You Win or You Die

"You Win or You Die" is the seventh episode of the first season of Game of Thrones. It is the seventh episode of the series overall. It first aired on 29 May 2011, but some HBO subscribers were able to see it a week early on the HBO Go digital platform. It was written by executive producers David Benioff & D.B. Weiss and directed by Daniel Minahan.

Synopsis
Eddard Stark's investigations in King's Landing reach a dramatic climax as he confronts Queen Cersei with his findings. Tywin Lannister prepares his forces for battle and gives Jaime an important assignment. Ser Jorah Mormont's actions inspire Khal Drogo to make an important vow. Jon Snow finally takes his place amongst the Night's Watch.

Recap
On the borders of the Riverlands, Lord Tywin Lannister has assembled an army of sixty thousand men, with which he plans to oppose the Starks and punish Catelyn's capture of his son, Tyrion. He tells his elder son Jaime that this conflict will decide the fate of their family. He orders Jaime to take thirty thousand men and besiege Riverrun, Catelyn's childhood home and the seat of House Tully. Jaime ponders why Tywin would risk so much for the ugly, stunted son that he hates, but to Tywin a Lannister is a Lannister and any affront must be punished. In King's Landing, Lord Eddard Stark meets with Cersei Lannister. He tells her that he knows the secret that Jon Arryn died for: that Cersei's three children are not Robert's, but the product of incest between her and Jaime. Cersei does not deny the charge and in fact is proud of it, comparing their love to the old Targaryen practice of marrying brother to sister; she also admits to having despised Robert ever since their wedding night, when Robert drunkenly stumbled into Cersei's bed and called her "Lyanna". Eddard angrily tells her to take her children and leave the city immediately. When Robert returns from his hunt, he will tell him the truth of the matter and that Cersei should run as far as she can, lest Robert's wrath find her. Cersei icily calls Ned a fool for turning down the throne himself after the sack of King's Landing and departs with a chilling warning: "When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."

In one of his brothels, Littlefinger instructs the newly-arrived Ros and another prostitute, Armeca, on how to please their customers and make them happy. When they ask him to join them, he refuses, saying that he only has eyes for one woman. In Winterfell, Theon Greyjoy attempts to bully Osha, the wildling woman captured in the recent raid, but she is unimpressed with his antics. Maester Luwin dismisses Theon and questions Osha about why her band crossed the Wall and were fleeing 'as far south as south goes'. She claims that the White Walkers have awoken after millennia asleep and are coming south, to Luwin's skepticism.

At the Wall, Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly are standing watch when Benjen's horse is spotted returning, but there is no sign of Benjen himself. At King's Landing, Renly finds Eddard and tells him that Robert has been badly mauled by a boar and is not expected to survive. Eddard finds Robert telling Joffrey that he wishes he could have been a better father to him. Eddard chooses not to tell Robert about his discoveries to spare his final hours from pain. Robert instructs Eddard to take a letter naming him as the Lord Protector of the Realm, to rule until Joffrey comes of age. Eddard doesn't write Joffrey's name, instead saying 'the rightful heir'. Robert also asks him to cancel the attempt on Daenerys Targaryen's life. Leaving the chamber, Eddard talks to Varys, who slyly points out that Lancel Lannister ensured that the king was kept 'refreshed' with alcohol during the hunt, meaning his reactions were slowed and unreliable. Varys also says it is far too late to stop the attempt on Daenerys' life.

In Vaes Dothrak, Daenerys attempts to convince Khal Drogo about the benefits of an invasion of the Seven Kingdoms, but Drogo is reluctant to cross the Narrow Sea, despite the thousands of ships they could find in the Free Cities to do the job. Daenerys travels to the marketplace with Ser Jorah Mormont and her handmaidens. She asks Jorah to help convince her husband since the Seven Kingdoms are hers by birthright but he reminds her that her ancestor Aegon the Conqueror took six of the Seven Kingdoms because he was capable of doing so (due to his dragons), nothing more. Jorah is delivered a message from Varys, a royal pardon for his crimes. Seeing Daenerys with a wineseller who is keen for her to try a particular vintage from the Arbor, Jorah realizes that this is the assassination attempt. Having second thoughts, he steps in and stops Daenerys from drinking it. The wineseller attempts to flee, but Rakharo brings him down with a whip to the ankle.

At Castle Black, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont names the trainees as men of the Night's Watch. He hands out assignments, but to Jon's disgust he is being sent to the stewards, not the rangers. He will work directly for the Lord Commander as his personal steward. His attempts to plead his case to Maester Aemon (who has selected Samwell as his own steward) are met with indifference. However, Sam suggests to Jon that whilst this move was probably orchestrated by Ser Alliser Thorne to punish Jon, it is also an opportunity for the Lord Commander to groom Jon directly for command. Both are then surprised when Pypar admits that he was really sent to the Watch for refusing to give sexual favors to a lord, not for stealing a wheel of cheese to feed his sister.

At King's Landing, Renly confronts Eddard and offers him a hundred swords to take the queen and her children into custody, but Eddard refuses to dishonor Robert's last hours by shedding blood in the Red Keep and taking frightened children hostage. Renly suggests that he could make a good king, but Eddard angrily points out that Stannis is Renly's older brother and the true heir. In his study he writes a letter laying out his findings to Lord Stannis and instructs a courier to take the message to Dragonstone, Stannis's island fortress. Littlefinger then arrives and talks to Eddard, who tells him the truth about Joffrey's parentage. Littlefinger suggests that they keep quiet, acknowledge Joffrey as king and make him dance to their tune. If he does not satisfy them, they reveal the truth and crown the more malleable Renly instead. Eddard considers this treason. Instead, he asks Littlefinger to help him win the loyalty of the City Watch. Littlefinger, as the man who pays them, agrees. Up north, Jon and Sam say their oath of fealty to the Night's Watch in front of a heart tree just inside the eaves of the Haunted Forest and are acknowledged as men of the Watch. However, Ghost finds a severed hand in the woods and brings it back to Jon and a disgusted Sam.

In King's Landing, Eddard is summoned to the throne room by 'King Joffrey'; Robert has died. He arrives to find Littlefinger and Varys waiting for him, along with Commander Janos Slynt and a detachment of the City Watch. Varys tells him that Renly has fled the city, along with Ser Loras Tyrell and a number of retainers. They were last seen heading south. The party enters the throne room, where Joffrey sits on the Iron Throne. He demands oaths of fealty from his councilors and subjects. Instead, Eddard gives Ser Barristan Selmy the proclamation naming him as Lord Protector of the Realm. To Barristan's shock, Cersei takes the 'paper shield' and tears it up. Instead, she suggests that Eddard bend the knee and swear allegiance. In return he will be allowed to return to Winterfell. Eddard responds that Joffrey has no claim to the Iron Throne and commands Slynt to take the Queen and her son into custody. Instead, the City Watch kill Eddard's bodyguards and Littlefinger holds a knife to his throat, saying, "I did warn you not to trust me."

Memorable quotes
Cersei Lannister: "Jaime and I are more than brother and sister. We shared a womb. We belong together."

Cersei: "When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground."

Littlefinger: "Only by admitting what we are can we get what we want."

Robert Baratheon: "I hereby command Eddard of House Stark to serve as Lord Regent and Protector of the realm until my son Joffrey comes of age."

Eddard Stark (writing): "I hereby command Eddard of House Stark to serve as Lord Regent and Protector of the realm until my rightful heir comes of age."

Eddard: "I will not dishonor Robert's last hours by shedding blood in his halls and dragging frightened children from their beds."

Eddard: "What you suggest is treason."

Littlefinger: "Only if we lose."

Littlefinger: "I did warn you not to trust me."

First appearances

 * Lord Tywin Lannister
 * Armeca, the prostitute whom Ros tutors.
 * Bowen Marsh, amongst the Night's Watch.
 * Jaremy Rykker, amongst the Night's Watch.
 * Othell Yarwyck, amongst the Night's Watch.
 * Dareon, a newly made Steward of the Night's Watch.
 * Luke, a newly made Steward of the Night's Watch.
 * Halder (only mentioned), a newly made Builder of the Night's Watch.
 * Todder aka "Toad" (only mentioned), a newly made Builder of the Night's Watch.
 * Matthar (only mentioned), a newly made Ranger of the Night's Watch.
 * Balian (only mentioned), a newly made Ranger of the Night's Watch.
 * Rancer (only mentioned), a newly made Builder of the Night's Watch.
 * Echiel (only mentioned), a newly made Builder of the Night's Watch.
 * Gordo (only mentioned), a newly made Steward of the Night's Watch.
 * Nicho (only mentioned), a newly made Ranger of the Night's Watch.
 * Escan (only mentioned), a newly made Ranger of the Night's Watch.
 * Vorkoy (only mentioned), a newly made Builder of the Night's Watch.
 * Joby (only mentioned), a newly made stablehand (Steward) of the Night's Watch.
 * Mink (only mentioned), a newly made cook (Steward) of the Night's Watch.
 * Allo (only mentioned), a newly made Builder of the Night's Watch.
 * Nelugo (only mentioned), a newly made Ranger of the Night's Watch.
 * Borcas (only mentioned), a senior steward of the Night's Watch at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea.

Deaths

 * King Robert Baratheon

Cast
Starring
 * Sean Bean as Lord Eddard Stark
 * Mark Addy as King Robert Baratheon
 * Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister
 * Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister
 * Emilia Clarke as Princess Daenerys Targaryen
 * Iain Glen as Ser Jorah Mormont
 * Aidan Gillen as Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish
 * Kit Harington as Jon Snow
 * Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy
 * Jack Gleeson as Prince Joffrey Baratheon
 * Rory McCann as Sandor Clegane

Also starring
 * Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo

Guest starring
 * Donald Sumpter as Maester Luwin
 * Conleth Hill as Varys
 * James Cosmo as Lord Commander Jeor Mormont
 * Owen Teale as Ser Alliser Thorne
 * Charles Dance as Lord Tywin Lannister
 * Ian McElhinney as Lord Commander Barristan Selmy
 * John Bradley-West as Samwell Tarly
 * Peter Vaughan as Maester Aemon
 * Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle
 * Gethin Anthony as Lord Renly Baratheon
 * Dominic Carter as Commander Janos Slynt
 * Natalia Tena as Osha
 * Esme Bianco as Ros
 * Mark Stanley as Grenn
 * Josef Altin as Pypar
 * Luke McEwan as Rast
 * Amrita Acharia as Irri
 * Roxanne McKee as Doreah
 * Elyes Gabel as Rakharo
 * Dar Salim as Qotho
 * Robert Sterne as Royal Steward
 * Simon Lowe as Wineseller
 * Sahara Knite as Armeca
 * Graham Charles as Varly
 * Brian Fortune as Bowen Marsh
 * Jeffrey O'Brien as Jaremy Rykker
 * Dennis McKeever as Othell Yarwyck
 * Phil Dixon as Tomard
 * Tristan Mercieca as Little Bird

Cast Notes

 * Starring cast members Michelle Fairley (Catelyn Stark), Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Richard Madden (Robb Stark), Isaac Hempstead-Wright (Bran Stark) and Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) are not credited and do not appear in this episode.
 * This episode features the fewest regular cast members to date with only 11 cast members appearing and 7 absences.
 * This episode is the final appearance of starring cast member Mark Addy (Robert Baratheon) due to the death of his character.
 * Jason Momoa (Khal Drogo) is credited as also starring in the closing credits of this episode.