Plot

In a flashback, a witch tells a teenage Cersei that someone younger and more beautiful than herself will one day steal her accomplishments. In the present, Tywin is buried and Lancel returns, now a devoutly religious man and a member of the "Sparrows". In Pentos, a despondent Tyrion agrees to accompany Varys to Meereen to support Daenerys's claim on the Iron Throne. In Meereen, the insurgent "Sons of the Harpy" murder an Unsullied, forcing Daenerys to launch more restrictive measures without respecting the old traditions. Missandei gets suspicious when she realizes that the Unsullied visit brothels. Daenerys's locked-away dragons attack her when she checks on them. In the Vale, Baelish puts Robin in the care of House Royce and leaves with Sansa. At the Wall, Stannis seeks to enlist the Wildlings in his war against Roose. Jon Snow is unable to convince Rayder to accept Stannis's authority. When the latter has Mance burned alive, Jon Snow ends his suffering with an arrow to the heart.

Plot

Arya arrives in Braavos and is accepted into the "House of Black and White" by H'ghar, who calls himself and his colleagues "no one". Jaime tells Cersei he is going to Dorne to sneak out Myrcella, who is promised to Prince Doran's son, and recruits Bronn to assist him; Podrick recognises Baelish and Sansa in a tavern; Brienne offers Sansa her protection, but is rebuffed. Baelish insists Brienne stay with them, but she refuses and escapes with Podrick. However, she decides to follow Sansa secretly. Stannis offers Snow legitimacy and lordship of Winterfell if he leaves the Night's Watch to help him, but Snow declines; Tarly nominates him as a candidate for Lord Commander, and he is elected by the casting vote of Aemon. Daenerys faces a riot after she decides to execute a former slave who murdered a captured member of the Sons of the Harpy before he could be tried. Drogon reappears to her, but leaves again.

Plot

Margaery, newly wed to Tommen, manipulates him into planning to send Cersei to Casterly Rock. Baelish conducts Sansa to Winterfell to cement an alliance with Roose through her marriage to Ramsay, behind the Lannisters' back. Brienne decides to train Podrick. To adapt in the House of Black and White, Arya throws all her personal effects into the river except for Needle, which she hides in a pile of rocks. At Castle Black, Snow names Thorne First Ranger, but Slynt refuses to follow Snow's orders that he leave to rebuild the Greygard ruin. Snow executes Slynt himself. Lancel finds the High Septon in a compromising situation in a brothel, punishing him by forcing him to walk the streets completely nude. The High Septon complains to Cersei, who imprisons him instead. She meets the High Sparrow, approving the Sparrows' actions. Tyrion and Varys arrive in Volantis and visit a brothel, where the former is abducted by Mormont, intending to take him "to the queen".

Plot

Cersei provides weapons for the Sparrows, who arrest Loras. Margaery is enraged, but Tommen proves too weak to arrange his release. Melisandre tries to seduce Snow in an attempt to convince him to go to Winterfell with Stannis. In Winterfell, Baelish prepares to return to King's Landing. Before leaving, he tries to dispel Sansa's misgivings towards Ramsay, telling her that even if Stannis does not defeat the Boltons and rescue her, she can easily manipulate Ramsay. Bronn and Jaime land secretly in Dorne; they encounter and kill four horsemen. The Sand Snakes learn from a sea captain that Jaime has come to Dorne for Myrcella; Ellaria convinces the Sand Snakes to plan to avenge the death of Oberyn by abducting Myrcella before Jaime can intervene. Mormont plans to redeem himself to Daenerys by giving Tyrion to her as a prisoner. In Meereen, Loraq makes another appeal to her to reopen the fighting pits; the Sons of the Harpy ambush an Unsullied patrol inside the citadel; Grey Worm is critically wounded and Selmy is killed.

Plot

Ned refuses to participate in Robert's plan to assassinate the pregnant Daenerys Targaryen and resigns as Robert's Hand, angering him. Catelyn and Tyrion (whom she has taken as her prisoner) arrive at her sister Lysa's home in the Eyrie. News of Tyrion's capture reaches King's Landing where Jaime Lannister, the Queen's twin brother, demands answers from Ned. A vengeful Jaime orders Ned's men killed and fights Ned until Jaime's man stabs Ned in the leg from behind, leaving him wounded

Plot

H'ghar takes Arya to a chamber with the faces of all the people that have died in the House of Black and White. Jaime and Bronn reach the Water Gardens, where they find Myrcella and are attacked by the Sand Snakes. The fight is broken up by Dornish guards, who arrest everyone. Mormont and Tyrion run into slavers, whom Tyrion manages to convince to take them to the fighting pits of Meereen. Baelish informs Cersei of Roose's plan to marry Sansa to Ramsay, and convinces her to allow him to lead the knights of the Vale to Winterfell to defeat the winning party of the conflict between Roose and Stannis, being named Warden of the North in return. Olenna arrives in King's Landing and warns Cersei that the imprisonment of Loras has put their alliance in peril. At Loras' inquest, Loras and Margaery both deny his homosexuality. The male prostitute Olyvar contradicts their testimony, and Margaery is arrested for lying to the gods. In Winterfell, Sansa is married to Ramsay, who rapes her in front of a horrified Theon.

Plot

Snow leaves for Hardhome with Tormund and some rangers. Aemon dies shortly after. Gilly is attacked by two Watchmen. Tarly intervenes and is overpowered until Ghost arrives and forces the duo to leave. Tarly and Gilly consummate their romantic relationship. Sansa asks Theon to help her escape Winterfell, but he instead informs Ramsay, who flays the woman working for Brienne. At Stannis' army's camp, Melisandre suggests sacrificing Shireen, which he refuses. Mormont and Tyrion are sold to slaver Qaggaz. The two are brought to a local fighting pit that Daenerys and her consort happen to be visiting in preparation for the coming games at Daznak's pit. Mormont defeats the other slaves and reveals his identity to her, and that he brought Tyrion as a "gift" for her. In Dorne, Myrcella tells Jaime that she wants to marry Trystane, Doran's son. Olenna's demand for Loras and Margaery's release is declined by the High Sparrow. Later, the High Sparrow arrests Cersei due to her former incestuous relationship with Lancel.

Plot

Cersei learns that her uncle Kevan is appointed as the Hand. She is left thirsty in order to force her to confess, which she does not. Arya assumes the identity of Lana, an oyster merchant. H'ghar tasks her to study a man who sells marine insurance, but has defrauded beneficiaries. She is to learn everything about the insurer, and then poison him. Theon tells Sansa that he faked the deaths of Brandon and Rickon. Ramsay suggests to Roose that they move on Stannis and asks for twenty skilled men. In Meereen, Tyrion convinces Daenerys to spare Mormont's life and she exiles him again. Mormont goes back to Yezzan and asks permission to fight in the pits. Daenerys accepts Tyrion into her council. Arriving in Hardhome, Snow and Tormund convince about five thousand wildlings to join them before Hardhome is attacked by an army of wights. Snow kills a White Walker with his Valyrian-steel sword. As he, Tormund and the other survivors sail away, they witness the Night King reanimating the deceased wildlings as wights.

Plot

During a snowstorm, Stannis' camp is sabotaged when Ramsay's party destroys the camp's siege equipment and food stores, while inflicting heavy losses on the army's horses. Sending Davos to the Wall to ask for supplies, Stannis reluctantly allows Melisandre to sacrifice Shireen, burning her alive at the stake, despite her and Selyse's objections. Snow and the others return to the Wall, allowing the wildlings to pass South. In Dorne, Doran permits Jaime and Bronn to return to King's Landing with Myrcella, provided Trystane accompany them and serve on the small council in Oberyn's stead. The former also pardons Sand and her daughters. In Braavos, Arya spots Trant accompanying Mace, Margaery's father and the Master of Coin. In Meereen, the fights at Daznak's pit begin, and Daenerys is stunned to see Mormont amongst the combatants. His triumph is interrupted by a fierce attack by the Sons of the Harpy, who quickly surround Daenerys and her supporters, including Mormont. Just as all hope seems lost, Drogon arrives, and she mounts it and flies away from the pit, her followers watching in awe.

Plot

Shireen's sacrifice leads to Selyse hanging herself and half of Stannis' forces deserting him. After Melisandre flees to Castle Black, Stannis is defeated by the Boltons and subsequently killed by Brienne. Sansa attempts to escape, but is confronted by Myranda, whom Theon kills, and the duo leap from the outer wall together. Cersei confesses her former relationship with Lancel and is forced to face atonement by walking the streets fully naked. Upon reaching the Red Keep, Qyburn introduces a new member of the Kingsguard with complete loyalty. Jaime, Myrcella, Bronn and Trystane sail from Dorne. Myrcella dies of poison soon after they board the ship. Arya infiltrates a brothel and kills Trant. She is blinded for violating the terms of the Faceless Men. Varys arrives in Meereen to rule the city with Tyrion, Grey Worm and Missandei, while Naharis and Mormont leave to search for Daenerys, who, far away, is found by a large group of the Dothraki. Tarly, Gilly and her child leave for Oldtown for the former to become a Maester. Snow is stabbed several times by mutineers, including Thorne and Olly.