S1┬ÀE8 ÔÇö The Pointy End
The hour retold
The trap has closed; this hour is about what falls out when it does. The Stark household in KingÔÇÖs 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 episodeÔÇÖs 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 ÔÇö 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 cityÔÇÖs 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 ÔÇö hosting grizzled lords who mock his age until a direwolf takes two of Greatjon UmberÔÇÖs fingers ÔÇö 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 peopleÔÇÖs silver. At Castle Black a dead ranger opens his blue eyes in the night, and Jon learns what fire is for ÔÇö the WatchÔÇÖs 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 ÔÇö and Drogo takes a wound.
The people of the episode
Robb Stark ÔÇö "Then it will be swords for the North." The banners answer.
Arya Stark ÔÇö Her first life taken ÔÇö a stable boy, the pointy end first.
Jon Snow ÔÇö Burns a dead man and learns fire is the answer.
Daenerys Targaryen ÔÇö Claims the healers and the women ÔÇö mercy with a price.
Catelyn Stark ÔÇö Rides for her son's war camp at the Neck.
Tyrion Lannister ÔÇö Talks the hill tribes into an army and marches with his father.
Sansa Stark ÔÇö Made to write the letter naming her father traitor.
Khal Drogo ÔÇö Vows to cross the black salt sea ÔÇö and takes a wound keeping his khaleesi's mercy.The fallen ÔÇö spoilers
- Syrio Forel ÔÇö First Sword of Braavos, last seen with a broken wooden sword and five armored men. Not today ÔÇö presumed.
- Septa Mordane ÔÇö Stayed behind so Sansa could run. Her head found the spikes.
- Vayon Poole & the Stark household ÔÇö Put to the sword when the gold cloaks turned.