The Fiery Fate of Rhaenyra Targaryen Unveiled: House of the Dragon Season 1 Finale

Highlights

House of the Dragon's first season ended on a devastating cliffhanger for Rhaenyra, with her being disinherited and losing her baby.

Season 2, scheduled for a 2024 release, will focus on Rhaenyra's quest for vengeance as she engages in a war against the Greens. The highly anticipated upcoming season, with a reduced episode count compared to its predecessor, has concluded filming, and exciting new cast members have been revealed. Fans are eagerly anticipating its premiere.

House of the Dragon, the HBO series based on George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, received widespread critical acclaim upon its premiere last year. Serving as a prequel to the popular fantasy series Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon chronicles the decline of House Targaryen. The show's dedicated fan base eagerly anticipates the upcoming second season. However, despite its overall positive reception, House of the Dragon did face some criticisms. One recurring critique centered around the excessive use of time-jumps, which some viewers felt unnecessarily complicated the plot, leading to difficulties in following the story. This is particularly relevant given that it has been over a year since the release of season 1, possibly causing viewers to forget important plot points.

The series primarily follows the journey of Rhaenyra Targaryen, the daughter of King Viserys. Portrayed by Milly Alcock initially, Emma D'Arcy takes over the role in later episodes after a significant time jump. Rhaenyra is declared as the heir to the Iron Throne in the show's opening episode, yet her ability to rule is constantly challenged due to her gender. The concluding episodes of season 1 bring immense hardships for Rhaenyra, leaving her in a precarious position. Despite the wait for season 2, which is expected to be released in summer 2024, recent updates regarding the highly anticipated second season have made it crucial to revisit the dramatic finale of season 1.

What Happened to Rhaenyra Targaryen At the End of Season 1?

Season 1's ten episodes were filled with numerous events, but it all came to a disastrous climax for Rhaenyra. In the eighth episode, King Viserys, Rhaenyra's father, passed away after a long battle with a severe illness. Queen Alicent, his wife, was by his side during his final moments. However, Alicent misinterpreted the King's last words, which were filled with delirium and spoke of his ancestor, Aegon the Conqueror. Unable to comprehend her husband's words, Alicent wrongly believed that he wanted their son, Aegon II Targaryen, to inherit the throne. This led to Rhaenyra being disinherited. When Lord Beesbury expressed doubt about King Viserys' true intentions, he was killed for going against the future King. The supporters of Aegon and Alicent, known as the 'Greens', clashed with the opposing faction called the 'Blacks'.

In the climactic finale, Rhaenyra, who was pregnant at the time, receives the heartbreaking news of her father's passing and uncovers Alicent's scheme to crown Aegon as King. This betrayal cuts deep, particularly since Rhaenyra and Alicent were once close friends. Overwhelmed by this devastating revelation, Rhaenyra goes into premature labor, resulting in the tragic loss of her baby.

At this juncture, Rhaenyra has wedded Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), her uncle. While Daemon fervently pushes for war against the Greens, Rhaenyra hesitates, torn between her yearning for peace in the realm and her determination to assert her rightful claim to the throne. In a defiant coronation ceremony, Rhaenyra is proclaimed Queen of Westeros by her loyal supporters, the House Targaryen Black faction.

To gain more supporters, Rhaenyra sends her sons to secure alliances. Her second son, Lucerys, is tasked with speaking to Borros Baratheon. Unfortunately, upon Lucerys' arrival, it is revealed that Borros Baratheon's support has been claimed by Aemond Targaryen. Aemond, the younger brother of Aegon and Rhaenyra's half-brother, has orchestrated a marital agreement between their families. It is important to note the existing animosity between Lucerys and Aemond, stemming from a violent altercation where Lucerys caused Aemond to lose an eye.

In a display of vengeance, Aemond demands that Lucerys remove his own eye as retribution for his past actions. However, Lucerys refuses and attempts to flee on his dragon. Aemond, riding his own massive dragon, pursues Lucerys. In a gripping moment, Lucerys' dragon manages to strike Aemond's dragon in the eye with fire. Astonishingly, Aemond's dragon responds by devouring both Lucerys' dragon and Lucerys himself, resulting in the tragic death of the young boy. Though visibly shocked, it is unlikely that Aemond feels remorse for Lucerys' demise.

What is Known About House of the Dragon’s Second Series?

The final episode of Season 1 sees Rhaenyra receiving the heartbreaking news of her son's tragic demise. This devastating revelation shatters her aspiration to maintain peace in the realm. Determined to reclaim her rightful position on the Iron Throne and seek vengeance for the untimely deaths of her son and stillborn baby, Rhaenyra realizes that she must engage in a war against the Greens. Season 1 concludes with Rhaenyra, gazing into a fiery abyss. Though consumed by grief over her son's death, her anguish swiftly transforms into seething anger as she begins to devise her retaliation. The discord between the Greens and Blacks has already exacted a heavy toll on Rhaenyra, yet this is merely the genesis of her turbulent journey.

Production for Season 2 commenced in April, avoiding any disruption from the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes that have affected the release of several upcoming TV series. Recent news confirmed the completion of filming, ensuring House of the Dragon's second season will be unveiled in 2024.

The series' main cast will return for season 2, but there will also be new faces joining the cast, including Simon Russell Beale, Freddie Fox, Abubakar Salim, and Gayle Rankin. Season 2 is expected to have fewer episodes than season 1, with 8 episodes instead of 10. George R. R. Martin has stated that House of the Dragon will need four seasons, so it's likely that a third season will be renewed soon.

Rhaenyra is in a difficult position as she is on the verge of starting a war. After the devastation she experienced in the finale of season 1, some fans are excited to see her unleash her wrath in season 2. While many fans eagerly await the next season, there are a few viewers who hope that the upcoming season will address some of the time-jump criticisms from season 1.