Warning: spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon episode 9.
House of the Dragon episode 9 marks a huge shift in the story of the Game of Thrones prequel, as the death of King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) sparks a new level of deceit in King’s Landing.
After the king’s death, Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) sets the plan in motion to ensure her son Prince Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is crowned king, despite the late monarch’s eldest child Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) having been publicly named his heir years before.
While Prince Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) reveals his secret desire to sit on the Iron Throne, Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) ends up stealing the show this episode with an incredibly fierce moment involving her dragon, demonstrating exactly why she is not a Targaryen to be trifled with.
There is no sign of Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) in episode nine, building the anticipation for next week’s season finale.
Viserys’ death springs Alicent into action after misheard prophecy
Shortly before Viserys died in his bed, he was visited by his wife, Alicent.
In that moment, he faintly repeated mention of the prophecy of The Prince That Was Promised – however, it’s made clear that he believed he was speaking to his daughter, Rhaenyra, who he named his heir.
Alicent is left under the impression that Viserys changed his mind and in fact wanted his son Aegon to take the throne instead – which she informs her father Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) and the King’s Council.
This frustrating miscommunication results in the Hightowers springing into action to make Aegon king, while purposely failing to inform Rhaenyra that her father has died.
Aegon desperately tries to flee his fate on Iron Throne
Following the king’s death, Alicent is desperate to locate her son Aegon – but he’s nowhere to be found.
Otto sends twin knights Arryk (Luke Tittensor) and Erryk Cargyll (Elliot Tittensor) on a mission to find Aegon, while Alicent has Ser Criston Cole and her second son Aemond embark on the same quest.
During their journey, Aemond expresses how much he wishes to be in Aegon’s place, given he is far more dutiful, interested in history and adept as a warrior than his older, philandering brother.
Meanwhile, the twins are led to a children’s fighting pit, where they come across one of Aegon’s supposed illegitimate children and it’s hinted that he could have many more in the city.
Eventually, Aegon is discovered and is very clearly extremely reluctant to take the crown, even suggesting to Aemond that he could make himself conveniently disappear so that his younger brother could take over the role instead.
But alas, Aegon isn’t able to evade the fate that’s been laid before him by his mother and her father.
King’s Landing witnesses Aegon crowned in defiance of his father’s wish
While at first Viserys’ death is kept a closely guarded secret known only to a few, it’s quickly decided that Aegon must be crowned in swift fashion.
The people of King’s Landing are made to gather to watch Aegon be crowned, where they’re informed that not only has Viserys died, but he supposedly expressed his wish to name Aegon his heir instead of Rhaenyra in his final moments.
Once Aegon is crowned, the former reluctant prince starts to galvanise the crowd with his sword, while wearing the crown of his namesake, Aegon the Conqueror.
However, what begins as a jubilant moment for Aegon quickly descends into pandemonium after Rhaenys’ epic intrusion.
Imprisoned Rhaenys escapes on dragon in legendary moment
As soon as news began to spread that Viserys had died, his cousin, Rhaenys, was imprisoned in her own room, with Alicent later going to visit her to plead with her to support the ascension of her son, Aegon, to the throne.
After everything that Rhaenys has been through – losing her daughter Laena, believing her son Laenor has also died, and having not seen her severely-wounded husband Corlys in six years – she definitely deserves a break.
That comes when the knight Erryk comes to her aid, helping her escape her room and urging her to take a boat and sail away.
Rhaenys does one better, sneaking down into the dragon pit while Aegon is being crowned before bursting through the ground on her dragon Meleys, in a moment reminiscent of Daenerys’ several legendary dragon scenes in Game of Thrones.
While the expert dragonrider Rhaenys has the power to burn all of Team Green to a crisp, Meleys simply roars in the faces of Alicent, Aegon and the rest of the family before the pair soar away, presumably heading to Dragonstone to inform Rhaenyra and Daemon of the treachery that’s gone on behind their backs.
It’s time to decide which side you’re on – Team Green or Team Black.
House of the Dragon returns on Monday at 2am on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
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