4 Game of Thrones Episodes Written by George Martin

Though George Martin isn’t eager to write for House of the Dragon, choosing to focus on The Winds of Winter instead, he used to be one of the most acclaimed TV writers back in the day.

Apart from many other series that eventually received praise from critics, Martin also came on board for Game of Thrones too, drafting scripts for several episodes of the show based on his A Song of Ice and Fire book series.

The writer was taking a minor role of Game of Thrones’ creator only until the fourth season though, which is probably the reason why the show quickly went into public disgrace starting from season 5.

This, however, wasn’t Martin’s fault in the slightest, and fans can still go back to Game of Thrones’ best instalments, enjoying those four episodes that the author was in charge of.

The Pointy End — Season 1, Episode 8

Despite featuring some gruesome sequences, which Game of Thrones itself wasn’t really a stranger to, The Pointy End is also one of the most drama-fuelled episodes in the show’s first season, foreshadowing several major deaths in the finale.

The Starks’ family tragedy is at the episode’s core, with Ned Stark’s arrest leading to everyone’s realisation that the Lannisters aren’t their allies anymore.

The Pointy End delves into the heartbreaking consequences foreseen by the entire family as Sansa breaks down during her emotional plea in the throne room, while Robb and Catelyn embark on a risky mission to fight for their family’s honor even if this will also result in their death.

The episode also sees Daenerys Targaryen as a new Khaleesi trying to save women from violations that the Dothraki’s invasion in their village might have brought along. Khal Drogo also intervenes and thus gets even closer to his inevitable death.

Blackwater — Season 2, Episode 9

George Martin is good at bringing things up to their climax, so no wonder he was responsible for several episodes that set up the stage for a couple of seasons’ emotional finales.

Blackwater was a turning point for Game of Thrones, placing the first major battle which would later determine the entire show’s level of epic the audiences were striving for. It did a good job though, showing the potential of Martin’s original books which also put their reader in a complicated position, making them find reasons to sympathise with both sides of the conflict.

In fact, The Battle of Blackwater Bay remains one of Game of Thrones’ best fight sequences, probably dethroned only by the Battle of the Bastards in season 6.

The Bear And The Maiden Fair — Season 3, Episode 7

Known for detailed descriptions of Westeros’ epic battles, George Martin is also a brilliant writer when it comes to dealing with psychological aspects of his characters’ relationships, and The Bear And The Maiden Fair is where it shows better than anywhere else.

The episode sees romance blooming between Robb and Talisa, as well as between Jon and Ygritte, though the latter couple is pretty aware of their relationship tension as another battle with the wildlings approaches.

What makes The Bear And The Maiden Fair an even more outstanding piece of George Martin’s writing is a big plot twist with Jaime Lannister deciding to return to Harrenhal to save Brienne of Tarth.

Jamie’s sudden change proves that Martin’s characters just can’t be judged by how they appear to be at first, making viewers look deeper into their inner thought and intentions.

The Lion And The Rose — Season 4, Episode 2

Probably one of Game of Thrones’ most renowned episodes, The Lion And The Rose came as something the show’s fans have been waiting all along, featuring Joffrey Baratheon’s death at the Purple Wedding.

The episode is just as satisfying and epic as it could ever be, though it also manages to masterfully play with audiences’ feelings, showing how hard it is for Cersei and Jaime to cope with their eldest child’s death and even suggesting that, despite all their evil deeds, these two are only humans after all.

The Lion And The Rose isn’t just about Joffrey’s long-awaited death though; Martin mixed the tragic outcome of the event with several guest duos you might have never expected to see sharing the screen (like Sersei and Brienne of Tarth, for instance), making the tension rise even higher, but with some grains of comedy.