House of the Dragon’s first season is accomplished and dusted. Anticipation was excessive for HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel and, with round 30 million individuals watching every episode it is confirmed to be a success, even when nobody actually knew what to anticipate from House of the Dragon. We received some solutions early within the season when the present was renewed for a second season, revealing it’d take greater than 10 episodes to inform the story of the Targaryen civil struggle.
On Sunday’s finale, we noticed the precursor to the illustrious Dance of the Dragons. Word of King Viserys’ dying lastly reaches Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen, but the queen is reluctant to go to struggle for the throne. Aegon the Conqueror’s propehcy rings in her head as she declares the necessity to preside over a united realm, not smoke and rubble.
Yet the closing moments of the present check her resolve, such that we all know struggle is assured. Last warning: Heavy House of the Dragon spoilers under.
Lucerys, we hardly knew ye
The top-line information from House of the Dragon’s finale is the dying of Lucerys Targaryen, Rhaenyra’s youngest baby with Laenor Velaryon/Harwin Strong. Lucerys, chances are you’ll bear in mind, was named inheritor to Dragonstone in episode 8 — a choice {that a} disgruntled Vaemond Velaryon died contesting.
In the course of House of the Dragon’s finale, Rhaenyra and Daemon determine they should shore up assist from the Eyrie, Winterfell and the Stormlands in the event that they’re to have a reputable drive to problem the Hightowers. Towards the tip of the episode, she sends her two eldest kids out to petition the lords and girls of those areas. Jacaerys will go to the Eyrie to obtain Lady Arryn’s forces, then head over to Winterfell to talk with Cregin Stark. Lucerys, in the meantime, must go to Storm’s End to talk up Borros Baratheon.
When he will get there, nonetheless, we see that Aemond Targaryen has beat him to the punch. That’s the identical Aegon Targaryen who misplaced an eye fixed because of Lucerys — the identical Aegon Targaryen who’s been fantasizing about revenge for years. Lord Baratheon rebuffs Lucerys: Aemond not less than got here with a wedding proposal to wed the 2 homes, whereas Lucerys solely had a reminder from Rhaenyra that House Baratheon had years in the past pledged their swords to her succession.
Lucerys tries to go away, however Aemond is not about to let the prince escape him. He calls for Lucerys pluck out his personal eye to pay the debt he incurred when he de-eyed Aemond. Lord Baratheon calls for the 2 break it up, that no blood can be spilled in his fort.
Lucerys mounts Arryx, his dragon, to fly again to Dragonstone. Unfortunately, a busy storm has damaged out — it’s Storm’s End, in spite of everything. Aemond and his monumental dragon Vhegar chase Lucerys. Aemond simply desires to seize Lucerys and take out his eye, however his dragon has a thoughts of its personal. After Arryx blases Vhegar with dragonfire, the angered beast takes a chunk out of Arryx. But as a result of Vhegar is so large, it ends in Arryx being chomped in half.
Lucerys is gone, as is Arryx. Crucially, Aemond Targaryen appears to be like overwhelmed with remorse at seeing his cousin killed. That’s not out of familial feeling, however reasonably realizing how a lot of an escalation his dying is prone to entail.
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Of dragons and males
Dragonfire was a motif all through finale, which is what you’d count on from a present referred to as House of the Dragon. But one recurring argument was the identical one Daenerys Targaryen confronted in Game of Thrones: Should Rhaenyra attempt peace, conventional warfare, or ought to she simply burn King’s Landing down with dragons?
Aemond has Vhegar, essentially the most highly effective dragon of all, it is true. But the numbers are on Rhaenyra and Daemon’s aspect — even with out Arryx. One transient scene within the episode could find yourself having outsized significance: We noticed Daemon strolling by means of a pitch black cave, the place he discovered one other titanic dragon. He sang a tune in Valyrian, apparently profitable in his try and bond with the beast. More dragons imply extra hassle for the Seven Kingdoms.
In the ultimate scene of House of the Dragon, Daemon informs Rhaenyra of Lucerys’ dying. Rhaenyra would not say something, however her rictus is paying homage to Daenerys’ after Missandei’s public execution. “If it is struggle you need,” her facial features stated, “it is struggle you will get.”
Though we noticed Lucerys’ journey ended with tragedy, we noticed nothing of Jacaerys’ travels up north. If I’m a betting man, I’m placing my cash on House of the Dragon season two kicking off in Winterfell. It’ll be good to be again.