and her daughters. Arya aborts her first assassination assignment after spotting Trant accompanying Mace Tyrell, the Master of Coin, who has arrived in Braavos to negotiate with the Iron Bank. In Meereen, combat at Daznak’s fighting pit resume. Daenerys is stunned that Jorah is among the fighters. His victory is interrupted when the Sons of the Harpy launch a surprise attack. Loraq is killed while Jorah saves Daenerys. The Harpies quickly swarm Daenerys and her supporters, forcing them and Jorah to retreat into the pit. Drogon suddenly arrives, burning many Sons of the Harpy; Daenerys mounts Drogon and commands him to fly away.

Episodes 10

“Mother’s Mercy”

Selyse, now distraught over Shireen’s death, hangs herself, while half of Stannis’ forces desert and Melisandre flees to Castle Black. The Boltons easily defeat Stannis’ depleted army. Brienne finds Stannis on the battlefield and executes him for Renly Baratheon’s murder. Theon kills Myranda after she catches him and Sansa attempting to escape Winterfell. The duo leap from the outer wall together. Cersei confesses her former relationship with Lancel and must atone by parading the streets naked, pelted with garbage, spit, and feces by jeering crowds. Upon reaching the Red Keep, Qyburn introduces her to the newest Kingsguard member who is completely loyal. Jaime, Myrcella, Bronn, and Trystane set sail from Dorne, but Myrcella has been poisoned by Ellaria Sand and soon dies. Arya is punished, losing her sight, for violating the Faceless Men rules after killing Trant for personal revenge. Varys arrives in Meereen to govern the city with Tyrion, Grey Worm, and Missandei, while Daario and Jorah search for Daenerys, who has been captured by a Dothraki horde. Samwell, Gilly, and Little Sam leave Castle Black for Oldtown where Samwell will train as a Maester. Mutineers, including Alliser Thorne and Jon’s steward, Olly, fatally stab Jon, leaving his body in the courtyard.