SPOILER ALERT: This story contains details from the season finale of House of the Dragon.
War is coming, no matter how much Rhaenyra would like to avoid it.
In the season finale of House of the Dragon dubbed “The Black Queen,” the true heir to the throne (played by Emma D’Arcy) tries to shore up support from other houses without resorting to violence. But her son Luke pays the ultimate price after a futile attempt to find an ally in the Baratheons: he is killed by the rogue dragon Vhagar, ridden by Alicent’s son, Aemond (an intimidating Ewan Mitchell). The loss of two children in one day! (Rhaenyra miscarried her sixth child at the top of the episode, further solidifying the notion in HOTD‘s first season that giving birth to a Targaryen baby can be hazardous to one’s health).
War, in fact, is already here. The Dance of the Dragons has begun.
A quick rewind: the Greens (those who support the coronation of Aegon II, Alicent’s son) are surprisingly absent from the finale, save the accidentally murderous Aemond and an appearance by Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) who demands fealty to the new king. Otherwise, the episode is focused entirely on the Blacks (Rhaenyra’s crew) at Dragonstone as friendlies arrive in the form of Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Touissant), who swears loyalty to Rhaenyra. She even got her own coronation. Where did that crown come from, anyway? Oh that’s right: It’s her dad’s!
Relations with Daemon (Matt Smith) don’t go as smoothly. He learns how his brother shared the Song of Fire and Ice prophecy with Rhaenyra — a deep, family secret that Viserys never told his wild sibling. It angers Daemon so much that he almost chokes his wife to death. (The downside to marrying one’s uncle?) Daemon is also not so keen about Rhaenyra’s wait who strikes first approach and is eager for blood, which includes threatening his two lame knights with a fiery death unless they pledge allegiance to Rhaenyra.
At least the Blacks appear to be better equipped to do battle against the Greens: they have 13 dragons while Aegon’s army only has 4.
We’ll have more coverage of the finale later tonight and tomorrow, starting with an interview with Showrunner/Executive Producer Ryan Condal. Until then, what did you think of the episode? How’d you like the painted table? If you are a fan of George R.R. Martin, was the finale truly faithful to the books?