Title sequence

thumb|350px|right|The title sequence for [[Game of Thrones.]] The Game of Thrones title sequence introduces every episode and changes depending on the locations visited in that particular episode.

Description
The title sequence consists of a three-dimensional map of the world, with the continents of Westeros and Essos located on the inner surface of a sphere. At the center of the sphere is a light source, effectively a sun surrounded by an astrolabe-like arrangement of rotating rings. The details of the title sequence change each week depending on the locations visited. The following description is how the sequence appears in the first episode of the series, Winter is Coming.

The sequence opens with a close-up of the sun and the astrolabe surrounding. Relief details are visible on the astrolabe, showing a volcano destroying a city whilst a dragon watches on and several people escaping in a boat, a reference to the Doom of Valyria. The camera then pans to a wide-shot of Westeros and Essos before zooming in on the city of King's Landing, in particular the sigil of House Baratheon on what appears to be a large gear in the middle of the city. The gear begins turning, moving other cogs, and then three-dimensional buildings start rising out of the ground, such as the Red Keep and the Great Sept of Baelor.

Once the city is assembled, the camera moves north across Westeros to Winterfell, which similarly rises out of the ground whilst a gear bearing the sigil of House Stark rotates. The camera pays particular attention to the godswood of Winterfell and its heart tree as it rises out of the ground before panning up to the sun and astrolabe. There is then another close-up of the detail on the astrolabe, this time showing the Stark wolf, Lannister lion and Baratheon stag engaging the Targaryen dragon in combat, a reference to Robert's Rebellion.

The camera returns to Winterfell and then pans north to the Wall, where more gears start turning and Castle Black emerges from the ground, whilst the pulley lift emerges from the face of the Wall. The camera pulls all the way back to King's Landing before moving across the Narrow Sea to the Free City of Pentos, which similarly emerges from the ground whilst gears rotate.

The title sequence ends with a return to the relief detail of the astrolabe, now showing the animals representing the various noble houses of Westeros bowing to the triumphant Baratheon stag. The Game of Thrones logo then appears over the astrolabe, with the heads of a dragon, wolf, lion and stag emerging from the side of the logo.

Variations
The title sequence sometimes changes depending on the locations visited in each episode. The known variations so far are as follows:
 * Episode 2 - "The Kingsroad": Pentos disappears from the map. Instead, after King's Landing the camera moves to Vaes Dothrak, where Dothraki tents rise up out of the ground as more gears whirr and rotate. This version was also used for episodes 3, 4, and 10. King's Landing remains part of the title sequence but does not appear in episode 2. Vaes Dothrak does not appear in the series until episode 4. Vaes Dothrak also does not appear in episode 10.
 * Episode 5 - "The Wolf and the Lion": The Eyrie is added to the map, with the castle rising out of the top of its mountain. This version was also used for episodes 6, 7, and 8. Vaes Dothrak continues to appear in the title sequence but does not feature in episode 5 or 8. Winterfell and the Eyrie appear in the title sequence but do not feature in episode 7.
 * Episode 9 - "Baelor": The Eyrie disappears from the map, but is replaced by the Twins, which unpack themselves and then lift the bridge of the Crossing across the Green Fork of the Trident. This version was only used for this episode. Vaes Dothrak and Winterfell continue to appear in the title sequence but do not feature in episode 9.
 * Episode 11 - "The North Remembers": The castle of Dragonstone is added to the map which rises up from the ground on the island of same name. Vaes Dothrak and the Wall still appear in the title sequence despite not appearing in the episode.
 * Episode 12 - "The Night Lands": Castle Pyke of the Iron Islands is added to the map, rising from the sea with each keep connected by a swaying bridge. This version was also used for episode 13. Vaes Dothrak and the Wall once again appear in the title sequence but not in either episode. Winterfell is featured in the title sequence but does not appear in episode 12.
 * Episode 14 - "Garden of Bones": The blackened ruin of Harrenhal by the shores of the lake of Gods Eye replaces Dragonstone and the eastern city of Qarth replaces Vaes Dothrak. The title sequence features King's Landing, Harrenhal, Pyke, Winterfell, the Wall and Qarth. This version was also used for episodes 15 through 20. Winterfell does not appear in episode 14; Pyke only appears in episode 15; and the Wall has been absent since episode 10. Also, Winterfell and Qarth do not appear in episode 19.
 * Episode 21 - "Valar Dohaeris": The slave city of Astapor replaces Qarth. Winterfell is now clouded in smoke to reflect its sacking at the end of Season 2. Harrenhal and the Wall also continue to appear and Dragonstone reappears. This version was also used for episode 22. Winterfell and the Wall do not appear in either episode 21 or 22. Astapor and Dragonstone do not appear in episode 22.
 * Episode 23 - "Walk of Punishment": The castle of Riverrun rises from the tributary of the Red Fork, replacing Dragonstone. The Twins now appear prominently between Riverrun and Winterfell but are not featured. King's Landing, Harrenhal, Winterfell, the Wall and Astapor continue to appear. This version was also used for episode 24. Harrenhal, Winterfell and the Wall do not appear in either episode. Riverrun does not appear in episode 24. Dragonstone appears in episode 23 but not in the title sequence.
 * Episode 25 - "Kissed by Fire": The city of Yunkai replaces Astapor in the sequence. King's Landing, Harrenhal, Riverrun, Winterfell and the Wall continue to appear in the sequence, though Winterfell and the Wall do not appear in the episode. Furthermore, Yunkai is and absent in this episode. Like the previous version, Dragonstone appears in episode 25 but not in the title sequence. The Twins are again shown between Riverrun and Winterfell without being featured.

Conception
The title sequence was created by a company named Elastic, which had previously created the title sequences for Rome, Big Love and Carnivale for HBO. The latter won them an Emmy Award.

The title sequence was inspired by the maps of Westeros that precede each novel in the series (and maps in fantasy novels in general). The creators decided to place the map on the inner surface of a sphere with an astrolabe-sun object at the center. The camera would then visit different parts of the map, whilst illustrations on the astrolabe covered some of the backstory to the series. The turning gears and cogs were meant to be reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci's inventions.

Homage
The Simpsons episode Exit Through the Kwik-E-Mart features a homage to the Game of Thrones title sequence, with famous buildings in the town of Springfield rising through the ground as characters watch on, dressed in Game of Thrones-style costumes. The Wall is replaced by the monolithic "Couch" at the end of the sequence.

Awards
The title sequence won a Creative Arts Emmy Award on September 10, 2011.