Everyone but Rhaenyra wants war as House of the Dragon sets up a bloody second season.
Prone to seasickness, he knows he’s no Sea Snake.
Daemon (Matt Smith), seeing red, believes that Viserys was murdered.
Emma D’Arcy on ‘House of the Dragon’.Ollie Upton / HBO
The stress of this revelation sends Rhaenyra into a painful labor.
Laid up, she tells her family that no action is to be taken while she’s in bed.
Knowing something is wrong, she gives birth all by herself.
Emma D’Arcy and Rhys Ifans on ‘House of the Dragon’.Ollie Upton / HBO
The baby doesn’t survive.
The family and its inner circle gather as the child’s body is burned on a funeral pyre.
(Except Princess Rhaenys, who continues to operate with caution.)
Steve Toussaint and Eve Best on ‘House of the Dragon’.Ollie Upton / HBO
Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), Hand to the King, arrives via ship with terms for Rhaenyra.
She swoops down to meet him atop Syrax, crown fitted to her head.
Otto, however, is all business.
‘House of the Dragon’ season finale.Liam Daniel/ HBO
Furthermore, any knight or lord that conspired against Aegon II’s ascent will be pardoned.
Daemon rejects the offer and is ready to slay Otto where he stands.
“Queen Alicent has not forgotten the love you once had for each other,” says Otto.
“The realm can carry on in peace.”
Rhaenyra considers the terms, saying King’s Landing will have her answer the following day.
War is not something she desires.
She doesn’t wish to “rule over a kingdom of ash and bone.”
“It’s your duty as queen to crush rebellion,” he asserts.
Rhaenys, meanwhile, has reunited with Corlys, who’s arrived at Dragonstone after six years at sea.
Crushed by the death of their children, he retreated into battle to escape the horrors back at home.
“We shall declare for no one,” he says.
“We will retire to High Tide to be content with our grandchildren.”
Rhaenys reminds him that their grandchildren won’t be safe so long as Aegon II is king.
She tempers his reticence to embrace Rhaenyra as queen by telling him she’s the only onenotrushing into war.
“Rhaenyra’s the only one who’s demonstrated restraint,” she says.
Later, meeting with Rhaenyra, Corlys and Rhaenys announce their alliance with the Blacks.
This is good news, but what Rhaenyra really needs is allies.
Jacaerys proposes that he and Lucerys travel to the individual kingdoms to help secure their support.
Before the boys leave, Rhaenyra makes them swear that they won’t partake in any violence.
The situation is precarious enough as is.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Borros can only consider backing the Blacks if the boy offers the same.
Since Lucerys is already betrothed to Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell), Borros rejects him.
He wants a fight.
Aemond wants payback, an eye for an eye.
“I plan to make a gift of it to my mother,” he teases.
Borros kicks them out and Lucerys rushes to his dragon, Arrax, in the pouring rain.
In the distance, he glimpses Aemond’s dragon, the ancient, gargantuan Vhagar.
As Arrax struggles to navigate the storm, Lucerys senses they are being followed.
Aemond’s laugh pierces the sky as Vhagar emerges from the clouds, chasing Arrax and Lucerys.
“You owe a debt, boy!”
Disoriented and threatened, Arrax goes rogue by spewing a jet of fire at Vhagar.
Against Aemond’s commands, Vhagar chomps Arrax in two, killing both Arrax and Lucerys.
Aemond just wanted to scare the kid.
Lucerys' death, he knows, will have repercussions.
The blind, passionless fury on her face makes it clear that peace is out of the question.
