Need a recap? Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re heading back to Westeros as we recount every episode of the first season of House of the Dragon.
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00:00For he knew the cold truth. The only thing that could tear down the House of the Dragon
00:07was itself.
00:08Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're heading back to Westeros as we recount every episode
00:12of the first season of House of the Dragon. Be prepared for practically all the spoilers.
00:18Know that you will die, screaming.
00:23The Heirs of the Dragon
00:25Right off the bat, we're told that this prequel takes place well over a century
00:29before the likes of Daenerys Targaryen and her quest for the Iron Throne.
00:32It's here we're introduced to the Targaryen dynasty at the height of its power,
00:36but as per usual, fractures have already started to form due to a lack of a clear successor.
00:41So sure of his unborn child being a boy,
00:44King Viserys organizes a tournament in King's Landing to celebrate.
00:47Before the games are over, my son will be born, and the whole realm will celebrate.
00:52It's here we meet the main players that will occupy this tale of war and strife,
00:57including the likes of Princess Rhaenyra, a free-spirited dragon rider,
01:00her longtime friend Alicent Hightower, as well as her father Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King.
01:06Things really get shaken up with the return of Viserys's younger brother, Prince Daemon,
01:11a ruthless warrior unafraid to antagonize and brutalize any who cross him.
01:16My brother's city has fallen into squalor. Crime of every breed has been allowed to thrive.
01:23No longer. Beginning tonight, King's Landing will learn to fear the color gold.
01:29Amidst the jubilation, Viserys suffers a terrible loss as his wife and queen dies
01:33from blood loss due to complications with the birth,
01:36promoting the most gruesome of c-sections.
01:38They're going to bring the babe out now.
01:40Only for his newborn son to die swiftly afterwards.
01:43A few choice words about the so-called heir for a day see Daemon banished,
01:47while Viserys chooses Rhaenyra as his heir,
01:50while also confiding in her about the prophecy of King Aegon
01:53and the coming of the White Walkers.
01:54And if the world of men is to survive, a Targaryen must be seated on the Iron Throne.
01:59A king or queen, strong enough to unite the realm against the cold and the dark.
02:04The rogue prince. Despite being named heir,
02:07Rhaenyra's words are not heeded by the higher-ups,
02:10though she does find herself given the choice to select a new Kingsguard,
02:14ultimately selecting Criston Cole, the winner of the tournament.
02:17Violence has broken out between Westeros' forces and the Essos Triarchy,
02:21who in turn have appointed a fearsome warrior known as the Crabfeeder
02:24to help them take an archipelago known as the Stepstones.
02:27Alliances are both broken and formed following the demand for Viserys to take a new wife.
02:32Join our families.
02:35Wed our daughter, Laena.
02:37Unite the two great surviving Valyrian houses.
02:40With the Targaryen dragons and the Valyrian fleet bound in blood,
02:43with the Targaryen dragons and the Valyrian fleet bound in blood,
02:47you can show the realm that the crown's strongest days are ahead, not behind.
02:52All the while, Daemon causes further trouble by taking a dragon egg
02:56and making a home for himself on Dragonstone.
02:58To avert bloodshed and flex her own influence,
03:01Rhaenyra arrives on Dragonback and convinces Daemon to return the egg.
03:04I'm right here, uncle.
03:09The object of your ire.
03:11The reason that you were disinherited.
03:14If you wish to be restored as heir, you'll need to kill me.
03:19So do it.
03:22And be done with all this bother.
03:24Whatever high she might have been on comes crashing down with the announcement
03:27that Viserys will take Alicent as his new wife,
03:30shattering the trust of his daughter as well as the allegiance of the Velaryons.
03:34I intend to marry.
03:36The Lady Alicent Hightower.
03:40Before spring's end.
03:42Second of his name.
03:43After choosing to ally themselves with Daemon,
03:46both he and House Velaryon find themselves locked in a stalemate
03:49against the Crabfeeder's forces.
03:51Where are you?
03:54And they feed you to your own crabs!
03:56Back in Westeros, tensions and animosity have continued to grow.
04:00The Valyrian fleet is now in the hands of Viserys,
04:03Back in Westeros, tensions and animosity have continued to mount between Rhaenyra,
04:07her father, and his new queen Alicent,
04:10who is already pregnant with another child.
04:12In celebration, a great hunt is arranged,
04:15along with potential partners for Rhaenyra to wed.
04:17Why would you need a dragon pit?
04:20To house dragons, of course.
04:22I'd do anything for my queen.
04:25Or lady wife.
04:28Outraged, she ventures out into the wilds followed by Ser Criston,
04:31where the two not only grow closer,
04:33but they discover the mythical White Heart,
04:35a deer closely associated with royal splendor.
04:39Meanwhile, Daemon, in a bid to show his worth before his brother's reinforcements arrive,
04:43enacts a daring plan,
04:45using himself as bait before taking the Crabfeeder's head in a bloody act of victory.
04:58Returning triumphant from his battle in the Stepstones,
05:01Daemon seemingly mends the rift with Viserys.
05:04Just when things are seemingly looking up for the Targaryen household,
05:07a night of scandal follows,
05:09as Daemon and Rhaenyra indulge in a raunchy outing throughout King's Landing,
05:13coming dangerously close to keeping the bloodline pure, as it were,
05:17only for Daemon to back out before fully committing.
05:20Spurned by this, Rhaenyra seduces Ser Criston into her bed.
05:24This eventually comes back to bite everyone,
05:26as after one of Otto's spies relays the information,
05:29Viserys puts everyone on blast.
05:31The princess was spied last evening,
05:35beyond the walls of the Keep,
05:39in a pleasure house.
05:42What of it?
05:44She was carrying on with her uncle.
05:48They were engaged in behaviors unbecoming of a maiden.
05:52Daemon is once again exiled,
05:54Rhaenyra is forced into marriage arrangements with a member of House Velaryon,
05:58while Otto is removed from his position
06:00after being outed for his manipulation of the king's grief.
06:03You were a faithful servant, Otto.
06:15The crown and the realm both owe you a debt that can never be repaid.
06:21But I can no longer trust your judgment.
06:23We light the way.
06:25It doesn't take long for Daemon to start causing trouble,
06:28starting with the murder of his wife from the veil.
06:30While both reluctant to fully give themselves to their arranged marriage,
06:33Rhaenyra and her consort-to-be, Ser Laenor Velaryon,
06:36agree that both should be free to pursue their own passions on the side,
06:39given Rhaenyra's attraction to Criston
06:41and Laenor's current liaison with his lover Joffrey.
06:44What do you propose?
06:51That we perform our duty to our fathers and to the realm,
06:55and when it's done,
06:58each of us dines as we see fit.
07:00This, in turn, sows the seeds of a disaster,
07:03what with Criston being less than thrilled at the prospect
07:05of just being a side piece for the princess.
07:07I want us to continue as we began with you as my sworn protector,
07:13my white knight.
07:14I took an oath.
07:17As a knight of your king's garden,
07:21an oath of chastity.
07:22I've broken it.
07:23I've soiled my white cloak.
07:25He's so distraught by this,
07:27that he inadvertently reveals the truth to Alicent,
07:29and in doing so, exposes Rhaenyra's lies.
07:32The celebration for the wedding ends up taking one nasty turn after another.
07:37Daemon returns.
07:38Alicent shows her growing malice by wearing green.
07:41The beacon on the high tower.
07:43Do you know what color it glows when Oldtown calls its banners to war?
07:48Green.
07:49And in a fit of insanity,
07:51Criston beats Joffrey to death.
07:53Oh, and Viserys is succumbing to disease.
07:56Just another day in King's Landing.
07:58The princess and the queen.
08:00Cue one hell of a time jump,
08:02as 10 years have now passed since the green wedding,
08:04and things are not well in the kingdom.
08:06Rhaenyra and Laenor have continued their agreement,
08:09with Rhaenyra now a mother of three,
08:10along with her not-so-secret affair with Ser Harwin Strong.
08:14Sleep in front of the commander of the city, what?
08:18Terrible lack of respect.
08:20Rhaenyra's relationship with Alicent is at an all-time low,
08:23with the latter constantly pushing to have the illegitimacy of Rhaenyra's sons exposed,
08:27all in an effort to safeguard her own children and their claim to the throne.
08:31You are the challenge!
08:32You are the challenge, Aegon!
08:34Simply by living and breathing!
08:36Things take a turn for the worst when Lara Strong fills out Alicent's request
08:40to have her father return to power in a rather roundabout way,
08:43via the assassination of Harwin and his own father.
08:46The queen makes a wish.
08:49What servant of the realm would not strive to fulfill it?
08:55I assume you will write to your father now?
09:00Paris, I did not wish for this.
09:07I feel certain he will reward me.
09:10The scandal and slaughter prompts Rhaenyra and her family
09:13to take up residence in Dragonstone.
09:15As for Daemon, things aren't easy for him either.
09:18Despite getting wed to Laena Velaryon,
09:20having two children and enjoying a life of luxury in Pentos,
09:23a last second complication with the birth of their third child
09:26leads Laena to end things the Targaryen way,
09:29with dragonfire.
09:36Driftmark.
09:38Needless to say,
09:39having all the powerful houses in one place makes for an awkward funeral,
09:43especially when the bad blood becomes impossible to ignore.
09:46Rhaenyra's sons Jacerys and Lucerys
09:48are still reeling from the loss of Harwin Strong
09:50and the duties expected of them.
09:52Otto is back in power as Hand of the King,
09:54Laenor is overcome by grief,
09:56and Daemon is being Daemon.
10:01A beachside stroll leads to Daemon and Rhaenyra
10:04picking things up from where they left off 10 years ago
10:06by consummating their passions.
10:08All the while,
10:09Alicent's youngest son Aemond
10:10finds a way to claim Laena's dragon for himself.
10:13This leads to Laena's daughters lashing out,
10:15with Jace and Luc coming to their aid.
10:18Vhagar has a new rider now.
10:19She was mine to claim.
10:20Then you should have claimed her.
10:22Maybe your cousins can find you a pig to ride.
10:24It would suit you.
10:25The ensuing scuffle turns bloody when Luc takes out Aemond's eye.
10:29The aftermath divides all factions in two,
10:32with Alicent and Rhaenyra coming to blows.
10:34Exhausting, wasn't it?
10:36Hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness.
10:40But now they see you as you call them.
10:43Knowing conflict is imminent,
10:45Rhaenyra and Daemon wed,
10:46all the while giving Laenor and his lover a chance at freedom
10:49to live their own lives.
10:51All it takes is a boat, a haircut, and an arranged murder.
10:56Another six years on,
10:58and once again the legitimacy concerning Rhaenyra's children comes into question.
11:02With Lord Corlys Velaryon wounded,
11:04his conniving brother Vaemond uses his allegiance with Alicent and the Hightowers
11:08as a way to petition his right to rule over Driftmark,
11:11putting him in direct competition with Rhaenyra's son Lucerys
11:14for the title of Lord of the Tides.
11:16He means to call into question Luc's legitimacy.
11:20And by extension, Jace,
11:22and by extension, my own claim to the throne.
11:25Things have also taken a terrible turn for Viserys,
11:28whose body and mind are falling apart due to his affliction.
11:31Not that it stops him showing an absolutely stunning show of strength during the meeting.
11:35Despite Vaemond's arrogant yet technically correct claims of legitimacy,
11:38his and the Hightowers' plans go up in flames
11:41when Viserys arrives to oversee matters personally.
11:44Luc's legitimacy to Driftmark is restored due to the endorsement of Princess Rhaenys,
11:48along with a marriage announcement between her granddaughters and Rhaenyra's sons.
11:52As a matter of fact, the Princess Rhaenyra has just informed me of her desire
11:55to marry her sons Jace and Luc to Lord Corlys' granddaughters, Vaela and Rhaena.
12:00A proposal to which I heartily agree.
12:05Vaemond does not take it well,
12:07warranting instant retribution by Daemon and his sword.
12:11He can keep his tome.
12:13A feast between family members prompts the ailing king to beg for peace,
12:17reminding them of the love they once shared.
12:19And it surprisingly works,
12:21at least until Aemond decides to let his bitterness show.
12:24Come, let us drain our cups to these three strong boys.
12:33I dare you to say that again.
12:34Why? Because only a compliment.
12:37Do you not think yourself strong?
12:38Whatever bridges Viserys was trying to build are well and truly broken
12:42when his dying words are misinterpreted by Alicent,
12:45confusing the dream of King Aegon the Conqueror with their less-than-mentally-sound son,
12:50the Green Council.
12:51Now, believing the deceased king's final wish was to put her son Aegon upon the throne,
12:56Alicent decides to push to revoke Rhaenyra's claim,
12:59only to be shocked that her father and other members of the small council
13:02have already been making plans in secret to ensure the Hightower bloodline takes control.
13:07Then we may proceed now with the full assurance of his blessing on our long-laid plans.
13:12Yes, there is much to be done, as we've previously discussed.
13:15Though this plan of action isn't without its dissenters,
13:18Alicent is horrified at Otto's willingness to have Rhaenyra and her family assassinated,
13:22while Ser Criston reveals his true psychotic colors
13:25when he brutally murders an elderly council member for disagreeing.
13:28I will not suffer insults to Her Grace the Queen.
13:31From there, the Hightowers start to take over,
13:34imprisoning or killing those who don't swear fealty to Aegon,
13:37leading to Princess Rhaenys being restrained in her room.
13:41It's in the name of peace that you've imprisoned me.
13:44And what of my dragon?
13:45If we are overmatched, Rhaenyra will be tempted to strike us and war will ensue.
13:49Laerys also goes out of his way to inform Alicent of the spies located through the keep,
13:53which he is willing to remove, so long as she is willing to show a little ankle.
13:58After a lot of convincing, the wayward Aegon accepts his new role as ruler of the Seven Kingdoms,
14:03though his coronation is somewhat ruined via a dragon bursting through the floor.
14:08Having been freed by a sympathetic Kingsguard, Rhaenys reclaims her dragons,
14:12drops it like a boss, and while she's given ample opportunity to burn the Hightowers to ash,
14:18instead chooses to make her escape.
14:43The Black Queen.
14:44It doesn't take long for news of the insurrection to reach Dragonstone.
14:48Viserys is dead.
14:55I grieve this loss with you, Rhaenyra.
14:58My cousin, your father, possessed a kind heart.
15:13There is more.
15:14Rhaenys' regaling of Aegon's ascension, as well as the death of Viserys,
15:18turns out to be too much for Rhaenyra to handle, leading to her losing her unborn child.
15:23In the wake of her grief, the arrival of Ser Eryk, the Kingsguard who freed Rhaenys,
15:28brings a glimmer of hope as he swears loyalty to her, along with Viserys' crown.
15:33Reinvigorated, Rhaenyra gathers her armies and prepares a counterattack.
15:37Princess Rhaenyra.
15:40I'm queen.
15:42I'm queen, Rhaenyra, now.
15:45And you all are traitors to the realm.
15:47Which is substantially bolstered by the return of Corlys Velaryon.
15:51The only thing left to do is to remind the lords of the land of the oaths they once swore,
15:56a task Rhaenyra entrusts to her two sons.
15:59What could go wrong?
16:00As it happens, Lucerys isn't the only one trying to curry favor.
16:03Encountering Aemond at Storm's End,
16:05things quickly turn sour as Aemond demands penance for the eye that was taken from him.
16:10No.
16:12I want you to put out your eye.
16:17It's payment for mine.
16:21One will serve.
16:22While bloodshed is forbidden inside the castle walls,
16:25outside among the thunderous skies, it's a different story.
16:28Hunted by Aemond and his colossal dragon,
16:31Lucerys seemingly manages to make a getaway.
16:33That is, until their dragons start to rebel.
16:36Tragically, this spells Luc's doom,
16:38as a now uncontrollable Vhagar devours him and sends his remains falling from the sky.
16:43Eventually, word of her son's death reaches Rhaenyra,
16:46and while nothing is said, the look she gives says it all.
16:50Peace is off the table, and the Dance of the Dragons is about to begin.
16:54Are you team black or team green?
16:56Let us know in the comments.
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