‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 10: ‘…And the Dragons Danced’
House of the Dragon Episode 10 wraps up its first season and kicks off a war.
Episode 9 of House of the Dragon dealt with the aftermath of Viserys’ death in King’s Landing. We saw the Greens take action to seize the throne and crown Aegon. It was a heavily Alicent-focused episode. Episode 10 takes us across Blackwater Bay to Dragonstone and shows how Rhanerya deals with the news.
Deaths in the Family 
House of the Dragon Episode 10 starts off with the Blacks all chilling on Dragonstone. Then out of the blue Rhaenys shows up from Kings Landing. She tells Daemon and Rhanerya about Viserys’ death and the usurpation. The news hits Rhanerya hard, hard enough to cause her to miscarry. It’s a traumatic time. Daemon is also distraught and jumps to the conclusion that Alicent killed his brother. Rhaenys says she doesn’t know what happened, and that the war wasn’t hers to start, hence sparing the Greens.
Long Live the Queen
It’s a rollercoaster of a day for the Princess. She buries her child, but at the same time is crowned Queen by her followers on Dragonstone. It’s quickly shown that while the Blacks had a lot of dragons they don’t have a ton of men, and many of their supporters are uncertain. At the same time, Otto Hightower shows up with Alicent’s terms. They are pretty generous and could allow for peace if Rhanerya will give up the throne.
The middle bulk of House of the Dragon Episode 10 is taken up with Rhanerya deciding if she will fight the usurpation or take Alicent’s terms. Alicent wisely played on her friendship with the Princess, and we know she’s actually sincere about it. Everyone around her is pushing her to war. But she’s reluctant. A ruler’s duty is to her people and she realizes that making peace could be the best way to protect the realm.
Dragonflight
The new Queen’s temperance wins over Rhaenys, and she along with a healed and returned Sea Snake pledge to support her, helping to tip the scales. Rhanerya still isn’t willing to just go to war. She knows that if the Dragons fight, things will be bad for everyone. Instead, she wants to gather her allies and see what’s going on. Let the Greens start the war if they want. Messages are sent out. However, it’s decided that the key messages should be delivered by Dragonriders.
It’s decided in House of the Dragon Episode 10 that the Queens eldest son Jace will fly to the Vale and then the North to gain their allegiance. Meanwhile, the younger Luke will fly to Storm’s End to gain the support of House Baratheon. Both promise not to fight, and but go as messengers.
Then the Storm Broke and the Dragons Danced
Luke arrives at Storms End in the rain. However, he finds he’s been beaten there. Aemond One-Eye and his massive dragon arrived ahead of him. Luke makes his appeal to Lord Baratheon, but it’s not good. He rebuts the Blacks. Aemond takes the chance to get back at Luke for the loss of his eye, trying to get him to fight. Luke won’t as he promised not to fight. Aemond then demands Luke takes out one of his own eyes. He won’t, and Lord Baratheon won’t let murder be done in his hall.
Luke then flees on his dragon, but it’s slow in the heavy rain. Aemond flows him and chases him through the storm, taunting Luke. It’s scary and deadly but might not have to end in blood. However, the two Princes seem to lose control of their dragons at this point. Luke’s Arrax goes after the bigger Vhagar. It ends poorly, and Luke and his dragon are killed, seemingly to the horror of Aemond. House of the Dragon Episode 10 ends with Rhanerya finding out about the death of her son, and clearly now ready to go to war.
Some Thoughts on House of The Dragon Episode 10
I appreciated the symmetry between Ott0’s face-off with Daemon in Episode two and in House of the Dragon Episode 10. On the other hand… is Otto dumb? He repeatedly bets his life on showing up at Dragonstone with like 10 dudes and being able to take out Daemon.
Speaking of, man they’ve really made Daemon a villain. Threatening the Kingsgaurd with death is not a good way to ensure loyalty. Beating your wife in anger is also pretty irredeemable. (If he could have been after killing his first wife).
I actually liked the two princes losing control of their dragons. It really builds on the idea that they are weapons of mass destruction and the results of using them in unreliable. Maybe Dany didn’t want to burn King’s Landing? Was it Drogon all along?
Given the Velaryon ties to Rhanerya, and what Rhaenys did at Aegon II’s coronation, I don’t buy there was any doubt the Valeryons were going to support the Queen. It was a silly bit of drama.
The maesters are totally manipulating things. At Storm’s End, it’s clear the Maester twisted the wording of the Queen’s letter to cause the Berathons to turn on her. Overall a solid ending to the series and a well-acted one at that.
