House of the Dragon is currently streaming on HBO Max with weekly episodes every Sunday, and the first two episodes have had much drama! Episode 1 saw the birth and death of King Viserys’ first male child, who could have replaced the king’s brother Prince Daemon as the one to inherit the Iron Throne following the King’s death.
But instead of mourning the death of his sister-in-law and nephew, Daemon Targaryen celebrated the demise of “The Heir for a Day,” keeping him the successor to the Iron Throne of Westeros. Enraged at Dameon’s behavior, King Viserys removed him as his heir and placed Princess Rhaenyra as the new heir.
Rhaenyra had dreamed of being the heir since she was born but knew the throne would never be hers since she was a woman. How did she know this for sure?
When the Westeros King before her father, King Jaehrys, had the choice to either name his nephew Viserys or his daughter Rhaenys Targaryen as his successor, he had chosen the male candidate. He did this even though, according to the succession of age, Rhaenys had the rightful claim to the throne.
But following Viserys’ anger upon Daemon and his removal as the heir, Viserys turned to his only daughter, forgoing old traditions and naming her the heir. But even if Viserys has named Rhaenyra his heir, will the brave princess ascend the Iron Throne?
Episode 2 saw Princess Targaryen speaking up in the King’s council but was cut off and escorted out to choose the new member of the Kingsguard. She chose Ser Cristan Cole as the latest of the seven of the Kingsguard, standing her ground when Lord Hightower suggested she choose someone else.
When the council of the lords, especially Lord Corlys Velaryon and his wife Rhaenys Targaryen, asked the King to remarry owing to the duty to his realm, Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne was unstable again. The council did not like that King Viserys had named a woman his heir, especially when traditions have forbidden it.
Lord Velaryon offers King Viserys his 12-year daughter, Lady Laena, as a potential wife. Viserys deems this a complicated decision since he still loves his previous wife and does not know how Rhaenyra will feel about “replacing” her mother.
The father and daughter have a wholesome moment, joined in their grief of Queen Aemma’s death, and Rhaenyra assures her father that she understands his duty to Westeros. But when Rhaenys and Rhaenyra strike a conversation, her aunt tells the princess that the powerful men of Westeros would rather torch the kingdom than see a woman reign above them.
Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne may fall in the wrong hands as the council and Daemon stand against her. But the upcoming episodes will shine a light on whether she will ascend to the Iron Throne as the Targaryen that will lead Westeros.
About House Of The Dragon
House of the Dragon is the prequel series to HBO’s blockbuster Game of Thrones based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood.
Set three hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will show Westeros under the Targaryen family’s rule before the dragons went extinct. It will follow the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war between siblings Aegon II and Rhaenyra, who fought for the throne after the death of their father, Viserys I.
Directed by Ryan Condall and Miguel Sapochnik, the show stars Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen, Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Craney as Aegon II Targaryen, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Rhaenys Velaryon, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole, and Graham McTavish.
Source: HBO Max
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