By the time House of the Dragon started, House Targaryen had 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 undisputedly. However, they command a sizable army of fearsome dragons, leaving even the most power-hungry would-be usurpers wary of challenging their claim to the throne.
The biggest threat to their government is the civil war. The events of the first season seemed to set Westeros on an irreversible course toward a war of succession, which will no doubt be marked by untold bloodshed and betrayal.
Since she was chosen as King Viserys’ second wife and gave birth to his first male heirs, it appeared that Queen Alicent, along with her father, Ser Otto Hightower, had little loyalty to House Targaryen and would be prepared to take extreme measures. to go. to break the royal status quo. Now that the king is gone, someone must be chosen to sit on the Iron Throne. Despite King Viserys having chosen Princess Rhaenyra to succeed him, the little council went ahead with their plan to install Aegon Targaryen as Kingwhich will undoubtedly have catastrophic consequences for Westeros.
After many years of suffering, King Viserys finally succumbed to his illness
The public was aware of King Viserys disease relatively early House of the Dragon. He seemed about to die at any moment, but somehow managed to cling to life and survive the long periods between episodes. However, during the eighth episode of the season, “The Lord of the Tides”, the full extent of his physical decline became apparent. He could barely walk to the Iron Throne and over dinner with his family revealed that he had lost an eye to his illness.
The king’s death happens off-screen and the council immediately begins planning Aegon’s ascension. The plan’s only opponent, Lord Beesbury, was unceremoniously murdered by Ser Criston Cole. Queen Alicent, who may have misinterpreted the king’s deathbed and told of a dream about Aegon ascending to the throne (fans of the A song of ice and fire novels know the Viserys was talking about another Aegon), was slightly shocked to see how far along the treacherous plot was, but went along with it anyway.
The Greens installed Aegon Targaryen as king
Trying to wipe out any rulers still loyal to Princess Rhaenyra, the Greens hatch a plan to kill the princess before she can take action against them. Princess Rhaenys is locked in her chambers and Queen Alicent tries to influence her loyalty, but is unceremoniously reprimanded.
Later, Ser Erryk frees Rhaenys and tries to sneak her out of town. Lord Larys, who had been established in previous episodes as a useful ally in the plight of the Green, 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 perform a fetishistic act, leaving many onlookers shocked and disgusted.
After searching King’s Landing to find Aegon, who was uninterested in taking the throne and went into hiding when his ascension seemed inevitable, Aegon is dragged to his fate, kicking and screaming. The people of King’s Landing are forced to go to the Dragonpit to witness the coronation ceremony. Though Aegon had long expressed his reluctance to take the throne, when confronted by a crowd of commoners cheering for his coronation, he seems to embrace his role and burst into an unwilling smile.
Moments after Aegon is crowned, there is a rumbling under the Dragon’s Pit, and Princess Rhaenys, riding on the back of her dragon Meleys, breaks through the floor, kills untold numbers of commoners, and marches to the new king. Meleys takes a breath, and the audience sees Queen Alicent closing her eyes to accept the inevitable flames, but Meleys just roars in the faces of the new king and his insidious counsel. Rhaenys then flees King’s Landing.
The first season of House of the Dragon It progressed rather slowly, but it perfectly paved the way for the upcoming civil war and allowed the public to gain a deep understanding of the factions involved. In the upcoming finale and future seasons, alliances will be formed, assassination attempts will be made and dragonfire will rain down on the Seven Kingdoms. Everyone will have to choose a side: who will support the treacherous Greens, who may well represent the possibility of stability in Westeros, and who will decide to join the Blacks, led by the rightful heir, Princess Rhaenyra, and her illegitimate children?