House Of The Dragon Episode 10 is almost upon us and it brings the incredible season to a close in what’s no doubt going to be a big send-off to not only the show but also a couple of characters. The trailer for it is now out and we’re gonna be breaking it down, talking about the events in the book, and also what point we think the season is gonna end at.
Because of this, there’ll be some major spoilers so if you don’t want it ruined then I recommend you turn it off now. The show doesn’t adapt things 100% but stuff is normally close enough that even talking about the book could burn it all down for you.
This is going to be the final Episode for this season, and we expect a bomb to explode at the ending that will leave us wanting more Dragons and politics from the 7 Kingdoms.
House Of The Dragon Episode 10 Preview Breakdown
Now the episode is called The Black Queen and as I’m sure you can guess, this is in reaction to what happened in episode 9. The council of the greens was formed and Aegon has crowned the King. Most of the realm now sees Rhaenyra as illegitimate and thus she has to call together the people that still support her and the blacks.
We have seen the Greens murdering people who dissent from them and this of course makes several houses realize that they are trying to rule through fear. They view it as high treason, and it strengthens their word. Most of the houses swore oaths to Rhaenyra all the way back in 105 AC, and though some of the heads have died since then most still stand by their oaths.
This is very much going to mirror the last episode with people swearing loyalty to the blacks whereas 9 had it to the greens. Now whereas last week centered around the Green Council, Rhaenyra would eventually go on to form the council of the Blacks whom I believe we see in this episode standing around the painted table.
Rhaenys Warns The Blacks
We see Rhaenys arriving at Dragonstone on the back of her beast fresh off the back of Episode 9. Quick correction from our episode 9 breakdown I said that her dragon was Meraxes. I actually couldn’t remember the name but I remembered it started with an M and just googled Rhaenys dragon M and that was what came up. It probably changed up now because of its popularity of it but before it, Meraxes was the top result. I apologize and next time I’ll be sure to double-check with you in exchange for showing you my feet.
Now Rhaenys warns that the greens are coming for her, and as we saw last week, Otto wanted to send assassins to take her out. I believe that we see a scene like this playing out in the entry with them once more meeting on the bridge up to the castle.
This obviously Echoes episode 2 in which Otto and the forces of Kingslanding traveled out there to get the dragon egg back from Daemon. However, this might actually be Otto going to Rhaenyra with terms in order to try and talk her down from starting a war. We do see someone holding a page and reading from it, so I’m guessing this is all kind of going over terms and conditions, which there’s probably going to skip as most people do.
The person holding the parchment is Rhaenyra, and we can also see that she’s wearing a crown. We also pointed out that Orwyle is there too, and in the book, he was the one who came to deliver the terms. He was lambasted as a traitor, and his chains were taken from him which could explain what happens after the swords are drawn.
Rhaenyra Being Crowned
Daemon talks about her bending the knee and she might even consider this in the episode. The crown would of course plunge the realm into war and after the decades of peace that her father and grandfather brought, it’s a risky move. Both Viserys and Jahaerys were known for creating the most peaceful period in Westeros and to go against this would in some ways undo all their hard work. Or that’s at least how she might see it, I dunno mate I wasn’t invited to this or she hulk’s writer’s room.
In the book they talk about the terms and state that all Rhaenyra has to do is accept that Aegon is the King and she’ll get to keep Dragonstone. She will be known as a Lady, but it seems like she goes against this. This teaser shows Rhaenyra getting a crown which I’m guessing will come after this meeting on the bridge.
In the teaser, we see Erryk handing over Viserys crown, which he clearly stole from King’s Landing. In the book, Alicent ordered it to be locked away in a vault so that Aegon could take Aegon The Conquerors. However, a servant ended up stealing this, and they fled the Kingdom.
They’ve given that role to Erryk, who is now bringing it to Rhaenyra to crown her the rightful Queen. Now it’s also possible that Rhaenyra goes into labor during this episode. After Rhaenys delivers the news that the Greens are coming for her and the kids, we see her touching her bump.
Rhaenyra Going Through Pain
In the book after her father’s death, she went into labor and learned that her throne had been taken from her. In the book the labor was agonizing and it lasted for days with Rhaenyra even screaming out Monster to the baby at one point. It came out stillborn with a dragon’s tail and she blamed Alicent for not only killing the baby but for also stealing her birthright. It isn’t the only child that she loses in the episode either but we’ll talk more about this later on.
Rhaenyra stands beside Daemon out among the cliffs at one point and she looks like she’s been through hell. I’m guessing this will come after she gives birth and it will be the pair realizing how much Alicent has taken from her. This plunged everything into all-out war and I love the shot where we see the council of the blacks presiding over the table.
The orange glow created by the paint is of course supposed to resemble fire and it hints towards the flames that will rain down on the land during the dance of the dragons. This table was actually commissioned by Aegon the first during his conquest and it allowed him to see over all of Westeros so that he could better plot and plan his takeover.
Gaining The Support
Now whereas we spent all of episode 9 at Kings Landing, it seems like we will be spending the majority of 10 at Dragonstone. This is shown throughout the teaser with us getting both night and day sequences around the castle. However, this trailer also confirms that we will be heading to Storms End. At one point we see Jacerys saying ‘send us’ and he’s stood beside his brother and cousin…sorry finances.
A marker is placed down at Winterfell so we could potentially visit there in the episode or even pick up season 2 at the location. This will be where we likely meet Lord Cregan Stark who could end up becoming a big character next season. I pretty much view Winterfell as being the home of the game of thrones, yeah that’s right f**k kings landing and it would be so cool to open the season up there.
In the work, we learned that Alicent sent out Ravens to almost all of the houses in the realm in order to try and rally support for her side. However, the more powerful places needed a personal touch and thus she sent out Aemond to Storms End in order to try and get them on her side.
This is the same in the case of Rhaenyra who ends up sending Lucerys out to Storm’s end in order to broker a deal. The name of this is symbolic on a number of levels as the big scene there takes place in a storm…so….yeah….the season ends here….so…yeah and storms end.
This could also refer to the final line from chapter 12. This discusses how after Viserys death the storm broke and the dragons danced. Larys also brought up how important it was in episode 9 before he was cut off by Alicent. He wanted to warn her that she’d see defeat without it and now he’s here to see defeat. Sorry did that joke last Breakdown but it’s too good not to milk. Also for anyone asking, this is basically what Only Fans were before the internet.
Aemond vs. Lucerys
Anyway back to Storm’s end. Now, this is teased first in the trailer by Aemond pulling off his eyepatch. After it was taken at Driftmark he ended up placing a sapphire stone in the wound which he hid with an eyepatch. This was at court so that people didn’t wince but now he’s fully in f**k you mode so he unveils it.
In the book, Aemond arrives there first and he promises his hand in marriage to one of Borros’ daughters. This will unite the houses, secure Storm’s end to the Greens’ side, and also make it so that Rhaenyra’s side is outmatched in house strength. Lucerys arrives late and due to him being betrothed to his cousin he can’t marry any of Borros’ daughters.
Aemond at this point demands that he cut out an eye and he says that in exchange for this he’ll let him live. Aemond goes to fight him but Borros says that there’ll be no bloodshed under his roof. Lucerys then storms out…ey and he then leaves on the back of his Dragon.
Now at this point one of Borros’ daughters whom Aemond didn’t pick taunts him and says that he took his balls as well as his eyes. Aemond then went out into the storm and on the back of Vhaghar he tracked Lucerys through the sky. Though Lucerys dragon was smaller and faster, the storm slowed him down and thus Vhaghar was able to catch up.
Aemond killed him, and he ended up being known as the Kinslayer because of this. It seems like the series is changing up what happens during the fight with it happening in the courtyard rather than in the night sky. Looks so good and watching Vhaghars head slowly appear over the wall lets you know it’s on.
It does appear like they might take to the sky however the way the part with Lucerys is presented makes me think it might be something else. I think it could be him leaving dragonstone though it might also be Storm’s end. The book talks about how he’s drenched when he arrives there so potentially, this is the start of the journey.
Dragons Everywhere
Of course, these aren’t the only dragons in the show. Rhaenyra’s side needs additional dragons because they are in a terrible situation, and it appears like Daemon is traveling to Vermithor. This is the dragon that belongs to Jaehaerys first and it’s one of the oldest in the realm only being second to Vhaghar. Daemon appears to be singing to it in High Valeryon and he promises that it will get a new rider. This comes in the form of Hugh Hammer who’s gonna be a big character in the series.
Now originally the Targaryens and Valeryons wanted it to seem like only their bloodline could ride the beasts. This is because it made them appear like Gods and therefore their rule wouldn’t be contested. They had to bring in other Dragon riders to help and this was suggested by Jacerys. After the first person who attempted to tame the dragon was burned alive, Hugh eventually stepped up and they could reorder events to have it happen hereafter Daemon calms it down.
Other important shots involving the character are when he grabs his sword Darksister. This belonged to Aegon the conqueror’s sister/wife. It’s meant to mirror how Aegon the second now has the conqueror’s sword whereas he has his sisters….slash wives…well one of em anyway. These two swords once fought alongside each other but now they are held by people on opposite sides which showcases how far everything has fallen.
The teaser ends with the jaws of Vhaghar snapping out of the rain likely grabbing arraxes or Lucerys. I know I said they might just keep it to the courtyard but this could end up happening in the sky which would be a great way to end the battle.
Anyway, that ends the trailer and it looks like it’s gonna be one hell of a finale. The death of Lucerys would be a crazy way to close things off and it would deal a crushing blow to Rhaenyra. The back half of this season has been all about her protecting her children.
This entire war was pretty much started because they were seen as illegitimate and it would be incredible to end things with one of their deaths. That will be the end of the series, and I’m so sad to see it go. It’s been an incredible 10 weeks and hopefully, we get an official announcement of the Jon snow one or something else to tide us over.
Also Read: Why Aemond Will Be Important In House Of The Dragon’s Storyline?
