House of the Dragon Season 1 Finale: Your Burning Questions Answered
Why did Lucerys die, and what does it mean for the Dance of the Dragons?
Poor Luke. He was the more hesitant of Rhaenyra's sons when it came to embracing royal duties, making his death all the more tragic. Luke tried to flee back to Dragonstone on Arrax, but his small dragon was no match for Aemond and Vhagar.
Now, unlike the books, Aemond didn't go out of his way to kill Lucerys in the show. He was trying to be a jerk, bully Luke, and take his eye for revenge. Aemond's face when he sees the carnage shows that murder wasn't his intention. But, a dragon's a dragon, and things didn't go to plan.
But, here's the thing: Luke's death changes everything for Rhaenyra. She was open to Otto's terms for peace, but this proves that peace is just a fantasy. It's pretty clear that Aemond is going to tell Aegon that he murdered Luke on purpose, because he'd rather look evil than weak.
The bottom line is, Luke's death is what brings the war from a bunch of talks and alliances to a full-blown, fire-and-blood showdown.
What does the final shot of Rhaenyra mean?
The show ends with Rhaenyra learning of Lucerys' death. She's devastated, and the camera focuses on her face, showing anger and tears.
Before this, she was being hesitant to go to war. But now? She's ready to burn the whole realm down. The message from Alicent about their past love now means nothing. Daemon was frustrated with Rhaenyra for not taking back the Iron Throne immediately, but now she's going for it. The message is clear: "War it is."
What happens next to Jacaerys on his mission?
While his brother had a pretty bad trip to Storm's End, Jace's travels are going a little better. We don't know what happened to him at the end of season 1, but we know he's on his way to the Vale to meet with Jeyne Arryn and then to Winterfell to talk to Cregan Stark.
Jace is going to be super successful in the Vale. He gets House Arryn on their side, which is pretty big. One rumor says Jeyne Arryn only agreed to help because Jace satisfied her sexually, but another source says she likes women in power, and they have a family connection. It's a pretty scandalous story.
But Jace's trip to Winterfell is even more successful. He basically becomes besties with Cregan Stark. There are even rumors that Jace sleeps with Cregan's sister, but that's probably not true. Either way, Jace seals a deal with Cregan, promising to marry his daughter to Cregan's son. That's how you make alliances in Westeros!
What does Daemon's dragon scene set up for the future?
Daemon is trying to tame the dragon Vermithor, which is a pretty big deal. He knows the Blacks have more dragons than the Greens, but they need more riders.
Now, you might think this dragon is for his daughter Rhaena, but it's actually going to be important for something called the "Sowing of the Seeds." This is when the Blacks find Targaryen and Velaryon bastards who can ride dragons.
Vermithor is going to be ridden by someone with silver hair. It's pretty amazing that this dragon was once ridden by King Jaehaerys I Targaryen. This is how the Blacks are going to get their dragon power back after losing so many riders.
How did House of the Dragon's showrunner explain the ending?
Ryan Condal, the showrunner, has some interesting things to say about the finale. He says that Aemond wasn't trying to kill Lucerys. He just wanted to scare him and show him he wasn't afraid.
Condal also explains that Rhaenyra was in a tough spot. She wanted to keep the realm united and avoid war, which is what Aegon's dream was all about. But, she doesn't trust Aegon to do that. And, she also feels like her birthright was stolen from her. It was all just too much for her.
The showrunner says that the deaths of her father, daughter, son, and the loss of her birthright were a declaration of war by the Greens, whether they meant to do it or not. It was just the push she needed to fight for the throne.
How are the Greens and Blacks different now?
The Greens are going to get stronger in season 2. They're going to have the support of Houses Hightower, Lannister, Baratheon, and more. But, they're going to lose some big players, like Larys Strong, who gets killed off in season 1.
The Blacks are going to be more powerful, too, thanks to the support of Rhaenys Targaryen and the Velaryons. They're also going to be getting more dragons, thanks to the "Sowing of the Seeds."
But, remember, these alliances can change in the blink of an eye. Just like in Game of Thrones, things are going to get messy and bloody.
