'House of the Dragon's' Episode 8 Ending Reveals the Issue With Naming Every Heir Aegon
Let's talk about the ending of 'House of the Dragon' Episode 8 and explore the issue with naming all of the potential heirs to the throne Aegon.
Oct. 11 2022, Published 2:24 p.m. ET
Spoiler alert: The following article contains major spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 8 on HBO Max.
All King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) wants during his reign is to leave a lasting legacy and to have his family get along. However, the eighth episode of House of the Dragon Season 1 aptly demonstrates that even Targaryens have to be careful what they wish for.
After Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) is mortally wounded, the question of succession becomes clouded. Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) naturally presumes that her son Lucerys (Elliott Grihault) is the rightful heir to Driftmark.
However, Corlys's brother Vaemond (Wil Johnson) argues that he is the rightful heir, given the fact that Lucerys is obviously not Laenor Velaryons's (John MacMillan) biological son.
Vaemond pulled a Ned Stark before it was cool.
Meanwhile, Alicent completely misunderstands the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy.
Or you might argue it just reaffirms her innate bias toward her son Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), who has no issue pleasuring himself from a public window and apparently has no idea that respectable men don't rape their mother's maids!
In other words, we'd much rather have Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne. Basically, everything officially goes haywire when King Viserys I recites the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy to Alicent (Olivia Cooke), thinking she's Rhaenyra.
It's giving, "My father will hear about this Potter!" vibes.
Wait, so which Aegon is supposed to be the prince that was promised?
So for anyone that needs a reminder of what the prophecy actually is, here's a refresher — Papa Viserys I told young Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) that King Aegon I foresaw a future where humanity was wiped out by a great winter from the North.
A legendary prince that was promised was prophesied to save Westeros from the oncoming winter. A Targaryen king, or queen, Viserys I tells young Rhaenyra.
She reminds her father of the prophecy on his deathbed during House of the Dragon Episode 8. Rhaenyra needs reassurance that she's truly the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. In the case of the worst timing ever, Viserys I delivers the reassurance Rhaenyra desperately needs, namedropping an Aegon as the prince that was promised ... to Alicent.
Why are 'House of the Dragon' fans joking about Jon Snow during all of this?
Alicent now believes that Viserys I was referring to Aegon II as the prince that was promised, even though we know that he was actually reaffirming his belief that Rhaenyra and her sons (she does end up having a son named Aegon III later on with Daemon) were the rightful heirs.
Back when Game of Thrones Season 8 was breaking all of our collective hearts, (and not in a good way), many fans were disappointed that Jon Snow, aka Aegon VI, never got to fulfill the prince that was promised prophecy.
As George R.R. Martin wrote in Fire & Blood, the dragons danced the moment King Viserys I died. It's clear now that Alicent will use her husband's final words as affirmation that her son, Aegon II is the rightful heir.
All we have to say to that is this irrefutable fact — Daenerys and Jon Snow are Rhaenyra's descendants, not Alicent's.
New episodes of House of the Dragon air every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.
