We made it, House of the Dragon fans. It’s the final episode (of this season). After the Greens moved to put Aegon on the throne last week, the finale was a Blacks-focused episode as Rhaenyra and her court considered going to war. Here’s your recap of House of the Dragon Episode 10 ‘The Black Queen’.
This article contains full spoilers for House of the Dragon. If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch season one over on Binge now.
House of the Dragon Episode 10: Plot recap
Things begin at Dragonstone, where Rhaenyra’s second son Lucerys is questioning his fate as the Lord of Driftmark. He’s worried he will never be as perfect as his mother. She placates him, saying she’s anything but perfect (she’s wrong, but whatever makes Luke feel better, I suppose).
Rhaenys has arrived after her dragon-storming last week and delivers the news to Rhaenyra that Viserys is dead and Aegon sits on the throne. Rhaenys says that while she rushed the news to her cousin, this war was not hers to start. The stress of this news seems to onset Rhaenyra’s labour.
In the midst of her labour, Rhaenyra calls Luke and Jacaerys to her side, demanding they take no action against the Greens unless ordered by her.
Daemon goes into warlord mode and prepares Dragonstone for a potential incoming attack from the Greens. He plans to fly to their allies and affirm their support, but Jace reminds Daemon that Rhaenyra is in control here.
Daemon takes Jace outside Dragonstone to show him the “true meaning of loyalty”. By that, he means threatening two Kingsguard knights with his dragon, Caraxes, to get them to swear fealty to Rhaenyra.
Rhaenyra’s labour is not going well. She’s in a lot of pain but refuses help from the nurses, instead delivering the baby herself. In the third tragic birth scene this season, we find her baby is stillborn.
Rhaenyra and Daemon mourn the loss of their child, burning them in the flames as is Targaryen tradition. At the funeral, the pair are met with Ser Erryk, one of the Kingsguard twins who has fled King’s Landing to support Rhaenyra and bring her Viserys’ crown.
Daemon adorns Rhaenyra with the crown and the gathered guests kneel before their new Queen.
Rhaenyra presides over the gathered lords and ladies in the war chamber for the first time as Queen. She receives an update on their position and they decide it is essential to receive the support of the Starks, Baratheons, Tullys and Arryns in order to proceed. The Velaryons are also yet to pick a side. Daemon is quick to urge them to war, figuring out the Greens have only three dragons on their side, while the Blacks have 13.
They are alerted of the arrival of a ship bearing an envoy led by Otto Hightower. Rhaenyra meets him on the back of her dragon, Syrax. He lays out his terms: acknowledge Aegon as the new King, and in exchange, they will allow the Blacks to keep Dragonstone and Driftmark as previously arranged.
Otto also drops that the Baratheons, Tullys and Starks are considering offers from the King and that the “stale” oaths they swore to her mean nothing. Rhaenyra takes this opportunity to rip the Hand of the King pin from Otto’s cloak and throw it into the ocean. A boss move.
Otto has an ace up his sleeve and delivers Rhaenyra a message from Alicent. It’s a page from a book, to remind her of the friendship they once shared. Daemon is ready to destroy Otto, but Rhaenyra urges peace, saying she will have an answer for King’s Landing the next day.
Back in the war chamber, Daemon is urging them to go to war with the might of their dragons. Rhaenyra knows that war will mean a burning kingdom, and she wants to rule over her people peacefully. Daemon argues with her on this, so Rhaenyra clears the room.
Rhaenyra reminds Daemon that her oath is tied to Aegon’s Song of Ice and Fire, which is more important than their personal ambitions. Daemon is confused by this and grabs her by the throat for her comments. No, Daemon. You’re the internet’s boyfriend; you can’t do things like this.
Then Rhaenyra realises, Viserys never trusted Daemon enough to share Aegon’s dream with him. Got ’em.
It turns out Corlys Velaryon has survived his sickness and has returned to Dragonstone. Rhaenys and Corlys debate which side to choose. Corlys wants to declare for no one, but Rhaenys has decided she wants to support Rhaenyra’s claim. She respects that Rhaenyra hasn’t plunged the realm into war. During the war council the next day, Corlys pledges the Velaryone navy to the Blacks.
Rhaenyra decides to try and confirm her oaths of fealty before committing to war. She decides to send envoys to Storm’s End, the Riverlands and Winterfell. Jace and Luke volunteer. Rhaenyra is hesitant to send her sons, but they want to prove themselves. She makes them swear to her they will go peacefully and not engage in any fighting.
Daemon, meanwhile, is working on securing more power for their side and is seen singing in Valyrian to one particularly large dragon that is nesting in the caves.
Of the envoys Rhaenyra sends, Luke is the first to arrive at Storms End. The only problem? He’s not the first one there. Vhagar and Aemond Targaryen have beat him to it.
Luke delivers his mother’s message to Borros Baratheon, reminding him of the oath he swore. Borros is slighted. King Aegon has already offered a pact of marriage for the Baratheon’s fealty, so he wants to know what Rhaenyra plans to offer him instead.
Luke says he will take this response back to his mother, but before he can leave, he is stopped by Aemond. Aemond is still bitter about the eye he lost to Luke when they were kids and he wants one in return. Borros doesn’t want bloodshed in his court and allows Luke to be escorted back to his dragon.
Luke makes a quick escape on Arrax in the rain, but he’s pursued by Aemond atop Vhagar. Luke attempts to flee from them but Arrax disobeys his orders and manages to take a shot at Vhagar.
Aemond loses control of Vhagar, who wants retaliation, and the much larger dragon manages to chomp Arrax and Luke clean in half. I’m sad to say this tragic image is now burned onto the back of my eyelids.
In a final wordless scene, Daemon delivers the news of Luke’s death to Rhaenyra and we’re left with the image of the Queen’s enraged face, no doubt ready to go to war.
https://twitter.com/LutherEBolkart/status/1584369400219860992?s=20&t=nmUsVJp6f0gsh1nKNij4NA
House of the Dragon Episode 10: Easter (dragon) eggs
House of the Dragon Episode 10 cemented the war that will become the Dance of Dragons and planted plenty of easter eggs. Here’s what you missed:
- The dragon that Demon sings to in this episode is Vermithor, aka the Bronze Fury and the dragon last owned by the Old King Jahaerys. He is the second-largest dragon still alive in Westeros.
- The book page that is handed to Rhaenyra by Otto Hightower from Alicent is the same page that she ripped out in Episode 1 when they were still teenagers. The page depicted the warrior queen Nymeria, and Alicent has held onto it all this time.
- That Stark namedrop in the finale is likely to be a continuing plot point in Season 2 which means, yep, we’re going back to Winterfell.
House of the Dragon has been a triumphant return to the world of Game of Thrones. More importantly, however, it’s brought the blessed return of the memes. Here’s a parting meme from House of the Dragon’s finale to keep you going until next time:
They really did make a live action Shrek 😭 #HouseOfTheDragon pic.twitter.com/Lw67iZOAoI
— westerosies (@westerosies) October 22, 2022
Thanks for joining us for a season of recaps. It’s been a pleasure breaking down war crimes and bringing you memes. If you missed last week’s House of the Dragon recap you can catch up here.
House of the Dragon season one is streaming now on Binge.
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