House of the Dragon season 1 episode 1 recap: The Heirs of the Dragon

This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 1 episode 1.

King Viserys makes some difficult choices and Prince Daemon tests his limits in business and combat in the first episode of House of the Dragon season 1.

Catch up here on our breakdown of the trailer!

The episode begins with a prologue, ten years before the main story begins. The peacetime ruler of King Jaehaerys Targaryen called The Great Council to decide who will be his heir after losing his sons.

The decision ultimately came down between Prince Viserys and the older Princess Rhaenys Targaryen. Since Viserys Targaryen was a male heir, however, he was patriarchally awarded the honor.

The narration of an adult Rhaenyra explains how King Jaehaerys called this council to avoid war within his family. It is then explained how this is 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen.

House of the Dragon season 1 episode 1: King Viserys holds a small council meeting

Ten years following The Great Council, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen returns to the ground after a flight around King’s Landing on her dragon, Syrax. Waiting for her is Ser Harrold Westerling, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, who kindly and mutually jests with the princess.

Also waiting for her is Lady Alicent Hightower who is Rhaenrya’s best friend and daughter of the Hand of the King. They then make their trek from the dragon lair, through the capital, and into the Red Keep.

Princess Rhaenyra goes immediately to check on her pregnant mother, Queen Aemma who calls her daughter out for smelling like dragons. Even though Rhaenyra wants to be a knight and a fighter, Aemma explains how the childbed is their battlefield and that her daughter will be here soon enough.

At the small council meeting, the Master of Ships, Lord Corlys Velaryon, informs King Viserys of an alliance building in the Free Cities. They call themselves the Triarchy, but since they are only fighting pirates, the king ignores this news.

While Lord Corlys was talking, Rhaenyra arrives to fulfill her duties as royal cupbearer for her father and his council. Lord Lyman Beesbury, the Master of Coin, then discusses how the crown has put a lot of coin into the City Watch because of the king’s brother and the army’s new commander, Prince Daemon Targaryen.

The Lord is looking for an update but since Daemon is not around King Viserys excuses his brother saying if he is not here then he must be doing something important.

House of the Dragon season 1 episode 1: Princess Rhaenyra meets with her uncle

The Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower, changes the topic to the tournament of games that are being held for the King’s unborn child. While the council advises the games be delayed until the child is born, King Viserys explains how his “son” will be born by the end of the tournament and it will be a festive celebration.

Following the meeting, Ser Harrold Westerling leads Rhaenyra to the throne room where Prince Daemon is waiting on the throne. The princess asks her uncle what he is doing.

Prince Daemon explains how is sitting in the chair that might be his, especially if the king does not have a son. He then gifts his niece a Valyrian steel necklace, that matches his sword of the same rare metal, so they both own a piece of their ancestry.

While studying the history of the noble houses, Alicent asks Rhaenyra if she is bothered about the arrival of her potential new brother. Rhaenrya explains how she is not since she likes the position she is in.

Alicent is confused by this, but they carry on studying and having a good time. In his own quarters, King Viserys is getting a wound examined on his back that clearly has become infected.

He explains how it is from sitting on the throne. Ser Otto talks aside with Grand Maester Mellos to keep this unhealable injury quiet.

The king then spends time with his bathing pregnant wife where he explains he dreamt of his future son being born with a crown. Aemma then pleads with her husband this is the last time they try for a boy since she is done mourning children.

House of the Dragon season 1 episode 1: Prince Daemon leads his City Watch

As commander of the City Watch, Prince Daemon leads his soldiers through the streets following Hammurabi’s code and exacting physical justice for criminals like thieves and murderers. The next morning, Prince Daemon shows up at the small council where Ser Otto asks the City Watch commander to explain his actions.

He states he is just making the city safer for everyone, something King Viserys does agree with doing. Ser Otto and Prince Daemon then trade verbal jabs at one another.

Otto asks why Dameon does not spend time with his wife at the Vale. Daemon does not like his wife; the prince offers her up since Otto’s wife recently died.

The king ends the talk by saying last night was a one-time thing. Getting his frustration out after dealing with his brother, Daemon heads to a brothel where he spends time with the one in charge, Mysaria.

She tries to comfort him but there is nothing she can give him that can help his royal pains. The tournament begins with King Viserys announcing that his wife’s labor has begun.

As the knights joust, Lady Alicent and Princess Rhaenrya gossip about the jousters and the marriages occurring throughout the noble houses. One knight catches Rhaenrya’s eye.

She learns he is Ser Criston Cole, a common-born man who was able to unhorse two Baratheon men. Since he loves to make a show, Prince Daemon is up to joust, and hand picks his opponent.

His first choice is Ser Otto’s eldest-born son and uses a dirty tactic to win.

House of the Dragon season 1 episode 1: Twin battlefields

After Daemon’s first win, King Viserys receives news about Aemma. It turns out the unborn child is breached so they have no easy way of delivering the baby safely.

The Grand Maester explains how they can save the baby or lose both. Viserys decides to save the child and risk his wife’s life.

While Aemma is in her battlefield of the birthing bed, the tournament turns into a battlefield with knights attacking and killing one another following their joust, with the loser being the aggressor. The finals are up, and it comes down to Ser Criston Cole versus Prince Daemon.

Dualing battlefields are then shown. One if of the procedure to open up Aemma begins, the other of Daemon being unhorsed by Ser Criston leading the City Watch commander to continue the battle through combat.

Ser Criston wins yet again, making Prince Daemon eventually yield. After his win, Ser Criston Cole goes to Princess Rhaenrya and asks for her favor.

Here, Alicent and the princess discover that Ser Criston is actually a Dornish man. While Daemon is defeated, however, Queen Aemma and the newborn Baelon are both pronounced dead.

House of the Dragon season 1 episode 1: The Targaryens mourn the dead

At the funeral of her mother and brother, Daemon comforts Rhaenyra more than anyone else. He tells her they are waiting for her, to which she states “Dracarys” and her deceased family members are engulfed in dragon fire.

A small council meeting is called with Ser Otto bringing up King Viserys’ succession. All of the council’s members are divided about if Prince Daemon is right to be heir or if it should unprecedently be Princess Rhaenyra.

The council argues more before the mourning king leaves out of sadness and frustration with his advisors. While this all goes on, Prince Daemon listens in secrecy.

Ser Otto sends a note to his home of Oldtown before speaking with his daughter. The Hand asks his daughter to visit King Viserys, wear one of her mother’s dresses and talk with him.

Alicent does this and while there she explains how she wanted someone to say “I’m sorry” to her when her mom died, something she does now for Viserys. The next day Viserys receives a report about Daemon.

The prince bought out a brothel and gave a celebratory toast to the king’s dead son, calling him “The Heir for a Day.” King Viserys calls his brother to the throne room where he confronts him.

House of the Dragon season 1 episode 1: A new heir is named

Prince Daemon, annoyed, finally explains to his kingly brother how he wanted to be The Hand. He goes on to explain to Viserys how as Hand, he would protect the king from all threats, even from the king himself.

Viserys states he has decided to name a new heir and sends Daemon away to the Vale because of his actions. Down in the cellar of the Red Keep, King Viserys welcomes Rhaenyra and asks her about what she sees in the dragons.

The princess explains she sees the dragons and Targaryans as a symbiotic relationship. Because of this perfect answer, Viserys informs his daughter that she is his new heir.

With the news of his royal demotion, Daemon goes to his dragon and brings his beloved Mysaria to show her his beast.

The episode ends with two scenes overlapping one another. The first is a continuation of Viserys sharing the news of Rhaenyra being named heir.

Viserys also passes down the story he calls A Song of Ice and Fire, which tells the tale of the fall of man, something that will not happen for another 200 years. As Rhaenyra is being told this, the audience also sees the high lords of Westeros pledge their fealty and acknowledge Princess Rhaenyra as the new heir.

What do you think Prince Daemon plans to do with his dragon now that he is not the heir? Do you believe King Viserys made the right choice in his heir?

Let us know your answers and opinions in the comments below!

Watch the new episode of House of the Dragon season 1 next Sunday, only on HBO!