Warning: spoilers ahead for the House of the Dragon episode 10 finale.
The finale of House of the Dragon has arrived, with episode 10 of the Game of Thrones prequel series revealing the aftermath of the King’s death after word travels to Dragonstone.
In episode 9, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) – the King’s eldest child and named heir to the Iron Throne – was kept in the dark over her father’s death, as her half-brother Prince Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) was crowned as the new King instead.
Not only does Rhaenyra discover in the finale how her former childhood best friend Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) has betrayed her by placing her own son on the throne, but she also suffers immense losses, first during a traumatic birth scene and later when her son Prince Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault) is sent to deliver a message to House Baratheon.
While some might have been expecting the final episode of the season to be action-heavy as Rhaenyra and Alicent go to war between one another, the instalment instead leaves viewers on the edge of their seats, yearning for more as they’re forced to wait possibly an entire year to find out what happnes next.
With season two having already been confirmed, there’s no doubt the following batch of episodes will be filled with bloodshed as the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons begins.
Rhaenyra learns of Alicent’s betrayal and goes into labour
At the end of episode nine, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) burst through the ceiling of the dragonpit to disrupt Aegon’s coronation, threatening Alicent and the rest of the Greens with her dragon Meleys before soaring away to Dragonstone.
Following her arrival, Rhaenys – who previously expressed the belief that Rhaenyra had been behind the conspiracy of her son Laenor’s (John MacMillan) death – immediately informs her that the King has died, and that the Greens have usurped the Iron Throne.
As Rhaenyra absorbs this crushing news, she goes into labour prematurely, while her husband Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) starts rallying up a council of lords to figure out exactly where they stand in terms of their allies as they acknowledge Rhaenyra as their Queen.
Even while in the midst of searing pain, Rhaenyra pleads with her two eldest sons Jacaerys (Harry Collett) and Lucerys to ensure that no action is taken without her clear instruction.
Emma’s acting is truly sensational as Rhaenyra goes through utter agony while attempting to remain involved in the goings-on of the kingdom, but the scene that follows has rightfully divided viewers, many of whom didn’t feel the ‘graphic’ nature of the birth scene was ‘necessary’.
‘Traumatic’ stillbirth scene horrifies viewers
Throughout House of the Dragon, childbirth has been a frequent theme, highlighting the way in which it was women’s version of a ‘battlefield’ in the era in which the tale is set, having taken inspiration from Europe’s medieval period.
In episode 10, Rhaenyra goes into labour for a sixth time, but the maester expresses concern over the fact that her labour has come far more prematurely than expected.
After the female attendants plead with Rhaenyra to let them help her, she delivers her stillborn child Visenya herself, before cradling the baby in her arms and wrapping the body for the burial ceremony.
Several viewers have complained over the extremely ‘traumatic’ scene, especially given the show has already featured several ‘horrific’ birth scenes – including when Queen Aemma (Sian Brooke) underwent a forced C-section that resulted in her bleeding to death, and when Lady Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell) chose to die by fire after her baby couldn’t be delivered.
Some also pointed out that while the episode warns viewers of ‘distressing’ scenes, a trigger warning relating specifically to birth trauma was missing and could have benefitted audience members who had no idea of what they were about to watch and who might have experienced similar situationst themselves.
While it has been refereshing to watch House of the Dragon clearly portrayed through the eyes of female characters during pivotal storylines, we agree with the scores of fans saying that the way Rhaenyra’s devastating stillbirth was depicted may not have been necessary for drilling in the trauma and suffering that she endures.
Rhaenyra tries to avoid war – coming to blows with Daemon
Despite the betrayal Rhaenyra clearly feels over Alicent’s actions, she’s reluctant to embark on full-out war from the outset after discovering that her half-brother Aegon has been crowned in front of the people of King’s Landing.
Taking after her father, Rhaenyra wishes to rule over a united kingdom, rather than one that has been reduced to ash – which is, of course, a risk when you have several fire-breathing dragons milling around with bloodthirsty riders.
At one point, Rhaenyra explains her wishes to Daemon while emphasising the importance of the prophecy of the Prince that was Promised – stressing that the realm must be united so that they can fight the darkness that will descend from the North in future.
Fans were left fuming after witnessing Daemon grab Rhaenyra by the neck in fury, as Rhaenyra realises that Daemon was never told about the prophecy by his older brother.
Aemond’s quest for revenge spells tragedy for Lucerys
Ever since Lucerys’ slashed Prince Aemond Targaryen’s (Ewan Mitchell) left eye out when they were children, Alicent’s second-born son has held a grudge against his nephew.
In episode 10, that grudge manifests into the first bloodshed between the Greens and the Blacks since Aegon’s coronation, after Lucerys travels to Storm’s End on his dragon Arrax in order to try to get House Baratheon onto the side of his mother.
When he arrives, Lucerys realises that Aemond and his gigantic dragon Vhagar are already there, but Lucerys stresses that he is only there as a messenger and will not engage in a fight.
As he flies away, he’s chased after by Aemond, who seems to relish in intimidating his young, teenage nephew with his far mightier dragon.
However, things take a turn for the tragic when both Arrax and Vhagar act out against the orders of their masters, due in part to the stormy weather in which they’re flying.
After Arrax blows fire in Vhagar’s direction, Vhagar ends up destroying the smaller dragon with its teeth, resulting in Lucerys also losing his life.
Aemond looks horrified by what he’s witnessed, insinuating that he never intended to kill Lucerys, but either scare him or get him back for losing his eye.
In the book Fire & Blood written by George RR Martin, Lucerys’ death is left as more of a mystery, insinuating that Aemond was the culprit – but in the series, it’s made apparent that he did not intend for the outcome that occurred.
This, we feel, is a brilliant change from the book, as it may make more viewers sympathise with the complex character Aemond, rather than simply painting him as an archetypal villain.
The episode ends with Rhaenyra looking in the camera’s direction as rage boils inside of her, the loss of her son undoubtedly sparking the Dance of the Dragons war that is to come.
House of the Dragon is available to watch on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
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