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- How Does House Of The Dragon Season 1 End?
- What Happens In House Of The Dragon Season 1?
- House Of The Dragon Season 1’s Critical Reception
From Queen Aemma Arryn to Lucerys’ Velaryon’s death, everything that happens in House of the Dragon – Season 1 is the lead-up to the final moment when the Black Queen decides to plunge the Kingdoms into war. Rhaenyra Targaryen is slated to take the Iron Throne after her father, King Viserys I, but refuses to strike first, even after the Greens’ Coup in King’s Landing, citing her duty to the realm. Because her late father had relayed Aegon’s dream to her, Rhaenyra shows real leadership in limiting the exercise of force up until a pivotal moment.
Towards the end of House of the Dragon season 1, episode 10 “The Black Queen,” Rhaenyra abandons her previous policy and enters the Dance of the Dragons. As House of the Dragon – Season 2 is set to debut on June 16, the question remains of what happened in Season 1 that prompted Rhaenyra’s shift away from passivity. She’s like a wounded animal, and war between kin and dragons is imminent.
How Does House Of The Dragon Season 1 End?
In House of the Dragon‘s finale episode – “The Black Queen,” Princess Rhaenys delivers the news of the Greens’ coup to Dragonstone, provoking an outrage from the Blacks. Upon learning of the developments in the capital, Rhaenyra goes into premature labor and delivers a stillborn daughter (Visenya). Next, Daemon crowns her with Viserys’ two-tone crown which Ser Erryk Cargyll smuggles out of the Red Keep. Most people at the council advise Rhaenyra to act immediately, but she chooses to show restraint. She assesses the cost of war, unwilling to give in to passion and fiery speeches made by her councilors and husband. Next, the Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower directs Otto Hightower, Grand Maester Orwyle, and Ser Arryk Cargyll to Dragonstone. Otto delivers terms of surrender:
King Aegon Targaryen, Second of His Name, in his wisdom and desire for peace is offering terms. Acknowledge Aegon as king and swear obeisance before the Iron Throne. In exchange, His Grace will confirm your possession of Dragonstone. It will pass to your trueborn son, Jacaerys, upon your death…
Alicent aims to elicit Rhaenyra’s sentiments and subtly coerce her to drop her claim to the throne. The delegation is likely to fail, but Rhaenyra has a change of heart when Otto pulls out a torn page from a book that she and Alicent read as young women at the Godswood of the Red Keep. She promises to respond correctly “on the morrow.”
House of the Dragon – Season 1 shows Daemon scoffing at Aegon’s Prophecy and Lord Corlys Velaryon traveling to Dragonstone to declare for Rhaenyra. She wishes to know her allies before declaring war, and to that end, sends her sons, Jacaerys, as a messenger to Vale and Winterfell, and Lucerys to Storm’s End.
In the final moments of House of the Dragon, Aegon II’s brother, Aemond, gets to Storm’s End before Lucerys and offers himself in a marriage pact to one of Lord Borros Baratheon’s daughters. Borros mocks Lucerys and ushers him out of court, fearing a melee between the uncle-nephew duo. Aemond instigates a fight above the Shipbreaker Bay in which Lucerys loses control of Arrax. “The Black Queen” culminates in an angered Vhagar devouring Lucerys and Arrax, while Aemond lets out a cry of shock.
Following Lucerys’ assassination, Rhaenyra’s deep stare into the camera conveys that she is all-in for the war between kin.
What Happens In House Of The Dragon Season 1?
House of the Dragon – Season 1 is about King Viserys I Targaryen ascending the Iron Throne and his bad decision-making. While he sets the precedent by naming his eldest child, Rhaenyra, as his heir, he fails to keep her close. He marries Rhaenyra’s childhood companion, Alicent, and not once does it occur to him to name Rhaenyra Hand. Viserys has three children from Alicent, the eldest being a male, Aegon, a girl child named Helaena, and a boy, Aemond, who closely mirrors his rogue uncle, Daemon.
Viserys also fails to keep a check on the Hightowers’ rise in power, the result being that Rhaenyra packs up and leaves for Dragonstone. It is pertinent to mention that King Viserys suffers from a mysterious illness that House of the Dragon describes as “the rot.” This illness restricts him to his chambers, especially after Rhaenyra’s gone. The Hightower duo warm his throne for him.
Alicent weds her children, Aegon and Helaena, in the tradition of House Targaryen, and the brother-sister duo have twins, Jaehaera and Jaehaerys, per House of the Dragon. Rhaenyra has three legal (not biological) sons from her marriage to Laenor Velaryon. Laenor’s sister, Laena, weds Daemon Targaryen. They have two daughters, Baela and Rhaena, and she is pregnant with her third. Laena chooses death by Vhagar’s dragonfire because she is stuck in complicated labor.
After Laena’s funeral at Driftmark, Aemond claims Vhagar, Rhaenyra, and Laenor, who were unable to consummate their marriage, decide to part ways to live separate lives. Laenor fakes his death with Daemon’s help and rows away with his lover, Qarl Correy. This paves the way for Rhaenyra to wed Daemon in a Valyrian wedding ceremony in the presence of their children at Dragonstone.
At the end of House of the Dragon season 1, episode 8 “The Lord of the Tides,” Viserys deliriously succumbs to the rot. He mistakes Alicent for his daughter, Rhaenyra, and reiterates Aegon’s Dream, aka the Prince That Was Promised, saying:
It is you. You are the one. You must do this. You must do this.
Alicent takes it to mean Viserys had a change of heart on his deathbed and supplanted Rhaenyra in favor of Aegon. She prepares for Aegon’s ascension and successfully installs him on the Iron Throne. Her son carries his namesake’s sword and wears his crown, but that still doesn’t make him king. The Greens are nothing but traitors to the realm.
House Of The Dragon Season 1’s Critical Reception
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93% on Tomatometer and 82% Audience Score
- Metacritic Score: 69 METASCORE (Based on 43 Critic Reviews) and 5.5 USER SCORE (Based on 1,507 User Ratings)
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Cast |
Jefferson Hall, Paddy Considine, Fabien Frankel, Ryan Corr, Eve Best, Gavin Spokes, Graham McTavish, Steve Toussaint, Olivia Cooke, Sonoya Mizuno, Bill Paterson, Matthew Needham, Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, Rhys Ifans, David Horovitch |
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Premiere |
August 21, 2022 |
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Finale Date |
October 23, 2022 |
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Release Date (Season 2) |
June 16, 2024 |
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Number of Episodes (Season 1) |
10 |
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Number of Episodes (Season 2) |
8 |
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Where To Watch |
HBO and Max |
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