By the time House of the Dragon began, House Targaryen had already been in power for hundreds of years. Obviously, it wouldn’t make for a very compelling television show if the Targaryens continued to rule the Seven Kingdoms uncontested. They do, however, command a considerable army of fearsome dragons, which makes even the most power-hungry potential usurpers wary of challenging their claim to the throne.
The single biggest threat to their reign is civil war. The events of the first season seemed to put Westeros on an irreversible course toward a war of succession, which will undoubtedly be marked with untold bloodshed and betrayal.
Ever since she was chosen to be King Viserys’s second wife and gave birth to his first male heirs, it seemed that Queen Alicent, along with her father, Ser Otto Hightower, bore little loyalty to House Targaryen and would be willing to go to extreme measures to upend the royal status quo. Now that the King is gone, someone needs to be chosen to sit on the Iron Throne. Despite King Viserys having selected Princess Rhaenyra to succeed him, the small council went forward with their plot to install Aegon Targaryen as King, which will undoubtedly have catastrophic implications for Westeros.
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After Many Years of Suffering, King Viserys Finally Succumbed to His Illness
Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution
Audiences knew about King Viserys’ illness relatively early on in the run of House of the Dragon. He seemed poised to die at any moment but somehow managed to cling to life, surviving the long periods of time that happened between episodes. However, during the eighth episode of the season, “The Lord of the Tides,” the full extent of his physical deterioration became clear. He was barely able to walk to the Iron Throne, and at a dinner with his family, he revealed that he had lost an eye to his disease.
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The King’s death happens off-screen, and the council immediately begins planning Aegon’s ascension. The sole objector to the plan, Lord Beesbury, was unceremoniously killed by Ser Criston Cole. Queen Alicent, perhaps misconstruing the King’s deathbed recounting of a dream about Aegon ascending to the Throne (fans of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels are aware the Viserys was talking about a different Aegon), was somewhat shocked to see how far along the traitorous plot was, but nevertheless went along with it.
The Greens Installed Aegon Targaryen as King
HBO
The Greens attempt to weed out any rulers still loyal to Princess Rhaenyra and plot to assassinate the Princess before she can take action against them. Princess Rhaenys is imprisoned in her chambers, and Queen Alicent attempts to sway her loyalty but is unceremoniously rebuked.
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Later, Ser Erryk frees Rhaenys and attempts to sneak her out of the city. Lord Larys, who had in previous episodes been established as a useful ally in the Green’s plight, informs Alicent that there are spies in King’s Landing, most notably her lady-in-waiting Talya. To reward him for the information, Queen Alicent allows Larys to carry out a fetishistic act, which leaves many audience members shocked and disgusted.
After searching King’s Landing to find Aegon, who was disinterested in taking the throne and went into hiding when his ascension seemed inevitable, Aegon is dragged kicking and screaming toward his destiny. The populace of King’s Landing is forced toward the Dragonpit to witness the crowning ceremony. Though Aegon had long expressed his reluctance at the possibility of taking the throne, when faced with a crowd of common folk who cheer at his coronation, he seems to embrace his role and breaks out in a reluctant smile.
Moments after Aegon is crowned, there is a rumbling beneath the Dragonpit, and Princess Rhaenys, riding on the back of her dragon Meleys, smashes through the floor, killing untold numbers of common folk, and marches toward the new King. Meleys draws breath, and audiences see Queen Alicent close her eyes to accept the inevitable flames, but Meleys simply roars in the faces of the new King and his traitorous council. Rhaenys then flees King’s Landing.
The first season of House of the Dragon progressed rather slowly, but it perfectly set the stage for the upcoming civil war and allowed audiences to get a deep understanding of the factions involved. In the upcoming finale and future seasons, alliances will be formed, assassinations will be attempted, and dragon fire will rain down over the Seven Kingdoms. Everyone will need to choose a side: who will support the traitorous Greens, who could very well represent the possibility of stability in Westeros, and who will decide to ally themselves with the Blacks, led by the rightful heir, Princess Rhaenyra, and her illegitimate children?
