Hello again, friends! This week’s episode nine of House Of The Dragon is a very important and key episode. As I have stated in previous writings, the events of House of The Dragon will set the tone for this world and make history – Game of Thrones history, that is. Every episode up until now (and future episodes and seasons) dives more and more into the lore of this world to demonstrate to you, the viewer, just how deranged and power-hungry people in power can be. We know little of what transpired in the past but with this show, we’re given front-row seats as to every decision and action that has taken place, and boy what a joy it is to watch!
At the beginning of episode nine, we’re shown a dark and dreary castle – very late in the night where nothing is going on and everyone is supposed to be in their chambers and sound asleep. Everyone except the help that is in the kitchen prepping for the day ahead, and in the midst of such busyness, we see a young boy roaming the halls, making his way to a close aid to the Queen, Talya. The news of King Viserys’ passing has now reached Alicent, and now the ever-plotting Otto. In their discussion, Alicent tells her father that Viserys, with his dying breath, decided to name his first-born son Aegon as the new King. I’m not sure how Alicent even came to this conclusion when Viserys has been adamant about Rhaenyra taking over as Queen for the last 20 or so years. I’ve always questioned whether Viserys told Alicent about Aegon The Conqueror’s dream or not because that should make everything click in Alicent’s head.
This news is music to Otto’s ears and without a moment’s hesitation, he calls upon the small council to break the news and discuss future plans. Both Alicent and Lord Lyman Beesbury are astonished at their discovery of a secret council within the small council. This secret council has already come up with a plan to put in motion if Aegon were ever to become King, a plan that most likely benefits everyone in this secret council and not the people. During this discussion of high treason (let’s call a spade, a spade here) Lord Beesbury stands his ground and claims he won’t be part of any of this, and Ser Criston decides to reward his loyalty with death. It doesn’t seem as though anyone aside from Alicent is shocked by this, because at some point it had to happen. Anyone within the small council that remains loyal to Rhaenyra would have to go – and he was the perfect demonstration for this.
In his madness and perverted loyalty to the Queen, Ser Criston draws his blade to defend himself from Ser Harrold who is actually upholding the law and trying to protect the realm from this coup d’état. Remaining steadfast in his planning, Otto commands everyone to remain at the table until matters are resolved, with Tyland Lannister and Grand Maester Orwyle back in their seats with a sense of regret taking over them but sticking to their original plan. Alicent knows that Rhaenyra and Daemon will never agree to this and give up their positions in the Kingdom – with Otto revealing part of the plan all along was to have them killed. Otto tries to command Ser Harrold to carry out the assassination, but instead, he resigns his post as Commander of The King’s Guard and walks out, knowing no one there can best him.
Otto and Alicent make their way to Aegon’s chambers only to find his sister-wife Helaena with a handmaiden and her two children. Upon questioning Helaena, Otto and Alicent learn Aegon is missing and Otto immediately leaves the room to find him. Alicent tries to speak with Helaena and inform her the King is dead, but she says something that is very interesting, which I thought was a metaphor for what’s to come. She tells her mother “there is a beast beneath the boards” all while rejecting her mother’s attempts for comfort. What’s interesting is as soon as Helaena said this, Aemond shows up. Otto enlists the help of Ser Erryk, who is charged with protecting Aegon but informs Otto that Aegon routinely uses his authority as Prince to do whatever he wishes and pretty much renders Ser Erryk useless in upholding his duties. Here’s a key moment to remember folks! Otto instructs Ser Erryk to take his twin brother Ser Arryk, to find Aegon but to do this in disguise, and to bring Aegon back to him and only him, thus revealing Otto has been acting on his own this entire time without the Queen’s knowledge or consent – and he tends to keep it that way until he’s accomplished his mission.
Anyone who’s remotely related to Viserys or involved in his death is being locked up and tucked away for god-knows-what and anxiety and unrest are at an all-time high. Alicent learns of Otto’s moves and decides to use her “influence” over Ser Criston to find Aegon. Aemond volunteers to assist Ser Criston on this mission even though his mother doesn’t want that to happen, but knows Aemond is more capable of carrying out this task than Criston. Meanwhile back in the throne room, Otto gathers all of the royal houses to once again pledge their allegiance to the new King, with some of them already kneeling, while others refusing to do so, as a result, they are carried off to their deaths. It doesn’t come as a shock to me that this is the culture and just how things are overall. Even though I don’t like Otto and feel as though he’s an earlier version of Tywin Lannister (played by Charles Dance in Game of Thrones), it’s the most logical move to make to ensure his own power, and reluctantly, I can’t blame him for doing this.
The next scene is supposed to be an emotional shocker, but to be honest I’ve come to expect the unexpected within the world of Game of Thrones. Sers Erryk and Arryk come across an underground fight club for kids…that’s right. Children that most likely can’t read or write their own names are pitted against each other for a fight to the death. One of the twin knights…honestly, I can’t tell the difference between who’s who with this one, informs the other of what goes on exactly in this fight club for kids. Teeth and nails are filed down to a razor-sharpness to make them more deadly in combat – and they both spot one of Aegon’s illegitimate children who can be no more than five years old awaiting his turn to be in the ring. As the brothers argue about what’s moral, a young girl approaches them and tells them where they can find Prince Aegon. The mere mention of “The White Worm” prompts the brothers to listen to this young woman’s demands (on behalf of The White Worm a.k.a. Mysaria) for The Hand of The King to show up in person.
Back at the castle, Lord Caswell tries to make a run for it and ends up captured and brought back to Otto. How did he get caught? That’s easy friend, the sneaky club-footed fiend known as Lord Larys has dropped the dime on Lord Caswell and sealed his fate. This “good” deed has won him some brownie points with Otto, and Larys makes that very clear. Alicent meets with Princess Rhaenys and informs her of the King’s passing, simultaneously asking for her support. Tough negotiations take place between them with some sound reasoning, but ultimately Rhaenys asks Alicent a very poignant question: “Have you ever imagined yourself on the iron throne”. A question that leaves Alicent possibly rethinking her future actions, and whether she’s in danger of her own father or not.
Otto meets with Mysaria and learns Aegon’s whereabouts, of course hiding in Flea Bottom – and at the same time prompting Otto to keep her in mind for the future, and to bring an end to the fight club that the brothers have discovered. A battle ensues between Ser Criston and Ser Erryk leaving Aemond to capture his brother. As Criston bests Erryk in combat, Aegon pleads with Aemond to release him and that he’ll find a ship to sail away on, never to be found again. Of course, Aemond contemplates this because he wants the throne – knowing he’s in better shape to rule due to his physical training and scholarly studies. However, he does what his mother asks of him and brings Aegon in. Throughout all of this, Alicent is awake to the politics of the Kingdom and her father’s true motives. She confirms this in her confrontation with Otto, now laying down her own terms which he must now follow. Even with all of this happening, she has the wisdom to send Rhaenyra peaceful terms wavering her claim to the throne and also instilling Ser Criston as Commander of The King’s Guard – further cementing her power as the puppet master of the iron throne.
The next scene is, delicately put, weird. As Alicent returns to her quarters, Lord Larys lies in waiting for an “urgent” conversation. As he exchanges information with Alicent, it appears that part of their arrangement, which is no longer secret, he takes pleasure in admiring the Queen’s feet – that’s right, my guy Larys has a foot fetish and he’s keeping Queen Alicent’s little piggies hostage to get what he wants. That felt really weird to type this…obviously because this entire arrangement and Lord Larys just gives me the heebee-jeebees (I’m not kink-shaming here so don’t get the wrong idea). Larys informs Alicent that she is being watched by someone and Talya, her handmaid is a spy. He recommends killing whoever is secretly watching Alicent and she bargains with him to get it done. In continuous exchange for his services, he gets to pleasure himself at the sight of her feet. What I truly don’t understand is how someone such as Alicent, that has literally spent years learning the ways of this world under her father’s tutelage, is subjected to such treatment. How on earth did this happen?
As everyone prepares for the big day that awaits them, Princess Rhaenys is visited by Ser Arryk to make her great escape from the castle in the wee hours of the morning, passing by Lord Caswell hanging by his neck in what appears to be another small courtyard within the castle walls, as a reminder to those of what’s to come should they betray the crown. On their way to the Blackwater Gates, Rhaenys tells Arryk that she needs to get to her dragon, Meleys in order to escape, but Arryk insists on her pushing forward. Pandemonium ensues among the locals as everyone is forced to gather for the big announcement. On their way to the ceremony, Alicent tries to get Aegon to understand that The Hand, his grandfather Otto, will try to get him to do his bidding and he must resist. Looking upon the people of King’s Landing, Otto breaks the news to the people that King Viserys has passed away and Aegon will succeed him as King, to which the people cheer.
Aegon, The King That Never Wanted To Be (I take full credit for this name) makes his grand entrance and is announced as the new King. The cheers and applause from the common folk provide newfound confidence in Aegon, fooling him into believing he’s actually fit for the job. As the ceremony is underway, Rhaenys sneaks away into the dragon’s pit to find Meleys. Remember when I said Helaena’s statement to her mother could be seen as a metaphor? Well, folks, I guess she meant it literally – Rhaenys makes her greatest escape yet on her dragon Meleys, breaking through the ground which everyone in the church is literally standing on, crushing those unfortunate souls under tons of broken ground and rubble, as Meleys swings her gigantic tail about knocking those around her to their deaths. Panic ensues, and appearing from the smoke is Princess Rhaenys in all of her glory, armor-clad, staring down the royal family and the newly anointed King. She could have easily killed the entire family in a single utterance of the word “Dracarys” but chooses to let them live and escapes on the dragon’s back. With the season finale next week and another season ahead of us, it’ll be interesting to see where Princess Rhaenys’ allegiance lies and what the power dynamic would be going forward.
Stay tuned for next week as we recap the season finale and a podcast discussing the show, with yours truly!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edxq-h-gGQI]
Hey! I’m Lais a.k.a. Chipz-N-Stix and I love video games and nerd culture overall. I typically do reviews and impressions on video games as well as offer some helpful tips and tricks to enhance your gaming experience. From time to time I tend to touch on certain topics that get you thinking – things that would matter to the individual. I’m also a self-proclaimed Pokemon Master but that doesn’t mean you can outright challenge me. I have to “motivate” my team for that!