The Kingsroad

The Kingsroad is the second episode of Season 1 of Game of Thrones. It is the 2nd episode of the series overall.

Overview
Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister depart Winterfell for the Wall, and along the way Jon discovers his ideas of the Night's Watch may not match the reality.

Eddard Stark and his daughters depart for King's Landing, but an incident on the Kingsroad threatens to drive a wedge between him and King Robert.

Plot
The Dothraki khalasar belonging to Khal Drogo has departed Pentos and is heading east, away from the Free Cities and into the Dothraki sea, the long-grassed plains that the Dothraki call home. Viserys Targaryen accompanies the khalasar, meaning to stay with Drogo until Drogo fulfils his end of the bargain and provides him with an army with which to invade Westeros. Ser Jorah Mormonttells tells Viserys that he offended his liege lord, Eddard Stark, by selling some poachers to slavers. When he received word that Eddard meant to execute him for the crime (slavery has been illegal in Westeros for centuries), he fled to Essos. Viserys laughs at the notion, saying such things would not be punished under his reign. For her part, Daenerys is finding adapting to her new role as khaleesi to be difficult. Only Mormontt offeres her some solice; telling it will become easier. Daenerys is however fearfull of her new husband and is revealed that their first encounter has left her slightly injured.

In Winterfell, Bran Stark lies unconscious and badly wounded, his mother by his side. Tyrion Lannister urges that his nephew Joffrey pay his respects to Lord and Lady Stark, since his absence has been noted. When Joffrey refuses, saying the boy means nothing to him, Tyrion slaps him three times until he accepts his uncle's suggestion. Tyrion then breakfasts with his other family members, informing them of his decision to journey north to see the Wall before returning to King's Landing. He also tells them that Bran is expected to live and notes Cersei and Jaime's guarded reactions.

Cersei visits Catelyn Stark, sitting by her son's side, and tells her that her first child, a beautifuly black-haired boy, was stillborn. She and Robert were grief-stricken and her prayers and tears were for naught. She offers to pray for Bran's survival, hoping that this time the gods will listen.

Jon Snow has Winterfell's blacksmith forge a light sword for his sister, Arya. Arya is excited by the gift and names it Needle. She also acknowledges Jon's advice on how to best use the weapon: "Stick them with the pointy end." Jon urges Arya to practice every chance she gets. Jon then says goodbye to the comatose Bran, before departing at his stepmother's cold request. Eddard then says his goodybyes to his son and to Catelyn, who is angered at his departure whilst Bran remains ill.

The parties depart Winterfell: Jon, Tyrion and Benjen Stark to the Wall; Eddard, Arya, Sansa and the royal party south to King's Landing. At their parting Eddard tells Jon that, though he does not have Eddard's name, he has his blood. He also promises Jon to tell him about her mother the next time they meet.

Days later, on the Kingsroad south to the capital, King Robert calls a halt to discuss some dire news that has just arrived with Eddard. Robert's spies have learned of Daenerys Targaryen's marriage to Khal Drogo, whose khalasaris reported to number over one hundred thousand troops. Eddard points out that the Dothraki cannot cross the Narrow Sea, as they have no ships and fear water their horses cannot drink, but Robert is concerned that the Seven Kingdoms will soon face another war.

In Winterfell, Catelyn's refusal to leave Bran's side is startin to cause problems for the smooth running of the castle. Robb offers to work with Maester Luwin to put the castle to rights. There is then a fire in part of the castle, but this proves to be a distraction to allow an assassin to attempt to finish off Bran. Catelyn holds the assassin off long enough for Bran's direwolf to enter the chamber and tear out the assassin's throat.

In the Dothraki sea, Daenerys seeks the advice of one of her servants, Doreah, a former pleasure-girl from Lys. Doreah makes suggestions to Daenerys on how to please Drogo in bed but also how to use her skills to gain respect from him. Daenerys nervously puts these plans into action and is surprised to find Drogo responsive, particularly once she starts using her skills with the Dothraki language to speak to him.

Daenerys also enquires about the fate of the Dragons. She has taken to tending to the three eggs she has been given has a gift and keeps them surrounded with many candles. The eggs seam to respond to Daenerys care and presence and have changed slightly from a dull dead colour to a brighter colour, and the fire surrounding them seems drawn to the eggs. Daenerys servents tell her that the dragons died out years ago; only the petrified eggs and bones remain, but Daeneyrys is secretly no longer certain.

In Winterfell, Catelyn goes to the tower from where Bran fell and finds a blonde strand of hair on the floor. She summons Robb, Theon, Luwin and the castle master at arms, Ser Rodrik Cassel and tells that that she suspects that the Lannisters tried to kill Bran and maybe he saw something in the tower. Robb and Theon are all for making war, but Luwin schools them to caution. Catelyn decides that Ned must know the truth and resolves to travel south to King's Landing and meet him there. Ser Rodrik will go as escort, whilst Robb will take charge of the castle in her absence.

On the kingsroad, the royal party reaches the Crossroads Inn, a noted stop on the River Trident on the way south to the capital. Prince Joffrey's bodyguard, Sandor Clegane, known as 'the Hound', a man with half his face burned in a mysterious accident, introduces Sansa to Ser Ilyn Payne, the king's headsman, a frightening-looking man who had his tongue torn out on the orders of the Mad Kingmany years ago. Joffrey saves Sansa from this unpleasantness and takes her for a walk along the riverbank. They find Arya practicing her sword work with the son of the party's butcher, Mycah. Joffrey pretends to take offence at Mycah using a sword on his betrothed's sister and starts to cut his face with his sword, but he is set upon by Arya's direwolf, Nymeria, who bites his hand. Mycha runs off and Arya throws Joffrey's sword in the river before running off herself. Sansa tries to help Joffrey, but he spitefully tells her to leave him alone and go for help.

Arya, knowing that Nymeria will be punished for injuring the prince, forces the direwolf to flee by throwing rocks at her. She is then taken before the King, who is angered that a minor fracas has become a major incident with his wife and new Hand blaming one another's children. He decides to let Ned discipline Arya whilst he will do the same to Joffrey, but to appease his Queen agrees that the direwolf must be executed. When Nymeria cannot be found, Robert commands that Sansa's wolf Lady must be killed instead.

Furious, Eddard attends to the matter himself, passing the Hound arriving with Mycah's corpse. "He ran, but not very fast." Eddard kills Lady with a dagger, and hundreds of miles away Bran awakens.

Memorable quotes

 * Jaime: "But even if the boy lives, he would be a cripple, a grotesque. Give me a good, clean death any day."
 * Tyrion: "Speaking for the grotesques, I have to disagree. Death is so final, yet life is full of possibilities. I hope the boy does wake. I'd be very interested to hear what he has to say."
 * Jaime: "My dear brother, there are times you make me wonder whose side you're on."
 * Tyrion: "My dear brother, you wound me. You know how much I love my family."


 * Jon: "Stick them with the pointy end."
 * Arya: "I know what end to use."


 * Joffrey: "I won't hurt him...much."


 * Eddard: "The wolf is of the North. She deserves better than a butcher."


 * Sandor Clegane: "He ran. Not very fast."

First Appearances

 * Irri


 * Jhiqui


 * Doreah


 * Rast


 * Ser Ilyn Payne


 * Mycah

Named Character Deaths

 * Mycah


 * Lady

Starring

 * Sean Bean as Lord Eddard Stark
 * Mark Addy as King Robert Baratheon
 * NikolajCoster-WaldauasSer Jaime Lannister
 * Michelle Fairley as Lady Catelyn Stark
 * Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister
 * Emilia Clarke as Princess Daenerys Targaryen
 * Iain GlenasSer Jorah Mormont
 * Harry Lloyd as Prince Viserys Targaryen
 * Kit Harington as Jon Snow
 * Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark
 * Maisie Williams as Arya Stark
 * Richard Madden as Robb Stark
 * Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy
 * Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran Stark
 * Jack Gleeson as Prince Joffrey Baratheon
 * Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane
 * and Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister

Co-starring

 * Donald Sumpter as Maester Luwin
 * Jamie Sives as Jory Cassel
 * Ron Donachie as Ser Rodrik Cassel
 * Joseph Mawle as Benjen Stark
 * Roxanne McKee as Doreah
 * Dar Salim as Qotho
 * Amrita Acharia as Irri
 * Sarita Piotrowski as Jhiqui
 * Wilko Johnsonas Ser Ilyn Payne
 * RhodriHosking as Mycah
 * Luke McEwan as Rast
 * Lalor Roddy as the assassin
 * Conor Delaney as Lannister guardsman
 * Callum Wharrey as Prince Tommen Baratheon
 * Aimee Richardson as Princess Myrcella Baratheon
 * and Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo