With Episode 10 now out, House of the Dragon has concluded its first season. The Dance of the Dragons starts now. With unyielding, heartfelt performances, high flying action, and alliances forging, Episode 10 ends this season with an effective, stinging note.
House of the Dragon Promises of Something Greater
Courtesy of HBO
When Game of Thrones concluded, many didn’t suspect that any other project set in Westeros would reach the highs of the first few seasons. By the end of this prequel’s first season, House of the Dragon delivers on the promise of a return of unyielding, harsh storytelling. While the path wasn’t necessarily perfect, the story of Fire and Blood has been done justice thus far. The changes made from the original narrative are not by accident or for the sake of change, but rather design. A theme of this season is miscommunication, suspicion, and broken promises contributing to growing animosity within a family. The result is an inevitability, that they begin to tear each other apart. Even if unintentional, the conclusion of this episode effectively sets in stone the destructive path to come.
In that conclusion, it hasn’t been often in Game of Thrones that there was a clash between two dragons. While the difference in scale and power is quite clear, simply thinking of an encounter of these great beasts and warriors when unchained and out for blood is alluring.
Stealing the Show
Courtesy of HBO
Among the greatest strengths of this show has been performances of the various actors and actresses. Of course, Matt Smith has been an intimidating, nuanced take on Daemon, but this episode truly highlights Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra. While Milly Alcock perfectly captured the youthful, naive, and ambitious side of Rhaenyra, D’Arcy perfectly captures the aware, jaded, and stoic side she gained as an adult. Truly, their performance in this episode captures all aspects of the character throughout this first season. And by this episode’s conclusion, one simple look to the camera is all D’Arcy needed to tell the audience what no number of words could.
Another actor who stole every scene he was in was Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen. The final minutes of this show truly highlight the fierce, cocky, and vengeful nature of Aemond. Still, Mitchell’s performance makes it clear that he realizes he has gone too far in his actions, and because of him, war is now inevitable. In many respects, Aemond is a more twisted version of Daemon. He’s unpredictable, fierce, and a rider of one of the biggest dragons. Unlike Daemon, however, he’s unable to see the downsides of his actions. Given these parallels, it’s not surprising the Daemon and Aemond share a rivalry in Fire and Blood, and chances are, it will lead to one of the most hype encounters in television history.
Final Thoughts – A Return to Compelling Storytelling
House of the Dragon episode 10, and by extension the entire first season, delivers on the promise telling a new, compelling story set in the world of Westeros. Not only does this show act as a return to form after the disappointing end of Game of Thrones, but it serves as one of the best shows to grace the small screen this year. How the next season will live up to the promises made by this season’s end is yet to be seen, but rest assured, it will certainly be worth the watch.
SEASON ONE SCORE – 9/10
Check out the previous episode recap here.
Check out House of the Dragon on HBO Max.
Graduated from Point Park University in 2021 with a Degree of English Creative Writing.
Author of the Chronicles of a Broken World Series
Avid Nerd and Enjoyer of All Things Fun and Thoughtful
