Game of Thrones: Season 1

North of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, Night's Watch soldiers are attacked by supernatural White Walkers. One soldier escapes but is captured at Castle Winterfell. Eddard "Ned" Stark, Warden of the North, executes him for desertion. Later, six orphaned dire wolf pups are found and one given to each Stark sibling, including Ned's bastard son, Jon Snow. In King's Landing, the Seven Kingdoms capital, Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, dies suddenly. King Robert Baratheon, Ned's old friend, travels

Ned, the new Hand of the King, travels to King's Landing accompanied by his daughters, Sansa and Arya. Catelyn remains at Winterfell to care for the still unconscious Bran. An assassin attacks Bran, but Catelyn fends him off and Bran's direwolf, Summer, kills him. Catelyn suspects the Lannisters were behind the attack. Ned's illegitimate son, Jon, heads north to the Wall to join his uncle, Benjen Stark, as part of the Night's Watch, and Queen Cersei's younger brother, Tyrion Lannister, accompani

Ned attends the King's Small Council and learns Westeros has been poorly managed and is deeply in debt. Learning that Arya aspires to be a swordsman and got a sword from Jon, he sends her to swordsmanship lessons. Catelyn travels to King's Landing to covertly warn her husband about the assassination attempt, but she is intercepted by her childhood friend, Councillor Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish. Bran learns he will never walk again and remains unable to remember the events leading to his fall. A

While returning to King's Landing, Tyrion stops at Winterfell where he presents the Starks a saddle design that will allow the paraplegic Bran to ride a horse. He unexpectedly finds Catelyn in a roadside tavern, prompting her to rally her father's Riverrun allies to arrest Tyrion for conspiring to murder her son. Ned secretly investigates Jon Arryn's death, and in the process, discovers one of King Robert's illegitimate children, Gendry. Jon takes measures to protect Samwell Tarly, an awkward an

King Robert's eunuch spy, Varys, has uncovered that Daenerys Targaryen is pregnant. Ned rejects Robert's plan to assassinate her, considering Daenerys a non-threat, and resigns in protest as Hand of the King. Catelyn takes Tyrion prisoner at her sister Lysa Arryn's fortress home in the Eyrie. News of Tyrion's capture reaches King's Landing where Jaime Lannister, the Queen's twin brother, demands answers from Ned, prompting them to fight. One of Jaime's men stabs Ned in the leg from behind, leavi

King Robert reappoints Ned as Hand and tasks him with running affairs until Robert returns from hunting. Learning that Ser Gregor Clegane, a Lannister retainer known as "the Mountain", has committed atrocities in Riverrun, Ned sentences him to death and summons Tywin Lannister to a trial. Fearing war with the Lannisters, Ned orders Arya and Sansa return to Winterfell for their safety, and discovers that Joffrey and his two siblings are not Robert's biological children, and were fathered by Jaime

In King's Landing, Ned confronts Cersei, saying he knows Jaime fathered her children and will inform King Robert. Mortally wounded by a boar, Robert dictates his will and testament to Ned, naming him regent until Joffrey comes of age. Instead of "Joffrey", Ned writes "my rightful heir", and sends word to Stannis, Robert's brother, the legal heir to the throne. After Robert's death, Ned confronts Cersei and Joffrey in the throne room, where Baelish and the City Watch betray Ned and attack his men

Arya escapes the Red Keep after Syrio Forel, her Braavosian sword master, fends off guards sent to arrest her, while Sansa is captured. Robb hears the news and prepares the Northern armies to fight the Lannisters, leaving Bran behind to rule Winterfell. Lysa refuses to fight the Lannisters, and Catelyn leaves to join Robb's camp. Tyrion and Bronn are ambushed by tribesmen, who Tyrion convinces to escort him to his father Tywin Lannister. At the camp, Tywin asks tribesman leader Shagga to help th

The Stark army arrives at the Twins castle; Catelyn persuades Lord Walder Frey to allow them to pass through his land and assist them in exchange for Robb and Arya marrying two of Frey's offspring in the future. At the Wall, Jeor Mormont gives his family Valyrian steel sword to Jon in gratitude. In Essos, Drogo's wound becomes septic and his death imminent. Daenerys asks a mystic slave woman, Mirri Maz Duur, to use blood magic to save him. Mirri tells everyone to remain outside the tent until af

The North secedes from the Seven Kingdoms and proclaims Robb as king. With Jaime as the Starks' prisoner and Robert's two brothers, Stannis and Renly, each challenging Joffrey's claim to the throne, Tywin appoints Tyrion as acting King's Hand, while Tywin fights to defend Joffrey's reign. Jon attempts to desert the Night's Watch to avenge Ned and join Robb, but the others convince him to honor his oath. Mormont then sends Jon in an expedition to search for Benjen Stark beyond the Wall. Yoren, a