Winter Is Coming Summary

Click here to read my review of Winter Is Coming.

Season 1, Episode 1

Written By: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss

Directed By: Tim Van Patten

We start our story off at the Wall, with three Nights Watchmen who are going north of the Wall on a ranging mission in the Haunted Forest, to track down a band of Wildling raiders.

From left to right: Will, Ser Waymar Royce, Gared

Upon Will’s discovery of the Wilding camp, he finds all of the wildlings to have been mutilated.  He runs back to Ser Waymar Royce and Gared.  Gared and Will vote on going back to the Wall to report their findings, but Ser Waymar Royce, being the commanding officer of the three, decides to push on to find out what happened to the Wildings.  They are soon ambushed by the Others, and all killed except for Will, who is allowed to live (presumably) by the Others.

Roll Tittle sequence.

We meet back up with Will who has fled south. As he is being picked up as a deserter from the Nights Watch by a ranging party of Stark men.  We get introduced to most of House Stark at this moment in their ancestral castle, Winterfell.

From left to right: Jon Snow, Bran Stark, Rob Stark, and if you look closely little Rickon Stark in the background.

From left to right: Jon Snow (the bastard of Eddard Stark), Bran Stark, Rob Stark, and if you look closely little Rickon Stark in the background.

We get to watch the family supporting and coaching (and teasing) Bran, the second youngest kid of House Stark, at his archery.  With his parents watching from overhead.

From left to right: Catelyn Stark (Tully), and Eddard Stark Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North

We get a quick glance at Sansa Stark and Arya Stark in their sowing class, taught by Septa Mordane.  Eddard is soon informed by Rodrik Cassel, Winterfell’s Master-at-Arms (If you look quick enough you’ll see Theon Greyjoy, a ward of Eddard Stark, tailing Rodrik’s coattails) that they have just captured a Nights Watch deserter.  The reason this is such a big deal, is because when someone joins the Nights Watch they take their oaths for life, deserting is punishable by death.  Eddard tells Rodrik that Bran is going to be coming along to witness the execution.

Eddard Stark about to execute Will, with the Valyrian steel greatsword Ice

Eddard wields House Starks ancestral Valyrian steel (an extremely rare type of steel that has been forged with magic, no longer are Valyrian swords created.  Several houses have an ancestral sword) greatsword, Ice.  “In the name of Robert of the House Baratheon first of his name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.  I Eddard of the House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North.  Sentence you to die.”

Rob and Bran with some direwolf pups

On their ride back from the execution they come across the pups of a dead direwolf, killed by an antler threw its throat.  Eddard allows the kids to keep the pups, one for each kid, because the direwolf is the sigil of House Stark.  Including one for Jon Snow who gets the runt of the litter an all white direwolf with red eyes.

We then travel south a bit to Kings Landing, the Capital of the Seven Kingdoms.  We are present at the funeral of Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King (basically Vice President, just with more responsibility).  There we see Queen Cersei Baratheon (Lannister), and Jaime Lannister (commonly known as  the Kingslayer), her twin brother and member of the Kings Guard.  We get to listen in on them talking about something important.  Wonder what that could be?

Catelyn and Eddard in the Godswood

We go back north to Winterfell, and join in with Eddard and Catelyn in the Godswood, the place of worship for those who carry the traditions of the First Men and pray to the Old Gods.  Catelyn informs Eddard that Jon Arryn has just died.  “I know he was like a father to you”  the reason Eddard was so close to Jon Arryn is because Eddard, along with King Robert, was fostered by Jon Arryn.  She also informs him that King Robert is on his way to Winterfell, along with the Kings Court.  Must be something important if hes going to take such a long journey north.

When King Robert and the rest of the Royal Court arrive to Winterfell we get about a 10 second glance at everyone important.  So here’s a picture for those who you should know.

Prince Joffrey Baratheon, (probably the biggest prick you will ever meet in a fantasy story).

Sandor Clegane, more commonly known as The Hound. Personal bodyguard for Prince Joffrey

The big man himself, King Robert Baratheon

Upon his arrival, Robert wants to pay his respect by visiting the crypts, the reason for this is to see Lyanns Stark, Eddards sister, who Robert was betrothed too but died before they could get married (there’s a much longer story to be told there).  In the crypts Robert asks Eddard to take the role as Hand of the King.  And brings up the idea of joining their houses by marrying Sansa Stark and Joffrey Baratheon together.

Tyrion Lannister, the imp, enjoying himself in a brothel.

We take our story across the Narrow Sea to Essos to meet the last Targaryen’s.

From left to right: Viserys Targaryen and Daenerys Targaryen.

The two have been staying in Pentos (one of the nine Free Cities in Essos) with Illyrio Mopatis, a rich trader from Essos.  Illyrio has arranged  a marriage between Daenerys and Khal Drogo, a horse lord, and one of the best killers there is, with a khalasar (basically means horde of Dothraki) of roughly 40,000 Dothraki.

Back in Westeros, we join the Starks and Lannisters for a welcome feast.  Outside we see Jon Snow talking to Benjen Stark, Eddards brother, Here we get to see Jon Snow’s passion to join the Nights Watch.

After the feast we join Catelyn and Eddard in their bedchamber.  They are interrupted by Maester Luwin with a raven from the Eyrie,  the ancient seat of House Arryn, from Catelyns sister Lysa Arryn.  The letter brought very troubling news saying that Jon Arryn (Lysa’s husband) was murdered by the Lannisters, and that they are conspiring to kill King Robert.

Back in Essos we join Daenerys and Khal Drogo for their…wedding if you can call that a wedding, “A Dothraki wedding without at least three deaths is considered a dull affair.”  We are then introduced to Ser Jorah Mormont, a Westerosi exile, who pledges to always serve the rightful King.

Ser Jorah Mormon giving Daenerys Targaryen books for her wedding present.

Illyrio Mopatis presents Daenerys with 3 dragon eggs for her wedding present, to bad time has turned them to stone though.  Khal Drogo gives Daenerys a horse, her Silver. And then Daenerys and Drogo ride off to consummate their wedding.  Easily the most rapish consummation of a wedding every seen on TV.

Back in Winterfell we join Robert and Eddard preparing to go out for a hunt.  We then join Bran as he climbs around the Winterfell towers.  He catches Jaime and Cersei having sex. “The things i do for love.”

Roll credits.