House of the Dragon episode 9 preview confirms the death of King Viserys Targaryen and marks the beginning of the Targaryen Civil War, popularly known as the Dance of Dragons.
The upcoming episode 9 has been titled “The Green Council,” which refers to the council that was formed in support of Queen Alicent Hightower and her son Aegon II’s ascendance to the Iron Throne. The council was formed after the death of King Viserys Targaryen.
Episode 8 ended with the much-expected death of the ill King, but it was not clearly stated. However, the episode 9 preview confirmed that King Viserys is dead.
The preview began with Ser Otto Hightower announcing to the King’s council about the King’s passing. This was followed by Queen Alicent saying that Viserys told her he wished for Aegon to succeed him.
However, as we know from episode 8’s ending, this was a complete misunderstanding. Viserys was referring to Aegon the Conqueror when he took Aegon’s name. He was actually answering Rhaenyra’s question, which she had asked previously in the episode.
In episode 8, Rhaenyra asked her sick father if he really believed in Aegon’s dream, better known as the Song of Ice and Fire. At the end of the episode, Viserys most likely mistook Alicent for Rhaenyra and said that he believed it to be true and wanted Rhaenyra to take care of the realm and reunite it.
In reality, Viserys actually reinstated that he wanted none but Rhaenyra as his heir. However, Alicent mistook his words for the complete opposite, thinking that he meant Aegon II should be taking care of the realm and be crowned King. Was it really a misunderstanding on Alicent’s part, or did she do it purposely?
The preview also showed us a glimpse of Aegon II’s unlawful coronation as King. In Martin’s novel Fire and Blood, Otto Hightower and Queen Alicent crowned Aegon II as King following Viserys’ death without informing Rhaenyra about her father’s death.
The door remains shut until we finish our business.
Otto Hightower
It seems like the show will be following the exact same route, and episode 9 will feature Aegon II’s coronation as the King of the Seven Kingdoms. The short preview also hints at a major role for Larys Strong in the upcoming episode.
In one scene, we see Larys Strong informing someone (most probably Alicent) about something she “should know.” We see a glimpse of a young child after this. The child had white hair and pretty much looked like a Targaryen. It will be interesting to see where we head with this unknown reveal.
There are also glimpses of protest from the King’s council, which elucidates how the council divided into the Blacks and Greens. One of the King’s ministers called it treason, very likely referring to Aegon II being crowned as King without Rhaenyra’s knowledge.
The preview ends with a voiceover by Princess Rhaenys Targaryen. It is not clear to whom she is speaking, but she asks if they’ve never imagined themselves on the Iron Throne.
Have you never imagined yourself on the Iron Throne?
Rhaenys Targaryen
The preview of next week’s episode confirms that Dance of Dragons will begin soon, and none of the players will sit still. Interestingly, Rhaenyra Targaryen and her husband, Daemon Targaryen, are completely missing from the episode 9 preview.
It is probably because they are away at Dragonstone, and we know from the book that they were not informed about the King’s death until Aegon II’s coronation. Rhaenyra might be absent from the majority of next week’s episode.
We can expect some dirty politics from House of the Dragon episode 9. In fact, it was after Viserys’ death that the actual battle for the Iron Throne began. House of the Dragon will return with the next episode on October 16, 2022.
About House Of The Dragon
House of the Dragon is the prequel series to HBO’s blockbuster Game of Thrones based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood.
Set three hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will show Westeros under the Targaryen family’s rule before the dragons went extinct. It will follow the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war between siblings Aegon II and Rhaenyra, who fought for the throne after the death of their father, Viserys I.
Directed by Ryan Condall and Miguel Sapochnik, the show stars Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen, Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Craney as Aegon II Targaryen, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Rhaenys Velaryon, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole, and Graham McTavish.
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