: King Robert returns from his hunt mortally wounded by a boar. On his deathbed, he names Ned the Protector of the Realm until Joffrey comes of age. Ned, however, secretly alters the document to refer to the "rightful heir" instead of Joffrey by name.
: Ned Stark confronts Queen Cersei with the truth he has discovered: her children are the product of incest with her brother, Jaime, and not King Robert's heirs. He offers her a chance to flee with her children before Robert returns, prompting her famous warning: "When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground" .
Watch a first-time viewer's reaction to the intense ending and pivotal character moments in this episode: