House of the Dragon season 1 episode 9 recap: The Green Council

This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 1 episode 9.

With Viserys now dead, Otto Hightower’s secret plan to usurp Rhaenyra goes into action in this week’s episode of House of the Dragon season 1.

Catch up here on everything from the last episode!

The penultimate episode for the first season begins early in the morning following King Viserys Targaryen’s death. A “little bird” informs Talya, the Queen’s handmaiden who works for Mysaria, which means Alicent is one of the first people in the castle to know.

She takes this info to her father considering the fact that Viserys’ last words were to have her son be king and not Rhaenyra. Otto Hightower explains the news must not leave the Red Keep if they want to ensure Aegon being king.

House of the Dragon season 1 episode 9: News of Viserys’ death spreads

A Small Council meeting is called early in the day to inform them of the king’s passing along with his misinterpreted last words. As the group learns this, and under Otto’s lead, they all begin outwardly discussing the plan they have been hatching for a while to usurp Rhaenyra for Aegon II.

The most tenured man on the council, Lord Lyman Beesbury, speaks up with disgust in the committee for going along with this when it is not something Viserys would have wanted. Lord Beesbury evolves his frustrations into an insinuation that Alicent was responsible for Viserys’ death.

This angers her sworn protector of Ser Criston Cole. When the knight tries to seat the Master of Coin, Cole smashes Beesbury’s head on the table, killing him on impact.

Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Harrold Westerling, tries to subdue Ser Criston. Still, he is overruled when the Queen backs her knight.

As the council meeting continues uncomfortably with a dead body, Alicent is frustrated by her father’s plan since it is likely leading to Rhaenyra’s death. Ser Otto orders Westerling, who has been silently uncomfortable with Rhaenyra being usurped, to go to Dragonstone and murder the Targaryens.

With this lack of justice and authority, Westerling removes his white cloak and resigns since he sees no proper monarch. In order for their plan to succeed, however, Aegon needs to be found since he is not in the Red Keep.

Otto sends the twin Kingsguards Ser Erryk and Ser Arryk to find the boy. They must remove their white cloaks to remain undercover and inconspicuous.

House of the Dragon season 1 episode 9: The search for Prince Aegon

As the servants of the Red Keep are ushered somewhere in the castle, Princess Rhaenys finds herself locked in her chambers from the outside. Since discovering her father’s plan to usurp Rhaenyra, Alicent wants to find her son before her father.

She hopes to influence the king and sends Ser Criston and Aemond. The knight and the second-born son go to the street of silk where Aemond takes them to the tavern his older brother took him to when he turned 13.

The owner, who knows Aemond very well, explains how Aegon’s tastes have changed to less desirable ones and send them on their way. Back in the Red Keep, in the Throne room Otto is having the high-born lords bend the knee to swear fealty to Aegon II.

While most fall in line, those who do not are taken away. Lord Caswell, who has been a constant in Rhaenyra’s life, is the last to hesitantly bend the knee.

Since Ser Erryk is the protector of Aegon, he explains to his brother that Aegon spends a lot of nights at a child fight ring, creating bastard children, and betting. As Arryk learns more about the man they are protecting, a woman approaches and says the White Worm knows where Aegon is.

As the twins do this, Aemond explains to Ser Criston how he deserves to be king more than his older brother. Criston agrees but sometimes life is not fair, something the Kingsguard knight believes he is the victim of.

While trying to escape the castle walls, Lord Caswell is caught by Lord Larys Strong and brought to Ser Otto. When the lord proves, he was clearly going to side with Rhaenyra, Otto has him taken away for his treasonous act.

Otto and Larys go on to discuss how Larys’ time with Alicent could become beneficial for the King’s Hand.

House of the Dragon season 1 episode 9: Mysaria makes her presence felt

After saying goodbye to her husband, Queen Alicent goes to check on Rhaenys. Annoyed she was locked away, Rhaenys quickly finds out about Viserys’ death and their plan to usurp Rhaenyra.

Alicent pleads to the Princess to join her side but realizes she has failed. She leaves until Rhaenys changes her mind.

With the connection to the White Worm, Otto comes down to Flea Bottom to retrieve Aegon. He finds out the White Worm is Mysaria, the same person who told Otto about Rhaenyra and Daemon in the brothel all those years ago.

Mysaria has Otto pay the fee first. Then she demands Otto end the child fighting and acknowledge that Aegon is being named king because she, a commoner, put him there.

Once Otto agrees to this, they learn Aegon is hidden in the city’s sept and so the twins go to get him. When they bring him out of the building, Criston Cole and Aemond are waiting for them.

Ser Erryk and Cole cross steel while Aemond chases down his brother. Ser Arryk, however, does not help his twin and flees the scene.

Cole and Aemond retrieve Aegon and bring him back for Queen Alicent. That night a defeated Otto talks with his daughter about what to do next.

Since she has Aegon, Alicent decides Rhaenyra and Daemon will stay in Dragonstone away from the capital and accept terms to never challenge for the throne. The queen also explains Ser Cole will be the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.

House of the Dragon season 1 episode 9: Aegon’s Coronation

Returning to her chambers, Alicent finds Lord Larys waiting for her. He explains that Alicent is being spied on and her father is aware of it and uses this to his advantage.

After Larys agrees to snuff out the web of spies, he is rewarded by pleasuring himself while looking at the Queen’s feet. Early in the morning of Aegon’s coronation day, Ser Arryk sneaks into Princess Rhaenys’ chambers to aid her escape since he knows what the Greens are doing is wrong.

They try making it through the city but ultimately get caught up in the crowds heading to the royal ceremony. On their way to the center of town, Alicent assures her future kingly son that Viserys wanted this to happen and proved it with his last words.

Aegon scoffs at this until he is presented with his father’s dagger. It all begins to settle in that he is going to be king.

The ceremony begins with Otto explaining Viserys’ last wish. There is massive approval from the city folk and applause for Aegon II.

Ser Criston crowns Aegon with the crown and sword of his namesake, Aegon the Conqueror. The episode ends with cheering and celebration to close out the ceremony.

However, as the crowd cheers, something breaks through the floor. It is Rhaenys riding her dragon, Meleys.

The dragonrider stares down the stage of her opposition and chooses peace by simply flying away.

How do you think Rhaenys will behave with Rhaenyra given her suspicions of Laenor’s death? Do you think Rhaenys made the right choice to not kill The Greens? 

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!