Arya Stark takes a name off her list, Jon Snow narrowly escapes death and Tywin Lannister's string of good luck runs out "Game of Thrones" season four finale.
Titled "The Children," the episode begns with Jon attempting to kill Mance Rayder and end the attacks on the wall. Jon was able to visit the Wildling King on the pretenses of peace, but planned to end the leader's life. Just before Jon prepared to kill Mance, Stannis Baratheon and his army march beyond the Wall to capture the leader.
Jon narrowly escapes death by revealing his paternity to Stannis. The "One True King" asks Jon what his father Ned Stark would do to Mance, and Jon suggest letting him live and taking out all the information they can from him.
Jon, Stannis and the rest of his army return to burn the bodies of the dead Night's Watch men at Castle Black. Melisandre stares into the fire and quickly turns to Jon, which may be an ominous warning for season five. Jon visits Mance in his cell and the Wildling King asks him to take Ygritte's body back to her "home" beyond The Wall. Jon obliges his request.
Meanwhile in King's Landing, Cersei Lannister visits The Mountain, who is dying from the poison Oberyn Martell laced on his weapon. Cersei commands the maesters to do everything they can to save him, even if it means he'll never be the same.
Later, Cersei is adamant about not marrying Loras Tyrell. She tells Tywin she will not marry the man or have his children. Tywin tells her she will do as he says, but Cersei refuses to let him win. In spite of her father, she admits to sleeping with her brother Jaime Lannister and having his bastard children. Cersei finds Jamie and proclaims her love for him, and believes she has secured him as an ally.
Bran Stark, Hodor, Jojen and his sister Meera continue on the hunt for the three-eyed raven. They reach the tree, but are ambushed by wights. Bran wargs into Hodor to protect his friends, but a wight stabs Jojen multiple times. A girl soon appears and uses her magic to attack the wights.
She tells Bran he needs to go inside of the tree or he'll die. Jojen begs his sister to go with Bran and she obliges. Meera mercy kills Jojen and follows Bran, Hodor and the girl into the tree. The young girl calls herself The Children and introduces Bran to the three-eyed raven, who tells him he won't ever be able to walk but he will fly.
Arya Stark encounters Brienne of Tarth and Podrick in The Vale. Brienne fights The Hound and defeats him in battle. Arya hides from the duo and shakes them off her tail. She find The Hound, who is severely wounded. He begs her to kill him, but Arya refuses to give him mercy. She boards a ship and heads to Braavos.
Back in King's Landing, Jaime and Varys help Tyrion escape his execution. Instead of heading straight to Varys, Tyrion visits his father's bedroom quarters. Tyrion finds Shae in his father's bed. He becomes enraged and chokes Shae to death. Tyrion grabs a crossbow and finds his father in the bathroom. Tywin attempts to talke Tyrion out of killing him, but Tyrion doesn't believe anything he says. Tyrion shoots an arrow in Tyrion's heart to make him suffer and a second arrow to end his life.
