9.3/10243 votes#1 - The Winds of Winter
Season 6 Episode 10 - Aired 6/26/2016
Tyrion counsels Daenerys on the upcoming campaign. Jon and Sansa discuss their future. Trials begin in King's Landing.
Director: Miguel Sapochnik
Writer: David Benioff
9.2/10201 votes#2 - Hardhome
Season 5 Episode 8 - Aired 5/31/2015
Arya makes progress in her training. Sansa confronts an old friend. Cersei struggles. Jon travels.
Director: Miguel Sapochnik
Writer: David Benioff
9.2/10286 votes#3 - Battle of the Bastards
Season 6 Episode 9 - Aired 6/19/2016
As the Starks prepare to fight, Davos loses something dear. Ramsay plays a game. Daenerys faces a choice.
Director: Miguel Sapochnik
Writer: David Benioff
9.2/10204 votes#4 - The Rains of Castamere
Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 6/2/2013
Robb presents himself to Walder Frey, and Edmure meets his bride. Jon faces his harshest test yet. Bran discovers a new gift. Daario and Jorah debate how to take Yunkai. House Frey joins with House Tully.
Director: David Nutter
Writer: David Benioff
8.9/10176 votes#5 - Baelor
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 6/12/2011
Robb goes to war against the Lannisters. Jon finds himself struggling on deciding if his place is with Robb or the Night's Watch. Drogo has fallen ill from a fresh battle wound. Daenerys is desperate to save him.
Director: Alan Taylor
Writer: David Benioff
8.9/10193 votes#6 - The Door
Season 6 Episode 5 - Aired 5/22/2016
Tyrion seeks a strange ally. Bran learns a great deal. Brienne goes on a mission. Arya is given a chance to prove herself.
Director: Jack Bender
Writer: David Benioff
8.8/10156 votes#7 - The Children
Season 4 Episode 10 - Aired 6/15/2014
Circumstances change after an unexpected arrival from north of the Wall. Dany must face harsh realities. Bran learns more about his destiny. Tyrion sees the truth about his situation.
Director: Alex Graves
Writer: David Benioff
8.8/10173 votes#8 - The Mountain and the Viper
Season 4 Episode 8 - Aired 6/1/2014
Unexpected visitors arrive in Mole's Town. With assistance from Theon, Ramsay proves himself to his father, Lord Bolton. Littlefinger's motives are questioned when Sansa reveals the fate of Lysa Arryn to other lords of the Vale. Daenerys finds out a secret about Jorah Mormont. Tyrion's fate is decided.
Director: Alex Graves
Writer: David Benioff
8.8/10158 votes#9 - The Dance of Dragons
Season 5 Episode 9 - Aired 6/7/2015
Stannis confronts a troubling decision. Jon returns to The Wall. Mace visits the Iron Bank. Arya encounters someone from her past. Dany reluctantly oversees a traditional celebration of athleticism.
Director: David Nutter
Writer: David Benioff
8.7/10157 votes#10 - And Now His Watch Is Ended
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 4/21/2013
Trouble brews among the Night's Watch at Craster's. Margaery takes Joffrey out of his comfort zone. Arya meets the leader of the Brotherhood. Varys plots revenge on an old foe. Theon mournfully recalls his missteps. Daenerys deftly orchestrates her exit from Astapor.
Director: Alex Graves
Writer: David Benioff
8.7/10195 votes#11 - The Spoils of War
Season 7 Episode 4 - Aired 8/6/2017
Daenerys fights back. Jaime faces an unexpected situation. Arya comes home.
Director: Matt Shakman
Writer: David Benioff
8.7/10167 votes#12 - Fire and Blood
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 6/19/2011
With Ned dead, Robb vows to get revenge on the Lannisters. Jon must officially decide if his place is with Robb or the Night's Watch. Daenerys says her final goodbye to Drogo.
Director: Alan Taylor
Writer: David Benioff
8.7/10145 votes#13 - Valar Morghulis
Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 6/3/2012
Tyrion awakens to a changed situation. King Joffrey doles out rewards to his subjects. As Theon stirs his men to action, Luwin offers some final advice. Brienne silences Jaime. Arya receives a gift from Jaqen. Dany goes to a strange place. Jon proves himself to Qhorin.
Director: Alan Taylor
Writer: David Benioff
8.6/10163 votes#14 - You Win or You Die
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 5/29/2011
Robert has been injured while hunting and is dying. Jon and the others finally take their vows to the Night's Watch. A man, sent by Robert, is captured for trying to poison Daenerys. Furious, Drogo vows to attack the Seven Kingdoms.
Director: Daniel Minahan
Writer: David Benioff
8.6/10161 votes#15 - The Watchers on the Wall
Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 6/8/2014
Jon Snow and the Night's Watch face a big challenge.
Director: Neil Marshall
Writer: David Benioff
8.5/10169 votes#16 - The Dragon and the Wolf
Season 7 Episode 7 - Aired 8/27/2017
A meeting is held in King's Landing. Problems arise in the North.
Director: Jeremy Podeswa
Writer: David Benioff
8.5/10166 votes#17 - The Wolf and the Lion
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 5/15/2011
Catelyn has captured Tyrion and plans to bring him to her sister, Lysa Arryn, at The Vale, to be tried for his, supposed, crimes against Bran. Robert plans to have Daenerys killed, but Eddard refuses to be a part of it and quits.
Director: Brian Kirk
Writer: David Benioff
8.5/10151 votes#18 - Mother's Mercy
Season 5 Episode 10 - Aired 6/14/2015
Stannis marches. Dany is surrounded by strangers. Cersei seeks forgiveness. Jon is challenged.
Director: David Nutter
Writer: David Benioff
8.4/10153 votes#19 - Book of the Stranger
Season 6 Episode 4 - Aired 5/15/2016
Tyrion strikes a deal. Jorah and Daario undertake a difficult task. Jaime and Cersei try to improve their situation.
Director: Daniel Sackheim
Writer: David Benioff
8.3/10143 votes#20 - Mhysa
Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 6/9/2013
Bran and company travel beyond the Wall. Sam returns to Castle Black. Jon says goodbye to Ygritte. Jaime returns to King's Landing. The Night's Watch asks for help from Stannis. Daenerys waits to see if she is a conqueror or a liberator.
Director: David Nutter
Writer: David Benioff
8.3/10146 votes#21 - Mockingbird
Season 4 Episode 7 - Aired 5/18/2014
Tyrion gains an unlikely ally; Daario asks Dany to allow him to do what he does best; Jon's warnings about the vulnerability of the Wall are ignored; Brienne follows a new lead.
Director: Alik Sakharov
Writer: David Benioff
8.3/1034 votes#22 - Judgment Day
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 3/21/2024
As threat levels rise, a secret mission to retrieve enemy intel ventures into dangerous territory. An ominous message reaches Earth.
Director: Minkie Spiro
Writer: David Benioff
8.3/10145 votes#23 - The Gift
Season 5 Episode 7 - Aired 5/24/2015
Jon prepares for conflict. Sansa tries to talk to Theon. Brienne waits for a sign. Stannis remains stubborn. Jaime attempts to reconnect with family.
Director: Miguel Sapochnik
Writer: David Benioff
8.2/10140 votes#24 - Breaker of Chains
Season 4 Episode 3 - Aired 4/20/2014
Tyrion ponders his options. Tywin extends an olive branch. Sam realizes Castle Black isn’t safe, and Jon proposes a bold plan. The Hound teaches Arya the way things are. Dany chooses her champion.
Director: Alex Graves
Writer: David Benioff
8.2/10133 votes#25 - Second Sons
Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 5/19/2013
King’s Landing hosts a wedding, and Tyrion and Sansa spend the night together. Daenerys tries to persuade the Second Sons to join her against Yunkai. Stannis releases Davos from the dungeons. Sam and Gilly meet an older gentleman.
Director: Michelle MacLaren
Writer: David Benioff
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David Benioff Ratings Summary
"The Winds of Winter" is the best rated episode written by David Benioff. It scored 9.315/10 based on 243 votes. It was directed by Miguel Sapochnik. It aired on 6/26/2016 and is rated 0.1 points higher than their second-best episode, "Hardhome".