In this week’s episode of House of the Dragon, we finally see as the death of King Viserys divides the Greens and the Blacks.
So far, the show has been building up to the dance of the dragons and the King finally passing was the catalyst required for the realm to fall into total chaos. His confusing last words to his wife, Alicent (even though he thought he was talking to his daughter, Rhaenyra) gave her the moral standing to plot to usurp the throne, placing her son, Aegon in Rhaenyra’s rightful seat.
However, she’s shocked to find out that her father, the Hand Otto Hightower and some members of the small council have been plotting for years to sit Aegon on the Iron Throne anyway.
On a recent appearance on the Game of Thrones’ official podcast, the episode’s director Clare Kilner discussed the shifting power dynamics in the hours after the King’s death.
Kilner said, “When I started reading the script, the first thing that hit me is – the king is dead. It’s like a big episode.”
“I started thinking about what happens in countries that have a coup and how everyone begins to dig deep, take sides, test each other out, see where each other stands – because that’s when everyone starts revealing who they really are in a situation like that.”
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True to her word, that’s exactly what happens. The Greens buckle down and lockdown the palace, every servant that knows the King is dead is locked in the dungeons. Lord Beesbury, the one member of the small council that was uncomfortable with the plot, is killed by Ser Criston Cole. Princess Rhaenys is locked up in her room as Alicent tries to win her over to the Greens and Lord Casswell who they assume is trying to get the news to Rhaenyra is hanged in the courtyard as a deterrent to other supporters of the Princess.
Now, we wait to see how Princess Rhaenyra and the rest of the Blacks will respond to this. The season finale of House of the Dragon will air on Sunday, October 23.
