'Game of Thrones' season 3 episode guide

Here's a refresher of everything you need to know from season 3 of Game of Thrones. (Check out our guides for all other seasons, and our list of essential episodes below.)

Episode 1: "Valar Dohaeris"

Writers: David BenioffandD.B. Weiss

Director: Daniel Minahan

Plot: Sam's (John Bradley) watch almost ended at the hands of a wight, but Jon's (Kit Harington) direwolf Ghost and Lord Commander Jeor Mormont (James Cosmo) came to his rescue, prompting the Night's Watch to return to the Wall to warn the others. Also alive was Davos (Liam Cunningham), who survived the Battle of the Blackwater and returned to Dragonstone, where he unsuccessfully tried to kill Melisandre (Carice van Houten). In Astapor, Dany (Emilia Clarke) considered purchasing a group of enslaved eunuch soldiers, known as the Unsullied.

Introduced: Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel), an enslaved woman who helped broker the Unsullied deal; the King Beyond the Wall, Mance Rayder (Ciarán Hinds), and his trusted Wildling warrior Tormund (Kristofer Hivju)

Historic moment: Ser Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney), a banished member of the King's Landing Kingsguard, popped up just in time to prevent Dany from being assassinated.

Grade: B

Episode 2: "Dark Wings, Dark Words"

Writer: Vanessa Taylor

Director: Daniel Minahan

Plot: It was bad news and worse news for Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) and Robb (Richard Madden): Her father was dead and Winterfell had been ransacked, with no sign of her sons Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright) or Rickon (Art Parkinson). Catelyn's hope of a reunion with daughters Arya (Maisie Williams) and Sansa (Sophie Turner) hit a speed bump when a duel between Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) and Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) ended with their discovery by a Bolton bannerman, Locke (Noah Taylor).

Introduced: Jojen Reed (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), a seer who tracked down Bran, and his sister Meera (Ellie Kendrick); Margaery's grandmother, Lady Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg), who summoned Sansa; and Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon) disguised as a cleaning boy who promised to free Theon, who had been taken hostage after losing Winterfell. Arya was discovered by Thoros of Myr (Paul Kaye) and the Brotherhood Without Banners.

Historic moment: Bran learned that he has been sharing dreams with Jojen.

Grade: B–

Episode 3: "Walk of Punishment"

Writers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Director: David Benioff

Plot: Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) was set to marry Lysa (Kate Dickie), meaning Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) would reluctantly be the new Master of Coin. Dany wasn't spending coin on the Unsullied; instead, she offered a dragon in exchange for the soldiers and Missandei. It's a big episode for boys, as Gilly (Hannah Murray) gave birth to one, while Ramsay freed Theon and later saved him from those trying to recapture him. Brienne and Jaime were far from free; after Jaime convinced Locke not to rape Brienne, he tried to secure his own release.

Introduced: Gilly's son, baby Sam; Catelyn's brother Edmure Tully (Tobias Menzies) and uncle Brynden "Blackfish" Tully (Clive Russell), with whom Robb and his mother discussed strategy in Riverrun

Historic moment: Jaime pushed his luck with Locke, resulting in his right hand being chopped off.

Grade: A–

Episode 4: "And Now His Watch Is Ended"

Writers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Director: Alex Graves

Plot: Theon confessed to the then-unnamed boy that he didn't kill Bran and Rickon; he saw Ned (Sean Bean, who appeared in season 1) as his father, and he regretted the betrayal. The betrayals continued when the boy led Theon right back to his captors. At Craster's Keep, the Night's Watch men had tired of the conditions and killed both Craster (Robert Pugh) and Lord Commander Mormont, leading Sam to run for it with Gilly and her son.

Introduced: The beginning of the latest version of Theon's captivity, this time under the soon-to-be-revealed Ramsay

Historic moment: In Astapor, Dany shockingly revealed that she speaks Valyrian, ordering her dragon and the Unsullied to slay the masters and free the enslaved people. Her act inspired the Unsullied to fight for her as free men.

Grade: B+

Episode 5: "Kissed by Fire"

Writer: Bryan Cogman

Director: Alex Graves

Plot: The remaining Lannister siblings were paired off as Tywin (Charles Dance) ordered Tyrion to marry Sansa and Cersei (Lena Headey) to marry Loras (Finn Jones). At the same time, a vulnerable Jaime told Brienne his side of the Kingslayer tale, sharing that the Mad King was going to burn down the city. The Hound (Rory McCann), who had been captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners (men who'd sworn to protect all smallfolk), got the chance to win his freedom in a trial by combat. He emerged victorious by killing their leader, Beric (Richard Dormer), who was then brought back to life by Red Priest Thoros. Off in another cave, Jon slept with Ygritte (Rose Leslie), proving that he did know something. Elsewhere, Robb's decision to execute a former ally, Rickard Karstark (John Stahl), for killing two young Lannisters cost him the Karstark forces.

Introduced: Unsullied leader Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson)

Historic moment: Jon Snow breaking his Night's Watch oath for love

Grade: A–

Episode 6: "The Climb"

Writers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Director: Alik Sakharov

Plot: As Jon and the Wildlings prepared to climb the Wall, Ygritte said she knew that he was still faithful to the Night's Watch but would now be devoted to her. After barely making it to the top, they shared a romantic kiss. Meanwhile, Robb was paying for his romantic decision as he tried to get the help of Walder Frey (David Bradley). The older man said he would join forces if Robb apologized for not marrying one of his daughters, and Uncle Edmure took on the obligation. Over in King's Landing, Littlefinger departed without Sansa; he also left Ros (Esmé Bianco) behind to be brutally murdered by Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) or betray his confidence.

Historic moment: Melisandre learned of Beric's many revivals.

Grade: B

Episode 7: "The Bear and the Maiden Fair"

Writer: George R.R. Martin

Director: Michelle MacLaren

Plot: Theon's torture reached new levels of cruelty when he was turned into a eunuch. Jaime, no stranger to losing a limb, was being escorted to King's Landing — but without Brienne, who he learned wouldn't be ransomed. He rushed back to Harrenhal, rescuing her from a face-off with a bear and eventually securing her release. Fresh off freeing the Unsullied, Dany now had her eyes set on Yunkai, home to 200,000 enslaved people.

Introduced: The beginning of Arya and the Hound's very long road trip

Historic moment: As Roose (Michael McElhatton) headed for Edmure's wedding, Jaime asked him to pass a message along to Robb: "The Lannisters send their regards."

Grade: B–

Episode 8: "Second Sons"

Writers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Director: Michelle MacLaren

Plot: The big day had arrived for Sansa and Tyrion. After Joffrey humiliated his uncle during the wedding, the reception became even tenser as a drunk Tyrion refused to participate in the bedding ceremony. Once the newlyweds returned to their room, Tyrion said they wouldn't share a bed until Sansa was ready. Over in Dragonstone, Gendry (Joe Dempsie) was sharing a bed with Melisandre, but things took a turn when she used leeches to extract his king's blood, a ritual intended to bring down Robb, Joffrey, and Balon (Patrick Malahide).

Introduces: Daario Naharis (Michiel Huisman), who killed his fellow Second Sons leaders and pledges allegiance to Dany

Historic moment: Sam learned the power of dragonglass when his dagger caused a White Walker to disintegrate.

Grade: A–

Episode 9: "The Rains of Castamere"

Writers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Director: David Nutter

Plot: Jon and Bran almost reunited when the Wildlings attempted to kill Jon, but he was saved when Bran warged into his direwolf, Summer. Jon escaped, leaving Ygritte behind. Rickon left, too, as Osha (Natalia Tena) took him to safety.

Historic moment: This episode is commonly known as the Red Wedding, in reference to the end of Edmure and Roslin Frey's (Alexandra Dowling) wedding reception, which went from cheery to bloody when a pregnant Talisa (Oona Chaplin) was stabbed in the stomach, followed by the Stark bannermen being slaughtered and Robb getting shot with arrows. Catelyn tried to bargain for her son's life by threatening Walder Frey's wife, Kitty (Lucy Hayes), but the older man was unmoved. Roose stabbed Robb and relayed Jaime's regards. Crying, Catelyn slit Mrs. Frey's throat right before her own was cut.

Grade: A

Episode 10: "Mhysa"

Writers: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss

Director: David Nutter

Plot: Arya just missed the Red Wedding, but she did see the aftermath and killed a man who bragged about being involved. Yara (Gemma Whelan) set out to rescue her brother, just as Cersei reunited with Jaime in King's Landing. While Dany was freeing those in Yunkai, Davos freed Gendry and only avoided death by sharing Maester Aemon's (Julian Glover) letter from the Wall about the White Walkers, which was backed up by Melisandre seeing the war to come in the fire. The warning was due to the return of Sam and Jon, the latter of whom was shot by Ygritte.

Introduced: The boy torturing Theon was finally revealed to be Ramsay. Just as we learned his name, he gave Theon a new one: Reek.

Historic moment: Dany being called "mother" and carried on the shoulders of the freed enslaved people of Yunkai

Grade: B

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