(House of the Dragon spoilers will be found below.)
House of the Dragon’s season one finale featured one of the show’s biggest aerial battle scenes so far — and it’s left plenty of fans divided on just how much control Targaryens have over their dragons.
Episode 10’s “The Black Queen” examined the fallout following King Viserys’ death from Team Black’s point of view. After Rhaenyra Targaryen was crowned Queen on Dragonstone, her first order of business was to send her sons, Jacaerys and Lucerys, to secure allies in the North. Lucerys flew to Storm’s End to speak with House Baratheon but his Uncle Aemond Targaryen beat him to it and, before the kid could bow out gracefully, a wild, watery chase happened on dragon’s back. As Aemond taunted his nephew and Lucerys tried to escape their dragons, Vhagar and Arrax, seemed to disobey their riders, with the bigger of the two beasts chomping down on poor Luke and his baby dragon despite Aemond ordering her not to.
And, naturally, that accidental death scene — which is a far cry from what happens in the book — has left the internet divided on exactly why Luke died and if Aemond is really to blame.
We’ll start with the “mommy’s little war criminal” apologists who are firmly Team Green on this one.
Showrunner Ryan Condal on Aemond’s actions that differ from the books in the finale of #HouseOfTheDragon :
“Historians have told us that Aemond intended to kill Luke, but I don’t think any of them could purport to know what was going on in Aemond’s head the time.“ pic.twitter.com/ozGCMHfKvR
— westerosies (@westerosies) October 24, 2022
Viserys said it in the very beginning.#Aemond #Lucerys #HOTD #HouseoftheDragon #Vhagar #Rhaenyra #Daemon pic.twitter.com/WAAL7Rjq7D
— Mr Purple (@haegerjacques) October 24, 2022
SO VISERYS WAS RIGHT IN SAYING CONTROLLING DRAGONS IS AN ILLUSION BECAUSE LUCERYS DIDNT WANT ARRAX TO FLAME VHAGAR AND AEMOND DIDNT WANT VHAGAR TO EAT THEM LIKE A CHICKY NUGGET BUT SHE DID AND NOW THE WAR IS REALLY STARTED #houseofthedragon pic.twitter.com/7Ua6P6A4qP
— allie (@plssnoperceive) October 24, 2022
Why are people thinking this ruined the character? Wouldn't this just make him even smarter? He realized the tactical error he made, and maybe had some kind of insight on guilt in murder. Why does it feel like people are attributing his bloodshed to some kind of intelligence?
— Belric's Boxing Corner 🥊🎙️⚒ (@BelricLongleaf) October 24, 2022
https://twitter.com/QueenSansasFury/status/1584363473093283840
But wait, the skeptics also make a good point, because would we even be here if Aemond Targaryen had just gone to therapy?
https://twitter.com/lixieeebbok/status/1584384881085140992
Aemond: "Calm down, Vhagar! I only want his eye!"
Vhagar: has the hearing of a 180-year-old grandma "You want him to die? Alrighty darling"#HouseoftheDragon pic.twitter.com/8vOI06p8xh
— Ritwick Kumar (@theRitwickKumar) October 24, 2022
what the fuck did Aemond think Vhagar, who committed MULTIPLE WAR CRIMES with her original rider Visenya (aka WAR QUEEN SISTER-WIFE OF AEGON THE CONQUERER) THINK THAT OLD CROCODILE SKIN HANDBAG WAS GONNA DO TO JACE?????? #HOTD pic.twitter.com/L20hgWPnnh
— woolybooger 🇵🇸 (@OhMyGodDoITry) October 24, 2022
reminder that arrax is a small dragon, a "child". aemond chased and tried to attack him and luke first, with a bigger and grown dragon, sensing luke's fear, arrax attacked once trying to protect his rider but later obeyed luke's commends. this is entirely aemond's fault
— amy (@gregsnders) October 24, 2022
Still, the HOTD fans who seem to be coping the best are the ones just enjoying the absolute mess of this finale.
Aemond explaining this to his family #HouseoftheDragon pic.twitter.com/nxHRG83EIZ
— Nyrotike (@nyrotike) October 24, 2022
Aemond going straight home to watch #HouseoftheDragon pic.twitter.com/hpMLaAjrBd
— Lhaera Targaryen 🩷💜💙 (@arualzepol8) October 24, 2022
https://twitter.com/dunwaIl/status/1584371232887123969
