Spoiler Warning: House of the Dragon Season One
It’s easy to view history in terms of massive battles and lengthy political eras. However, the relatively small moments that ultimately cause global change are often overlooked. For example, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand sparked the chain of events that resulted in countless nations becoming embroiled in World War I. The reality of localized deaths and betrayals having Earth-shattering implications is especially true in Westeros, where the ebbs and flows of political power are generally the purviews of a small group of elite families. The death of a high-born Westerosi, whether the result of intentional action or random happenstance, creates ripples that echo throughout the Kingdom.
The epic finale ofHouse of the Dragonseason one, “The Black Queen,” sees Westeros on the brink of civil war. When an aerial battle between two cousins results in an untimely and likely unintentional death, audiences are left wondering what the political implications of the tragedy could look like. A mother’s grief could result in untold bloodshed in the Seven Kingdoms.
Lucerys is Sent on an Envoy Mission and Runs Into His Vengeful Cousin
After learning about King Aegon’s illegitimate ascension, Queen Rhaenyra begins to plan for the potential impending conflict. To figure out which Houses will side with the cause of the Blacks, she sends her two sons out as envoys to try and secure allies. Lucerys is sent to Storm’s End, but it is revealed that his cousin Aemond beat him to the punch and secured the fealty of Lord Borros Baratheon in the coming war by offering to marry one of his daughters.
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As Lucerys attempts to leave, Aemond continues antagonizing him. He tosses a dagger on the ground and demands that Lucerys remove one of his eyes as retribution for the scuffle between the two cousins. The incident occurred at Driftmark during their youth, leaving Aemond sans one eye. Lucerys refuses and quickly exits on dragonback, which begins the fatal aerial battle.
Did Aemond Intend to Kill Lucerys?
Aemond, riding the back of the largest dragon currently in Westeros, Vhagar, begins to pursue Lucerys and his much smaller dragon Arrax. The nimble Arrax is able to evade the larger dragon for a time and even aims a firebolt at Vhagar’s face. However, an enraged Vhagar eventually snatches up Arrax in his jaws, tearing him to pieces and sendingLucerys plummeting to his death.
Aemond seems utterly shocked at theactions of Vhagar, as he did not command his dragon to kill Arrax. His face after the attack appears to convey a mixture of both fear and regret as he understands what the implications of Lucerys’s demise could be. Regardless of whether his actions were intentional, the effects will likely be the same. He cannot explain to the Blacks that his dragon acted against his wishes, and even if he tried, they wouldn’t believe him. Additionally, the Greens, particularly his mother, Queen Alicent, will be furious at his unintentional attack and its profound consequences.
A Heartbroken Rhaenyra May Lose Her Desire for Peace
“The Black Queen” ends with a scene of Daemon whispering the news of Lucerys’s death to the newly crowned Queen Rhaneyra. She briefly turns away, then takes several steps toward the camera, her eyesablaze with fury.
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For the bulk of the episode, Queen Rhaenyra seemed to be the only member ofthe Black factionconsidering the possibility of peace in Westeros. She was reticent about launching an assault on King’s Landing, carefully weighing her options while bearing in mind the unspeakable death and suffering that would come about from a civil war. However, the end of the finale suggests that Rhaenyra’s pain at losing her son put an end to these inhibitions and that his death will serve as the straw that broke the camel’s back in her decision to mount an offensive.
The entirety ofHouse of the Dragonseason one seemed to be setting the stage for something truly epic. Audiences were likely expecting Queen Rhaenyra’s predilection toward peace to be tested. Still, few could have predicted that her son’s death set Westeros on a collision course with civil war. Lucerys’s death will not be allowed to stand, and it likely destroyed any remaining possibility for a peaceful resolution.
Dragons will be one of the most essential tools in the impending war, but it would behoove audiences to remember that it is impossible to truly control them. Vhagar’s mindless rage, coupled with Aemond’s childish tormenting of his cousin, resulted in the death of Lucerys and, ultimately,war in Westeros.
