Welcome back to King's Landing.
The latest episode of House of the Dragon, HBOâs epic prequel to Game of Thrones based on the George R.R. Martin novels, is outâand Twitter has a lot to say about it.
Firstly, a quick recap on the explosive events of Episode 10. (Be warned, spoilers are ahead.)
The episode opens with Rhaenys's arrival at Dragonstone, where she announces the death of Viserys and warns Rhaenyra and Daemon that the Greens have usurped the throne and crowned Aegon as king before the masses. The news induces Rhaenyra into an early, painful labor, and she ends up delivering a stillborn baby.
At the baby's funeral, Ser Erryk arrives with Viserys's golden crown in tow. He offers the crown to Rhaenyra and swears his allegiance to her. Daemon places the crown on her head and bows before her; everyone else follows suit, except for Rhaenys, who seems to be sizing up the new queen.
Afterwards, Rhaenyra attends her first official war council as queen, where she, Daemon, and her advisors weigh their advantages and allies over the Greens. The meeting is interrupted by an envoy from King's Landing. Otto Hightower, accompanied by knights from the Kingsguard, meets Daemon and Rhaenyra to offer terms if Rhaenyra bends the knee to Aegon. The terms include her and her heirs' inheritance of Dragonstone, Lucerys's inheritance of Driftmark, and her and Daemon's sons' high stations in the Red Keep's court. Though Daemon is quick to deny the terms, Otto hands Rhaenyra a torn piece of paperâa page that she had long ago ripped out of Alicent's history book back when the two were young and still best friends. The gift moves her nearly to tears, leading Rhaenyra to tell Otto that she'll announce her decision the following day.
In a subsequent meeting, Rhaenyra explains thatâthough she recognizes the injustice of being usurpedâshe feels it is her duty to prioritize peace in the realm above the devastation a war would inevitably incur just so she can sit the Iron Throne. Daemon is furious that Rhaenyra is considering bending the knee, going so far as to yell at her in front of others at the meeting. At his outburst, she demands that everyone else leave the war room so that she can talk to her husband in private. Alone, Rhaenyra reminds Daemon of Targaryen rulers's commitment to the Song of Ice and Fire, the prophetic dream that Viserys had warned her of once he named her his heir. This enrages Daemon, who grabs her throat in a chokehold in response. He tells her that Viserys's obsession with his dreams led to his ruin, and that it was dragons, not prophecies, that led to the Targaryens's power. It dawns on Rhaenyra that Daemon is unaware of the solemn, century-old prophecy.
Later, Lord Corlys Velaryon awakes from his battle wounds at Dragonstone, with Rhaenys sitting by his side. He apologizes to his wife for his fixation on chasing power, and promises that Driftmark will take no side in the impending civil war. Rhaenys, however, surprises him by prompting him to throw his support by Rhaenyra. It was the queen's level-head amongst a room of war-mongerers that swayed Rhaenys to her side.
At yet another war council meeting, Jacaerys asks his mother to let him and Lucerys to travel to different kingdoms in order to convince lords to be their allies against the Greens. Reluctantly, Rhaenyra agrees, sending Jace to Eyrie and Winterfell and Luke to Storm's End. Before they depart, she makes them swear that they'll travel as messengers rather than warriors.
But, when Luke arrives at Storm's End, he sees the legendary dragon Vhagar in the distanceâmeaning her rider, Prince Aemond, is also close at hand. In the castle's hall, Luke is rejected by Lord Borros Baratheon, who has decided to accept the deal presented to him by Prince Aemond on behalf of King Aegon. Before Luke can leave in peace, Aemondâwhose eye was previously cut out by Luke when they were childrenâtosses a dagger to Luke, demanding that he give him his eye as retribution for what he lost.
Luke flees on his baby dragon, Arrax, but is chased by Aemond and Vhagar. Though both princes are bonded to their dragons, they aren't strongly bonded enough to entirely control their creatures's innate reactions. Arrax, terrified by Vhagar, ends up spewing fire at the mighty she-dragon's face. Vhagar is quick to respond to the little dragon's attack. She defies Aemond's orders and snatches both Arrax and Luke in her mouth, tearing them both into pieces.
In a final, emotional scene, Daemon announces Luke's death to Rhaenyra. She turns away from him, convulsing with grief, before turning back to face her war council with vengeance in her eyes.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary on the jaw-dropping finale. To see reactions to the rest of the season, make sure to scroll on.
Episode 9
Here's a quick recap on the events of Episode 9.
Upon the discovery of the corpse of King Viserys, Queen Alicent seeks the counsel of her father, Otto Hightower. She tells him of her last conversation with Viserys from the night before, in which she mistakenly interpreted his last words to mean that he wished for their firstborn son, Prince Aegon, to become king after his death.
Alicent and Otto call for an emergency meeting of the small council, in which they announce both Viserys's death and his supposed last wish. When Alicent inquires about the fate of Rhaenyra and her family, Otto says that the princess will be given the opportunity to bend the knee to the new King Aegon II, but Alicent knows Rhaenyra would never do so. This leaves one option: Kill Rhaenyra and her children, thus disposing of any living challenge to Aegon. Alicent deems this option unacceptable, wishing to spare their lives.
After the tense meeting, Alicent and Otto set off in search of Aegon, each with opposing objectives. When it becomes apparent that Aegon has fled the Red Keep, Otto sends two knights, twin brothers Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk, to find him. Meanwhile, Alicent charges Criston and Prince Aemond to recover Aegon.
Finally, a spy working for Mysaria has the brothers arrange a meeting between Otto and her boss. Mysaria, who has hidden Aegon, exchanges his location for Otto's promise that the children's death pit will be shut down under the new king's reign.
The brother knights at last locate Aegon, but they are confronted by Criston and Aemond, who wrest the prince from the knights' capture. Aegon, bereft, begs for an escape, wishing to flee the city so as not to assume the duty and burden of king. He is refused.
Back at the Red Keep, Alicent pays a visit to Princess Rhaenys, whom she had kept locked in her chambers to keep her from fleeing. Alicent asks for Rhaenys's support of Aegon's claim to the throne. "We do not rule," Alicent says, "but we may guide the men that do." Rhaenys provokes her back, saying, "Yet you toil still in service to men: your father, your husband, your son. You desire not to be free, but to make a window in the wall of your prison. Have you never imagined yourself on the Iron Throne?"
After, Larys Strong approaches Alicent in her bed chambers. He barters with her, withholding vital information about the White Worm's secret spy network until she undresses her feet in front of him.
Meanwhile, Ser Erryk helps Rhaenys flee the Red Keep. While outside the castle walls, the two are separated as crowds of people are herded into a chapel where the coronation of Aegon is set to take place. Rhaenys is shuffled into the ceremony, where Aegon, encouraged by applause and cheering, begins to embrace his new role as king.
However, Rhaenys takes the fete as an opportunity to retrieve her dragon from the dragon pit. In the midst of the celebration, she bursts from underneath the floor of the chapel, now clad in armor and with her dragon in tow. She has her beast face the Hightower family and the newly crowned king. For a moment, it seems as though she may utter the fatal command, dracarys, and put an end to their treason by setting the family on fire. As she contemplates, Alicent steps in front of her son, placing her body between Aegon and the dragon. She shares a brief, desperate look with Rhaenys before bowing her head and closing her eyes, accepting her fate. Instead, Rhaenys's dragon lets out a mighty screech before flying off and away from King's Landing.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary on the episode. To see reactions to previous episodes, make sure to scroll on.
Episode 8
Here's a quick recap on the events of Episode 8.
Six years after the funeral of Laena Velaryon, the line of succession for Driftmark has been challenged after Lord Corlys Velaryon suffers a potentially fatal injury during a battle in the Stepstones. Princess Rhaenys, Ser Vaemond Velaryon, and Princess Rhaenyra all travel to King's Landing to make their appeal to the crown. Upon arrival, King Viserys is essentially indisposed; the disease that has been plaguing him for the entire season has confined him to his bed as he suffers from near-constant pain. In his stead, Queen Alicent and Otto Hightower have stepped in to rule over matters of the Seven Kingdomsâincluding the dispute of who inherits Driftmark.
In the middle of the night, Rhaenyra comes to her father's bedside, begging him to support her as her children's parentage is once again questioned in front of the entire court. She asks her father if he believes in the Song of Ice and Fire, a prophecy that originated from a divine dream from Aegon the Conqueror and which Viserys had confided in Rhaenyra in Episode 1. However, Viserys is too impaired from his illness to react to Rhaenyra's prompt.
The next day, Alicent and Otto prepare to hear appeals from Rhaenys, Rhaenyra, and Vaemond on who is to become the next Lord of the Tides. After Vaemond, the younger brother of Corlys, bids for himself, Viserys emerges in the hall, taking back his royal duties from Otto and Alicent for the day. Rhaenys throws her support behind Luc's claim to Driftmark, announcing that Luc and Jace are now betrothed to her granddaughters. Vaemond, outraged, loudly proclaims Luc and Jace to be bastards and calls Rhaenyra a whore. Just as Viserys angrily demands Vaemond's tongue, Prince Daemon beheads Vaemond, his sword decapitating him from just above his tongue.
In the evening, Viserys arranges an intimate dinner with his entire family, who are all together in King's Landing for the first time in years. He makes a passionate, emotional speech, imploring them all to make amends and to stand as one house before he dies. Both Alicent and Rhaenyra make peace, with Alicent even telling Rhaenyra that she'll one day become a good queen. The peace is short-lived, however, when Alicent's younger son, Aemond, calls his nephews the "strong boys," referring to their true father, Ser Harwin Strong. A fight breaks out between them. Rhaenyra announces that they must return to Dragonstone, but Alicent takes her hand and sincerely asks her to stay in King's Landing, an unexpectedly sweet request to which Rhaenyra relents.
Later that night, Alicent attends to an ailing Viserys in bed. Delirious, Viserys mistakes Alicent for Rhaenyra from the previous night, telling her that he does believe in the Prince that was Promised from Aegon's dream. Alicent, unaware of the prophecy, believes that Viserys is referring to their firstborn son, Prince Aegon, taking the Iron Throne after his death. At last, she leaves Viserys, and the king takes one final breath.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary on the episode. To see reactions to previous episodes, make sure to scroll on.
Episode 7
Here's a quick recap on the events of Episode 7.
The episode opens with the funeral of Laena Velaryon, which reunites the Targaryen and Velaryon families at Driftmark. After a somber burial of Laena's casket at sea, Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon head out for a walk on the beach, where they rekindle their romance with each other.
Meanwhile, Prince Aemond has set his sights on Vhagar, the legendary dragon who formerly belonged to Laena. In the middle of the night, Aemond mounts the dragon and takes her for a ride around Driftmark, thus claiming her for himself.
Baela, one of Laena's daughters, confronts Aemond when he returns to the castle, insisting that Vhagar was rightfully her dragon to claim. A fight breaks out, with Aemond attacking Baela and her sister Rhaena. Rhaenyra's sons, Jacaerys and Lucerys, come to their defense. Things quickly escalate between the children, with Aemond calling Jacaerys and Lucerys bastardsâreferring to the open secret that their real father is the late Harwin Strong. During the struggle, Aemond seems poised to kill Jacaerys, at which point Lucerys takes a blade and strikes Aemond in the face, driving a deep gash that claims his left eye.
In the aftermath, Rhaenyra defends her sons, claiming that Aemond's insult of Jacaerys and Lucerys's true parentage should be deemed as treason. Meanwhile, Queen Alicent demands that one of Lucerys's eyes should be removed for reparation of what Aemond has lost. King Viserys refuses Alicent's request. In desperation, Alicent steals a dagger from Viserys's belt and charges toward Lucerys, meaning to take justice in her own hands. Rhaenyra stops her, and the two have a simmering confrontation, with Alicent accusing Rhaenyra of living her life freely while she had to sacrifice her own for her marriage to the king. As they struggle apart from each other, Alicent strikes Rhaenyra with the blade, incising a deep bloody gash on the princess's arm.
When Laenor enters Rhaenyra's chambers the following morning, he is distraught by his failure to be his family's protector. He promises to Rhaenyra that he will re-commit himself to their marriage by sending away his lover, Qarl. When he tells her that he "hate[s] the gods for making me as they did," referring to his love of men over women, Rhaenyra responds, "I do not. You are an honorable man with a good heart. It is a rare thing."
As Viserys, Alicent, and their children depart Driftmark, Rhaenyra presents a marriage proposition to Daemon, pleading to her uncle that she needs him by her side in order to secure her claim to the Iron Throne. Knowing that they could not marry unless Laenor were out of the picture, the two plot together to have him disposed of. Daemon bribes Qarl, requesting that he flee to Essos after taking care of Laenor's "quick death." Qarl then confronts Laenor in a castle, where the two battle each other as a frightened squire looks on. By the time guards arrive to end the fight, Laenor's charred body is being pulled out of a fire.
Daemon and Rhaenyra marry in a traditional Valyrian wedding ceremony. At the end, it is revealed that Laenor is in fact still alive, having conspired with Rhaenyra and Daemon in order to fake his death and run away to Essos together with his lover.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary on tonightâs action-packed episode. To see reactions to previous episodes, make sure to scroll on.
Episode 6
Here's a quick recap on the events of Episode 6. (Be warned, spoilers are ahead.)
Episode 6 jumps a decade into the future after the bloody union of Princess Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon, opening with a scene of Rhaenyra giving birth to a baby boy, marking her third son. The appearance of the babyâwho, along with both of his brothers, has dark hair instead of the signature platinum locks that runs through House Targaryen and Velaryonâonly heightens Queen Alicentâs suspicions that the little prince is a bastard.
Soon after the babyâs birth, a fight breaks out between Ser Criston Cole and Ser Harwin Strong after Criston suggests that Harwin, who is having an affair with the princess, fathered the boys instead of Laenor. The fight casts shadowy rumors about the royal childrenâs lineage. In shame, the Kingâs hand and Harwinâs father, Lord Lyonel Strong, takes Harwin back to their family home of Harrenhal in the Riverlands. However, Harwinâs second son, Larys Strong, who is allied with Alicent, hires criminals to set Harrenhal on fire. Both Lyonel and Harwin perish.
Back at Kingâs Landing, Rhaenyra decides to flee to Dragonstone with her children and husband in an effort to escape the bastard rumors. Meanwhile, Alicent confronts Aegon, her and the kingâs first-born son. She tells Aegon that he must be prepared to challenge Rhaenyraâs claim to throne and take the crown for himself instead; otherwise, upon acceding King Viserys, Rhaneyra may kill all her brothers and anyone else who can question her claim as queen.
Elsewhere, Prince Daemon and his pregnant wife, Laena Velaryon, have settled as guests in Essos. A prince in the region has proposed that Daemon, Laena, and their dragons join his fight against the regrouping Triarchy in the Stepsones, in exchange for land and money. Daemon considers the proposition, though Laena is wary of the deal and wants to return home to Westeros. However, Laena experiences complications during childbirth. Instead of suffering through the birth, Laena flees the castle and approaches her dragon, the legendary Vhagar. In an emotional scene, Laena desperately commands a reluctant Vhagar to set her on fire, ending her life.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary on the action-packed episode. To see reactions to previous episodes, make sure to scroll on.
Episode 5
Here's a quick recap on the events of Episode 5. (Be warned, spoilers are ahead.)
Upon returning to the Vale, Prince Daemon murders his wife, Lady Rhea Royce, and frames it as a horseback riding accident. Meanwhile, Princess Rhaenyra and King Viserys, whose health is failing, have set sail to Driftmark, where Viserys proposes to Lord Corlys Velaryon and Princess Rhaenys a marriage between their son, Laenor, and his daughter. Though Laenor is less than happy about the marital arrangement, Rhaenyra privately strikes up an agreement with him: once they fulfill their royal duties by bearing heirs, each should be left to fulfill their desires with their preferred lovers. She hints at knowing that he secretly harbors love for men, while suggesting that she, too, wishes to be satisfied elsewhere.
On the boat ride back to King's Landing, Ser Criston Cole asks Rhaenyra to run away with him and marry him in Essos. When Rhaenyra not-so-delicately rejects his proposition and, instead, tells him that they can continue their affair even if she is married to Laenor, Criston lashes out at the prospect of being her supposed "whore."
Back in King's Landing, Otto Hightower departs the city, but not before he warn his daughter, Queen Alicent, that the only way to prevent an uprising and the death of her children is to have her first-born son, Aegon, supplant Rhaenyra, his older sister and heir to the Iron Throne. When Rhaenyra and Viserys return, Alicent requests to see Criston to inquire further about Rhaenyra's activities the night that she left the Red Keep with Daemon. Criston then confesses to sleeping with Rhaenyra. He begs the queen for a merciful death as punishment for betraying his chastity oath as a knight of the Kingsguard, but Alicent dismisses him without another word.
With marriage around the corner, Viserys hosts a lavish reception for the noble families of Westeros in celebration of Rhaenyra and Laenor's nuptials. Alicent appears at the banquet wearing an emerald green dress, the color symbolizing the flag the Hightower family flies when they go to war, thus solidifying Alicent's commitment in raising Aegon to the throne.
During the reception, Laenor's lover, Joffrey, approaches Criston, having figured out that he is Rhaenyra's lover. Joffrey addresses the station that both he and Criston hold now in Rhaenyra and Laenor's lives, and suggests that they should both uphold each other's secrets. The admonition sends Criston into a quiet fury.
As the party goes on and as Rhaenyra dances with Daemon, who has returned to the city for the festivities and appears jealous about his niece's upcoming wedding, a fight breaks out between Criston and Joffrey. Criston punches Joffrey's skull until it caves in and the meat of his face is reduced to a pulp, leaving a heartbroken Laenor sobbing over his lover's corpse. Criston retreats to the godswood tree, where he is about to take his own life, but Alicent stops him before he can.
As a result of the gruesome events of the reception, the marriage of Rhaenyra and Laenor is sped along, with a private ceremony occurring in the throne room in the immediate aftermath of the violence. As soon as the two are wed, however, Viserys collapses onto the floor.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary on the action-packed episode. To see reactions to previous episodes, make sure to scroll on.
Episode 4
Here's a quick recap on the events of Episode 4. (Be warned, spoilers are ahead.)
The incestuous traditions of the Targaryen family were on full display in Episode 4. Prince Daemon returned to King's Landing after conquering the Stepstones, seemingly offering an olive branch to his brother, King Viserys. However, late at night, Daemon sneaks his niece, Princess Rhaenyra, out of the Red Keep. Outside, the two revel in their freedom and cavort through the city together under the guise of commoners. They end up at a brothel, where Daemon sheds Rhaenyra's costume and kisses her. As he begins to undress her and as she starts to kiss him back, Daemonâseeming suddenly repulsedârecoils from her touch and flees the pleasure house. Rhaenyra returns home feeling unsatisfied. She lures Ser Criston Cole, a knight of the Kingsguard, into her bedroom and they sleep together.
A spy working for Otto Hightower alerts him of Rhaenyra's activities. Otto then tells the king, who admonishes him for being so ambitious to have his grandson supplant him that he would have spies follow Rhaenyra. Alicent Hightower overhears their conversation and confronts Rhaenyra, accusing her of engaging in the "queer customs" of her Targaryen ancestors. Rhaenyra denies the allegations and swears on her late mother's grave that she remains a maiden.
In response to the spy's report, Viserys orders Daemon to return to his wife in the Vale. He then strikes a deal with his daughter: Rhaenyra will marry Laenor Velaryon, so long as Viserys removes Otto from his council. Though all seems settled by the end of the episode, Rhaenyra is delivered a tea by the Grand Maester, who tells the princess that it will rid her of any "unwanted consequences."
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary on the action-packed episode. To see reactions to previous episodes, make sure to scroll on.
Episode 3
Here's a quick recap on the events of Episode 3. (Be warned, spoilers are ahead.)
Three years after King Viserys marries Alicent Hightower, a frostiness has settled between Rhaenyra and her newfound family. Viserys and Alicent have welcomed a son, Aegon II, and are expecting another child soon.
The nobility of the Seven Kingdoms gather to celebrate Aegonâs first birthday through a royal hunt. While Viserys publicly professes that he has no intention to revoke Rhaenyraâs right to the Iron Throne in favor of his son, he privately wonders if he should name Aegon his heir.
But upon returning to Kingâs Landing, Viserys encourages Rhaenyra to find her own suitor to marry, a prospective husband who may provide her with the resources to back her claim to the throne. He also assures her that Aegon will not supplant her in the line of succession.
Meanwhile, a war wages on between House Velaryon and Prince Daemon against the Crabfeeder in the Stepstones, with the formerâs resources and morale dwindling with each passing day. After Viserys sends a letter to Daemon to let him know that aid is on the way, Daemon storms the Crabfeederâs armyâs defensesâand at last emerges victorious.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary on the episode. To see reactions to previous episodes, make sure to scroll on.
Episode 2
Here's a quick recap on the events of Episode 2. (Be warned, spoilers are ahead.)
Lord Corlys of House Velaryon (Steve Toussant) storms a small council meeting, imploring King Viserys (Paddy Considine) to take action against the so-called Crabfeeder, a prince of the eastern Free Cities who has taken down ships under Corlysâs fleets. Viserys, however, refuses, instead aiming to maintain a tenuous peace between that region and Westeros.
Later, Corlys and his wife, Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best), approach Viserys with the intention of having him unite their houses by wedding their daughter, 12-year-old Laena Velaryon (Nova Foueillis-MosĂŠ). RhaenysâViserysâs cousin and the dubbed âQueen Who Never Wasââreminds the reluctant king that he is expected to remarry soon to fulfill his royal duties, even if a year has yet to pass since Queen Aemmaâs (Sian Brooke) death.
Meanwhile, Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) has stolen a dragon egg from the Red Keep, leaving in its place an invitation for the king to attend his wedding at the occupied Dragonstone to Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), a woman who worked at a brothel in Kingâs Landing. The Kingsguard and the Hand of the King, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), confront Daemon at Dragonstone. Right as tensions begin to escalate between the Kingsguard and Daemonâs forces, Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) arrives via her dragon. She ultimately deflates the conflict and retrieves the stolen egg with no blood shed.
Upon returning to Kingâs Landing, Viserys and Rhaenyra speak candidly about each otherâs grief over Aemmaâs passing. Rhaenyra, who understands that her father must remarry, gives him her blessing to wed Laena.
At the next small council meeting, Viserys announces his engagementâbut, instead of marrying Laena, he has set his eyes on Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey), Ottoâs daughter and Rhaenyraâs best friend.
Appalled at the betrothal announcement, Corlys appeals to Daemon to take action against the Crabfeeder in the east.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary. To see reactions to the previous episode, make sure to scroll on.
Episode 1
Here's a quick recap on the explosive events of Episode 1. (Be warned, spoilers are ahead.)
Tensions are high in King's Landing as the small council who advises King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Consindine) debates about the line of succession to the Iron Throne. Viserys and his wife, Queen Aemma (Sian Brooke), have only one living child: Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock). With no precedent set for a woman sitting on the Iron Throne, some fear the ascent of the king's younger and increasingly violent brother, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). Aemma, however, is expecting another childâand Viserys has a premonition that the unborn baby will be a boy and his rightful heir.
But, tragedy befalls the Red Keep. After suffering through a bitter fifth pregnancy, Aemma undergoes life-threatening issues during labor. Desperate for his heir, Viserys allows the physician to cut open Aemma's stomach to save the baby. A gruesome scene follows, showing her horrific deathâonly for the baby (indeed a boy) to die with his mother.
Daemon celebrates the baby's demise by buying out a brothel and toasting to the "heir for a day." Viserys catches wind of his inappropriate festivities and orders him to leave King's Landing. Revoking Daemon's heirhood, the king then names Rhaenyra to not only become the ruler of Westeros but to be its first reigning queen.
He also warns his daughter of a dream seen by their prophetic ancestor, the first king of the Iron Throne, Aegon Targaryen. Aegon had foreseen "the end of the world of men" that began "with a terrible winter gusting out of the distant north" that possessed a darkness capable of "destoy[ing] the world of the living." This secret prophecy that Viserys bestows onto Rhaenyra hints at the events of Game of Thrones, nearly 200 years later.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary on House of the Dragon's premiere.
