House Of The Dragon Episode 1: What Does The Surprising Ending Mean For The Targaryens?


Disclaimer: This text incorporates spoilers from Home of the Dragon episode 1 – The Heirs of the Dragon.

Sport of Thrones, one of many most-watched reveals, ended its wildly widespread TV run on a moderately disappointing be aware after eight seasons. That was three years in the past and for the longest time, possibilities for a revival felt slim. Particularly since an tried prequel collection titled Blood Moon starring Naomi Watts was scrapped not lengthy after the pilot was created. But right here we’re once more speaking about dragons and incest as the discharge date of Home of the Dragon, the long-anticipated Targaryen-centric prequel is upon us. Starring Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Eve Greatest, Fabien Frankel, and extra, the 10-part collection is about roughly round 200 years earlier than the occasions of Sport of Thrones. Based mostly on George R.R. Martin’s ebook Hearth & Blood, the collection takes us into the historical past of the Targaryens earlier than their downfall and all the things that transpired with Daenyrs Targyen’s ancestors. 

When you have watched the primary episode, this is a fast breakdown of all the things that went down and what it means for the Targaryens.

What Occurred In Home Of The Dragon Episode 1?

House of the Dragon episode 1 recap

The pilot of Home of the Dragon – The Heirs of the Dragon opens with a shocking aerial view of King’s Touchdown because it takes us again to Westeros the place King Viserys (performed by Paddy Considine) is hopeful that his pregnant spouse and Queen Aemma (performed by Sian Brook) is carrying a boy who would go on to inherit the Iron Throne. His firstborn, Princess Rhaenyra (performed by Emma D’Arcy) has all of the makings of a dragon-riding chief, besides she’s a girl who presumably will not inherit the throne. With the Queen due any second, speak of a rightful inheritor being named is introduced up on the Small Council and it is expectedly a heated dialogue. However that is the Sport of Thrones prequel and there are others within the working for the throne. Daemon Targaryen (performed by Matt Smith) is positioned as commander of the Metropolis Watch however he has ambition and bloodlust. In a gore-fest of a sequence, we see him let his troops tear by the streets unleashing their bloody model of “justice” on criminals of all types. So that you get the thought – Viserys has a unfastened canon to be careful for. In the meantime, Otto Hightower (performed by Rhys Ifans), the Hand of the King, has a bone to choose with Daemon. His daughter Alicent Hightower (performed by Olivia Cooke) is an in depth good friend of Rhaenyra.

When Aemma goes into labour, a match is held in anticipation the place Daemon reveals off his fight abilities earlier than ultimately shedding to Dorne’s Ser Criston Cole (performed by Fabien Frankel). As Aemma had predicted early throughout her being pregnant, her labour is a painful one with issues. It will get unhealthy sufficient for the maester to declare that Viserys has a option to make – save the Queen or lower into her to avoid wasting the newborn, killing her within the course of. In his craving for an inheritor, Viserys chooses the newborn. After a brutal process, the King finds himself subsequent to his bleeding, slowly dying spouse with the new child in his arms. Sadly, the newborn additionally dies inside hours. The Queen was killed in useless.

Viserys Names Rhaenyra Targaryen as His Inheritor

House of the Dragon - Viserys Names Rhaenyra Targaryen as His Heir

After the funeral, the topic of naming the inheritor comes up nearly instantly on the King’s Small Council. Viserys guidelines out his older sister Rhaenys (performed by Eve Greatest) regarded moderately rudely because the “Queen who by no means was”. Whereas he considers Daemon, Otto Hightower reveals that his brother jumped the gun and began celebrating, “The Inheritor for a Day” in an effort to sabotage him. In a confrontation between Viserys and Daemon, the latter accused his brother of by no means contemplating him because the Hand of the King. Viserys then reveals that he received’t be naming Daemon because the inheritor and orders him to return to his spouse in Vale. As an alternative, he names Rhaenyra because the inheritor, lastly admitting that he wasted years hoping for a son as a substitute of coaching her. After a pep speak concerning the Targaryen’s historical past with dragons, Rhaenyra’s place is made official in a ceremony.

Throughout the aforementioned pep speak, Viserys makes some essential revelations concerning the Targaryens. He shares Aegon Targaryen’s prophecy of an impending winter that will decimate all the things (this refers back to the coming of the Whitewalkers that we see through the occasions of Sport of Thrones) and surviving it might require a Targaryen on the throne. Aegon referred to as it the “Music of Ice and Hearth”. The prophecy, Viserys says, have to be heeded and handed down for generations.

What Occurred To Daemon Targaryen?

By the top of episode 1 of Home of the Dragon, Daemon Targaryen is seen leaving on his dragon. But it surely doesn’t appear to be he’ll be gone for lengthy. One can speculate that he may very properly go to Dragonstone – residence of the Targaryens or decide one other appropriate vacation spot to plan his comeback. Whereas his destiny is unclear, what we do know is that his relationship with the King is now strained after their fallout. Nevertheless, he does have his personal followers as a Prince. Will probably be fascinating to see what’s in retailer for him subsequent since he definitely doesn’t seem to be the sort to surrender and not using a struggle.

Home of the Dragon, created by Ryan J. Condal and George R.R. Martin is presently out there to stream with new episodes dropping weekly.