I thought about doing an episode-by-episode summary of the first series of Game of Thrones but decided that would take far too long. My next thought was to do a House-by-House summary but I was half-way through what happened House Stark when I realised it would take just as long! Instead, I settled on a character-by-character summary (organised by House). Here we go...
House Stark
Ned Stark
The Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North. After the Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, suddenly dies, King Robert Baratheon dragoons him into being named the new Hand. Upon arriving at King's Landing, he discovers that Arryn was killed because he discovered that the Queen, Cersei Lannister, has an incestuous relationship with her twin brother, Jaime Lannister, which led to the birth of Prince Joffrey. When Robert is killed in a hunting accident, Ned is named protector of the realm and he tries to arrange for the Iron Throne to pass to Robert's rightful heir, his brother Stannis, but Joffrey and his mother have already solidified their grip on power. Ned is arrested and tried for treason. Despite confessing his crimes and begging for mercy, he is executed, sparking the War of the Four Kings.
Catelyn Stark
Married to Ned Stark, she is from House Tully and her sister, Lysa Tully is the widow of Jon Arryn. After an attempt is made on her son's life and she receives a letter from her sister telling her that the Lannisters are involved in Arryn's death, she visits her husband in King's Landing. There, she is told that the attempted murder weapon belongs to Tyrion Lannister. She captures Tyrion and takes him to her sister where he is put on trial. He demands trial by combat and when his champion is victorious, he is freed. Catelyn then returns north where she advises her eldest son Robb to go to war with the Lannisters to free his father and save his sisters.
Jon Snow
Ned Stark's bastard, Jon was born to an as-yet unknown woman when Ned was fighting Robert's war. Early on, he makes clear his desire to join the Night's Watch on The Wall. When his father sets off for the capital, he heads north with Tyrion Lannister. Upon arriving at The Wall, he distinguishes himself as the best recruit amongst the criminals and outcasts and befriends Pypar, Grenn and Samwell Tarly. Despite his obvious wishes, he is not made a ranger as the Commander, Jeor Mormont, wants to groom him for command. He saves the Commander from a wight and when he learns of his father's death he almost deserts but is convinced by his friends to stay. He accompanies a force of the Black Watch as they go north of the wall to find his uncle, Benjen Stark.
Robb Stark
The eldest Stark child, Robb is left in charge of Winterfell when his father departs for King's Landing. After he receives word that his father has been captured by the new King, Joffrey Baratheon, he goes to war. His first taste of battle is a complete success: luring Tywin Lannister's army with only 2,000 of his men he is able to use the overwhelming majority of his army to defeat Jaime Lannister's army in battle, capturing the Kingslayer. When news of his father's death reaches him, Robb is faced with choosing between supporting the Baratheon brothers. Instead, the Lords accompanying him declare him King in the North and their war becomes one of independence.
Sansa Stark
The second-eldest Stark child, Sansa is betrothed to Prince Joffrey as part of the deal that King Robert strikes to convince Ned to move to King's Landing and become Hand. Delighted at first, she and Joffrey have a tempestuous relationship. She wants to be Queen and does everything she can to please Joffrey. When her father is captured, she begs Joffrey for his life. Despite promising to spare him if he confesses, Joffrey has Ned executed, which drives Sansa to despair. When Joffrey shows her her father's head on a spike, threatening her and telling her that he will have Robb's head too, she replies that perhaps Robb will have his head. Infuriated, Joffrey tells her that they will still be married.
Arya Stark
The middle Stark child, she is often mistaken for a boy. She accompanies her father and Sansa to King's Landing. She has no desire to marry a Lord and bear his children and begins training with legendary swordsman Syrio Forel. When Joffrey seizes the Iron Throne, she disappears and tries to flee, eventually disguising herself as one of the many orphans who live in the capital. She is present at her father's execution but does not see it as Yoren, a recruiter for the Black Watch, spares her from it. She then accompanies him, disguised as a recruit for The Wall, beginning her journey back to Winterfell.
Bran Stark
The second-youngest Stark child, Bran witnesses the Queen and her twin brother Jaime having sex in a tower. Jaime pushes him out of a window but he is only paralysed, also losing his memory of what happened. He has a recurring dream about a three-eyed crow in the Stark crypts beneath Winterfell and Tyrion Lannister designs a saddle that will allow him to continue riding his horse. Whilst out riding, he is attacked by Wildling. Robb and Theon Greyjoy rescue him, killing all but one, Osha, who surrenders and becomes a servant, befriending Bran.
Rickon Stark
The youngest Stark child. Like Bran, he also has dreams about his father in the crypt below Winterfell.
Theon Greyjoy
Heir to Lord Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, Theon is a ward of House Stark after his father's unsuccessful rebellion was put down by Ned Stark. His father was allowed to remain as Lord but Theon was essentially taken hostage to keep him in line. Despite his status, Nedd and Catelyn treat him like a son and he is very close to Robb and Bran. Theon is one of the first men to join in declaring Robb King in the North.
House Tulley
Lysa Arryn
Catelyn Stark's younger sister, she is the widow of Jon Arryn and rules as Regent of the Vale of Arryn as her son, Robin, is too young. She is eccentric and possibly mad, still breastfeeding her adolescent son but she is also determined not to go to war and refuses to help her sister militarily.
House Baratheon
Robert Baratheon
King of Westeros, Robert came to the Iron Throne after launching a rebellion against King Aerys II Targaryen after the King's son and heir, Rhaegar Targaryen kidnapped Ned Stark's sister, Lyanna Stark, to whom Robert was engaged. He subsequently married Cersei Lannister, whom he does not love. His apparent son and heir, Joffrey Baratheon, is actually Jaime Lannister's son and Robert cares little about affairs of state, preferring to hunt, drink and enjoy the company of whores, resulting in his fathering many bastards. He fears the prospect of the Dothraki swearing allegiance to House Targaryen and when he learns of Daenerys Targaryen's pregnancy, he orders her assassination, which causes him and Ned to fall out. He is fatally wounded on a hunting trip and announces Ned as lord protector of the realm before he dies.
Cersei Lannister
The wife of King Robert, daughter of Tywin Lannister and twin sister of Jaime Lannister. She married Robert at the end of his rebellion and although she loved him at first, he never loved her. Isolated and hurt that he loved the dead Lyanna Stark but not her, she began to hate him. Embarking on an incestuous relationship with Jaime, she bore him three children, including Prince Joffrey, Robert's heir-apparent. After Robert dies, she moves quickly to place Joffrey on the throne and secure their position. As Joffrey is not of age, she is Queen Regent. A determined woman, she nonetheless advises Joffrey to be nice to Sansa as it only makes things easier. She also cautions against treating The North too harshly and is shocked when Joffrey orders Ned's execution.
Joffrey Baratheon
Illegitimate heir of King Robert, Prince Joffrey is a cruel, arrogant and cowardly teenager. He shows occasional moments of affection to Sansa but they are driven by his mother's prompting and a desire to make his own life easier. When he becomes King, he has Ned Stark arrested, his men killed and demands oaths of loyalty from Robb Stark and others. When Robb raises an army and marches south, he tells Sansa that he will spare her father's life if he confesses but he lies and has Ned executed anyway. When he shows Sansa her her father's head on a spike, threatening her and telling her that he will have Robb's head too, she replies that perhaps Robb will have his head. Infuriated, Joffrey tells her that they will still be married.
Stannis Baratheon
King Robert's younger brother, Ned believes he is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. He is widely acknowledged as an excellent commander but a poor candidate to be King. When Ned finds out that Joffrey is not Robert's son, he writes to Stannis and tells him that he is the rightful King of Westeros. Stannis declares himself King and gathers his armies.
Renly Baratheon
A member of King Robert's Small Council, Renly is Robert's youngest brother. Renly is gay and is in a relationship with Loras Tyrell, a skillful knight who has bested Gregor Clegane in a joust. Loras goads Renly into declaring himself King, telling him that Joffrey would be a bad King and no-one respects his older brother Stannis. When King Robert is mortally wounded, Renly suggests to Ned that he support his claim to the Iron Throne but Ned wants to avoid bloodshed and declines. Before Joffrey seizes power, Renly and Loras flee the capital and he declares himself King.
House Lannister
Tywin Lannister
Father of Cersei, Jaime and Tyrion, Tywin Lannister is the head of House Lannister and the most powerful man in the Kingdom. Massively wealthy and incredibly influential, he is concerned above all else with honour and the reputation of his family. When war begins, he seeks to meet Robb Stark in battle but he is tricked and lured into battle against only 2,000 Stark troops while the vast bulk of the Stark army destroys Jaime Lannister's army and captures him, causing great embarrassment for Tywin. He also has a difficult relationship with his other son, Tyrion.
Jaime Lannister
Twin brother of Queen Cersei, he is the real father of her three children, including Prince Joffrey. He attempted to kill Bran Stark to keep their relationship secret. A fearsome warrior, he slew the Mad King during Robert's Rebellion, earning him the nickname "Kingslayer", which he despises. When his brother Tyrion is captured, he confronts Ned Stark, killing his men and wounding the Hand. When war comes, his father gives him control of half of his forces and sends him to besiege Riverrun. After his father is deceived by Robb Stark's feint, Jaime's army is defeated and he is captured.
Tyrion Lannister
A dwarf, his mother died giving birth to him, resulting in his difficult relationship with his father. He is witty, charming and erudite and has a great passion for reading, drinking and whoring. After visiting The Wall, he is captured by Catelyn Stark at an inn and taken to her sister, Lysa, who she hopes will execute him for sending an assassin after her son Bran. He protests his innocence and wins his freedom when his champion, Bronn, defeats Lysa's champion in combat. He returns south and encounters some hill tribes, whom he placates with promises of land and new weapons. When he reaches his father's camp, he is told that he will lead the hill tribes at the vanguard of the army as they meet Robb Stark's army. Accidentally knocked unconscious by one of his own men, he misses the battle. Afterwards, his father sends him to King's Landing, where he will become the new Hand of the King to his nephew Joffrey. He departs for King's Landing with Bronn and a whore named Sansa, despite his father's warnings that she must not accompany him.
House Targaryen
Viserys Targaryen
The "Beggar King", Viserys is a King without a Kingdom and is called by his supporters the rightful heir to his father's throne. Viserys and his sister live across the narrow sea with a few loyal supporters. He arranges his sister's marriage to Khal Drogo, the most powerful Dothraki warlord, who promises him that he will conquer his Kingdom back for him, in exchange for her hand in marriage. Viserys travels with the khalasar but is rude to his sister, Drogo and the Dothraki in general, impatient for the chance to return to Westeros. Growing more nervous and impatient every day, he attempts to steal Daenerys' dragon eggs and eventually draws his sword against his sister, threatening her and her unborn child unless Drogo gets him his crown back. Drogo fulfils his wish and pours molten gold on Viserys' head, killing him.
Daenerys Targaryen
Viserys' younger sister, she marries Khal Drogo and becomes Khaleesi of his khalasar. At first fearful of and submissive to her new husband, she is taught how to please him by her servants and is taught in their ways by Jorah Mormant, an exile who pledges allegiance to her and her brother. She becomes more dominant, eventually asserting herself over her spiteful brother. After she becomes pregnant, she declares that he is the Stallion Who Mounts the World and names him Rhaego, after her dead brother. When Drogo kills her brother, she ignores his pleas for help, remarking simply that he was not a dragon. After she survives an assassination attempt, Drogo declares that he will conquer the world for her and raids a village to loot it and recruit slaves. After he is injured, Daenerys recruits a villager to heal him but it does not work and when she asks her to save his life, the witch sacrifices her unborn son and leaves him comatose which causes the khalasar to abandon them. Daenerys smothers her husband and kills the woman in his funeral pyre. Taking her dragon eggs with her, she steps into the pyre and it is set alight. After the fire extinguishes, she stands up with three newly hatched dragons as Jorah and her remaining Dothraki retinue proclaim her Dragon Queen.
Drogo
The most powerful Dothraki Khal, Drogo leads a khalasar of 40,000 warriors. After he married Daenerys, their relationship started awkwardly. They were unable to communicate and she seemed meek and unsuited to him. After she learnt his language and learnt to assert herself, he fell in love with her. After she falls pregnant, he kills her brother for threatening her and when she survives an assassination attempt, he declares that he will conquer the world for her. Injured in a duel, Daenerys' attempts to heal him backfire and she is forced to end his suffering.
Jorah Mormont
An exile from Westeros and the son of the commander of the Night's Watch, Jeor Mormont, Jorah swears allegiance to Viserys and Daenerys. He was forced to flee Westeros after trying to sell poachers into slavery to pay off the debts his wife accrued. He helps Daenerys learn about her new husband's culture, often acting as a translator for her. When Viserys grows impatient, he advises him to keep calm and when he catches him trying to steal Daenerys' dragon eggs, he refuses to stand aside and let him pass. When Viserys later threatens Daenerys he warns him against it, to no avail. When he foils an assassination attempt against Daenerys, Drogo greatly rewards him. When Drogo falls ill, Jorah is forced to defend Daenerys, killing a bloodrider in a duel. He watches over Daenerys as she recovers from the witch's spell and is clearly developing feelings for her. He tries to stop her going into the funeral pyre but she reassures him. When she is revealed unharmed with three dragons, he again declares his loyalty.
Small Council
Petyr Baelish
Nicknamed "Littlefinger", Baelish is manipulative and wealthy. He once fought a duel over Catelyn Tully, losing to her then-betrothed, Ned's brother Brandon, who was later killed by the Mad King. When Ned arrives in King's Landing, he works himself into his good graces, telling him who owns the knife used to try and kill Brann and assisting him in his search for the motivation behind Jon Arryn's murder. When Ned tells him that Joffrey is ineligible for the Iron Throne and he intends to install Stannis Baratheon as King, Baelish initially supports him but betrays him and delivers him to Joffrey.
Varys
Nicknamed "The Spider", Varys is a eunuch and a spymaster with a web of spies and informants across the country. Notoriously difficult to read, Varys claims to serve no master other than The Realm, saying that someone has to. Arya sees him meeting with Illyrio Mopatis, the Magister who arranged Daenerys' marriage to Drogo, the two apparently conspiring to have the Dothraki invade and restore House Targaryen. Later, he strongly advocated sending an assassin after her when news reached them that she was pregnant. When Ned is arrested, he visits him in prison and advises him to confess for the sake of his children.
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