House Of The Dragon has already had some pretty shocking and brutal moments in its first season on HBO Max. We’re going to go over the ones that really stayed with us. We’re seven episodes into House of the Dragon, and so far, it’s been an epic ride. The fantasy series, which serves as a prequel to Game of Thrones, premiered on August 21 and is currently just over the halfway mark of the season.
Set nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon centres around the Targaryen family tree and Westeros’ political landscape. True to form, showrunners Miguel Sapochnik and Ryan Condal delivered the drama, gore, and action we expected from the Thrones franchise as ardent Game of Thrones fans. The action and drama were definitely things fans were looking forward to when the trailer was first released.
However, unlike its predecessor, House of the Dragon steers clear from objectifying its character and adding unnecessary nudity. Instead, the series leans heavily into its storyline and the natural drama that occurs because of it. So, with three episodes left of the season, we look back at some of the most shocking, brutal, and memorable moments the season has offered us so far. (Spoiler alert – If you’re not up to date with the latest episode, be warned you may come across some spoilers).
1. Queen Aemma’s birth scene in House Of The Dragon Episode 1
Credit: HBO Max
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Right off the bat, the series starts with a gruesome childbirth scene involving Queen Aemma, King Viserys I’s first wife, and their newborn, Prince Baelon.
After being told that their baby is breech, King Viserys makes the difficult decision of choosing to save the newborn over his wife. Without consulting her, Viserys allows Grand Maester Mellos to cut his wife’s womb open to retrieve the baby. The operation ultimately kills Aemma and permanently scars us all in the process. The scene was downright brutal. For many of us, Aemma’s screams will haunt us for years to come.
2. Daemon’s killing spree in Episode 1
Elsewhere in Episode 1, Prince Daemon, played by Matt Smith, and the other members of the City Watch take to the city centre to seek out supposed criminals and dole out their own version of punishment. In the process, they sever limbs, heads, and other body parts to communicate the consequences of doing bad things. The scene ends with a quick shot of several body parts in a wagon.
3. King Viserys on a date with Lady Laena in Episode 2
Never mind that King Viserys is Lady Laena’s first cousin, incest seems to be in the literal blood of the Targaryens. However, what made this scene even more disgusting was that Lady Laena was just 12, and she was being matched with a much older Viserys.
During their brief date, the two make small talk, and Laena eventually lets slip that her mother, Rhaenys, told her she’d only have to bed the King when she turns 14.
4. Daemon and the Crabfeeder in Episode 3
In the third episode, Daemon faces off with the Crabfeeder in a bid to take over the Stepstones.
The scene does well in showing off Daemon’s combat skills. After trapping the pirates of the Stepstones, Daemon goes off on a one-man battle with their leader, the Crabfeeder and eventually cuts his body in half. The epic scene ends with a close-up of Daemon covered in what looks like the Crabfeeder’s blood. Yikes!
5. Teenage Rhaenyra and Daemon’s night out in Episode 4
In Episode 4, Daemon takes his young niece on a night out, running through the city centre, drinking, and watching a gaudy play. The two end the night at a pleasure house, with Daemon seducing Rhaenyra in the middle of an orgy. Unable to perform (or maybe his moral conscious finally spoke to him?) Daemon abandons Rhaenyra in the brothel, forcing her to return to the castle and seduce Ser Criston Cole instead.
6. Queen Alicent, ready for war in Episode 5
Credit: HBO Max
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By Episode 5, it’s clear that Queen Alicent has had it tough.
Successful in seducing the King following the death of his first wife, Aemma, Alicent eventually becomes the queen. Unfortunately for her, her only job seems to revolve around producing sons for the throne, a thankless job considering that Rhaenyra remains heir.
Next, her father, Otto Hightower gets renounced as the hand of the King. Finally, she loses it when she realizes that Rhaenyra lied to her about having done anything with Daemon.
So annoyed with the situation, Alicent wore green, a colour the Hightowers use to call its banners for war, at Rhaenyra’s wedding to Prince Laenor.
7. Aemond losing his eye, Episode 7
Frustrated about not having his own dragon, Prince Aemond, the second son of Queen Alicent, attempts to ride Vhagar, Lady Laena’s dragon, following her death. His move upsets Laena’s daughters, and he fights with them and Rhaenyra’s sons in the middle of the night. During the brawl, Aemond loses an eye when one of Rhaenyra’s gives him a good uppercut with a knife. The scene was definitely gnarly.
8. Daemon and Rhaenyra together, at last in Episode 7
If you were somehow rooting for Daemon and Rhaenyra to succeed as a couple, you’ll be glad to know that Episode 7 sees them finally ending up together. The two tie the knot in a simple ceremony as their offsprings watch. We can’t wait to see how everyone else will react to the news of their union in Episode 8.
With just three episodes left in the season, it’s going to be really exciting to see how it progresses and what will happen in season two. Stream House of the Dragon on HBO Max every Sunday at 9pm EST.
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