When you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die – there is no in between. In the case of some, they don’t even realise they’re playing until it’s too late.

Meet the Starks, Targaryens, and Lannisters – the leading players in the fight for the Iron Throne.

Told through multiple story arcs that play out simultaneously, season one of Game of Thrones aims to lay out the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, and the first major players that each stand a chance of winning this political war. Let the Game begin.

Note, these guides feature heavy spoilers, so if you’ve not watched yet, read no further!

All eight seasons of Game of Thrones are available now – as well as the first season of prequel series, House of the Dragon.

Sky is the exclusive home of the entire franchise in the UK, so it is not available on any other service – such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Disney+.

You can watch the series on Sky Atlantic, on demand via Sky Go or by streaming on NOW.

Season two of House of the Dragon starts June 17 and will air weekly.

The key characters of season one are:

• Mark Addy (The Full Monty, A Knight’s Tale) as King Robert I Baratheon
• Sean Bean (Time, Lord Of The Rings, Snowpiercer) as Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark
• Michelle Fairley (Queen Charlotte, Gangs of London) as Catelyn Stark
• Richard Madden (Bodyguard, Eternals) as Robb Stark
• Maisie Williams (Pistol, Two Weeks To Live) as Arya Stark
• Sophie Turner (X-Men: Dark Phoenix, The Staircase) as Sansa Stark
• Isaac Hempstead-Wright (Voyagers, The Boxtrolls) as Bran Stark
• Kit Harington (Gunpowder, Extrapolations, Criminal) as Jon Snow
• Emilia Clarke (Me Before You, Marvel’s Secret Invasions) as Daenerys Targaryen
• Jason Momoa (SEE, Aquaman) as Khal Drogo
• Harry Lloyd (Brave New World, Counterpart) as Viserys Targaryen
• Lena Headey (Gunpowder Milkshake, White House Plumbers) as Cersei Lannister
• Peter Dinklage (X-Men: Days of Future Past, I Care A Lot) as Tyrion Lannister
• Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Oblivion, Radioman) as Jaime Lannister
• Jack Gleeson (Rebecca’s Boyfriend, Sex Education) as Joffrey Baratheon
• Alfie Allen (SAS Rogue Heroes, Jojo Rabbit) as Theon Greyjoy

Game of Thrones season one consists of ten episodes, introducing the key players in each house of the fight for the Iron Throne, and each of the Seven Kingdoms and who rules them.

Starting in Winterfell, we meet Warden of The North, Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark and his wife, Catelyn. A firm but fair leader of the Night’s Watch, Ned finds himself being given an offer he wants to, but can’t refuse by his long-time friend, King Robert I Baratheon.

A father-of-six, Ned gifts all his children – Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, Rickon, and his bastard son, Jon Snow - a direwolf after finding a litter, in honour of their family sigil.

However, a warning from Catelyn’s sister, Lysa Arryn, sparks fear that all is not as it seems when it comes to the Royal visit, particularly when it comes to Robert’s wife, Cersei, and her brothers, Jamie and Tyrion Lannister.

Things take a tragic turn when Bran bears witness to something he shouldn’t have – and pays for it dearly.

Elsewhere, in Essos, a power-hungry Viserys Targaryen sells his sister Daenerys to Dothraki leader Khal Drogo, in exchange for an army he can use to ‘reclaim his birthright’ of the Iron Throne. As a wedding gift, she’s given three dragon eggs.

After becoming Hand Of The King, Ned heads to King’s Landing with Sansa and Arya, while Catelyn nurses her son Bran in Winterfell. Unfortunately it seems a target is on the youngster’s back.

Jon Snow joins the Night’s Watch – a protective army of The Wall, a structure made to defend Westeros from those beyond it – including the rumoured White Walkers and tribes known as Wildlings.

Before leaving, Jon gives little sister Arya a special gift, which unfortunately causes more problems than she bargained for when a run in with Prince Joffrey, heir to the throne, goes dangerously awry.

Over in Essos, Daenerys adjusts to being a wife to Drogo, and recruits a sex worker to teach her the ways of the bedroom.

At King’s Landing, Ned discovers the Hand of the King role is going to be harder than expected. When Catelyn tries to warn her husband of the threat against their family, she’s stopped by Petyr Baelish – a councillor for the King.

Back at Winterfell, Bran gets a diagnosis that will change his life forever, while Jon begins to second guess his position on the Night’s Watch.

In Essos, Daenerys discovers she is pregnant, and begins to grow confident in her position of Khaleesi in the Dothraki army alongside Khal Drogo – much to the annoyance of her brother, Viserys.

Ned’s suspicions of the Lannisters cause him to look into the death of the former Hand, Jon Arryn. With the help of Baelish, he makes several startling discoveries in the process which could have major repercussions to Westeros at Large.

Robb Stark takes the position of Lord of the Castle while his father’s away, with Theon Greyjoy as his right-hand man. Tyrion Lannister offers an unexpected gift of kindness to the family before returning to King’s Landing. However, he is captured en-route by Catelyn, who wants him to take the fall for Lannister crimes.

Over at The Wall, Jon Snow finds an unlikely and much-needed ally in the shape of bumbling recruit, Samwell Tarly, to the annoyance of others around him.

Meanwhile, still with the Dothraki, Viserys is getting more volatile as he not only hasn’t got an army yet, but he’s not commanding the respect he believes he deserves from anyone – even Daenerys, who is fighting back against his mockery. Daenerys later confesses her feelings about the situation to Jorah Mormont.

News reaches King’s Landing about Daenerys Targaryen’s pregnancy, and while Ned is unfussed, King Robert wants her assassinated to prevent further threat to the throne. When the pair clash over the manoeuvre, Ned makes a decision that could disrupt his powerful long-held friendship.

Meanwhile, Catelyn and Tyrion head to the Eyrie – something that causes the Lannisters to act out when news reaches them and they want answers.

Ned is left in charge of the King’s affairs – just as the Lannisters start launching invasions at Riverrun. As he lays charges to Tywin Lannister and warrior Ser Gregor Clegane (aka ‘The Mountain’), he decides to send his daughters back to Winterfell.

Over at Winterfell, Bran, Robb and Theon have a run-in with Wildlings, while Tyrion faces a trial by combat at the Eyrie - finding a new friend in the process as he finds a champion to represent him.

Finally, an irate Viserys finally gets the crown he has been pushing for – just not in the way he imagined.

Ned makes a potentially grave error when he decides to confront Cersei about his latest discovery – especially when King Robert returns to King’s Landing gravely injured.

Leaving his last will and testament, Ned is given a new role within the Kingdom as Protector of the Realm, something that spurs on a major betrayal when Joffrey is finally able to sit upon the Iron Throne.

Meanwhile, at The Wall, Jon is struggling with being given a position away from battle after swearing his loyalty to the Night’s Watch – but it could be a sign of something far more impressive in the near future.

Finally, pregnant Daenerys suffers a close call with an assassin. Saved by Ser Jorah Mormont, Khal Drogo sees this as a sign for the Dothraki to make a bid to the Iron Throne so their unborn son can assume his birthright as ruler.

The Starks in King’s Landing are all in grave danger, and are all set on different paths following Joffrey assuming the throne. While Sansa is captured to be Joffrey’s bride, Arya makes a run for it and Ned is imprisoned.

Both Starks and Lannisters begin preparations for war, attempting to find houses and tribes to form allegiances with to strengthen their army. Sansa makes an attempt to save her father by appealing to her betrothed, Joffrey, for mercy. He agrees - but on one condition.

Over at The Wall, White Walkers make themselves known to members of the Night’s Watch, including Jon Snow.

In Essos, Drogo’s soldiers begin to doubt his leadership as he begins to listen more to Daenerys, leading to a potentially grave error.

The Starks' army begin to head towards King’s Landing - where the fate of Ned Stark now rests in the hands of King Joffrey. Robb decides on a major power play in order to gain the upper hand, but the efforts end in tragedy for everyone.

Daenerys begins to get more desperate as Drogo’s health deteriorates, leading to her seeking unorthodox help with devastating results.

In the season one finale, Arya and Sansa find themselves in their own separate hells in the fallout of their family’s confrontations with the Lannisters.

As Sansa stands to marry King Joffrey, whether she likes it or not, Arya is disguised as a boy and smuggled out of King’s Landing by Night’s Watch recruiter, Yoren.

While the Starks adjust to losing one of their own, they find themselves some leverage with the capture of Jaime Lannister – just as Robert’s brothers, Stannis and Renly, start their own disputes against Joffrey taking the Iron Throne.

Finally Daenerys, heartbroken as she deals with an unimaginable loss, finds support and proven allegiances the way a ‘House of the Dragon’ Targaryen member is destined to: through fire and blood.

Season 2 Guide >