Contains spoilers for this episode and earlier episodes.
Three Night's Watch rangers encounter White Walkers beyond the Wall, and the survivor, Will, flees south. Ned Stark executes him for desertion despite his warning about what he saw. On the journey home, the Starks find a dead direwolf and her surviving pups. Ned allows his children to keep them, with an additional white pup going to Jon Snow. News then arrives that Jon Arryn, Hand of the King, has died.
King Robert Baratheon travels to Winterfell with Queen Cersei and the Lannisters. He asks Ned to replace Arryn and proposes joining their families through Sansa and Joffrey. Catelyn receives a letter from her sister Lysa accusing the Lannisters of murdering Arryn, making the appointment more dangerous. Across the Narrow Sea, Viserys Targaryen arranges Daenerys's marriage to Khal Drogo in the hope of obtaining an army. She receives three dragon eggs as wedding gifts.
Jon wants to join his uncle Benjen in the Night's Watch, although Benjen warns him about the sacrifices its vows demand. Tyrion advises Jon to stop letting his birth give other people a weapon against him. While Robert and Ned are away hunting, Bran climbs a tower and sees Jaime and Cersei having sex. Jaime pulls him into the window, then pushes him out to conceal their relationship.