The penultimate episode of The House of the Dragon managed to cash in on everything the series set the stage for, leading up to this installment. The HBO Max series has been hinting that while things were relatively peaceful in Kings Landing, even while Matt Smith's Daemon Targaryen was running amok, the situation was going to get untenable once King Viserys passed away. The show in fact told viewers that in no uncertain terms many, many times. And sure enough, as Viserys passed away, things absolutely came to a head.
Picking up where Episode 8 of House of the Dragon left off, Viserys has succumbed to whatever disease or infirmity was taking him down towards the end. Of course, those who watched towards the end of the previous episode know that he might have been hastened along a bit towards that end, but he was heading there on his own nonetheless. That is indeed a sad happening both for the characters in the GoT prequel and the people of Westeros, who probably didn't know just how good they had it until it comes to the next ruler.
In fact, the way that they handle his death is truly one of the absolute best things on television these days. There is the shock and surprise by people who had to know that he was going to be going at some point. There's the heartfelt crying over her husband by Alicent. The House of the Dragon showrunners did in fact do a fantastic job of showing that she is not some evil shrew. There have been other episodes of HoD that did indeed make her look like she was scheming and conniving, but this installment made it clear she simply understood the realities of her situation.
Undoubtedly, there were some people who believed that Alicent (played expertly by Olivia Cooke in these last few episodes) didn't really care for Viserys, but her outpouring of emotion, even as she moved to make sure that her son sat the Iron Throne when all was said and done made sure to show her human side. They showed that she did care for her husband of many years and that it wasn't just a marriage of convenience. There was love and respect there as well. By doing that once and for all, this episode drew a line between this queen and the one that is so well known from Game of Thrones. Cersei was far more in love with her own brother, than the man she had married.
This episode of House of the Dragon also did a pretty darn masterful job of showing what goes on in this particular world when there is a change of rulers. Especially if that change isn't necessarily what was envisioned before the death of the king. By doing this, the show also managed to give the audience a better look into the world of Westeros outside of the castles that viewers have seen so often. It was interesting to watch the king's guard venture into the city center in search of Aegon in order to do nothing more than bring him back to the queen.
These scenes showed how the "other half" really lives in Westeros and in Kings Landing especially and HBO has always managed to make that peek into how the regular folks have to live in constant fear of the ruling class, even when it's someone like Viserys, who has to be seen as a good king. Of course, the lack of care about the common folk is put on an even bigger display later in the episode when things really heat up.
This episode of House of the Dragon also manages to ramp up the tension because it's made extremely clear that all the moves that are being made are absolutely being made without one side having any idea that it's happening. However, it does it subtly enough that it takes the entire episode for it to really sink in that the movements that have been made were expertly carried out. Quickly and cleanly and entirely in secret. The kingdom has been seized and the person it was being seized from never realized what was going down until it was far too late.
Obviously people who have read the books that House of the Dragon are based on knew this was going to happen. And the series absolutely made it clear this was the direction it was heading. But the showrunners managed to do it so subtly over the course of the season, and then snap the trap shut in Episode 9 that it was still one of those things that caught the audience's attention and likely solicited more than a few "oh wows" out of people despite the fact that they've basically been waiting the whole season for this to happen.
As the season winds down with just one more episode to go, the game pieces are no longer being set up. The massive chess game has officially begun and one side has seemingly put the other into check, if not checkmate just yet. It's a testament to this episode and the series as a whole that it feels as though there are more than a few moves left. Will there be an all out war for the throne? Will the other side bide their time and simply move in secret much the way the usurpers have done? And who will take who's side when things are all said and done? All of these questions were set up expertly in the penultimate installment. And that's what this kind of episode is supposed to do. It's supposed to entertain as events unfold but it's also supposed to make the season finale "must watch" television. The real question now is whether there might be a bit of a letdown when it comes to next week or whether the series can carry the energy forward to what should be quite the explosive conclusion of House of the Dragon Season 1.
The season finale of The House of the Dragon will air next Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.