House of the Dragon Episode 9 Recap: The Dance of the Dragons Officially Begins

After eight episodes, it has finally happened: King Viserys Targaryen has died. As much as we've adored Paddy Considine's performance in House of the Dragon, it was time for Viserys to go. In fact, it might have been time a few episodes ago, when the king's health was clearly deteriorating. But Viserys took his final breath at the very end of Episode 8, "The Lord of the Tides," and now the battle between the two sides of the family who seek the Iron Throne — known as the Dance of the Dragons in George R. R. Martin's novels— has begun.

Alicent, Otto, and (most of) the Small Council want Aegon to be the next king

After finding out from her handmaid Talia that Viserys has died, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) talks to her father Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans). She tells him that before the king died, he told her he wants Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) to become king. This is not true, as we saw in the last episode that Viserys mistook Alicent for Rhaenyra. He spoke to her about the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy — and was most likely referring to Aegon as in Aegon III, the son of Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith).

But of course, Otto is going to run with it. In fact, he and other men in the Small Council have already been plotting Aegon's ascent for the moment Viserys dies. At the Small Council, Alicent is shocked to find out about this. Although she also wants Aegon to sit on the Iron Throne, the queen has very different thoughts from her father. Most notably, she does not want Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) to be murdered. But Otto insists that it's a necessary "sacrifice," otherwise Rhaenyra's supporters will rally together and challenge Aegon's claim to be king. The Hand even tells Ser Harrold Westerling (Graham McTavish), the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard under Viserys, to go to Dragonstone and kill Rhaenyra. But Ser Harrold refuses to and quits.

The only person in the Small Council to oppose the plans to crown Aegon is Lord Lyman Beesbury (Bill Paterson). He stands and says that he doesn't believe Viserys changed his mind about his heir at the last minute. Beesbury is loyal to Rhaenyra, and an angry Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) violently pushes him back down to his seat. Only, he kills the old man in the process of doing so (his head is smashed open). Once again, WTF Criston? 

Aegon has gone MIA

Meanwhile, Aegon is nowhere to be found. There are two parties searching for him: Otto instructs the twins Ser Erryk and Arryk Cargyll (confusing, we know!) to locate Aegon, while Criston and Prince Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) help Alicent find the prince. Each of the Hightowers wants to be the first to speak with Aegon.

Criston and Aemond go to a brothel — one that Aegon brought Aemond to when they were young — but Aegon is not there. At the same time, Ser Erryk and Arryk visit a ring where young kids brutally fight each other while adults bet on them. It's here that a woman approaches the knights and says she knows where Aegon is. They are brought to Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), who speaks with the twins as well as Otto. Mysaria negotiates with Otto: She will tell him where Aegon is if he puts an end to "the servitude of children" in Flea Bottom, the poor district of King's Landing where kids are forced to fight like in the ring. Otto promises that he'll look into it.

 Soon, Erryk and Arryk find Aegon. He does not want to go with the knights — remember, this kid has zero interest in becoming king — and unsuccessful tries to escape. Things are made more complicated when Criston and Aemond also show up. Aegon tells his younger brother he'll sail to someplace far away and never be found, and even though Aemond is tempted to let this happen — because he would then be next in line for the throne — Criston appears before Aegon can go anywhere.

Chaos in the Red Keep

While the search for Aegon takes place, Otto is bent on keeping the news about Viserys' death from the public, at least until his grandson is crowned king. Drastic measures are taken; Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) is locked in her room in the Red Keep, and those who serve the royals, including Alicent's handmaid Talia, are locked away. 

Otto gathers a handful of Westerosi lords and, after informing them of the king's passing, tells them to swear loyalty to Aegon. All but two of them do, and when the one lord later tries to leave the Red Keep on his horse, he is stopped by the guards. The scheming Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) was keeping an eye on this lord, and he brings him to Otto. The two men seem to develop a bond, though Larys no doubt has ulterior motives. As for the lord who wanted to keep his House's oath to Rhaenyra, he is hanged. 

Alicent is in Viserys' room crying next to his body (a round of applause for Olivia Cooke's performance in this episode, seriously). Afterward, she goes to see Rhaenys, who remains trapped in her room in the Red Keep, and asks her to support Aegon. Alicent then tells Rhaenys that she should have been the ruler instead of Viserys, words that Rhaenys was surprised to hear. But Rhaenys also has a good read on the queen: "You toil still in service to men — your father, your husband, your son," she tells Alicent. 

In a later scene, Alicent finally stands up to her father. She tells Otto that she sees how he's been using her all these years. Alicent also emphasizes to Otto once again that she does not want Rhaenyra to be killed. "Reluctance to murder is not a weakness," the queen says. She wants to send peace terms to Rhaenyra and Daemon instead of resorting to violence. 

A new king is crowned — but the ceremony is interrupted

Ser Erryk goes to Rhaenys and helps the princess escape in disguise. She's stressed out because her dragon Meleys is still in the Dragonpit, but Erryk says she can't go there because she will be caught. Once out of the Red Keep, Rhaenys follows a crowd that is heading to a sept for Aegon's coronation. At the ceremony, Otto finally tells the public that Viserys has died, and says that the king wished for Aegon to succeed him. As the coronation begins, Rhaenys quietly leaves. Aegon steps up to the platform where his family is, and Criston places a crown on him.

As the crowd cheers — it seems as though most in the sept are happy with Aegon becoming king — Meleys suddenly emerges from underneath the sept. It's an epic entrance as Rhaenys, who has been imprisoned for the entire episode, sits on her dragon and stares Otto, Alicent, their family, and its supporters in the eye. Meleys comes face to face with the newly crowned Aegon. But Rhaenys doesn't order the dragon to burn him and his mother standing in front of him; she flies away.

House of the Dragon continues Sundays at 9/8c on HBO, with episodes premiering simultaneously on HBO Max.