House Of The Dragon: Rhaenyra Targaryen becomes heir to Iron Throne

2022-08-22

House Of The Dragon: Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen becomes heir to Iron Throne during series premiere of highly anticipated Game Of Thrones prequel

The highly anticipated prequel is set 200 years before events depicted in the highly popular series Game Of Thrones and chronicles developments within the House Targaryen
The premiere episode titled The Heirs Of The Dragon opened with Rhaenyra narrating as King Jaehaerys Targaryen after the first century of the Targaryen dynasty was in ill health despite House Targaryen being at full strength with 10 adult dragons under its control
The episode flashed forward to the ninth year of the reign of King Viserys a period ‘172 years before the death of the Mad King, Aerys, and the birth of his daughter, Princess Daenerys Targaryen’
Queen Aemma Arryn died in childbirth and her son Baelon lived only a few hours
The king’s brother Daemon mocked the death of the king’s son and called him ‘The Heir for a Day’
Daemon was banished and King Viserys named his eldest daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne

Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen was named heir to the Iron Throne by her father King Viserys I Targaryen as a succession drama unfolded during the series premiere on Sunday of House Of The Dragon on HBO.

The highly anticipated prequel is set 200 years before events depicted in the highly popular series Game Of Thrones and chronicles developments within the House Targaryen.

The premiere episode titled The Heirs Of The Dragon opened with Rhaenyra narrating as King Jaehaerys Targaryen after the first century of the Targaryen dynasty was in ill health despite House Targaryen being at full strength with 10 adult dragons under its control.

Fantasy prequel: Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen was named heir to the Iron Throne by her father King Viserys I Targaryen as a succession drama unfolded during the series premiere on Sunday of House Of The Dragon on HBO

King Jaehaerys lost both his sons and called a Great Council to choose an heir with his eldest descendant Princess Rhaenys Targaryen and his eldest male descendant Prince Viserys Targaryen the only two with credible claims to the throne.

‘Rhaenys, a woman, would not inherit the Iron Throne. The lords instead chose Viserys… my father. Jaehaerys called the Great Council to prevent a war being fought over his succession. For he knew the cold truth. The only thing that could tear down the House of the Dragon… Was itself,’ Rhaenyra said as narrator.

The episode then flashed forward to the ninth year of the reign of King Viserys a period ‘172 years before the death of the Mad King, Aerys, and the birth of his daughter, Princess Daenerys Targaryen.’

The dragon Caraxes was then shown flying above the clouds with Rhaenyra riding as Sir Harrold Westerling looked on with worry.

Highly anticipated: The highly anticipated prequel is set 200 years before events depicted in the highly popular series Game Of Thrones and chronicles developments within the House Targaryen

Flying high: The dragon Caraxes was then shown flying above the clouds with Rhaenyra riding as Sir Harrold Westerling looked on with worry

Rhaenyra along with her best friend Lady Alicent Hightower then visited her pregnant mother Queen Aemma Arryn.

‘Well, here you are, surrounded by attendants, all focused on the babe. Someone has to attend to you,’ Rhaenyra said.

‘You will lie in this bed soon enough, Rhaenyra. This discomfort is how we serve the realm,’ Aemma told her.

Pregnant queen: Rhaenyra along with her best friend Lady Alicent Hightower then visited her pregnant mother Queen Aemma Arryn

‘I’d rather serve as a knight and ride to battle and glory,’ Rhaenyra said.

‘We have royal wombs, you and I. The childbed is our battlefield. We must learn to face it with a stiff lip. Now take a bath. You stink of dragon,’ the queen said.

The king during a meeting with his council learned from Lord Corlys Velaryon of an alliance among Free Cities that called itself The Triarchy.

The king: The king during a meeting with his council learned from Lord Corlys Velaryon of an alliance among Free Cities that called itself The Triarchy

Rhaenyra as cupbearer was late to the meeting, but learned the king wanted to press forward with the Heir’s Tournament and declared that his son would be born before the end of the tournament.

King Viserys also told his council that his heir would bring an end to the handwringing over succession himself.

Rhaenyra then came across her uncle Prince Daemon Targaryen sitting on the Iron Throne.

Iron seat: Rhaenyra then came across her uncle Prince Daemon Targaryen sitting on the Iron Throne

Daemon reminded her that Queen Aemma has not yet brought forth a son and offered her a necklace as a gift.

‘It’s Valyrian steel. Like Dark Sister,’ Daemon said. ‘Now you and I both have a small piece of our ancestry.’

Alicent helped Rhaenyra with her history of Westeros as King Viserys was being treated for a cut from sitting on the Iron Throne.

King Viserys visited his wife who was relaxing in a tub while dealing with her ‘miserable pregnancy’.

History lessons: Alicent helped Rhaenyra with her history of Westeros as King Viserys was being treated for a cut from sitting on the Iron Throne

Aemma said that Rhaenyra believes she is going to have a sister, but the king insisted that he knew otherwise.

‘This child is a boy, Aemma. I’m certain of it. I’ve never been more certain of anything,’ he said.

The queen said it was the last time for her trying to have a proper heir for the king.

‘I’ve lost one babe in the cradle, had two stillbirths and two pregnancies ended well before their term. That’s five…in twice as many years. I know it is my duty to provide you an heir, and I’m sorry if I have failed you in that. I am. But I’ve mourned all the dead children I can,’ Aemma told him.

Last time: ‘I’ve lost one babe in the cradle, had two stillbirths and two pregnancies ended well before their term. That’s five…in twice as many years. I know it is my duty to provide you an heir, and I’m sorry if I have failed you in that. I am. But I’ve mourned all the dead children I can,’ Aemma told him

The king’s brother Daemon as Commander of the City Watch unleashed his troops of Gold Cloaks on the city to brutally clean it up before the tournament.

They beat down criminals in the street, chopped off the fingers and hands of men, publicly castrated a rapist and beheaded people.

Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King and Alicent’s father, scolded Daemon the next day for his brutality.

King’s hand: Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King and Alicent’s father, scolded Daemon the next day for his brutality

‘The City Watch is not a sword to be wielded at your whim. They’re an extension of the crown,’ Hightower reminded him.

Lord Corlys backed Daemon and said the criminal element should fear the City Watch and Hightower then asked Daemon about his wife Lady Rhea of the Vale.

‘In the Vale, men are said to f*** sheep instead of women. I can assure you, the sheep are prettier,’ Daemon said.

Vale life: ‘In the Vale, men are said to f*** sheep instead of women. I can assure you, the sheep are prettier,’ Daemon said

Daemon then was shown having some performance issue while having sex with Mysaria who reminded him that he was the ‘Rider of Caraxes’ and ‘Wielder of Dark Sister’ who the king could not replace.

The jousting tournament was held as Queen Emma was in labor but the infant breeched an all attempts to turn the baby had failed.

Grand Maester Mellos told the king that he had to choose between saving the life of the queen and that of his heir.

Tough call: Grand Maester Mellos told the king that he had to choose between saving the life of the queen and that of his heir

‘They’re going to bring the babe out now,’ Viserys told his wife. ‘I love you.’

Aemma admitted she was scared as the king said they were bringing the baby out.

‘No, no, no!,’ Aemma screamed as the baby was delivered by caesarean.

Forced delivery: They’re going to bring the babe out now,’ Viserys told his wife. ‘I love you’

Mystery knight Ser Criston Cole at the tournament bested Daemon on horseback and then in hand-to-hand combat.

Images of their bloody battle were interspersed with the queen dying in childbirth before Daemon yielded to Cole

Cole then asked for the favor of the princess and Rhaenyra tossed him a laurel and said, ‘I wish you luck, Ser Criston.’

Mellos was then shown congratulating the king on the birth of his new son who he named Baelon.

Knight fight: Images of their bloody battle were interspersed with the queen dying in childbirth before Daemon yielded to Cole

Back at the tournament, the king’s council shared information and left the festivities.

The next scene was on a high cliff above the water with a funeral pyre set up for Queen Aemma and Baelon.

‘They’re waiting for you,’ Daemon told Rhaenyra.

‘ I wonder if, during those few hours my brother lived, my father finally found happiness,’ Rhaenyr said in High Valyrian.

Funeral scene: ‘ I wonder if, during those few hours my brother lived, my father finally found happiness,’ Rhaenyr said in High Valyrian

‘Your father needs you more now than he ever has,’ Daemon told her.

‘I will never be a son,’ she said.

Rhaenyra then spoke to the dragon in Valyrian and said, ‘Dracarys,’ which prompted the flying beast to unleash fire from its mouth to burn the bodies.

Dragon fire: RRhaenyra then spoke to the dragon in Valyrian and said, ‘Dracarys,’ which prompted the flying beast to unleash fire from its mouth to burn the bodies.

Hightower then spoke with the king about succession and shared his reservations about Daemon being first in line.

‘Daemon is my brother. My blood. And he will have his place at my court,’ said King Viserys as Daemon listened in the shadows.

Hightower pointed out that Rhaenyra also has a claim to the throne as the king’s firstborn child.

Alicent was then sent by her father Hightower to console the king and she brought him a book in his chambers.

Daemon celebrated Baelon’s death with an orgy gave a speech to his supporters.

Celebration time: Daemon celebrated Baelon’s death with an orgy gave a speech to his supporters.

Hightower was shown the next day telling the king that Daemon toasted the late Prince Baelon.

‘To the King’s son, styling him ”The Heir for a Day” with three separate witnesses corroborating,’ Hightower said.

The King sitting on the Iron Throne then had Daemon brought before him.

‘You will address me as “Your Grace,” or I will have my Kingsguard cut out your tongue. “The Heir for a Day.” Did you say it?,’ Viserys asked.

Very angry: ‘You will address me as “Your Grace,” or I will have my Kingsguard cut out your tongue. “The Heir for a Day.” Did you say it?,’ Viserys asked

‘We must all mourn in our own way, Your Grace,’ Daemon answered.

The king then revealed that he decided to name a new heir and banished Daemon.

The king then spoke with Rhaenyra and told her that she would be heir to the throne over Daemon.

Wrong answer: ‘We must all mourn in our own way, Your Grace,’ Daemon answered

His council members then pledged loyalty to Viserys and Rhaenyra.

Viserys then shared how former leader Aegon foresaw the Great Winter.

‘All of Westeros must stand against it. And if the world of men is to survive, a Targaryen must be seated on the Iron Throne. A king or queen, strong enough to unite the realm against the cold and the dark. Aegon called his dream “The Song of Ice and Fire.” This secret… It’s been passed from king to heir since Aegon’s time. Now you must promise to carry it… And protect it. Promise me this, Rhaenyra. Promise me,’ Viserys said.

Viserys was then shown officially declaring Rhaenyra Targaryen Princess of Dragonstone as heir to the Iron Throne.

Big pr[omise: ‘All of Westeros must stand against it. And if the world of men is to survive, a Targaryen must be seated on the Iron Throne. A king or queen, strong enough to unite the realm against the cold and the dark. Aegon called his dream “The Song of Ice and Fire.” This secret… It’s been passed from king to heir since Aegon’s time. Now you must promise to carry it… And protect it. Promise me this, Rhaenyra. Promise me,’ Viserys said

House Of The Dragon: What did the critics say?

The Times

Rating:

It’s accessible to anyone who hasn’t seen a second of Game of Thrones but reassuringly familiar to those who’ve watched the whole thing.

The Guardian

Rating:

All is as it was in GoT’s heyday. Fun, propulsive, looking great and sounding passable. And that, after the bizarrely poor finale to what had been a roaring success of a show, is a relief.

Financial Times

Rating:

It’s to be expected in this era of bottomless budgets and superior CGI that House of the Dragon looks magnificent, from the grand aerial shots and sumptuous feasts to the close-ups of dragons as they are coaxed from their pits.

The Independent

Rating:

It remains to be seen whether House of the Dragon can utilise those same, almost serpentine, twists and turns, and become a show that’s discussed in fevered terms at whatever the Work From Home equivalent of a water cooler is.

BBC Culture

Rating:

It’s a fascinating situation, full of understandable motives and moral quandaries, and a ticking time bomb in the form of King Viserys’s health. It’s pure Games of Thrones – just not in the way you remember.

Empire

Rating:

This is a prequel that could surprise us yet. But to even skirt the heights of Thrones’ best work, it has an uphill dragon ride ahead.

The Daily Mail

Rating:

What marks out this lavish serial, conceived as a prequel to Games Of Thrones, is its radically different treatment of women. They are the real power in the kingdom.

Entertainment Weekly

Nearly every dialogue scene is about succession. An early tangent veers into naval warfare, with various forces fighting for crucial shipping lanes. The climactic skirmish is ridiculous on a strategic level — and gorgeous.

Rolling Stones

No matter how many CGI dragons it has to offer, the new series will not rekindle the fire in the hearts of viewers who loved Game of Thrones at one point not for the world, but for the people in it.

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