S1·E8 — The Pointy End
The hour retold
The trap has closed; this hour is about what falls out when it does. The Stark household in King’s Landing is put to the sword down to the stable boys, Sansa is taken to be a hostage with a title, and Ned goes into the black cells. The episode’s one perfect scene is a dancing lesson interrupted: Syrio Forel, First Sword of Braavos, holding a doorway against five armored men with a wooden sword so that a small girl can run. What do we say to the god of death — the line enters the story here, and Arya carries it out of the room along with Needle and her first kill, a stable boy who grabbed the wrong child. She goes into the city’s underbelly; the show will not let her out for years.
Everywhere else, the war stands up and stretches. Robb calls the banners at Winterfell and discovers — hosting grizzled lords who mock his age until a direwolf takes two of Greatjon Umber’s fingers — that command is a performance you must not flub even once. Tywin marches; Tyrion talks the hill tribes into an army with promises of other people’s silver. At Castle Black a dead ranger opens his blue eyes in the night, and Jon learns what fire is for — the Watch’s war announcing itself while everyone faces south. And in a Lhazareen village, Daenerys spends her new authority stopping rapes and claiming healers, a mercy that buys her a maegi, and costs Drogo a scratch. Just a scratch.
What happens
- The Stark household is put to the sword; Sansa is taken, Ned chained in the black cells.
- Syrio Forel holds the door with a wooden sword; Arya takes Needle and disappears into the city.
- Robb calls the banners of the North and marches for the Neck.
- A dead ranger rises in Castle Black; Jon's torch saves the Lord Commander.
- The khalasar sacks a Lhazareen village for ships; Daenerys claims the godswife Mirri Maz Duur — and Drogo takes a wound.
The people of the episode
Robb Stark — "Then it will be swords for the North." The banners answer.
Arya Stark — Her first life taken — a stable boy, the pointy end first.
Jon Snow — Burns a dead man and learns fire is the answer.
Daenerys Targaryen — Claims the healers and the women — mercy with a price.
Catelyn Stark — Rides for her son's war camp at the Neck.
Tyrion Lannister — Talks the hill tribes into an army and marches with his father.
Sansa Stark — Made to write the letter naming her father traitor.
Khal Drogo — Vows to cross the black salt sea — and takes a wound keeping his khaleesi's mercy.The fallen — spoilers
- Syrio Forel — First Sword of Braavos, last seen with a broken wooden sword and five armored men. Not today — presumed.
- Septa Mordane — Stayed behind so Sansa could run. Her head found the spikes.
- Vayon Poole & the Stark household — Put to the sword when the gold cloaks turned.