Clearly, blood is on the coronary heart of “Home of the Dragon,” and throughout its title sequence, as it is a story of succession. It is also a narrative of household, albeit one which has change into extraordinarily fractured and dysfunctional.

When Corlys Velaryon falls unwell and there’s actual concern he might die, instantly all the things is thrown into the air. For all our concern in regards to the Targaryens, after Rhaenyra and Laenor wed, their future is intertwined with Driftmark.

Thus, the query of legitimacy for Rhaenyra’s oldest three youngsters is extraordinarily related to Home Valerayon. Corlys was obsessive about the historical past books and legacy, saying final week that historical past would not look after blood, it solely cares for names.

That could be true, however his brother Vaemond cares much less for legacy and the historical past books as he does for the pure Velaryon bloodline … a bloodline he believes is significantly in jeopardy of ending ought to Rhaenyra’s second-born son Lucerys take the Driftmark Throne and change into Lord of the Tides.

Nobody has but been prepared to place public voice to it, which has been a dominating theme of the season (not placing voice to issues), but when Rhaenyra’s youngsters should not Laenor’s youngsters then there can be no true Velaryon blood on the throne and in any line that succeeds from Lucerys.

What Vaemond doesn’t know is that this query of the legitimacy of Rhaenyra’s youngsters has been this chilly conflict brewing inside Home Targaryen for almost 20 years now and the very succession of the throne and way forward for the realm is all tied up inside it.

He solely cares about what’s proper for Home Velaryon and his bloodline, and with regard to Rhaenyra’s youngsters, he isn’t unsuitable. He has no concept the chaos his petition to put himself on the Driftmark throne as a substitute unleashed.

This was an episode of simmering water not fairly rising to a full boil, however actually heating up. Within the custom of “Recreation of Thrones,” it appears like all hell is about to interrupt unfastened within the ninth episode of the season subsequent week. However earlier than that occurs, let’s set the stage.

Vaemond Questions Lucerys’ Declare

The very concept of publicly and formally questioning Lucerys’ declare to the Driftmark Throne, regardless of Corlys expressly stating that he needed Lucerys to inherit it after him, questions the legitimacy of Rhaenyra’s youngsters, and thus her personal succession. It questions all the things and places formal voice to the rumors which have plagued the household since Jacaerys was born with these “Robust” options and black hair.

Rhaenyra Arrives to Zero Welcome

With Vaemond heading to King’s Touchdown to petition, Rhaenyra goes as effectively to petition for Lucerys’ declare. Her return, although, is paying homage to KIng Viserys’ non-welcome in Driftmark when he went to ask Corlys for Laenor and Rhaenyra to be betrothed. There was nobody there, which we later be taught was on the orders of Otto Hightower. He and Alicent have been ruling Westeros with Viserys unwell and addled attributable to milk of the poppy and different concoctions to ease his ache and fog his thoughts.

Alicent Addresses Dyana to Shield Aegon

It is a second the place we see simply how far Alicent will go for household — or did she? After her son Aegon successfully rapes a maid who entered his room, Alicent is extra involved that the maid may inform folks and sully Aegon’s title and so she affords her a tea, “simply in case.” We’d suppose it is the identical sort of tea Rhaenyra drank to forestall being pregnant years in the past, however then we be taught that Dyana didn’t present up for her duties. So did Alicent kill her or was it what it regarded like on the floor, and he or she paid her off to go away? All of it will depend on how far we predict she’s gone.

Daemon Calls Out Alicent’s Rule

Daemon has by no means performed by the principles, so if their is a recreation of homes and a recreation of thrones in Westeros, he is by no means bothered to play it. So whereas Rhaenyra and Alicent cat round each other after he and Rhaenyra go to the ailing Viserys, Daemon calls out the queen for ruling alongside her father. When Alicent says they’re fulfilling Viserys’ needs, Daemon questions how his addled thoughts might categorical any needs in any respect. It is clear they’ve claimed energy, simply as Alicent has redecorated to mirror her personal religion within the Seven Gods, which isn’t the religion of Home Targaryen.

Rhaenyra Affords to Betroth Her and Laena’s Youngsters

In a determined effort to quell the looming public questioning of her youngsters’s legitimacy, Rhaenyra makes a proposal to Rhaenys, who nonetheless thinks Rhaenyra and Daemon had her son Laenor killed so they might wed — she’s not unsuitable, per se, although Laenor survived). She means that her eldest two boys be betrothed to Rhaenys’ granddaughters by Laena (and Daemon), tying their households collectively each on the Iron Throne and the Driftmark Throne. This is able to additionally carry pure Velaryon blood again to the Driftmark line of succession after Lucerys. Rhaenys, although, signifies she has no intention of defending Rhaenyra’s declare.

Rhaenyra Does Not Kill Viserys

It is odd, sure, to highlight one thing that did not occur, however after Rhaenys rejected Rhaenyra’s supply to unite their youngsters, Rhaenyra went to see her father. Viserys is in horrible well being and clearly on his deathbed on this episode, so the answer to all of her issues was only one pillow away. She was alone at night time in his bedchambers and will have simply taken him out. That might have made her queen immediately, negating the ability of the Hightowers and eradicating anybody actually to face towards her — till the realm revolts into civil conflict, in fact. However she did not, as a result of love and affection she nonetheless has. It is the identical approach she did not kill Laenor. If Alicent killed Dyana, then she’s clearly the extra brutal of the 2 of them. Once they inevitably go to conflict, will Rhaenyra actually have the abdomen to do what is critical? Does Alicent, or will they not be prepared to make that killing stroke?

Viserys Calls Household Supper

Because the starting of the collection, Viserys has needed love and peace and happiness and concord. It is a fantasy, however not the sort that George R.R. Martin writes. Viserys is just too warm-hearted for this cold-blooded world, and his desires of unity by no means go away him. It is endearing, but in addition why he was ineffective in quelling the rising unrest inside his home. As an alternative, he requires a dinner in an try once more to create peace. It’s the first time the prolonged household has been collectively in years, so it is also comprehensible for a person on the finish of his life to need this final probability to see everybody without delay.

Viserys Rejects Otto’s Tea

In his delirium, Rhaenyra had begged him to face up for and defend her towards Alicent’s plotting and this risk to the legitimacy of her youngsters. And so, it was an enormous second when Viserys rejected the tea that was supplied to him by Otto. He is aware of that it addles his mind and makes him unable to suppose clearly. It additionally eases the super quantity of ache he is in always, so it is a resolution that comes from an interior energy to do what is correct and, as soon as once more, defend his daughter.

Viserys Sits the Iron Throne

Vaemond makes his petition to Otto on the Iron Throne, with Alicent standing by and smirking at Rhaenyra. They’re seeing this as the chance to lastly take her down. They do not rely on Viserys opting to indicate up in court docket right now. It was a robust and dramatic sequence as he painstakingly made his option to the throne, and Daemon lastly helped settle him into it along with his crown. After which, he known as into query why there even is a petition a couple of settled line of succession.

Rhaenys Backs Rhaenyra

It is by no means fairly clear what Rhaenys is pondering, however when known as upon by Viserys to talk of Lord Corlys’ needs, she reaffirms that her husband needed Lucerys to ascend the Driftmark Throne. She then furthers this by revealing Rhaenyra’s supply to wed their youngsters collectively, saying that her home graciously accepts the supply. With this, Home Velaryon ties itself much more firmly with Rhaenyra’s declare to the Iron Throne. Who is aware of what she was going to do had Viserys not confirmed up, but it surely was clear seeing her brother modified her thoughts.

Vaemond Calls Rhaenyra Whore, Youngsters Bastards

This was the large second of the episode, with Vaemond outraged after Viserys affirms the succession Corlys needed. He won’t let Viserys decide the way forward for his bloodline, he says, after which he places voice to what nobody within the kingdom has been prepared to say publicly — with Daemon whispering for him to do it. He publicly calls Rhaenyra’s youngsters bastards and her a whore. In fact, this incenses King Viserys, who requires his tongue, but it surely’s additionally the primary time somebody has publicly put phrase to rumor in a proper setting, and phrases have energy.

Daemon Kills Vaemond

In fact, mentioned phrases can’t come with out penalties, and Daemon was greater than prepared to step in and deal with that a part of it, lopping Vaemond’s head off from behind. He did, nonetheless, go away the tongue intact, making a cheeky remark about it. With Vaemond lifeless, there actually is not any extra succession argument in Driftmark, paving a clean path for Lucerys to take over each time it could be that Corlys dies. It doesn’t, nonetheless, take away the phrases that he spoke or the ears that heard them.

Viserys Begs Household to Reunite

At supper, Viserys makes one final plea for his household to unite. With generations earlier than him, he takes off his masks to disclose his lacking eye and rotting cheek on one aspect, but it surely’s to disclose his humanity. He would beseech them as an outdated man, as their member of the family, to place apart their petty variations and be sturdy for each other and for the realm. A divided Home of the Dragon is disastrous for the realm.

Rhaenyra and Alicent Toast Every Different

Rhaenyra and Alicent are childhood associates, they grew up collectively and had many good years collectively. Their feud has been working for therefore lengthy, is there a risk of peace between them? Effectively, there’s all the time a risk. Spurred on by Viserys’ plea, Rhaenyra toasts Alicent for taking such care of her father all these years. Alicent then toasts Rhaenyra, with the sentiment carrying on to toasting the newly betrothed cousins. However Aegon continues his lecherous methods, overtly providing to mattress Jacaerys’ newly-betrothed Baela in entrance of Jacaerys and Aegon’s personal spouse. The strain that brewed between the chidren of the subsequent technology isn’t so simply cooled.

Aemond Toasts Nephews ‘Robust’

Aemond set himself up for a villain flip when he brashly laid declare to the dragon Vhagar earlier than Rhaena might. Because it was her mom’s dragon, Rhaena techincally had declare, which is why Aemond stole out within the night time to make his declare, which labored. Within the ensuing battle, Lucerys slashed Aemond’s face, costing him his eye. The following years didn’t soften Aemond in any respect, who comes throughout as much more of a jerk than his older brother, smirking at everybody. After which, he decides to toast his nephews, very pointedly and repeatedly utilizing the phrase “sturdy” — in reference to their actual feather, Harwin Robust — till a combat breaks out between all of the younger males. Even when Rhaenyra and Alicent would think about ending their very own feud, they’ve already fueled sufficient hatred of their youngsters to maintain it going into the subsequent technology. Blood feuds are nasty issues and might be very heard to interrupt as a result of the subsequent technology would not perceive all of the nuances of the unique grievance, however they’ll actually perceive the hate.

Viserys Tells Alicent Aegon’s Dream

Might this be the second upon which all the things turns? Earlier within the episode, Rhaenyra requested Viserys if he actually beiieves “The Track of Ice and Fireplace” that is been handed down from one ruler to the subsequent? He could not reply her, not in his proper thoughts. On the finish of the episode, he is once more not in his proper thoughts, however he does reply the query. The issue is that it is Alicent by his aspect. And for the reason that dream was Aegon the Conqueror’s, she thinks he means their baby Aegon II when he talks about “the prince that was promised” and the way he’ll unite the realm. He says to her, “It’s you. You’re the one. You need to do that.” He thinks he is speaking to his inheritor, Rhaenyra, however Alicent thinks he’s telling her that he really desires Aegon to be his inheritor. After which, he died. And so, each ladies now imagine that Viserys needed them to be his inheritor, one in reality and the opposite by way of misunderstanding. The blood we have seen within the opening credit is about to let as a result of this succession goes to be ugly!

“Home of the Dragon” airs new episodes each Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.