It is now time to get closer the conclusion of season one of House of the Dragon with Part 1 of “The Green Council”! The throne room with the Iron Throne is dark and empty. The table of the Small Council too with wind blowing the curtains. Fire crackles from torches in a hall, then a door opens it is young , who walks down steps to the kitchen to whisper the news to a kitchen attendant. Alicent is in bed tearful, really?, her Milk of the Poppy killed him. Maybe it is for her handmaiden, Talya (Alexis Raben), crocodile tears, whom Alicent to keep the news to herself and then asks to be dressed (she turns off the waterworks right after leaving the bed). Otto asks his daughter about the people in the know, basically everyone. She explains that she saw Viserys in the night and that he wanted Aegon to be king, lie. Alicent repeats it because Otto may not believe her. The truth is shady in the Red Keep. Talya lights candles in a candelabara at the window.
The Small Council meets, the golden ball rolls down the table, picked up Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall), Master of Ships. He jokes, but Otto solemnly announces that the king is dead. The Small Council is silent. Otto calls him Viserys the Peaceful and that Viserys declared that Aegon should be king. Nothing in writing, a sudden change in mind, even though he had all of the lords pledge loyalty to Rhaenyra. Everything just seems to work out according to Otto’s plans. Hmm. Lannister says they are ready to start their plans. Otto is ready to go, saying that two of the House Guard captains are loyal to Daemon and they have to be replaced. Head straight to Dragonstone captains! Alicent realizes that the Small Council had these plans for her son for some time, she’s just late to the party. Lord Lyman Beesbury, Master of Coin, objects to place an imposter on the throne. He reminds the council of the lords swearing loyalty, yes!, he is a loyal subject, go on Beesbury!
Beesbury is told that those lords after 20 years are dead, a weak excuse. The awesome Beesbury says he is 76 and knows Viserys better than the others, and doesn’t believe the lie! He calls it treason. All hail Lord Beesbury! Beesbury the Awesome says the king was well in the night, the others say if he accuses someone of regicide, and he doesn’t care who killed the king. Ser Criston the Bully slams his head on the table and kills him. He killed one of the Small Council at the table, they will let him go free, but Ser Harrold Westerling draws his sword. Lannister backs up as Ser Harrold, Lord Commander, asks him to drop his sword and cloak. Instead, Sir Bully draws his sword, and says the queen was insulted. Alicent says there was no insult and Criston lowers his sword. Ser Harrold can’t believe how it all is falling apart. Otto the Handy says Beesbury’s body should not be removed until they finish! Lannister next to the body says there may be a problem with Storm’s End, castle of House Baratheon.
The Iron Throne, House of the Dragon: The Targaryen Dynasty exhibit, Natural History Museum Los Angeles, photo by the author.
Alicent asks about Rhaenyra. Otto says that she and her family must bend the knee to the
new king or as Alicent adds they will be imprisoned. They could also start the Dance of the Dragons. She realizes that Daemon and Rhaenyra will never swear loyalty and that they will be assassinated. Alicent realizes this now with a dead body on the table? Otto just wants a smooth succession. Alicent gets angry that Viserys would never want his daughter to be killed. Lord Jasper Wylde (Paul Kennedy) tries to defend the plan and Alicent says if he speaks again she will have him removed and sent to The Wall! He shuts up. The Hand orders Ser Westerling to kill Daemon and Rhaenyra at Dragonstone. Instead, he pulls off his goldcloak and places it on the table. Really he should wait. Ser Harrold says he only takes orders from the king as Lord Commander and can’t be at the council. So Ser Criston gets a promotion. Lady Helena is with the children when Alicent enters with daddy. They want to know where is Aegon the Unworthy. Otto leaves and Prince Aemond enters.
The Hand goes to Ser Erryk to ask him about the prince. Ser Erryk doesn’t know, but suspects Aegon went into the city. The Hand orders Erryk and his brother, Arryk, to go find the prince without their cloaks. Otto orders him to take Aegon to him only. Princess Rhaenys is asleep and woken by someone trying to open her door. She goes to the window to see people walking in the street. Tayla is imprisoned and at the prison is Lord Larys the Creepy. Ser Criston the Brutal reports that Ser Erryk is sent to find Alicent’s son. Also, there is James Bond villain, Prince Aeomond, also there by the fireplace. Alicent whispers for Ser Criston to find Aegon. Aemond volunteers to join him since he knows Aegon’s habits. We move across King’s Landing to the Street of Silk which Aemond says he was taken by Aegon when he was 13. They are in common dress, Aemond wth a hood, and he knocks on a door. Criston whispers to the madam (Michelle Bonnard) that he is looking for Aegon. She says he hasn’t visited there and has more cheaper tastes. The madam recognizes Aemond.
Otto is at the Iron Throne and announces to a handful of lords (the ones he knows are loyal) basically that the king changed his mind. So they have to change their loyalty to the new king who is not there. Half bend the knee, Lord Merryweather (Paul Clayton) says he has to discuss this sudden change, Otto says he can’t leave because this is not a monarchy, this is a tyranny. He declares that he is not an oathbreaker (like the others) and says he will not bend the knee! The Slapping Hand walks down among the lords and lady and asks who else is loyal. Then, Lady Fell (Miriam Lucia) declares loyalty to the princess. These are true loyalists and Westrosi nobles! Kingsguard leads them away because Otto Hightower knows nothing of Ned Stark’s words, “The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.” This is part of why his grandkids are out of control. Lord Caswell (Paul Hickey) who was standing, bends the knee and says, “Long live the king” repeated unenthusiastically by the others. Lord Larys the Snake watches them. The Cargyll Boys are in a seedy part of town and followed by a woman.
Kingsguard armor, I’m thinking this looks like Ser Criston, House of the Dragon: The Targaryen Dynasty exhibit, Natural History Museum Los Angeles, author’s photo.
They go to a Westeros Fight Club, you know the most important rule, a fight between young girls turned savage. One brother notes to the other that it is frequented by Aegon and they see a pale headed child who may be one of Aegon’s Kids. Lord Caswell walks to his horse. Aemond says he is the younger brother, but has studied, well trained in swordsmanship, and rides a dragon. He almost says he should be king. Aemond says Ser Criston is too good hearted, him?, and tells him he will be around to succeed his brother. The brothers wonder about Aegon’s worthiness when the woman (Nina Barker-Francis) comes up to them. She knows the location of Aegon, but needs to be paid. The woman mentions the White Worm. The gate is opened for the Lord Caswell, but is pulled from his horse. Larys lies and says he was trying to run and says to warn the princess. Lord Caswell says he has no loyalty to Rhaenyra. Otto sends him away to face the King’s Justice. Otto thanks Larys, he wonders why he spends so much time with the queen, kinda slow to the uptake, and Larys says he could help The Hand.
Alicent watches as the last wrappings are placed around Viserys’ head, we finally see his body prepared after all this time, almost a cameo. I really want Viserys to go, “I’m not dead!, I’m getting better!, I feel happy!” Alicent picks up his crown and places it on Viserys’ body. She appears to be crying, but can’t set things right. Later at the High Tide castle, Rhaenys meets with Alicent. She realizes that her cousin and king has died and that Alicent has taken the Iron Throne. Alicent says she is there and tries to convince her to rethink her alliance with Rhaenyra. She brings up that Lord Corlys returned wounded and leaving her to rule, this is an immense miscalculation on her part, she underestimates Rhaenys and insults her husband. Alicent brings up that Rhaenys should have been queen, desperate, and it won’t work, hasn’t worked. Alicent really doesn’t know how to play the Game of Thrones, then she says the king should have been a country lord, insulting him. Rhaenys counters that Alicent is still being controlled by men; her father and her son. This gets Alicent crying. This part of “Green Council” has a large amount of time spent with people that I don’t like, slow paced (I know it's going to build with the second part and the other side) with just talking drama, though I do like the ones showing their loyalty!
Three Dragon Saddles out of Five!
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