The Legacy of the House of Fire and Blood Unraveled on August 22 on Disney+ Hotstar as the highly anticipated HBO series, House of the Dragon, premiered in all its glory. Based on George RR Martin’s book Fire and Blood, the 10-episode series is the remarkable, turbulent story of the House of Targaryen, set 200 years before the events that hit global audiences in Game of Thrones. The season finale aired on Sunday night, October 23, and captivated audiences, leaving them shocked by the brutal death of yet another favorite character.
The House Of The Dragon finale ends with the brutal death of young Prince Lucerys Velaryon; season 2 starts filming in Spain in early 2023
SPOILERS – In the finale, Rhaenyra Targaryen and Daemon Targaryen got into the fray after learning that her father, King Viserys, had died and his wife Alicent (with the help of her father, Hand of King Otto Hightower), usurped her claim and has placed her own son Aegon II Targaryen in the most honored spot of the realm. The princess miscarries her daughter Visenya after hearing the news. In the episode, ready for war, Daemon abruptly choked Rhaenyra when she mentioned the Song of Ice and Fire, not realizing that the story had not been told to Daemon. Lord Corlys Velaryon returned to Dragonstone after his long naval battle with the Stepstones and became an ally to Rhaenyra and the Blacks in an attempt to retake the Iron Throne.
When Rhaenyra was crowned queen by Daemon, they began planning and sending envoys to those who could change their position and support the Greens. Her sons Jacaerys “Jake” Velaryon and Lucerys “Luke” Velaryon volunteer as envoys, as they are both sent north and south respectively. Lucerys is set on Storm’s End to secure the support of Lord Borros Baratheon. One of the most shocking moments came when Lucerys finds Aemond Targaryen already at Storm’s End with his dragon Vhagar and even offers to marry Baratheon in exchange for support. As Lucerys turns away from Storm’s End, Aemond mocks his cousin and demands an eye for an eye. Luke leaves the palace on his dragon Arrax in stormy rainy weather when Aemond decides to chase him on his huge dragon Vhagar. During the chase, Luke, oath given to his mother that he would be only an envoy and not a warrior, is seen riding away from Aemond when his dragon Arrax feels threatened and spits fire at Vhagar. When Vhagar becomes uncontrollable, the dragon attacks Arrax and Luke, causing the latter to tumble into the sea and die. In the final scene, the music takes over as Daemon walks into the war room to inform Rhaenyra that Luke had died. She is weak in the knees as she walks to the fireplace in tears and then gathers courage. The last shot you see is her turning towards the camera.
With Season 2 set to begin in Spain in early 2023, showrunner Ryan Condal explained to Entertainment Weekly, “The war is called the Dance of the Dragons, and this is the first dragon fight to have taken place since Old Valyria. So the fact that this is the first shot made it an almost necessary ending point for the first season for me. Aegon sees Aegon claim the crown and throne of Rhaenyra here, but now the stakes have risen so far. What’s going to happen next? It’s such a big abyss to leaving everyone behind in the second season.”
“We wanted it to be interesting, complex and not just a foregone conclusion,” Condal said. “We portrayed Aemond as a person who had a hard life and was bullied and lost an eye in the process, but we also portrayed him as someone who is smart and calculating. He is someone who is able to act on impulse, but he doesn’t feel like someone who would go out there and commit outright murder without thinking about it.”
In the book Fire & Ice, Aemond planned to kill Luke, while in the finale, Aemond chased him alone and scared him when the dragon got out of hand. When asked if that was the intention, Condal said, “Historians have told us that Aemond intended to kill Luke, but I don’t think any of them could claim to know what was going on in Aemond’s head at the time. And I would also dispute the word “accident” a bit. I mean, Aemond got on his giant dragon and chased his cousin on his much smaller dragon through the clouds, screaming and yelling at him, enraging his dragon and starting a fight. He didn’t know how Arrax or Luke would react, and it ended in tragedy. I don’t think that’s what Aemond meant when he threw his leg over the saddle, but he did something terrible, dangerous. That’s the point: this is a war of many cuts leading to a very, very bloody wound. It adds complexity and nuance to the character which is potentially interesting. There is a lot of runway to continue with Aemond as a character and the story of the Dance. This is his first act as a dragon rider and warrior and it all went wrong. What happens as a result, and how does he react? Those are the questions I am interested in as a playwright.”
When asked if they’ve explored any other endings, he said, “Maybe, someday? But no, I looked back at the original bible I wrote for the series in May 2019, and it was the ending point there. It just felt like the one-two punch of Viserys dying, the Greens taking the throne and telling that story from the perspective of Alicent’s team, Rhaenyra’s team discovering and installing the engines of war and then taking off the dragons and this terrible thing. happened over Storm’s End – the story is called the Dance of the Dragons. To start the war/end the first act of our story with the first dancing dragons seemed like the right dramatic place to let everyone go.”
House of the Dragon has been renewed for season 2 and will air in 2024.
ALSO READ: House Of The Dragon: Finale Promo Teases Another Major Death After Aegon Targaryen II Takes The Iron Throne; watch video
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