{"id":107187,"date":"2022-10-25T03:43:08","date_gmt":"2022-10-25T03:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/house-of-the-dragon-season-finale-that-killer-ending-explained\/"},"modified":"2022-10-25T03:43:08","modified_gmt":"2022-10-25T03:43:08","slug":"house-of-the-dragon-season-finale-that-killer-ending-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/house-of-the-dragon-season-finale-that-killer-ending-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"‘House of the Dragon’ Season Finale: That Killer Ending Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"
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After years of anticipation and over two months of airtime, House of the Dragon season 1 is done and dusted<\/span>. Excitement was high for HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, and with around 30 million people watching each episode, it’s proven to be a hit. That’s despite no one really knew what to expect from the show — Game of Thrones itself has a complicated legacy<\/span>. We got some answers about House of the Dragon’s scope early in the season when it was renewed for a second season<\/span>revealing it’d take more than 10 episodes to tell the tale of the Targaryen civil war.<\/p>\n

On Sunday’s finale, we saw the precursor to the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. Word of King Viserys’ death finally reaches Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen, yet the queen is reluctant to go to war for the throne. Aegon the Conqueror’s prophecy rings in her head as she declares the need to preside over a united realm, not smoke and rubble.<\/p>\n

Yet the closing moments of the show test her resolve, such that we know war is assured. Last warning: House of the Dragon spoilers below.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vale, Lucerys and Arryx<\/h2>\n

The top-line news from House of the Dragon’s finale is the death of Lucerys Targaryen, Rhaenyra’s youngest child, whose true father is Harwin Strong. Lucerys, you may remember, was named heir to Dragonstone in episode 8 — a decision that a disgruntled Vaemond Velaryon died contesting.<\/p>\n

In the course of House of the Dragon’s finale, Rhaenyra and Daemon decide they need to shore up support from the Eyrie, Winterfell and the Stormlands if they’re to have a credible force to challenge the Hightowers. Toward the end of the episode, she sends her two eldest children out to petition the lords and ladies of these regions. Jacaerys will go to the Eyrie to procure Lady Arryn’s forces, then head over to Winterfell to speak with Cregan Stark. Lucerys, meanwhile, needs to go to Storm’s End to chat up Borros Baratheon.<\/p>\n

When he gets there, however, we see that Aemond Targaryen has beat him to the punch. That’s the same Aemond Targaryen who lost an eye thanks to Lucerys — the same Aemond Targaryen who’s been fantasizing about revenge for years. Lord Baratheon rebuffs Lucerys: Aemond at least came with a marriage proposal to wed the two houses, while Lucerys only had a reminder from Rhaenyra that House Baratheon had years ago pledged their swords to her succession.<\/p>\n

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Lucerys tries to leave, but Aemond isn’t about to let the prince escape him. He demands Lucerys pluck out his own eye to pay the debt he incurred when he de-eyed Aemond. Lord Baratheon demands the two break it up, that no blood will be spilled in his castle.<\/p>\n

Lucerys mounts Arryx, his dragon, to fly back to Dragonstone. Unfortunately, a hectic storm has broken out — it is Storm’s End, after all. Aemond and his enormous dragon Vhagar chase Lucerys. Aemond just wants to capture Lucerys and take out his eye, but his dragon has a mind of its own. After Arrax blazes Vhagar with dragonfire, the angered beast takes a bite out of Arrax. But because Vhagar is so huge, Arrax is chomped in half.<\/p>\n

Lucerys is gone, as is Arrax. Crucially, Aemond Targaryen looks overwhelmed with regret at seeing his cousin killed. That’s not out of familial feeling, but rather knowing how much of an escalation his death is likely to provoke.<\/p>\n