The Pointy End

"The Pointy End"
Game of Thrones episode
Khal Drogo fighting Mago, a Dothraki warrior. This scene was not in the original script.
Episode no.	Season 1 Episode 8
Directed by	Daniel Minahan
Written by	George R. R. Martin
Featured music	Ramin Djawadi
Cinematography by	Matthew Jensen
Editing by	Martin Nicholson
Original air date	June 5, 2011 (2011-06-05)
Running time	58 minutes[1]
Guest appearances
Donald Sumpter as Maester Luwin Conleth Hill as Varys Jerome Flynn as Bronn James Cosmo as Ser Jeor Mormont Owen Teale as Ser Alliser Thorne Ron Donachie as Ser Rodrik Cassel Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister Ian McElhinney as Ser Barristan Selmy John Bradley as Samwell Tarly Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle Miltos Yerolemou as Syrio Forel Kate Dickie as Lady Lysa Arryn Dominic Carter as Janos Slynt Natalia Tena as Osha Susan Brown as Septa Mordane Clive Mantle as Lord Jon "Greatjon" Umber Mark Stanley as Grenn Josef Altin as Pypar Luke McEwan as Rast Mark Lewis Jones as Shagga Mia Soteriou as Mirri Maz Duur Amrita Acharia as Irri Roxanne McKee as Doreah Kristian Nairn as Hodor Elyes Gabel as Rakharo Dar Salim as Qotho Robert Sterne as royal steward Ian Gelder as Ser Kevan Lannister Lino Facioli as Lord Robin Arryn Art Parkinson as Rickon Stark Simon Stewart as a Lannister messenger Matthew Scurfield as Vayon Poole Frank O'Sullivan as a Night's Watch messenger Brian Fortune as Othell Yarwyck Chris Gallagher as a Lannister scout Rick Burn as a Stark guard Hugo Culverhouse as a Stableboy Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo
Episode chronology
← Previous "You Win or You Die" Next → "Baelor"
Game of Thrones season 1
List of episodes

"The Pointy End" is the eighth episode of the first season of the HBO medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones. First aired on June 5, 2011, the episode was directed by Daniel Minahan and written by George R. R. Martin, the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels on which the show is based.^[2]

The plot covers the aftermath of Eddard Stark's capture. While the Lannisters seek to capture his daughters, his son and heir, Robb, raises an army in the North. Meanwhile, Daenerys witnesses a Dothraki raid on a peaceful village, and Jon Snow faces a new threat at the Wall. The episode's title refers to the sword fighting lesson that Jon gave to Arya before their farewell: "Stick them with the pointy end."

The episode was well received by critics, who praised Martin's adaptation of his own work as well as the actors' performances, with Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark singled out for praise. It was dedicated to Ralph Vicinanza, an executive producer who died of natural causes. In the United States, the episode achieved a viewership of 2.72 million in its initial broadcast. The episode garnered an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Costumes for a Series, but lost to The Borgias.