In the “House of the Dragon” recap, King Viserys Targaryen is tasked with naming a successor to the Iron Throne with a choice between his daughter and his brother…
By Damon Martin — Editor/Lead Writer
“It is now the ninth year of King Viserys I Targaryen’s reign — 172 years before the death of the Mad King, Aerys, and the birth of his daughter, Princess Daenerys Targaryen.”
The long awaited successor to “Game of Thrones” finally arrived on Sunday night as “House of the Dragon” made its debut with a story set nearly 200 years before the events of the original series.
While the cast of characters and the showrunners behind the series are new, the visceral feeling when the sigil for House Targaryen bursts on screen brings back feelings that should be familiar to any fan who obsessed over “Game of Thrones” for eight seasons.
The biggest difference obviously is when “Game of Thrones” began, the Targaryen dynasty had been destroyed after Robert Baratheon led a rebellion that ended with “The Mad King” Aerys Targaryen dead — thanks to a blade from the “Kingslayer” Jamie Lannister — and a new ruler sitting on the Iron Throne. It was the first time since Aegon I Targaryen conquered the Seven Kingdoms that one of his direct ancestors had not ruled over Westeros.
As “House of the Dragon” begins, the Targaryens are ruling the realm — as powerful as they’ve ever been with a number of dragons at their control. In those days, the biggest question that surrounded the Targaryen family was the line of succession — which person forged in fire and blood would take over for the last one sitting before them.
Of course, the natural line of succession would go from father to eldest son but that’s not how it always worked out. When “House of the Dragon” begins, it’s actually a prologue to the story that eventually begins nine years later.
King Jaehaerys I Targaryen — a beloved and peaceful king who ruled over Westeros for 55 years following the death of his uncle, who was a despised despot nicknamed Maegor the Cruel. Sadly, King Jaehaerys saw the death of both of his sons, which left him without a direct heir to his throne and that meant he had to name a successor.
As the story begins, King Jaehaerys convened a Great Council at Harrenhal — the castle burned and melted by Aegon’s mighty dragon Balerion the Black Dread while conquering the Seven Kingdoms — as he awaited a vote to decide who would succeed his reign. There were 14 submissions but ultimately only two actually considered —Rhaenys Targaryen, the daughter of the king’s deceased brother Aemon, and his grandson Viserys, who was the child of Jaehaerys’ initially chosen successor Baelon, who had already died.
Despite Rhaenys having the stronger claim as the eldest descendent, the Great Council chose Viserys to succeed the treasured old king upon the day of his passing. The decision granted Rhaenys the nickname “The Queen Who Never Was” and it proved without a shadow of a doubt that the lords of the Seven Kingdoms would likely never embrace a woman sitting on the Iron Throne.
The whole point of the Great Council was to decide on a successor so Jaehaerys’ potential heirs wouldn’t start a war over the Iron Throne because he knew the only thing that could tear down the House of the Dragon was itself.
A foreboding prophecy to remember where this series is concerned.
When King Jaehaerys eventually died, Viserys ascended to the Iron Throne — a position he never necessarily wanted or sought but he did his best to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps. Sadly the same problems that plagued Jaehaerys would soon do the same to Viserys as he needed an heir to succeed him yet his wife was unable to give him a healthy son — and that serves as the catalyst to where our story truly begins.
With that said, let’s get to our recap for the first episode of “House of the Dragon”…
The Line of Succession
It’s been nine years since King Viserys I Targaryen took over the Iron Throne and his only living child is his eldest daughter, Rhaenyra Targaryen, who opens the show flying on the back of her growing dragon named Syrax. Unlike when Daenerys Targaryen was introduced in “Game of Thrones” and dragons had long since been extinct, the Targaryens of this period have 10 mighty beasts who obey their commands and as such, help them maintain control over the realm.
When Rhaenyra lands at the Dragon Pit — a giant structure where all of the Targaryen dragons are housed — she’s immediately concerned with returning home to check on her mother, Aemma Arryn, who is pregnant with another child. Aemma had tried desperately to give the king a male heir but previous attempts had ended in tragedy.
Now pregnant again, Aemma is doing everything possible to have a healthy pregnancy, although Rhaenyra is far more concerned that no one is looking after her mother with quite as much care.
Meanwhile, King Viserys has convened his small council where Lord Corlys Velaryon — the master of ships and husband to Rhaenys Targaryen — warned about a growing faction of warriors called the Triarchy in the Free Cities that he sees as a potential future threat to their kingdom. Viserys doesn’t seem all that bothered, especially after learning that the leader — a man named Craghas Drahar — was wiping out pirate ships as part of his divide and conquer strategy.
The topic of discussion soon turns to the King’s brother Daemon Targaryen — widely considered the greatest warrior in the Seven Kingdoms — who has recently been removed from the small council after he took over the City Watch. Not known for being a politician, Daemon prefers whore houses to noble houses but that doesn’t squelch his ambition.
Of course, Daemon often ends up squabbling with Otto Hightower, who is the Hand of the King after serving the same role during the final years of King Jaehaerys’ reign. In fact, when King Jaehaerys fell ill, the daily decision making fell to Otto, who was essentially acting as king while the true ruler was on his death bed.
Otto has a taste for power and battling with Daemon Targaryen won’t get him any closer to the Iron Throne, especially since most believe the King’s younger brother is a natural successor to rule if Aemma doesn’t give him a male heir.
While Lord Corlys tries to explain why the Triarchy deserves his attention, King Viserys is more concerned about his daughter Rhaenyra, who also happens to be his cupbearer, showing up late for the meeting before Otto quickly pivots to talk about the upcoming tournament that will honor the birth of a new heir to the Iron Throne.
King Viserys is convinced that his wife will give birth to a son, which will then answer all the questions about his successor. The King is so confident that he’s planned a great tournament in his child’s honor while timing it to the day when his wife is expected to give birth.
As the King continues to crow on and on about his expected male heir, his only daughter Rhaenyra has to hear again and again how somebody else will sit on the Iron Throne because she never will. Rhaenyra seems much more fit for battle than being a bride but even her mother tries to explain that her place is giving birth to more Targaryen babies, which is the only fight she ever needs to be concerned with.
The monotony of the meeting eventually gives way to Harrold Westerling — the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard — fetching Rhaenyra after receiving word that her uncle Daemon was back in King’s Landing. They go to the Red Keep and find Daemon sitting on the Iron Throne as if he owned it, which only serves to upset Lord Harrold but Rhaenyra quickly dispatches him so she can spend time with her uncle.
Daemon and Rheanyra joke about the line of succession before he eventually gives her a present — a necklace made of Valyrian steel, the last remnants along with dragons from Valyria — the ancestral home to House Targaryen that eventually crumbled during a cataclysmic event called the Doom of Valyria. Daemon presents this to Rhaenyra before placing it around her neck so much like his Valyrian steel sword, Dark Sister, they will both have ties to their family’s shared history.
There’s an obvious connection between Prince Daemon and Princess Rhaenyra, which will play a major part in the events to come.
When she’s not serving as cupbearer, Rhaenyra can usually be found with her best friend, Alicent Hightower, daughter of “Hand of the King” Otto Hightower. They spend time together studying as Alicent seems like the dutiful friend serving a princess while Rhaenyra doesn’t seem to care much because she’s been discarded by her father almost since birth because she wasn’t a boy.
As for King Viserys, he’s dealing with health issues typically caused by the swords on the Iron Throne constantly jabbing him and leaving infections. This latest one leaves an open swore that is not healing, which concerns the Maester but doesn’t seem to bother Otto all that much. Read into that exactly what you believe it means.
Once his wound his tended to, King Viserys pays a visit to his wife, who is taking a bath, which seems like the only comfort she gets in these final days of pregnancy. Aemma tells Viserys that this has to be their last child because she can’t go through the torment of another difficult pregnancy much less the heartbreak that has come along with past children dying just after birth.
Meanwhile, Prince Daemon, who was now commanding the City Watch, has upgraded his troops, provided them with much better armor and weapons and bestowed each man a gold cloak. If you remember “Game of Thrones,” the City Watch was routinely referred to as the Gold Cloaks, which was the name that stuck after Daemon’s rule over the group.
Upon hearing that crime was up exponentially throughout King’s Landing, Daemon rallies his men to go out into the city to round up the thieves, murderers and rapists and make an example out of each and every one of them. Hands are cut off the thieves, murderers are beheaded and rapists lose their cocks — and when the job is done, two full carts are carrying body parts from the many criminals dispatched by the City Watch.
The next day, Daemon returns to the small council to talk about his latest exploits, which once again puts him at odds with Otto Hightower, who bemoans his actions and that only leads to further friction between them. Otto suggests that Daemon should return to the Vale where his wife Rhea Royce resides except it’s well known that he calls her his “bronze bitch” because they may be married but they are far from a loving couple.
Don’t worry, Rhea feels much the same way about Daemon as he does about her.
That interaction causes Daemon to then lash out at Otto with a reminder that his own wife is dead. It’s King Viserys who eventually has to step in between them to stop his Hand and his brother from sparring in the middle of the small council room.
As for Daemon, he goes to a local brothel to visit his favorite paramour named Mysaria, who might be the woman he loves the most in the realm. She tries to comfort him as Daemon continues to fret about his place in his brother’s kingdom as Viserys refuses to name him as the Prince of Dragonstone, which in turn would mean he’s the successor to the Iron Throne.
It’s the one thing Daemon wants yet everybody except him seems to know he’s not fit to rule.
The Great Tournament of Accession
With Aemma going into labor, King Viserys celebrates what he expects to be the birth of a son and thus a male heir by conducting a tournament in his child’s honor. The tournament features warriors from all of the great houses as they battle in jousts and melee to honor their king and his new child.
When Lord Boremund Baratheon asks for the favor of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, her husband Corlys can only sit and stew, but he soon enjoys watching the rider get launched off his steed after dueling with Ser Criston Cole — a young Dornishman, who came from next to nothing yet eventually became a knight.
Soon, Prince Daemon arrives with a garrison of followers behind him as he’s widely recognized as the best warrior in all the realm. He chooses his first opponent — Ser Gwayne Hightower of Oldtown, son of Otto Hightower. That selection gets a smirk from Otto, who then watches his son go to battle with Prince Daemon.
The joust doesn’t last long as Daemon uses his spear to trip up Gwayne’s horse, sending him flying in the air before crashing back down face first into the dirt. As Gwayne rithes in agony after his face is turned into mush, Daemon returns the parapet where his brother is seated as he asks for the favor of Alicent Hightower, sister to the man he just mangled.
As Otto looks at his daughter and stares directly through Prince Daemon, he receives a disturbing message that he soon passes along to his King.
Queen Aemma’s labor has taken a turn for the worse and King Viserys rushes to be by his wife’s side. Sadly when he arrives, the Maester tells the King that they’ve been able to pull the child from the womb and now there are only dire options available to them.
King Viserys is forced to choose if he wants to save the life of his child or risk losing both his baby and his wife because they won’t survive this together. He makes the difficult decision to cut his child from his wife’s body, which will assuredly kill her in the process.
The agonizing ordeal sees Aemma scream out in agony as her baby is cut from her belly but the child is born into the world and it’s a boy. King Viserys names his new heir Baelon after his father.
Down at the tournament, Prince Daemon ends up in the final match against Ser Criston Cole as they spar for the championship while little does Princess Rhaenyra know that her mother is dying nearby.
The battle sees Ser Criston throw Daemon from his horse but the joust only spurs on the Prince as he demands the fight continue. Prince Daemon draws his sword Dark Sister while Criston relies upon his Morningstar as they start fighting with each gaining the upperhand on the other.
Eventually, Daemon is able to knock Criston off his feet and it appears he will be victorious but rather than finishing his foe, he decides to celebrate with the adoration of the crowd. That allows Criston to recover and put Daemon down before forcing the Targaryen prince to yield to him.
In the end, Ser Criston Cole is named champion and he ends the tournament by receiving the favor of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, who can’t help but notice that the young knight is also quite handsome.
Soon after word reaches the gallery that Queen Aemma has died in childbirth but the news is even worse after the entire court learns that Prince Baelon only survived for a day before he expired as well.
A Song of Ice and Fire
A funeral is held for the Queen and her child as King Viserys can barely stand while watching his wife and son put upon a pyre. Rhaenyra is once again ignored by her father, which causes her even more pain because she also lost her mother and her baby brother.
Still, Daemon tells Rhaenyra that this is her duty and she finally steps forward while commanding her dragon Syrax with the word “Dracarys,” which in turn results in a great flame bellowing out of the beast as it sets Aemma and Baelon on fire, which is the tradition for all Targaryens.
In the aftermath of Aemma and Baelon’s death, the small council reconvenes and Otto tells the King that as much as he deserves time to mourn, he must deal with the line of succession.
A new heir must be named but Otto can’t possibly fathom allowing Daemon Targaryen to take that role, especially after seeing how he’s amassed further power as the leader of the City Watch. King Viserys is quick to remind his Hand that it was Otto who decided Daemon would best be served as the commander of the City Watch because he didn’t want the prince anywhere near the small council.
As Daemon listens nearby, he hears his brother first defend him and then dismiss him as somebody who doesn’t actually belong on the Iron Throne yet he’s still the most obvious choice. Otto then suggests an alternative — the King’s first born child, Rhaenyra Targaryen.
Some of the members of the small council including Lyonel Strong object to the mere suggestion that a woman would sit on the Iron Throne while the Grand Maester reminds them that it’s only through tradition and past precedent that the line of succession has always been a male.
The entire idea doesn’t sit well with the King because now his most trusted advisors are telling him that his only choices are a brother not fit to rule or a daughter no one will accept as a ruler.
“I will not be made to choose between my brother and my daughter”
~ King Viserys
The King eventually ends the conversation while reminding the members of the small council that his wife and child just perished and he needs time to mourn. After exiting, Otto returns to his own chambers where he sends a raven back to Oldtown before retrieving his daughter Alicent, who he’s now decided should go visit the lonely king and comfort him.
Yes, it’s just as creepy as it sounds.
Otto realizes this is his best opportunity to seize power and that means putting his daughter in the King’s orbit, which could in turn potentially make her a successor to Queen Aemma as disturbing as that might be for a teenage girl and an elder monarch.
When Alicent arrives at the King’s chambers, he’s working on a gigantic model of King’s Landing that he’s been building and apparently that’s the only thing that can take his mind away from the tragedy that’s just befallen his family. Alicent offers to read to the King from a book of history, which she knows he will enjoy.
The King doesn’t disregard Alicent’s arrival and instead welcomes the interruption, which means the seeds have now been sewn just as Otto intended.
That night, Daemon returns to his favorite whore house where his men of the City Watch are enjoying the fruits of their labor while celebrating their new leader. It’s there that Daemon is asked to give a speech and after hearing his brother’s words about him, he decides to all but declare himself next in the line of succession while dubbing his deceased nephew as “the heir for a day” after the child perished just after being born.
Upon hearing this slight against his family, King Viserys demands Daemon’s presence in the Red Keep where he tells his brother that he will no longer be heir to the Iron Throne. He reminds his brother that he’s been the only one to stand up for him against the advice of every member of the small council yet Daemon replies that he’s only ever been pushed away.
Daemon believes that the king should have drawn him nearer because he’s the only person there who would truly do anything to protect him while the members of the small council are only out for themselves. In fact, Daemon believes Otto Hightower is worst among them because he has no fiefdom of his own — he’s only seizing the power that’s granted to him.
Daemon: “I see Otto Hightower for what he is”
Viserys: “An unwavering and loyal Hand”
Daemon: “A cunt”
The conversation ends with King Viserys stripping his brother of his title as commander of the City Watch and telling him he must return to his wife because he’s no longer welcome in King’s Landing.
A Song of Ice and Fire
That night, King Viserys stands before the skull of Balerion the Black Dread — the mightiest dragon in history who counted Aegon the Conquerer as his first rider. King Viserys also rode on the back of Balerion until he died of old age and now the dragon’s skull sits beneath the Red Keep as a reminder of the immense power the Targaryen family wields thanks to their relationship with these fierce creatures.
As he talks to his daughter, King Viserys asks Rhaenyra to describe the dragons to him and she remembers a quote about how Targaryens are closer to gods than men because of the relationship they’ve built with the fire-breathing monsters. In reality, Rhaenyra knows that without the dragons, the entire Targaryen family are nothing more than humans just like everybody else in the known world.
King Viserys is proud to hear his daughter speak this way because he believes the Targaryen’s should have never trifled with such power. He believes the dragons are the reason why Valyria suffered the Doom even as they delivered the Targaryens into power in Westeros.
In the end, Viserys says that the Targaryens would best be reminded of what happened in Valyria because the same could befall them — and that’s a prophetic statement given what’s coming soon.
Finally, the King reveals why he’s asked his daughter to join him — he’s naming Rhaenyra as the heir to the Iron Throne. He apologizes to his daughter for all the wasted years he spent pining for a son when Rhaenyra was already the best choice to succeed his reign but now he will do everything in his power to prepare her to rule in his place.
As a coronation begins with all of the various Lords arriving to pledge their loyalty to Rhaenyra as the eventual Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, King Viserys tells his daughter about a terrible prophecy that has haunted him since he was granted the crown.
He tells about Aegon I Targaryen receiving a vision about a great land that he would conquer, which would eventually become Westeros. Aegon eventually saw another vision about a terrible winter that would bring about a plague from the north.
“Aegon saw darkness riding on those winds and whatever dwells within will destroy the world of the living. When this great winter comes, Rhaenyra, all of Westeros must stand against it. And if the world of men is to survive, a Targaryen must be seated on the Iron Throne. A king or queen, strong enough to unite the realm, against the cold and the dark. Aegon called his dream ‘The Song of Ice and Fire’.”
~ King Viserys
The prophecy obviously speaks to the White Walkers living north of The Wall but little does Viserys know that the Night King won’t lead them south for nearly 200 years during the events of “Game of Thrones,” although it is a Targaryen who helps to defeat him.
He tells Rhaenyra this vision is the burden that every king or queen in Westeros must bear while preparing for the eventual war coming for them.
After hearing that story and going through the coronation ceremony, Rhaenyra is ready to accept her new role as heir to the Iron Throne while her wayward uncle prepares to mount his dragon Ceraxes to return to be with his wife as his brother commanded. Daemon doesn’t go alone, however, after inviting Mysaria to join him on the mount of the dragon as they fly out of King’s Landing.
Back in the Red Keep, King Viserys officially anoints his daughter as Princess Rhaenyra of Dragonstone, the future Queen of the Seven Kingdom. Thus begins “House of the Dragon” and another battle to see who will eventually sit on the Iron Throne.
“House of the Dragon” will return for a new episode next Sunday night at 9 p.m. ET on HBO
