It is often said that there is no greater misfortune than greed. Westeros was bearing the consequences of greed and lust for power. Otto’s mission had been successful. One of his own, now sat on the Iron Throne. The irony was that the house which boasted about its moral superiority, had not only broken its oath but also manipulated the truth in their favor. The Hightowers were not ready to accept that they had done something wrong. The Greens had taken King’s Landing under their control and made Aegon II Targaryen the king of the Seven Kingdoms. Towards the end of the 9th episode of “House of the Dragon,” we saw that Rhaenys had somehow managed to save her life and escape from the Red Keep. She was able to get through the guards and reach the dragon pit. She rode Meleys and went directly to Dragonstone to tell Rhaenyra Targaryen what had transpired. The stage was set for an epic showdown. The fate of Westeros was left in the hands of those few who wielded power. So, let’s find out what drives the motivations of these power wielders in the season finale of “House of the Dragon.”
Spoilers Ahead
Rhaenys Velaryon Arrives In Dragonstone With News Of Viserys’ Demise
“We don’t choose our destiny,” said Rhaenyra, in the 10th episode of “House of the Dragon,” while pacifying a scared Lucerys. He feared that he would not be able to fill the shoes of Lord Corlys Velaryon. He said that he didn’t want to be the Lord of the Tides. Rhaenyra told her young boy that she was also frightened when she was told that she would be the heir to the iron throne. She was very young, and she didn’t understand the enormity of the responsibility that was being vested in her. There was a pensive look on Lucerys’ face. He said to his mother that he was not as perfect as she was. In a world where everybody wanted to seize power, where the souls of men were soaked in greed, there was a boy who didn’t want anything for himself. He didn’t find himself worthy of holding such an important and prestigious title. He was honest with himself and also with others. Rhaenyra told him that he would have her support at each and every step. She told him that, just like her father, she would never leave his side. Their conversation was interrupted by Ser Lorent. He told Rhaenyra that Princess Rhaenys Velaryon had just arrived at Dragonstone and that she wanted an audience with Daemon and Rhaenyra. Until this point, Rhaenyra had no clue what had transpired in King’s Landing. She thought that Rhaenys was just making a casual visit.
Rhaenys met Daemon and Rhaenyra and told them that Viserys Targaryen was dead. She told them that Aegon II Targaryen had been crowned as the king by the High Septon in the dragon pit in the presence of thousands of people. Rhaenyra could not believe what she was hearing. She couldn’t believe her best friend, Alicent, could betray her like that. Rhaenyra was pregnant at that time, and her labor pains started, maybe as a result of the abominable events that had happened in Kings Landing. Daemon blamed Alicent for poisoning his brother and cursed Rhaenys for not taking any action against the Hightowers. He asked her why she didn’t burn them alive when she had her dragon, Meleys, by her side. Rhaenys was a sensible woman. She wasn’t like Daemon and other men, who would lose their temper and end up doing irrational things. Rhaenys didn’t want to be the one to start the war. She didn’t feel that she had the authority to do so. She warned Rhaenyra that the Greens were coming for her and her children. She advised her to leave Dragonstone as soon as she could.
Rhaenyra Targaryen Becomes The Queen Of Seven Kingdoms
While Rhaenyra was talking to Rhaenys, she started having labor pains, and she realized that her baby was coming. She was in agonizing pain. She had been pregnant five times before, but this one was excruciatingly difficult. Even in such a state, Rhaenyra was still thinking about her father’s demise and about the coup that Alicent and Otto Hightower had organized. She still couldn’t accept the fact that her own friend had backstabbed her so badly. She called for her boys, Jacaerys and Lucerys, and told them about the situation. She told them that Aegon had been made king. Rhaenyra knew that Daemon would wage a war and spoil everything in her absence. She wanted her boys to keep a check on him. She told them to not do anything till the orders came directly from her. Daemon heard the cries of his wife, but not even once did he try checking upon her. She was calling for him, but he was busy scheming and plotting. He was enraged, and he now had a reason to destroy King’s Landing. He had got a reason to unleash his wrath. Nothing mattered to him more than killing Otto and Alicent. But Jacaerys came to the court and told him that Rhaenyra had ordered him to not do anything in her absence. Rhaenyra had given birth to a stillborn baby, and it was a miracle that she had survived. Unlike her mother, she had taken her fate in her own hands and decided to pull out the baby. Rhaenyra was shattered by her loss. With the death of her daughter, it felt like a part of her also died.
After the harrowing pain Rhaenyra had felt during the pregnancy, her body had become impervious to anything else. She felt numb. She couldn’t perceive anything. Ser Erryk arrived at Dragonstone during the funeral. He had brought with him the crown that Viserys used to wear. He acknowledged Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne and addressed her as the Queen. Daemon carefully placed the crown on Rhaenyra’s head, just like he had once placed it on the head of his ailing brother. Everybody kneeled in front of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen. A dream had been fulfilled at that moment. The impossible dream that a little girl had seen to rule the Seven Kingdoms. Rhaenys had told her that the men would see the kingdom burn but wouldn’t accept a queen on the Iron throne. Rhaenys stood there watching Rhaenyra do something that she had always aspired to do. Rhaenyra became Queen, and Rhaenys, too, won with her. She had vouched for her from the very beginning. She might not have explicitly expressed it, but she had always wanted Rhaenyra to prove her wrong. The Lady of the Seven Kingdoms walked into the room full of men and finally took charge of things.
Otto Hightower Comes With Terms To Dragonstone
Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen wanted to assess the situation. She wanted to hold the realm together. She didn’t want to go to war unless and until she had exhausted all her options. She was hopeful that House Arryn would side with them, as her mother, Aemma Arryn, belonged to that house. Rhaenyra was very sure about House Baratheon too. She presumed that Borros Baratheon, the Lord of Storm’s End, wouldn’t go against them. Rhaenyra and Daemon knew that once the Baratheons swore allegiance to them, then Winterfell would also follow. It felt like Daemon just desperately wanted to go to war. He said that they had more dragons as compared to what the greens had. They had three adult dragons: Syrax, Caraxes, and Meleys, in addition to Vermax, Arrax, Tyraxes, and Moondancer. Apart from these, they had several unclaimed dragons, too; Vermithor being the oldest of them. Ser Erryk came and interrupted the conversation and told them about the arrival of an unwanted guest. Daemon Targaryen and Otto Hightower stood on the bridge of Dragonstone, as they once had in the second episode of “House of the Dragon.” Rhaenyra made a dramatic entry on the dragon’s back.
Otto addressed her as princess Rhaenyra, and she corrected him that she was now the Queen. Otto asked her to acknowledge Aegon as the one true king. He told her that if she did so, then she would be allowed to keep Dragonstone, which would then pass to her son, Viserys. Moreover, he said that he would offer her sons positions of honor and respect at the court. Otto also offered to pardon all the knights and lords who had conspired against the iron throne and committed treason. Daemon scorned him and told him he would rather feed his sons to the dragons than ask them to serve the degenerate usurper. Otto said something that caught Rhaenyra’s attention. Otto said that he was in talks with House Baratheon, Tully, and Stark, and they had shown their interest in accepting the generous terms of the king, Aegon. Rhaenyra knew that if what he had said was true, then she would run short of allies. Otto knew that Rhaenyra still had a soft corner for her childhood friend, Alicent. He had brought with him a torn page from a book that reminded Rhaenyra of the good old days when she shared a beautiful bond with Alicent. She told her that Alicent still held Rhaenyra in very high regard, and that is why she wanted both of them to prosper without waging a war against each other. Daemon was ready to kill Otto and his men there and then, but Rhaenyra stopped him.
Otto was a cunning man, and he was able to pierce through her subconscious. Rhaenyra told Otto that she would give him the answer in a day’s time. Rhaenyra wanted to consider his offer. She wanted to save her people from the wrath of war. She knew that when dragons flew to war, everything burned. She was very clear that she didn’t want to rule over a kingdom of bones and ashes. She wanted to maintain peace and unity. Daemon didn’t agree with her. He told her that the Hightowers had taken her birthright and that she shouldn’t kneel down in front of them. Daemon had a lot of animosity against Otto. Rhaenyra knew that his anger was not letting him see the bigger picture. Rhaenyra asked everybody to leave and told Daemon about the oath she had taken. She told him about the Song of Ice and Fire. Daemon became violent and held her by her neck. He told her that baseless dreams wouldn’t make them kings. It was then that she realized that Viserys hadn’t told Daemon anything about it. Once, she asked her father if he actually believed in the prophecies of Aegon the Conqueror. She felt even more responsible as she realized that her father did consider her the true heir to the iron throne and vested her with such a great responsibility.
Lord Corlys Velaryon And Princess Rhaenys Extend Their Support
Corlys Velaryon had finally recovered. Rhaenys had a lot of complaints from her husband. After they lost both their children, Laena and Laenor Velaryon, Corlys went to fight the Triarchy. He didn’t know what to do with his life. All his life, he had fueled his dream of sitting on the iron throne, but without heirs, he knew that there was no point in running after it. He had left Rhaenys alone, to fend for herself. She had no one to rely on in times of need. Rhaenys told him everything that had happened in his absence. Corlys realized that he had to stop his endless pursuit. Their headless ambitions had led them nowhere. He wanted to be content. He wanted to be happy. Corlys didn’t want to support Rhaenyra, at first. He said that she destroyed everything that she touched. But Rhaenys told him that she was the last thread that was holding the realm together. Rhaenyra was the only obstacle restraining the reckless men from waging a war and destroying everything. After hearing her wife speak highly of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, Lord Corlys made a decision to support her cause.
Lord Corlys entered the chamber where all the members of the Black Council were having a discussion, and he glanced at his grandchildren. He took a pause and said that Viserys’ rule was one of justice and peace. He said that the treason that the Hightowers had committed couldn’t be pardoned. Standing in the chamber of the painted table, the proud Lord declared that House Velaryon would fight alongside their Queen. He bowed his head in reverence. Rhaenyra was overwhelmed. She had the support of the largest and strongest fleet of the Seven Kingdoms. Lord Corlys had another favorable piece of news that he wanted to share. He had defeated the Triarchy and taken full control of the Narrow Sea. They just had to seal a gulet, and they could cut off King’s Landing completely and block all their trade routes. Princess Rhaenys offered that she could go and block the gullet herself. The spirits in the room were lifted. Lord Corlys’ support had turned the tides of the battle.
‘House Of The Dragon’ Episode 10: Ending Explained – Is Lucerys Velaryon Dead Or Alive?
In the 10th episode of “House of the Dragon,” we saw that Rhaenyra wanted her elder son, Jacaerys, to first go to The Eyrie, the seat of House Arryn, and then to Winterfell to meet Cragan Stark. She wanted Lucerys to go and meet Borros Baratheon and remind him of his oath. She had presumed that Baratheons would easily swear their allegiance and wouldn’t need much convincing. But what she didn’t realize was the fact that Otto Hightower had already asked Aemond Targaryen to visit Storm’s End and ask for the hand of one of the daughters of Lord Borros Baratheon. Lucerys reached Storm’s end, and he suddenly felt that he saw a huge shadow. He turned to see that Vhagar was already standing there. It sent shivers down his spine. He knew at that moment that it was not going to be an easy task. He reached the court and saw that Aemond was already standing there. Rhaenyra had very clearly told her boys that they were going to different houses as messengers and not as warriors. But even if she had said the opposite, Lucerys wouldn’t have dared to pick up a fight with Aemond. Borros Baratheon misunderstood the tone of the message. He felt as if Rhaenyra was trying to threaten him, whereas, on the other hand, Aemond had offered a matrimonial alliance. Aemond had reached earlier, and that worked in his favor. Borros Baratheon didn’t agree to swear his allegiance to Rhaenyra and asked Lucerys to leave. But how could Aemond let him leave without intimidating him? He asked Lucerys to give him one of his eyes. The two almost came to blows when Borros Baratheon interfered and asked them to stop. A scared Lucerys mounted his dragon as he wanted to leave Storm’s End as quickly as he could.
But Aemond was not done yet. He chased Lucerys’ young dragon. We realized during the chase that both the riders were not in complete control of their respective dragons. Arrax spits fire on Vhagar, on his own accord, and that, in turn, angers the wild beast. Aemond tried his best to control Vhagar, but it was a bit too late. Just when the skies became clear, and Lucerys thought that the danger was over, Vhagar came and ripped both Lucerys and his dragon apart. The expression that Aemond had after he saw that Lucerys was killed said it all. He knew that he had called forth his doom. The news of Lucerys’ death reached Dragonstone. Daemon told Rhaenyra about what had happened. That last thread that was holding the realm together had broken.
The death of Lucerys marked the beginning of the Dance of the Dragon. Rhaenyra had tried her best to unite the realm and save the kingdom from impending doom, but now she was not left with any option. Her innocent son had been snatched from her, and she was determined to make the Greens pay the price for it. In season 2 of “House of the Dragon,” we will probably get to witness how she takes her revenge. We would get to know whether the blacks are able to take over King’s Landing or the greens are able to maintain and protect their stronghold.
