*Warning: Contains spoilers for House of the Dragon episode 9*
House of the Dragon episode 9, entitled The Green Council, saw half of the Game of Thrones prequel’s cast missing from action.
With Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Daemon Targaryen both away on Dragonstone, they were locked out of the events in the latest installment of the Sky Atlantic drama.
Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) both want to keep the news of King Viserys’ death under wraps, but for different reasons.
In the episode’s climactic scene, Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) is crowned king, with Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) trashing his crowning ceremony to escape to Dragonstone on Meleys, her dragon.
It’s a moment that’s left fans salivating for more, as the last episode of the season draws ever closer.
It’s almost time for war…
What could happen in the House of the Dragon finale?
Fans were surprised, and mildly disappointed, when it dawned on them that Princess Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen would not be appearing in episode nine.
The duo left King’s Landing in the final moments of last week’s episode, aiming to return to the capital without their squabbling children.
However, the death of King Viserys occurred immediately after they left the city and, as a result, it was placed under lockdown before they could return. Nobody could enter through the gates, and nobody could leave – including Rhaenys, who was kept under lock and key in her chambers.
The title of the next episode, The Black Queen, bears a strong resemblance to the title of episode nine and has subsequently led many fans to wonder if we’ve seen the last of Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower this season.
One fan wondered: ‘[Episode 9] focused heavily on Alicent’s family, the last episode will focus on the other family.’
Some fans are even worried that it might be Alicent’s last appearance in the show, but rest assured she will be returning for season two.
And, based on the teaser for the big season finale due out next week, some fans are already looking forward to a major change in appearance for one character in particular.
Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), who has been sporting an eyepatch ever since his left eye was taken out in episode seven, removes it in the trailer.
‘Aemond Sapphire-Eye is going to bring me down on my knees,’ one fan said, anticipating that a rather expensive piece of jewellery might sit where his eyepatch once did.
Also, thanks to the new teaser for episode 10, fans are convinced that next week will depict a tense scene from the books that fans have been waiting to see ever since House of the Dragon was announced.
We won’t give too much away, but fans have already spotted the House Baratheon castle of Storm’s End, which featured in episode four as Rhaenyra entertained the proposals of the men who had come to visit her.
Let’s just say Storm’s End is quite an important place when it comes to how the coming war started…
When does the finale come out?
Episodes of House of the Dragon are broadcast every Monday morning at 2am in the UK, with the episode becoming available on demand shortly afterwards on Sky’s streaming services – Sky Go and Now TV. The episode is then repeated on Monday night at 9pm on Sky Atlantic.
The final episode, The Black Queen, will be broadcast at 2am on Monday, October 24. Brace yourselves for a barnstormer!
What do we know about season 2?
News about House of the Dragon’s planned second season is a little thin on the ground right now because development is in its very, very early stages.
We know it’s been renewed and we know that there are no more major changes planned for the cast, with the actors finally settled in their roles after all the time-jumps that occurred in the first season.
The story of season two will continue to adapt from George RR Martin’s Fire and Blood, the fictional historical novel about House Targaryen.
The civil war between the Greens and Blacks, known as the Dance of Dragons in the books, has kicked off.
We’ll see lots of fire and blood before the end of this show…
House of the Dragon returns on Monday at 2am on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
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