House of the Dragon season 1 episode 9 review: Usurping the throne

The Dance of Dragons has officially begun. Westeros gets a new monarch in House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 9, and it’s not who was initially agreed upon.

Everything is changing in Westeros. King Viserys is dead, and now it’s time for the Dance of Dragons to begin. It’s only taken the entire season to get to this point.

Alicent is sure that Viserys wanted Aegon on the Iron Throne. That’s not surprising considering his talk of “The Prince Who Was Promised.” What Alicent doesn’t realize is that Viserys thought her to be Rhaenyra, and he was continuing a conversation from earlier. This misunderstanding changes the line of succession, but not everyone is Team Green.

Otto knew some were Team Black. He decides to lock away those who know about the king’s death to prevent them getting word to Rhaenyra. Those who oppose Otto are taken away or killed. It’s clear he will usurp the throne with brute force, and he has a new Lord Commander to help him. When Ser Harrold Westerling refuses to go to Dragonstone to kill Rhaenyra and Daemon (saying he serves the king and wants to know when there’s a new one), he gives up his white cloak and walks away. The position is free for the ever-so-loyal-to-Alicent Cristen Cole.

Not everyone on the Small Council favors the change of succession, not really believing that Viserys changed his mind. Sadly for that lone person, he’s killed when Cristen forces him to sit down and smashes his head on something on the table, killing him instantly.

Rhaenys chooses her side in House of the Dragon

Before Aegon can be crowned, he needs to be found. He’s hiding out in Flea Bottom, but there is someone willing to talk to Otto for the right price. Mysaria—you remember her with Daemon earlier in the series—knows where Aegon is.

Sadly for Alicent, Otto found him first. She had sent Cristen and Aemond out to look for him to bring him to her. Instead, he’s immediately being groomed by his grandfather to rule, and Otto wants to make sure Rhaenyra and Daemon—along with everyone else on Dragonstone—are killed. There can be nobody coming to kill Aegon.

Alicent decides to turn to Rhaenys, who has been locked in her room, in an attempt to get someone with another dragon on her side. Alicent makes it clear that Rhaenyrs should have been queen this whole time, but now it’s too late. What Alicent can do is make sure she and her granddaughters get Driftmark. It’s the least she can do.

One of the Kingsguard who had been scouting Aegon comes to Rhaenys to help free her. It’s hard to trust anyone right now, but he does aim to get her to Blackwater Bay. The dragonpit is too dangerous. However, they’re forced to the Sept by the crowds to watch Aegon be crowned. Rhaenys uses this chance to get to the dragonpit and show just who she chooses.

Her dragon, Meleys, suddenly crashes through the floor, killing a lot of people cheering for King Aegon II and forcing others to flee. She has a moment where she could stop the Dance of Dragons completely. What if she burned Alicent and her children on the spot? Instead, she flies off with her dragon for Dragonstone. She chooses Rhaenyra.

During this episode, we do get a small look at Larys Strong’s fetish. Alicent knows he has a thing for feet, and she decides to use that to learn all about the rumor mill in King’s Landing. It turns out Alicent’s lady-in-waiting is sharing what’s going on with Alicent, which means she’ll need to be dealt with quickly. Alicent will also want to make sure she has her own spiders. This is an awkward and sickening scene, but it makes it clear that Larys knows a lot because he’s willing to listen to spiders. Can we have Varys back instead?

We go into the House of the Dragon Season 1 finale with Aegon on the Iron Throne. Rhaenyra and Daemon will need to mount an attack to save their lives and get the throne that should be Rhaenyra’s.

What did you think of the penultimate episode? What do you hope to see in the House of the Dragon Season 1 finale? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

House of the Dragon airs Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.