Game of Thrones Episode Guide

You Win or You Die

Season 1
Episode Number: 7
Season Episode: 7

Originally aired: Sunday May 29, 2011

Writer: D.B. Weiss, David Benioff
Director: Daniel Minahan
Show Stars: Mark Addy (Robert Baratheon), Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Sean Bean
(Eddard Stark ”Ned”), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen ”Dany”),
Nikolaj Coster Waldau (Ser Jaime Lannister), Aidan Gillen (Petyr Bael-
ish ”Littlefinger”), Jack Gleeson (Joffrey Baratheon), Iain Glen (Ser Jo-
rah Mormont), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Lena Headey (Cersei Lannis-
ter), Rory McCann (Sandor Clegane ”the Hound”)
Recurring Role: Amrita Acharia (Irri), Josef Altin (Pypar ”Pyp”), Gethin Anthony (Renly
Baratheon), Esmé Bianco (Ros), John Bradley-West (Samwell Tarly
”Sam”), Dominic Carter (Janos Slynt), James Cosmo (Jeor Mor-
mont ”the Old Bear”), Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister), Elyes Gabel
(Rakharo), Julian Glover (Grand Maester Pycelle), Conleth Hill (Lord
Varys ”the Spider”), Ian McElhinney (Ser Barristan Selmy ”the Bold”),
Luke McEwan (Rast), Roxanne McKee (Doreah), Jason Momoa (Khal
Drogo), Dar Salim (Qotho), Mark Stanley (Grenn), Donald Sumpter
(Maester Luwin), Owen Teale (Alliser Thorne), Natalia Tena (Osha), Pe-
ter Vaughan (Maester Aemon)
Guest Stars: Graham Charles (Guest Star), Phil Dixon (Guest Star), Brian Fortune
(Night’s Watch Officer), Sahara Knite (Armeca), Simon Lowe (Wine-
seller), Dennis McKeever (Guest Star), Tristan Merciera (Guest Star),
Jeffrey O’Brien (Guest Star), Robert Sterne (Small Council Steward)
Summary: Ned and Cersei have a meeting about Jon Arryn’s death. Jon Snow
takes his vows to become a man of the Night’s Watch. Khal Drogo has
an abrupt change of mind after an assassination attempt on Dany.
King Robert is severely injured by a boar and must make decisions on
the future of his kingdom.

Jaime reads the summons for his fa-

ther’s hand, ”the Mountain”, Gregor Kil-
gane. They’re camped out with hundreds
of troops.
Jaime’s dad Tywin Lannister tells him
it was foolish to attack Ned. But then he
wants to know why Ned is still alive.
Jaime says it wouldn’t have been
”clean.”
His dad asks if it bothers him when people call him a ”king slayer.” He tells Jaime he shouldn’t
worry what people say about him so much.
Tywin’s giving Jamie 30,000 men – half his forces – to go to Catelyn Stark’s home and get
Tyrion back. It’s bad for appearances for Tyrion to be held, he explains. As he butchers a deer,
he explains that all that matters is preserving the Lannister family name.
Tywin gives him essentially the ”it’s time you made something of yourself, son” speech.
At King’s Landing, Cersei visits Ned. He cuts right to the chase: saying he knows the secret
Jon Arryn was killed for.
He notices her bruise from Robert hitting her, and she says her brother would have killed
Robert for it if he was there. ”Your brother or your lover?” Ned asks.

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He guesses that Bran saw them.

Cersei doesn’t deny it. She admits all her children are Jamie’s and, as twins, they belong
together. She tells Ned that Robert loves Ned’s dead sister Leanna more than he ever loved her.
He tells her to take her children and leave with as many men as he can, because Robert will
come after her once he tells him.
She mocks him for not claiming the throne when he could. He says it wasn’t a mistake.
She says it was. ”When you play the game of thrones you win, or you die – there is no middle
ground,” she says.
In his brothel, Petyr gets irritated by Ros from Winterfell moaning too much in pleasure. He
gives hooker lessons, but doesn’t join in because he says he’s saving himself for another. He tells
a story about a woman with impeccable bloodline and how she told him all her secrets, including
fighting with a man to win her hand – and losing. He got a small scar in return and the man was
later killed in battle.
From that experience he learned never to fight, but to ”f—” people instead.
Theon visits the thief who Rob let live after she acted Bran. He tells her he’s from the Iron
Islands and then lectures her on calling him by his title. But she points out he’s not a lord yet
if his dad is still alive. He calls her ”impudent” and then approaches her, almost propositioning
her and asking if she wants to be free of her chain.
Maester Luwin interrupts, telling him to treat her as a guest. She’s not fazed by Theon. She
tells Luwin she was trying to get south ”before the long night comes.” She tells him about things
that sleep in the day and hunt at night. He thinks they’ve been gone for thousands of years, but
she says they were only asleep. And aren’t anymore.
On the wall, Jon Snow sees a rider approaching alone. But he sees there’s no rider, only a
horse. It’s his uncle Benjen’s horse.
Robert returns from his hunt, mortally wounded by a boar. Ned arrives and finds Joffrey at
his bedside and Cersei watching over him.
Ned examines the wound to his belly, which Robert says ”stinks like death.” Robert wants his
funeral feast to be huge and the boar that gored him to be served.
Robert sends everyone out, including Cersei. He dictates an order to Ned, commanding him
to serve as ”Lord Regent and Protector of the Realm” to serve until Joffrey comes of age. Robert
says ”son Joffrey” and Ned writes ”rightful heir.” Robert signs.
Robert tells Ned he was right and to let Daenerys live if it’s not too late. He asks Ned to help
make his son better than him. ”I’ll do everything I can to honor your memory,” Ned says.
Robert laughs that King Robert Baratheon will be ”murdered by a pig.”
He asks for something for his pain and to let him die.
Varys asks who gave Robert the wine. It was his squire, the Lannister boy. Ned tells Varys to
call things off with Daenerys. Varys says it’s probably too late.
Daenerys braids her husband’s hair and tries to convince him to cross the ocean. She teaches
him the word ”throne”.
He says a warrior doesn’t need a throne, only a horse.
Out in the Dorthraki camp, Daenerys asks Jorah if there’s a way to change Khal Drogo’s
mind. He leaves her to see if there are any letters for him.
A young boy gives him a message from the Spider – it’s a royal pardon. Jorah can go home.
Daenerys talks to a wine seller, who hears her speaking English and tosses out the wine he
was going to give her. He gives her a casket. He tells her there are many in her homeland who
hope she’ll return. Jorah steps in and demands the vendor serve the wine. He resists, but Jorah
takes a glass. Instead, he insists the vendor try it. The vendor raises the cup, but instead runs.
Daenerys’ men quickly track him down. Jorah escorts Daenerys away.
At the Wall, Jon Snow listens glumly through the ceremony making him a ranger. He only
wants to go look for his uncle. He listen to the reminder that the penalty for desertion is death.
He volunteers to go outside the wall and pay tribute to the Old Gods, north of the wall, Sam
volunteers to go with him. They read the assignments and Jon is assigned to the stewards, not
the rangers. The head guard who has tormented him smirks at him.
Jon is assigned to Lord Commander Mormont, at his request. He’ll fetch his food, change his
sheets and fill his bath.
Sam tries to convince Jon that being around the big boss will mean he’s in the loop. He thinks
that means Jon is being groomed for command.

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Robert’s brother Renly asks for a minute with Ned and tries to plan how to keep the throne
from Joffrey and Cersei. He doesn’t think his brother Stanis is fit to be king, either. He suggests
he is. But Ned refuses to go along.
Instead he sends a letter to be delivered personally to Stanis.
Petyr visits Ned, who explains that because Ned has no natural born sons, it passes to Lord
Stanis. Petyr suggest he could instead help Joffrey to succeed and make peace with the Lannis-
ters. He suggests if Joffrey doesn’t work out, they can remove him and install Stanis.
Ned thinks that smells like treason. He’s going with Stanis.
Ned’s worried about having enough men to enforce his decisions. Petyr explains that the gold
cloak guards will follow the man who pays them.
Jon Snow and Sam head beyond the wall with four other men. They take their vows at an old
tree with a face in it that looks like it’s crying blood.
They’re sharing congratulations when Jon’s direwolf brings something from the woods: a
severed hand.
Daenerys is somewhat surprised Robert is still coming after her. Jorah explains that as the
last Targaryen, Robert will always come for her.
The wine vendor is tied up, awaiting his fate. Khal Drogo comes to his wife to make sure she’s
alright. He offers Jorah any horse he wants, and he promises his unborn son that he will secure
him the throne, and the seven kingdoms. He gives a speech announcing his intent to go to war
as Daenerys looks on, full of pride and lust.
On the road the next day, Daenerys
Ned gets word that Robert has died. Petyr tells him everything is arranged, and Varys says
Lord Renly left in the night with Ser Lorras.
Ned meets with the gold cloaks. They stand with Ned.
He walks into the throne room to find Joffrey on the throne, having taken over as king. He
tells Ned to make arrangements for his coronation immediately. Ned presents Ser Bannister with
Robert’s final sealed decree, naming Ned protector of the realm. Cersei asks to see it. She rips it
up. She tells Ned to bow and they’ll let him live.
Ned says Joffrey has no claim to the throne. Cersei commands Bannister and her men, but
Ned commands his to put Cersei under guard. Ned says he doesn’t want anyone to get hurt.
Someone cries ”now!” and Ned can only watch as his men are attacked by the queen’s men.
They’re outnumbered and surprised. Ned ends up with a knife to his throat – it’s Petyr. ”I did
warn you not to trust me,” Petyr says.

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