he episodes roll on, and the cloud of discontent hanging over the Targaryen household grows by the 12 months. We left episode eight with Viserys on his deathbed, Alicent misunderstanding which Aegon he was speaking about and Rhaenyra sequestered all the best way over in Dragonstone. And it appears to be like like issues are about to kick off.
Because the finale looms, settle again and watch issues catch hearth in spectacular fashion…
We open on a shot of the well-known Iron Throne at nighttime corridor. The citadel is quiet – however immediately a younger boy seems. We observe him to the kitchens, the place he whispers one thing to what appears to be like like a maidservant.
Smash minimize to Alicent saying, “You’re positive”, and bursting into tears. Oh no: evidently the king has died. Alas, poor Viserys.
Nonetheless, in basic Alicent fashion, she doesn’t waste a lot time grieving. “Keep right here. Inform no-one,” she says, and requires assist getting dressed. The place’s she going? Seems, it’s to her pricey father Otto, who stands there trying pensive by the hearth.
“Who is aware of?” he asks. Because it occurs, Alicent replies, no one, besides a number of the servants. You’ll be able to see the cogs delivering his mind, however then she drops one other clanger.
“I noticed him final night time… he advised me he wished for Aegon to be King,” Alicent says and smiles.
Nicely, not fairly Alicent – however that’s not going to cease the small council, which convenes just about immediately after she utters the phrases. Everyone is there – Otto, Alicent, Ser Tyland Lannister – besides, after all, Rhaenyra.
Otto imparts the information. “We grieve for Viserys the Peaceable,” he says. “Our sovereign, our buddy. However he has left us a present. Along with his final breath he impressed upon the Queen his closing want that he son Aegon ought to succeed him as Lord of the Seven Kingdoms.”
You would hear a pin drop. “Then we might proceed together with his blessing on our long-laid plans,” Lannister says. Uh-oh: appears to be like like this has been within the works for some time.
Certainly, Otto says, and all of the discuss promptly strikes to planning. Two members of the Metropolis Watch are nonetheless loyal to Daemon and should be changed; messages should be despatched to their allies in Riverrun and Highgarden.
Alicent, watching this unfold, is perplexed. “Am I to know that the members of the small council have been planning secretly to put in my son with out me?” she asks.
Apparently, sure – however not all of them. Naturally there’s dissent and issues get shirty. Aged Lord Lyman Beesbury protests: that is theft and treason, he shouts, pointing (fairly rightly) to the extremely handy location and timing of Viserys’ final phrases.
“Which of you right here can swear he died of his personal accord?”
He begins to spring up, however Ser Criston Cole slams him again down so arduous that he cracks the previous man’s cranium and kills him. Wow, okay; nice job Criston.
There’s a surprised silence. The Lord Commander of the Watch, Ser Harold Westerling, pulls out his sword and tells Cole to drop his – most likely so as to arrest him. Cole as an alternative attracts his, with a smirk, earlier than being advised to face down by Alicent.
As the opposite Small Council members fidget uncomfortably, one asks for Lord Beesbury’s corpse to be eliminated. No, Otto says: the door stays shut till we end our enterprise. Do these individuals want any extra affirmation that they’re the unhealthy guys?
As dialog sputters again into life, Alicent interjects once more. “What of Rhaenyra?” she asks.
The previous inheritor can’t after all be allowed to stay free and draw help to her declare, Otto says tactfully. Subtext: she’s a marked girl. They’ll be given the prospect to publically bend the knee to the brand new king, which Alicent scoffs at.
“You intend to kill them,” she says, and appears appalled. I’m not completely positive why: perhaps she ought to have thought twice about pushing Aegon’s kingship.
“It’s unsavoury, sure, however a sacrifice we should make to safe Aegon’s succession.” Otto says. On listening to this, Alicent flies right into a fury, however as Tyland Lannister rightly says – what does she counsel as an alternative?
Within the silence (lots of these going round), Otto tells Ser Harold Westerling to go to Dragonstone and lead the assassination get together. In response, he tears off his white cloak.
“I’m Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. I recognise no authority however the King’s.” Nicely, his life expectancy has simply gone down considerably; on the plus aspect, Ser Criston Cole appears to be like like he smells a promotion.
An unwelcome shock
Because the assembly involves an in depth, Alicent goes to go to her kids. Helaena is stitching dutifully alongside her three babies – in basic Targaryen fashion, they’re the product of her marriage to brother Aegon.
Does Helaena know the place Aegon, the brand new King is? Seems, she doesn’t: this kingship is off to a very good begin.
What’s occurred, Helaena asks. Then she provides: “There’s a beast beneath the boards.” Alrighty then.
In the meantime, Otto is making his personal plans to search out Aegon, enlisting the luscious-locked Ser Erryk Cargyll to conduct an incognito hunt in King’s Touchdown, the place it seems Aegon has gone.
“Deliver him to me and me alone,” Otto says. Seems to be like there’s some dissent brewing between Otto and his daughter, who asks Ser Criston Cole and her son Aemond to do the identical factor.
In the meantime, Rhaenys wakes as much as discover herself locked in her personal chambers. Shock, shock – no one desires the Queen That By no means Was to be interfering in crown affairs. And when she appears to be like out of the window she sees a bunch of servants being shepherded to the dungeons, presumably to cease them blabbing about Viserys’ dying.
The sport is afoot
With that, the hunt for Aegon is on. First up, Ser Criston Cole and Aemond head to the Avenue of Silk, the place Aemond explains his brother used to take him. Nonetheless, clearly that was some time in the past: the sneering brothel proprietor says he doesn’t frequent any of the brothels there anymore.
“His tastes are identified to be much less discriminating,” she says. Eek.
In the meantime Otto can be having problem. He’s holding court docket within the Nice Corridor, demanding Westeros’ lords swear fealty to Aegon fairly than to Rhaenyra. Some kneel, however two dissent.
“I need to confer first with my home on this matter,” he says – what are the probabilities that he’s a Stark? – however Otto isn’t having it. No person is leaving with out declaring their intention, he pronounces.
“I’m no Oathbreaker. I can’t bend the knee,” he replies (positively a Stark). The 2 dissenters are quickly led away by guards, and with that, all of the remaining Westerosi lords hurriedly swear fealty to their new King.
In the meantime, within the streets of King’s Touchdown, the luscious-haired Pantene brothers (Erryk and his confusingly-named twin, Arryk) head to a dusty, decrepit combating ring the place peasant children with filed tooth and nails battle it out for the delight of the baying punters.
“Prince Aegon spends many an evening on this place,” one tells the opposite. “Do you see now what he’s?”
They appear sideways and see slightly blonde boy trying up at them. Is he combating too? Both approach, he’s very clearly a Targaryen bastard.
Whereas the brothers argue, a girl sneaks up behind them and says that she will inform them the place Aegon is… for a worth. Seems to be like Mysaria additionally has a stake in who turns into King – however she has to speak to the Hand of the King or there’s no deal.
Yeah proper, the brothers inform her, however the spy is unfazed. “I believe he’ll want to hear what the White Worm can inform him,” she replies.
Issues aren’t going too effectively for his or her opponents, both: within the different camp, Aemond is sulking. Aegon is a wastrel and never match to be king, he says. Aemond is the one who research, who trains with the sword, who rides a dragon. It’s all however a gross sales pitch to be King, and Cole is sympathetic.
“I do know what it’s to toil for what others are freely given,” he says. Each of those blokes have mountain-sized chips on their shoulders.
“Ought to they arrive in search of me, I intend to be discovered,” Aemond replies.
Any dissent might be crushed
Again within the citadel, hassle is brewing. A member of the small council is caught making an attempt to flee the Preserve by Larys. Although he’s defiant, Otto primarily condemns him to dying and thanks Larys. Perhaps they might help one another, he says. Seems to be like Larys is rising on the earth.
In the meantime, Alicent is rocking some severe goth vibes in all black, as Viserys’ physique is being wrapped in gold fabric for his funeral.
As they go away, she tenderly picks up his crown and locations it on his chest. Then she goes to go to Rhaenys, who understandably is lower than impressed at how she’s been handled. However then she twigs the explanation why.
“The king. And also you’re usurping the throne.”
Alicent is defiant; the air sizzles. Each of the ladies right here (Olivia Cooke and Eve Greatest) are appearing their socks off.
“It was my husband’s dying want. Consider it or no, it’s of no consequence. Aegon might be king,” she says, then asks for Rhaenys’ backing. She’s acquired some nerve – and Rhaenys says a lot the identical.
Alicent tries her greatest to persuade Rhaenys. Corlys has deserted her; her kids have died; Rhaenyra doesn’t take care of her.
“The phrase of my home shouldn’t be fickle,” Rhaenys protests, however Alicent stops her. You need to have been queen, she says, and have been robbed of the prospect by Viserys, whom all of them know would have been happier dwelling the lifetime of a scholar within the countryside than ruling.
“We don’t rule, however we might information the lads that do. Gently, away from violence… towards peace.” To sweeten the deal even additional, Alicent says that Rhaenys may even have Driftmark.
You’re wiser than I believed, Rhaenys says. “But you toil nonetheless in service to males. Your father, your husband, your son. You need to not be free, however to make a window within the wall of your jail. Have you ever ever imagined your self upon the Iron Throne?” Zing.
Alicent has no response to that, as effectively she may. As an alternative, she pretty flees Rhaenys’ chambers, telling her to ring the bell when she has a solution. In different phrases, when she’s prepared to modify sides.
The true hero
In the meantime in King’s Touchdown, the sport is afoot: Ser Criston Cole and Aemond spot none apart from Otto Hightower deep in dialog with Mysaria (welcome again, Sonoya Mizuno). However Otto is sceptical: is she real?
“My condolences on the passing of your King,” she replies. This appears to be sufficient for Otto (with all the difficulty he’s gone to maintain this secret, it had higher be) and a giant bag of money is handed throughout the desk.
It seems that Aegon is in Fleabottom – however Mysaria is giving them nothing extra till Otto guarantees to cease the kid combating pits. Wait, is she the hero we should always have been backing all alongside?
“I’ll look into it,” he says.
Keep in mind me when Aegon is on the throne, she replies. She might have killed Aegon, and she or he has a message for Otto: “there isn’t a energy past what the individuals will let you take.” Are we seeing the beginning of a revolution?
Both approach, the Pantene brothers presently discover Aegon squirrelled away beneath the altar within the Nice Sept. He’s acquired severe mattress head, and his eyes are bleary: it appears to be like like he’s hiding. Actually, he tries to run away, and is pursued all the best way into Criston Cole and Aemond’s arms. Like every good snoops, it appears they’ve let the brothers do the arduous work, earlier than making off with the prize.
As Ser Criston Cole spars with the brothers, Aemond rugby tackles his wayward older brother, who’s lower than impressed.
“Let me go! I’ve no want to rule, no style for obligation. I’m not suited,” he complains – after which affords to run away, à la Laenor. Aemond appears to be like very tempted certainly, however obligation calls, and Ser Criston bundles the royal king-in-waiting away to the palace.
There aren’t any winners
As Aegon is being manhandled again to the arms of his mom, Alicent bursts in on a serene Otto.
“Nicely performed,” he tells her. None of this can be a recreation, she retorts. He tells her that they’re each striving for a similar factor: the great of the household. And no matter their variations, their hearts stay as one.
“Our hearts have been by no means one.” She tells him. “Fairly I’ve been a bit you’ve moved concerning the board.” What is that this: is Alicent lastly having her long-overdue feminist awakening?
As you may anticipate, Otto is unmoved. I made you Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, he tells her. Would you may have desired in any other case?
She replies that she doesn’t know: she’s all the time needed no matter he needed her to. However now she’s breaking free, apparently – due to her squeamishness about murdering her once-best buddy Rhaenyra.
Otto is pragmatic: Rhaenyra’s dying can be for the great of the realm, and she or he’s endangering all of them by refusing to decide to it.
“Reluctance to homicide shouldn’t be a weak spot,” she snaps. “I’ve Aegon. We’ll proceed now as I see match.”
This implies, apparently, that they’ll be sending give up phrases to Rhaenyra on Dragonstone. Moreover, Alicent says, her son might be anointed at daybreak with the crown of Aegon the Conqueror, reminding everyone of the energy of Home Targaryen. Now, they’re doing issues her approach.
Otto appears speechless. “As you want,” he says, seemingly conceding the sport to her. Is that unhappiness we see on his face? Absolutely not?
However the night time isn’t over for Alicent but. Upon returning to her rooms she’s interrupted in the midst of pouring a large glass of wine by Larys, who’s come to stir the proverbial pot. Doesn’t she wish to know the way Otto discovered Aegon first, he asks?
In keeping with Larys, there’s an online of Msyaria’s spies within the Crimson Preserve that Otto has left there. Generally it may possibly show helpful, for these “keen to feed the weaver.” And because it seems, one of many little spiders is Alicent’s girl in ready.
Larys tells Alicent the a method to make sure this benefit is neutralised is by taking out the Queen Bee. “I assume this falls inside your experience,” Alicent says, tucking her toes up on the sofa.
Larys stares – as a result of they’re her toes or as a result of they’re simply toes (as you could keep in mind, he’s himself a cripple)? We don’t know, nevertheless it’s one of many extra skin-crawling moments on this episode.
All hail the… King?
Because the night time rolls on, a parade of sleepless faces flashes earlier than our eyes: Aemond, Alicent, Otto.
And Rhaenys, who finally ends up escaping captivity, as she’s rescued by Ser Erryk (or Arryk). “With me, princess,” he tells her. “I can’t let this treachery stand.” Hooray!
As they go away they stroll previous the member of the Small Council, now hanging from a rope: another reminder that what they’re doing is harmful. However the pair make it into King’s Touchdown with out incident and sneak off beneath the duvet of darkness… previous a burning constructing.
Everyone knows how Larys killed his family, and has promised to eliminate Mysaria… is that this his work too? We don’t know, and neither does Rhaenys, who desires to return for her dragon, Meraxes. With out her kids, husband and even a house, Meraxes might be the one factor she nonetheless holds pricey.
Nonetheless, the Kingsguard refuses; sensibly, it’s deemed too harmful. However even they’ll’t predict what occurs subsequent – mainly, a flash mob descends on the streets of King’s Touchdown. Guards are shoving them each which approach, Rhaenys will get separated from her protector.
Make approach, peasants: it’s the day of Aegon’s coronation.
As town buzzes, Aegon is getting forcibly wheeled to the Nice Sept for the massive day. As all the time, Alicent is lecturing him. You need to be grateful, she says. Look how a lot we’ve executed to get you right here.
Aegon is unimpressed and pours scorn on her declare that Viserys named him inheritor. Twenty years and he by no means did it, he tells her. Why ought to he do this now? Clearly, neither his father nor himself needed Aegon to be King. Poor Alicent; not even her personal kids imagine her.
She then offers him the unique Aegon’s dagger (the one Viserys initially gave to Rhaenyra) and tells him to not take heed to Otto’s calls for for Rhaenyra’s dying. “For all her faults she is your sister, your father’s daughter.”
That is Alicent’s large second, however Aegon is unimpressed.
“Do you’re keen on me?” He asks. “You imbecile,” she responds. Ah, pleased households.
In the meantime the gang containing a fairly bemused Rhaenys has been swept into the Sept, and as they assemble, Otto is prepared and ready.
He tells them that Viserys has died – together with the bit about his disputed final want – and whereas the gang take it with whispers fairly than cheering, they dutifully clap when Aegon seems and walks beneath a procession of crossed swords to the dais.
Flanked by his mom and grandfather, Aegon kneels and because the ceremony begins, Rhaenys begins making her approach by means of the gang and slips down a staircase.
Because the anointment involves an in depth, Ser Criston Cole (presumably lastly elevated to Lord Commander of the Kingsguard) locations the crown on Aegon’s head.
“Aegon the King!” the priest pronounces. There’s a second of silence, and other people begin cheering. Aegon appears to be like clean. Then the cheering appears to spark one thing in him. He pulls his sword out and holds it over his head; the gang goes wild.
Then- an explosion! Mud and particles rain by means of the Sept. Out of the chaos, a large dragon rears its head. Because the individuals stampede in panic, guards begin closing the Grand Sept’s doorways, locking them in.
Because the mud clears, Rhaenys is revealed using her dragon, Meraxes. With all the Targaryen line at her mercy, Alicent shielding her son, the dragon roars of their faces – then Rhaenys takes off into the afternoon sky. Now that’s a Queen value worshipping.
The decision
The battle for the Iron Throne kicked off in fashion this episode. With poor previous King Viserys lastly (lastly!) biting the mud, Alicent’s maneouvring appears to have paid off: she’s positioned her son on the throne and booted Rhaenyra to 1 aspect with the assistance of the devious Small Council, with the princess seemingly none-the-wiser as to what’s occurred in her absence.
Count on her to search out out subsequent episode, although – and when she does, all hell will break unfastened…
Home of the Dragon is streaming on NOW and Sky Atlantic