5 House of the Dragon season one finale details you may have missed

The birth of Rhaenyra’s child in the finale provides a fantastic narrative parallel to Daenerys Targaryen’s journey in “Game of Thrones” season one.

Rhaenyra, portrayed by Emma D’Arcy in “House of the Dragon”
HBO

As we predicted for episode 10, Ryan Condal and the “House of the Dragon” writing staff drew connections between Daenerys Targaryen’s experience with a stillborn child and Rhaenyra’s miscarriage in the series finale.

In the first season of “Game of Thrones,” not only was Dany herself born on Dragonstone during a rainstorm, tying her to the same room where Rhaenyra suffered with early delivery, but Dany also had a stillborn child.

In the very first season of “Game of Thrones” (as well as in Martin’s “A Game of Thrones” novel), Dany becomes pregnant for the first time with Khal Drogo and loses the child through a rite performed by Mirri Maz Duur. Dany can not recall giving delivery and was informed that the infant had already died.

“Monstrous. Twisted. I drew him forth myself, “Mirri Maz Duur tells Dany. “He had scales like a lizard, was blind, had a stub for a tail, and little leather wings like bat wings.”

In “Fire and Blood,” Rhaenyra’s offspring is likewise referred to as a “monster,” similar to Rhaego.

The book states, “When the baby was finally born, she was definitely a monster: a stillborn girl with a hole in her chest where her heart should have been and a short, scaly tail.”

Instead of incorporating mystical themes into Rhaenyra’s child, the show took a far more melancholy, sorrowful route. In contrast to Dany’s scenes in “Game of Thrones,” the camera remained fixed on the Targaryen monarch during every excruciating moment of her stillbirth.

Another of Helaena’s prophecies was fulfilled when Otto arrived with a new symbol of a green dragon depicting King Aegon II.

Erryk is a faithful queensguard for Rhaenyra.

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During the funeral for Laena Velaryon in episode seven, Helaena made the following cryptic prediction “Hand turns loom; green thread becomes black thread. Dragons of flesh spinning thread dragons.”

In this chapter, Ser Erryk (the former sworn protector of Aegon who swore allegiance to Rhaenyra) states that Otto Hightower arrived in Dragonstone carrying a banner bearing a green three-headed dragon sigil.

As you presumably already know, the insignia of House Targaryen is a crimson, three-headed dragon on a black background. By changing the color to green, King Aegon II symbolizes his Hightower blood as well as his Targaryen heritage.

Helaena’s prophecy informed the audience in advance that Otto (the “Hand” of the King) was creating new banners for Aegon’s ships and soldiers to bear in preparation for Aegon’s ascension.

Rhaenyra once tore a page from Alicent’s book that described Nymeria’s famous rescue of her people.

This page is about the fleet that Nymeria assembled.

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In the first episode of “House of the Dragon,” Rhaenyra and Alicent learned about Princess Nymeria and how she led her people across the Narrow Sea to escape Valyrian assault. Rhaenyra tore the page from the book and handed it to Alicent with a grin.

In the third episode, Rhaenyra frequently made a man sing a song about Nymeria fleeing dragonriders, implying that this was her favorite narrative.

Now the page made its way back to Rhaenyra; it was an attempt by Alicent to remind her childhood friend of the love and affection they once had.

Corlys gives Rhaenyra a glance when she mentions that Daemon had another task that required his attention.

Corlys and Rhaenyra in “The Black Queen.”

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After Daemon chokes Rhaenyra in a rage over her revelation that Viserys never informed him the secret prophesy only heirs to the Iron Throne can know, he is absent from her next Black Council meeting, implying that Viserys was never serious about letting Daemon become king.

Corlys enters the room for the first time and immediately notices the absence of Daemon. When he questions Rhaenyra about it, she responds that the prince was preoccupied with other matters.

Corlys was a member of King Viserys’ small council in the premiere episode, while Rhaenyra was the cupbearer. Daemon was absent from the meeting as he was out training his Gold Gloaks.

“Do you believe that Daemon is preoccupied with his current duties and that his mind and body are occupied?” In the first episode, Viserys questioned Lord Beesbury when Daemon’s absence was first observed.

The implication was that it was preferable to assign Daemon a random duty that prevented him from participating in Small Council decisions than to allow him to direct the conversation at the table.

Rhaenyra appears to have acquired this lesson from her father. After being attacked by Daemon the night before, she appears to have concluded that it’s best to let Daemon engage in dragon activities rather than allowing him to challenge her power (and refusal to go to war) in front of her Black Council.

Corlys and Rhaenys approve of Rhaenyra’s approach to Daemon thus far, as they offer their support for her cause few minutes afterwards.

Luke’s death was described in greater depth in “House of the Dragon” than in the novel, with the distinction that both Arrax and Vhagar were beyond the power of their riders when it occurred.

Luke (Lucerys) on Arrax.

HBO

Luke indeed perish at the hands (or mouths) of Aemond and Vhagar in “Fire and Blood,” but the fictitious history book makes no mention of the chase spiraling out of control because Arrax and Vhagar disobey their riders’ directives.

“House of the Dragon” emphasizes the unpredictability of dragonpower by including the fact that Aemond and Luke could not control the outcome of their schoolyard-like brawl.

Viserys actually forewarned Rhaenyra about this in the pilot episode.

It is a delusion that we govern the dragons, he continued. “They’re a power man should never have trifled with, one that brought Valyria its doom. And if we don’t mind our own histories it will do the same to us.”