The first season of House of the Dragon took viewers back to the continent of Westeros with all of its plotting throughout the course of its 10 episodes and two-month duration. Although the series simmered and stirred, it managed to hold viewers’ attention until the very end. With Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke) usurping the throne from Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), the legitimate heir, in the final two episodes, the stage was set for the Dance of Dragons. The grim events over Storm’s End in the climax, however, were what led to the official declaration of war.
Rhaenyra sends her sons Jacaerys (Harry Collett) and Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) to confirm the allegiance of her bannermen during the season finale. Luke was dispatched to Storm’s End, while Jace was despatched to House Stark’s Winterfell and House Arryn’s The Vale. But when Luke runs across his uncle Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), they quickly get into a fight in the skies that results in Luke’s demise because of their earlier transgressions. Fans of the book already know that his mother will exact grim retribution through two characters, Blood and Cheese, who will appear in season two, as revealed by House of the Dragon author Sara Hess to Variety.
Fans of George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood are already aware of the threat that these two characters offer, as was already mentioned. These two people would be used by the Blacks, commanded by Rhaenyra, to carry out a cruel revenge for the loss of her son after Luke was killed. Given that the fanbase has been assured that they won’t be “disappointed,” perhaps we can expect a gory revenge scene when the show resumes. One that was “An eye for an eye, a son for a son,” in the words of the original material’s Prince Daemon.
The remarks spoken by King Viserys (Paddy Considine) on his deathbed unintentionally set the stage for the impending battle that would destroy Westeros. According to Considine, some fans misunderstood his character’s “tough” decisions, particularly those he made about his wife, Queen Aemma, adding, “[Aemma’s] death that’s his downfall, really. He never gets over that death. Which is kind of misunderstood by people early on. I think they think I killed my wife. But that wasn’t the case. They were both going to die. They had a chance of saving Baelon, but it meant putting her through a horrific procedure.”
The conflict that will later become known as the Dance of Dragons, which marks the beginning of the Targaryen dynasty’s dominance over Westeros, is ultimately sparked by Luke’s death. The first season of House of the Dragon is currently streaming in its entirety on HBO Max. The introduction of Blood and Cheese will undoubtedly play a significant role in the upcoming war, but how significant it will be in the series is yet to be determined.
