Plot

Robb vows to get revenge on the Lannisters. Jon must officially decide if his place is with Robb or the Night's Watch. Daenerys says her final goodbye to Drogo.

Robb's banner-men declare him to be King of the North. At Castle Black, Jon decides to desert the brotherhood and join Robb's army. Sam and his other friends have something else in mind. Having been rescued by a Night's Watchman, Arya begins her travels north to the wall. Impressed by Tyrion's good advice, Tywin sends him to King's Landing to act as the King's Hand while he is occupied with the war. Daenerys learns that she has lost the baby and realizes the error she made in trying to keep Drogo alive. At his funeral, she boldly walks into his funeral pyre and the outcome is a surprise to everyone but her.—garykmcd

Yoren brings Arya with him and cuts her hair, giving her the appearance of a boy as a recruit of the Night's Watch. Master Luwin tells Bran and Rickon about their father's death. Robb is declared The King in the North by the lords that are following him. Tywin orders the cunning Tyrion to go to King's landing to serve as the Hand of the King as his substitute. Daenerys wakes up and learns that he son is dead and all the warriors have left them behind since Drogo is near death. Further the witch Mirri Maz Duur tells that she has revenged all the evil Drogo did to her city and people. During the night, Daenerys suffocates Drogo with a pillow. At the Wall, Jon Snow learns that his father was murdered and decides to leave Castle Black. However his friends pursue him and convince him to return. Daenerys prepares a funeral pyre for Drogo and for burning also the witch. She also puts the three dragon eggs on the pyre. Then she walks into the flame and is consumed by the fire. However in the morning she rises like a phoenix with three baby dragons.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The North secedes from the Seven Kingdoms and proclaims Robb as king. With Jaime as the Starks' prisoner and Robert's two brothers, Stannis and Renly, each challenging Joffrey's claim to the throne, Tywin appoints Tyrion as acting King's Hand, while Tywin fights to defend Joffrey's reign. Jon attempts to desert the Night's Watch to avenge Ned and join Robb, but his Night's Watch brothers convince him to honor his oath. Jon joins an expedition to search for Benjen Stark beyond the Wall. Yoren, a Night's Watch recruiter, smuggles Arya out of King's Landing disguised as a boy, while Joffrey intends to crown Sansa his queen, despite executing her father. Daenerys's baby is born deformed and dead, and Drogo is left in a vegetative state by the witch's treacherous magic. Daenerys compassionately ends Drogo's life. She places the three dragon eggs on Drogo's funeral pyre and sets it afire, also burning the witch alive. Ignoring Jorah's pleas, she walks into the flames. When the embers die the following morning, Daenerys is found in the ashes, unharmed, flanked by three newly-hatched baby dragons. Jorah and other witnesses kneel before her.

Joffrey forces Sansa to look at Ned and his household staff's severed heads on spikes. When Sansa says she wishes to see Joffrey's head mounted there after Joffrey says Robb's head will be, Joffrey has Ser Meryn Trant slap her. The Hound advises Sansa to obey Joffrey for her own safety.

Arya, rescued by Night's Watch recruiter Yoren, escapes with him under the alias of "Arry", a boy, to the Wall with his new recruits, including Lommy, Hot Pie, and Gendry, the late King Robert's unknowing bastard son.

Maester Luwin informs Bran and Rickon of Ned's execution.

At the Stark army camp, Robb vows revenge on the Lannisters after Ned's death, but Catelyn says they must first rescue Arya and Sansa. The Starks followers now support Northern independence, proclaiming Robb the "King in the North", rather than supporting Stannis or Renly Baratheon, who have both claimed the Iron Throne. Jaime tells Catelyn he pushed Bran out of the tower window but does not explain why.

At the Lannister army camp, Tywin, unable to sue for peace with the Starks after Ned's execution, orders Tyrion to go to King's Landing in his stead as "Hand of the King" to keep Joffrey under control. Against his father's orders, Tyrion brings Shae with him.

Jon attempts to desert the Night's Watch to join Robb and avenge Ned, but Sam, Pyp, and Grenn convince him to return. The next morning, Jeor, despite knowing Jon attempted to desert, orders him to join him in an expedition beyond the Wall, intended to counter the threats of the wildlings and the White Walkers, and to find Benjen Stark.

Daenerys learns that her unborn son died due to Mirri's spell. Furthermore, although Drogo's life was saved, he has fallen into a catatonic state, causing most of his followers to abandon him. Mirri reveals that she caused this to avenge the destruction of her village and her people. Knowing that Drogo would rather die than continue living in his current state, Daenerys smothers him with a pillow.

Daenerys has Mirri tied to Drogo's funeral pyre, with her dragon's eggs placed on top. Daenerys declares herself queen of a new khalasar and steps into the lit pyre. By daybreak, Jorah and her remaining loyalists find her unharmed in the ashes, carrying three dragon hatchlings, the first born in over a century. Amazed, they bow to Daenerys.