Plot

Robb goes to war against the Lannisters. Jon finds himself struggling on deciding if his place is with Robb or the Night's Watch. Drogo has fallen ill from a fresh battle wound. Daenerys is desperate to save him.

Sansa begs King Joffrey to spare her father's life. With his mother's support he agrees to spare him provided Ned publicly confesses that he is a traitor and recognizes him as the rightful king. Ned refuses at first but soon recognizes that the lives of his children are at stake and eventually agrees. Arya has eluded capture living in the town and scrounging for food. She goes to the square when she hears her father is to appear. Tyrion arrives at his father's camp but the elder Lannister is dismissive of his diminutive son. He also tells him that he will be in the vanguard of the attack to take place the next day against Robb Stark's forces arriving from the north. For his part, Robb is proving to be an able field general and takes a Lannister prisoner. Daenerys finds she has little influence after Drogo falls ill and is unable to ride.—garykmcd

Knave king Joffrey obtains Ned's public 'confession' and acknowledgment of his claim to the crown but surprisingly afterward proclaims only to spare his kids' lives. Robb's northern troops' urgent march against the Lannister army is blocked by a rogue lord's castle, so he agrees to exorbitant alliance terms. Tyrion reminisces the domestic root of his debauchery when received coldly in his father's army, although the tribal warriors he brought prove valuable. A vast deception, sacrificing 2,000 men, enabled Robb to capture Jaime. Jon has a loyalty crisis but keeps proving himself a worthy right hand for the grandmaster. Khal Drogo's presumably incurable fresh battle wound threatens to end his reign and spells elimination for ambitious wife Daenerys and their unborn son, so she resorts to a witch for a magically healing sacrifice, his mount's blood.—KGF Vissers

Varys visits Ned again in the dungeons and tells what Sansa did to save his life and advises him to accept the offer. Catelyn negotiates with the repulsive Lord Walder Frey the crossing of the river by Robb and his army and Frey accepts provided Arya and Robb marry with his children. Jon Snow receives a valuable sword from Mormont and lives a dilemma to make a choice of helping Robb or stay with the Night's Watch and to live with the consequences for the rest of his life. The infection in the wound of Drogo makes him weak and Daenerys summons the witch to heal him. She tells that a life must be sacrificed in exchange and she kills Drogo's horse. The Lannister army attacks Robb's army and discovers that Robb lured them, leaving only two thousand men behind, while eighteen thousand men have attacked Jaime's army and made him prisoner. Arya sees her father being brought chained in front of the crowd and falsely confessing his treason to save Sansa and Arya. However Joffrey betrays the deal and Ned is beheaded.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Stark army arrives at the Twins castle; Catelyn persuades Lord Walder Frey to allow them to pass through his land and assist them in exchange for Robb and Arya marrying two of Frey's many unattractive offspring in the future. At the Wall, Jeor Mormont gives his family Valyrian steel sword to Jon in gratitude; Maester Aemon reveals to Jon that Aemon is a Targaryen. In Essos, Drogo's wound becomes septic and his death imminent. Daenerys asks a mystic slave woman to use blood magic to save him. The woman tells everyone to remain outside the tent until after the spell is cast. Daenerys goes into labor, and Jorah brings her into the tent seeking aid. Robb sacrifices 2,000 soldiers to fight the Lannister army as a diversion so he can move his army and capture Jaime. In a public hearing, Ned confesses to treason and publicly affirms Joffrey is the rightful heir. However, rather than sparing his life as negotiated, the vengeful and increasingly insane Joffrey has him beheaded, while Sansa, Cersei, and other counselors object futilely. Sansa is forced to watch her father die while Arya is nearby in the crowd.

Khal Drogo is weakened by his infected wound, and Jorah warns that if Drogo dies, his bloodriders will fight to be his successor and kill Daenerys and her unborn child. Daenerys refuses to abandon her husband, and encourages Mirri Maz Duur to use blood magic. She prepares a spell, warning that no one may enter the tent, and Jorah kills Qotho when he tries to intervene. Daenerys goes into premature labor, but the Dothraki midwives refuse to help. Desperate, Jorah carries Daenerys into Drogo's tent to seek Mirri's help.

Jeor Mormont gives Jon Snow his ancestral Valyrian steel sword Longclaw. Jon is upset he cannot join Robb against the Lannisters.

Maester Aemon reveals to Jon that he is Prince Aemon Targaryen, the Mad King Aerys's uncle and Daenerys Targaryen's great-uncle, and advises Jon that the choice he must make between the Night's Watch and his family will haunt him for the rest of his life.

The Stark army reaches the Twins, a bridge stronghold controlled by Lord Walder Frey, who agrees to allow the army to cross the river and to commit his troops in return for Robb and Arya Stark marrying two of his children.

Tyrion Lannister suspects his father Tywin, who decides Tyrion and his barbarians will fight in the vanguard, wants him killed. As Tyrion, Bronn, and the prostitute Shae swap stories, Tyrion reveals he was married to a woman his father revealed was a prostitute, and made Tyrion watch as his guardsmen raped her.

As the Stark force approaches, Tyrion is trampled in the rush and regains consciousness to find the battle over. Tywin discovers the Stark host was only 2,000 men, not the 20,000 he was led to expect.

Robb, having divided his forces, defeats Jaime Lannister's army with his remaining 18,000 men and captures Jaime.

After Varys tells him that Sansa Stark's life is also at stake, Eddard "Ned" Stark agrees to make a false confession and swear loyalty to King Joffrey I Baratheon.

Arya Stark finds a crowd gathering to watch her father be judged, and climbs onto the statue of Baelor the Blessed. Ned notices Arya and alerts Night's Watch recruiter Yoren. Before Sansa, Cersei Lannister, Joffrey and the Small Council, Ned confesses to treason and swears fealty to Joffrey. Instead of sparing Ned as promised, Joffrey orders him to be executed, much to everyone's, and especially Sansa's, horror. Seeing that Arya has been rescued by Yoren, Ned accepts his fate and is beheaded with his own sword, as a powerless Arya is taken to safety by Yoren.