After ten episodes, a number of time jumps, and far more dragons than we ever noticed on Recreation of Thrones, Season 1 of Home of the Dragon has come to an unforgettable finish.
The season finale, “The Black Queen,” picks up the place the ninth episode, “The Inexperienced Council,” left off. Princess Rhaenys (Eve Greatest) informs Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) that the Greens have disrespected her declare and usurped the Iron Throne. The remainder of the episode sticks with the Black camp, following how they plan to proceed within the face of what is going to definitely be a warfare of succession.
After all, this being Westeros, issues do not fairly play out the way you’d anticipate, and there are a number of twists — and one devastating loss of life — forward. Let’s break it down.
How ‘Home of the Dragon’ is totally different from George R.R. Martin’s ‘Hearth and Blood’
What’s Rhaenyra’s subsequent transfer?
And so the Dance of Dragons begins.
Credit score: Ollie Upton/HBO
“The Black Queen” places Rhaenyra via hell. She finds out that her father Viserys is useless and that Alicent (Olivia Cooke) put Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) on the Iron Throne, and then she goes into untimely labor. She delivers a stillborn child and has no time in any respect to mourn earlier than she is topped Queen by her supporters in Dragonstone.
Within the midst of all this grief, Rhaenyra does her finest to carry the realm collectively, as that is what Aegon the Conqueror’s Track of Ice and Hearth calls for of a Targaryen chief. Nonetheless, she does transfer to take inventory of her allies. As soon as Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) recovers from his fever, he declares Home Velaryon’s help for her. With Corlys at her aspect, Rhaenyra has the benefit of the largest fleet in Westeros, one that may minimize off delivery lanes to King’s Touchdown. If Rhaenyra might bind Homes Arryn, Tully, Stark, and Baratheon to her aspect, she can be really unstoppable. She sends out her sons Jacaerys (Harry Collett) and Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) as messengers to those nice lords. Jacaerys will deal with with Cregan Stark, whereas Lucerys will remind Borros Baratheon of the oath his father swore to Rhaenyra years in the past.
What does the piece of paper Otto provides Rhaenyra imply?
Historical past repeats itself.
Credit score: Ollie Upton/HBO
Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) arrives on Dragonstone to ship Rhaenyra phrases for her accepting Aegon as king. He’s met with a really hostile Daemon (Matt Smith) and Rhaenyra using Syrax. The entire scene performs out like a mirror model of the Dragonstone standoff from episode 2. As soon as, Rhaenyra and Daemon have been rivals threatening one another with dragons. Now, the 2 of them be part of collectively towards Otto.
Similar to with the final Dragonstone showdown, this tense encounter does not finish in bloodshed, and it is all because of a message from Alicent. Otto arms Rhaenyra a bit of paper and he or she acknowledges it instantly as a web page from a historical past guide that Alicent as soon as quizzed her on, all the best way again in episode 1. The truth that Alicent stored all of it these years — and that Rhaenyra remembers — undoubtedly speaks to the energy of their bond (in addition to, dare I say it, deeper emotions than friendship). Since Rhaenyra and Alicent have been on the verge of reconciling in episode 8, it is sensible that Rhaenyra does not instantly assault Otto. If there’s an opportunity to fix that friendship and unite the realm, she’s going to most undoubtedly think about it.
Alicent’s inexperienced gown in ‘Home of the Dragon’ is a significant energy transfer. Here is why it is so vital.
Who’s that dragon Daemon sings to, and what does that scene imply for Season 2?
A brand new dragon good friend!
Credit score: Courtesy of HBO
Whereas Rhaenyra workouts restraint after studying of her father’s loss of life, Daemon craves decisive motion. Along with his brother useless and his spouse’s throne usurped, he is clearly on the warpath. He even takes his anger out on Rhaenyra. One of many episode’s darker scenes sees him choking her on the point out of the Track of Ice and Hearth. To him, this can be a reminder of Viserys’ personal inaction and obsession over goals. However in his thoughts, the Targaryens did not get the place they did due to goals. The supply of their energy has at all times been dragons. And Daemon plans to get extra of them.
Later within the episode, Daemon journeys beneath the Dragonmont on Dragonstone, the place he encounters a really massive dragon and sings to it in Excessive Valyrian. That dragon is Vermithor, and he hasn’t had a rider since Jaehaerys, the king earlier than Viserys.
As Daemon factors out, there are a number of riderless dragons roaming Westeros, together with Laenor’s outdated dragon Seasmoke. If the Blacks can discover dragonriders, they will get extra dragons, and their benefit over the Greens will develop. Vermithor does not assault Daemon, so the first step in his plan appears to be successful. Season 2 will seemingly see Daemon looking for out a brand new crop of dragonriders and instructing them… how one can prepare their dragons.
What occurs at Storm’s Finish within the Home of the Dragon finale?
The outfit? Impeccable. The kinslaying? Inexcusable.
Credit score: Gary Moyes/HBO
Home of the Dragon Season 1 ends with our first huge dragon battle of the sequence. It is Aemond’s (Ewan Mitchell) behemoth Vhagar towards Lucerys’ small however speedy Arrax. Naturally, Vhagar trounces Arrax and devours Lucerys, however how we get to that time is equally as vital because the dragon-chomping itself.
Lucerys doesn’t discover a heat welcome on the Home Baratheon seat of Storm’s Finish. Aemond has already agreed to marry one in every of Borros’ daughters in trade for his help, so Borros feels he has nothing to realize by backing Rhaenyra. Nonetheless, Aemond escalates the scenario by demanding that Lucerys take away one in every of his eyes as retribution for taking out Aemond’s eye so way back. (Aemond reveals he is had a sapphire put into his eye socket, confirming that he’s essentially the most dramatic Targaryen to ever stay.)
Lucerys clearly refuses, and what follows is a sky combat! Vhagar hunts Arrax via the clouds, and whereas Aemond seems to only be having some sadistic enjoyable, Vhagar is out for blood. She takes out Arrax and Lucerys in a single huge chew, leaving Aemond to stare on in horror as he realizes how gravely it will impression the battle between Rhaenyra and Aegon. I do not know what to inform you, Aemond — whenever you play with hearth, you get burned.
Vhagar’s actions remind us of the immortal phrases of Daenerys Targaryen: “A dragon is just not a slave.” These are immensely highly effective creatures able to nice destruction, and so they have minds and wishes of their very own. Till this level within the present, they have not fought one another. Now, although, all bets are off. If the Greens’ dragons tackle the Blacks’, all of Westeros will undergo.
And by the top of the episode, it is clear that is the place issues are headed. Within the finale’s final moments, Daemon informs Rhaenyra of Lucerys’s destiny. She stares down the digicam, anger and resolve burning in her eyes. It is a large ultimate little bit of appearing from D’Arcy, and an omen for Season 2: The Black Queen goes to warfare. Now, the fireplace and blood will rain down in earnest.
Season 1 of Home of the Dragon is now streaming HBO Max.(opens in a brand new tab)
