As you wait for the finale episode of ‘House Of The Dragon’ to drop on Disney+ Hotstar, here’s a recap of the season so far.
‘House Of The Dragon’ on Disney+ Hotstar has been upping its game all season with intriguing plot twists, and fans of fantasy, fiction, dragons, and drama will know what it means to say that the show has shaped to be one of the biggest series of the year. The show is set 200 years before the events of ‘Game Of Thrones’ and chronicles the deep rifts, political manipulation and power moves at play in the House of Targaryen.
Tensions have been brewing since the opening sequence of the first episode and they have only risen as the series has progressed. With the finale episode dropping soon, here’s a recap of all the things you need to know about before watching it.
The opening episode of the series sets the context for the conflicts that arise in the rest of the season. King Viserys’ (Paddy Considine) wife dies (and tragically at that!), his brother Daemon (Matt Smith) is banished from King’s Landing and the king names Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock/Emma D’Arcy) as his heir.
After facing pressure from the council, King Viserys decides to take Alicent as his wife, causing a rift between her and his daughter, Rhaenyra. Viserys’ brother-in-law Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) persuades Daemon to wage a war on Crabfeeder (Daniel Scott-Smith), an insurgent in the Narrow Seas.
King Viserys and Alicent now have a son, Aegon, who is considered a contender for the heir to the Iron Throne. The family goes on a royal hunt to celebrate his birthday while Daemon fights an uphill battle against the Crabfeeder. However, after some daring tactics, he triumphs over his enemy and is bathed in glory.
Daemon returns to King’s Landing and reconnects with Rhaenyra, taking her out for a night on the town. They have a romantic tryst that ends with Daemon leaving Rhaenyra midway and she reacts by starting a relationship with Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel). By the end of this episode, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), is dismissed from his position as Hand of the King.
Rhaenyra is betrothed to Corlys Velaryon’s son, Laenor (Theo Young/John Macmillan). She and Ser Criston Cole break off their affair and in his distraught state, the knight confesses the relationship to Alicent. A wedding feast takes place, ending in a brawl between Ser Criston Cole and Laenor’s lover, Joffrey. Rhaenyra and Laenor get married in a solemn ceremony with only their parents bearing witness.
Ten years after the previous episode, Rhaenyra has her third child, facing questions of their legitimacy as they look uncannily like her extramarital lover, Ser Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr). King Viserys chooses to be blind to the rumours that surround his heir’s children while Alicent fumes, helped along by Ser Criston Cole. Daemon now lives in Pentos and has married Laenor’s sister, Laena (Savannah Steyn/Nanna Blondell) and has two daughters with her. She self-immolates after a difficult labour and orders Vhagar, her dragon, to burn her.
Laena’s funeral brings together all the major players at Driftmark, where the House of Velaryon sits. Daemon, Rhaenyra, and Alicent’s children have their own power plays going on. Aemond Targaryen (Leo Ashton/Ewan Mitchell) claims Laena’s dragon, Vhagar, inciting a fight between the children. Aemond loses an eye to Rhaenyra’s son and to Alicent’s horror, King Viserys refuses to punish him. Laenor fakes his death and runs away with his lover, leaving Rhaenyra free to marry Daemon.
Corlys Velaryon’s proclamation that Driftmark must pass down to Rhaenyra’s son, Lucerys (Elliot Grihault), is contested. Viserys’s sister and Corlys’ wife, Rhaenys Velaryon (Eve Best), backs Lucerys for the seat. Viserys also rules on his grandson’s behalf. To keep the peace, Viserys organises a family dinner. At the end of the episode, the king’s last words to Alicent create confusion and pave a clear way for the war we all saw coming!
King Viserys’ death is kept a secret from Rhaenyra and Daemon. Rhaenys is imprisoned for fear that she will reveal it. Alicent and Otto plan to have Aegon ascend the Iron Throne, even though he displays reluctance. At his coronation, Rhaenys escapes on her dragon, threatening his and Alicent’s lives. She decides not to kill them
The events of the last episode leave the characters on the brink of war. How will Rhaenyra react to the news? What underhanded tactic will Alicent and Otto Hightower take next? What kind of king will Aegon be? Well, for all that you’ll have to watch the much-anticipated season finale of ‘House Of The Dragon’.