Directed By: Clare Kilner / Written By: Ira Parker

Original Airdate: September 11, 2022

Runtime: 63 minutes

A year following Prince Aegon’s second nameday, Princess Rhaenyra has been commanded to tour the Seven Kingdoms in order to secure a marriage-alliance. However, she decides to return to King’s Landing early, in time for the arrival of her uncle Daemon Targaryen, whom she hasn’t seen in four years since their confrontation at Dragonstone. After bending the knee to his brother Viserys, the newly-named King of the Narrow Sea escorts a disguised Rhaenyra to a brothel outside of the Red Keep. Otto Hightower is quick to inform King Viserys of his daughter’s nocturnal escapades, resulting in a damaging accusation towards Daemon and Rhaenyra.

main cast

storm’s end

About one year following the royal hunt, Rhaenyra Targaryen is touring the realm to hold audiences with potential suitors for her hand in marriage. On her most recent stop she is at Storm's End, the seat of House Baratheon. Potential suitors are lined up in the main hall, introduced in turn by Lord Boremund Baratheon, while the princess is given the honor of sitting on his throne. Rhaenyra is frustrated that many of the suitors are either too old, too young, or lords of minor houses. She is surprised to see the underaged Willem Blackwood put himself forward, who is repeatedly interrupted with mockery by Jerrel Bracken, as the Blackwoods and the Brackens have been bitterly feuding with each other for centuries. Fed up with his continued insults, Willem draws his sword and approaches Jerrel, who eagerly draws his own dagger, ultimately resulting in Jerrel’s surprising death. The young Willem, stunned at what just happened, begins to vomit. An unimpressed Rhaenyra orders Ser Criston Cole to send word to have her ship prepared to sail back to King's Landing, even though her tour for suitors was supposed to continue on to Bitterbridge. Later on, as she sails back into the capital’s harbor with Ser Criston, Rhaenyra is apprehensive that King Viserys will be upset that she not only rejected every proposed suitor, but canceled the rest of the tour two months early. The sudden cries of Caraxes are then heard overhead, as Daemon Targaryen buzzes their ship with his dragon upon his return to court for the first time in four years.

KING’S LANDING

A full courtroom of noblemen and women assemble before the Iron Throne, as Viserys puts on his full regalia to formally receive his wayward brother. Daemon jauntily enters the throne room, playfully tossing the war hammer of the defeated Craghas Drahar in his hand and wearing his own crown, made of bone and driftwood. Ser Harrold Westerling draws his own sword and points it slowly into Daemon's chest plate to ward him off. The tension breaks when Daemon throws the war hammer on the ground and says to add it to the throne, which is made from the melted weapons of their defeated enemies. When asked about his crown, Daemon informs Viserys that his men hailed him as "King of the Narrow Sea" after he led them to smash the Triarchy's forces, but he quickly adds that he knows that there is only one true king. Daemon then kneels and offers up both his crown and the Stepstones to his brother. Viserys asks what became of Lord Corlys Velaryon, and Daemon informs that he has sailed back home to Driftmark. Viserys, at first hesitant about what to do., then orders Daemon to rise, and the two brothers embrace. The entire court applauds their reconciliation.

Afterwards, King Viserys hosts a feast in Daemon's honor in the Red Keep's godswood. In good nature, the king admits that Daemon was always their mother Alyssa Targaryen's favorite, as like him she was a rule-breaker who didn't care about customs or tradition. Queen Alicent Hightower then approaches Rhaenyra, surmising that the tour did not go well if Rhaenyra has returned early. Rhaenyra informs Alicent that she "endured it" for as long as she could. Alicent then sarcastically chides that having every knight and lord in the Seven Kingdoms fawning over Rhaenyra must have been "misery." Rhaenyra counters that these men are only after her name and bloodline in order to advance their own status. When Alicent declares that she finds it all romantic, Rhaenyra blurts out in disagreement about marrying someone solely for the purpose of being locked up in a castle and "made to squeeze out heirs." Alicent is quietly wounded, as this precisely describes her own situation being married to the king. An embarrassed Rhaenyra then asks how angry her father is. Trying to be diplomatic, Alicent informs that a frustrated Viserys put great effort into arranging her tour. Alicent then admits of her happiness with Rhaenyra’s return, confessing that she has very few friends now since becoming queen. Feeling sorry for Alicent, Rhaenyra holds her hand to offer her some comfort, and for now the two are somewhat reconciled from their estrangement over the past few years.

Some time later, Rhaenyra finds Daemon standing alone under the weirwood heart tree in the godswood. Rhaenyra and her uncle continue to have a flirtatious conversation in High Valyrian while retiring to a row of seats near the feast tables along the colonnade. Rhaenyra insists that her father is intent on selling her off to the lord with the biggest castle, and though she doesn't mind the attention, the rest she can do without. Daemon slyly asserts that marriage is just a political arrangement and wouldn't stop her from seeking her own private pleasures, likening his own arrangement with his wife, Rhea Royce of the Vale, whom he still addresses as “my Bronze Bitch.” Rhaenyra, however, declares to her uncle that it might be just a political arrangement for men, but for women it is like a death sentence, revealing that she is bitterly worried about ending up like her mother, Queen Aemma, forced to produce potential heirs until her death during childbirth. Rhaenya refuses to accept that she will have the same fate, while Daemon advises that she cannot live her life in fear, or she will forsake the best parts of it. Rhaenyra states that she doesn't intend to live in fear, only in pleasant solitude, as Daemon claims this a “lonely prospect.”

Later on, King Viserys attends a meeting of his small council, with Rhaenyra no longer serving as cupbearer but having a full seat on the council. Tyland Lannister brings troubling news that because the Velaryon fleet hold the Stepstones, Lord Corlys can control the vital sea lanes going through it, giving him considerable leverage over the crown. Viserys is surprised that Corlys would still be upset about spurning a marriage alliance with young Laena Velaryon years ago, but Grand Maester Mellos insists that Lord Corlys is a prideful man. Ser Otto Hightower then declares that Corlys has now entered into negotiations with the Sealord of Braavos, intending to secure a marriage alliance with Braavos by wedding his daughter Laena to the Sealord's son, resulting in further pressure for Rhaenyra to wed. Afterwards, while a tired Alicent attempts to calm her crying daughter Helaena, Princess Rhaenyra returns to her chambers to find a sack that has been left on her table. Opening it, she finds common page-boy's clothes to change into, and a note written in High Valyrian glyphs along with a map, indicating that one of the painted panels next to her bed conceals a hidden passageway to a secret staircase. Shrouded in smallfolk garb himself, Daemon waits for Rhaenyra on an outer wall of the Red Keep. Upon her arrival, he leads her through a street fair populated with jugglers, musicians, dancers and fortune-tellers.

Rhaenyra's exciting night sneaking out of the castle juxtaposes with Alicent's dreary married life, as the queen volunteers to bathe the king's sores when the handmaids are too rough. The infection Viserys is suffering from wasn't previously seized by amputating two of his fingers, only slowed, and the sores on his back are slightly worse than before. Meanwhile, Daemon escorts Rhaenyra to a street play: a cruel pantomime showing what the smallfolk really think of the current royal succession. A troupe of mummers farcically present the succession’s choice between "the brother, the daughter, or the little princeling of three," Daemon, Rhaenyra and Prince Aegon. The lead mummer asks the crowd if Rhaenyra will be a strong or feeble ruler, and they all shout "feeble!" to cheers and laughter. Rhaenyra privately retorts that she doesn't care what the commoners think, but Daemon insists that she'll need to if she expects to rule them some day. She then urges to spend one night free of the burdens of her inheritance. Seeking some fun, Rhaenyra swipes some food from a street vendor and runs off without paying. Tearing through the alleyways, she runs into a gold cloak, but it turns out to be Ser Harwin Strong. With a grin, Harwin tells her to take more care, and continues on his way. Meanwhile, inside the Red Keep, Queen Alicent is about to turn in for the night when Viserys sends a messenger to summon her to his bed. She endures pleasureless sex with her ailing husband, donning a look of bored disinterest, though whenever Viserys turns to her, she switches to a dutiful smile. Back in the city, Daemon takes Rhaenyra to a brothel on the Street of Silk, as she drinks wine and watches a performance by naked male and female dancers with a mix of fear and interest. Daemon then leads her down into the lower level of the brothel, taking his hood off, and tossing Rhaenyra's hat aside, revealing their recognizable Valyrian hair to any onlookers. When they come upon an orgy, the sheltered princess is disoriented by the display all around her, but is also transfixed by it. Daemon informs her that he brought Rhaenyra here to show her that "Fucking is a pleasure, for the woman as it is the man." Rhaenyra can no longer hold back her desires and leans in to start kissing Daemon. Between kisses, Daemon insists that marriage may be a duty, but that doesn't stop them from doing what they want or “fucking who they want.” Daemon slowly spins her around and holds her up against a wall, opening her shirt and pulling her pants down. She then spins around and starts aggressively kissing him. Seeing the lust in his niece's eyes, Daemon slowly starts backing down: perhaps because he is no longer excited if he isn't in total control of the situation, or because part of him can't go through with it considering the consequences. Daemon quickly abandons Rhaenyra, who then exits the brothel herself, no longer fully disguised, and is immediately recognized by a street urchin.

In a haze of wine and lust, Rhaenyra returns to the Red Keep through the front gate, not bothering with the secret passage. Charged up from her erotic adventures but left physically unsatisfied, Rhaenyra opens her chamber door and playfully grabs Ser Criston's helmet from him. She retreats back into her room and entices him to take it from her. She silently plays keep-away with it until she maneuvers herself back around to the entrance and shuts the door. Seeing the longing in her eyes, Criston softly whispers for her to stop, as he has sworn his honor to the Kingsguard and taken a vow of chastity. Rhaenyra starts unfastening the vambrace on his left arm, and then she kisses him. Having longed after the princess from afar for years, Criston gives in to temptation and starts kissing her back. She slowly begins to remove his several layers of Kingsguard armor. After a meaningful look at the white cloak of his office after removing it, Criston and Rhaenyra both slowly undress. Rhaenyra giggles in excitement when she sees him naked, and he gently pulls down her shift until she is as well. Overcome with passion, she jumps up on Criston and locks her legs around his waist. Criston carries her to the nearby bed, and they share a night of ecstasy.

In the pre-dawn hours, Ser Otto is awakened by one of his guards, informing him that a messenger from the "White Worm" has come to bring him important news. It is the same street urchin that spotted Rhaenyra outside of the brothel. Elsewhere, as dawn arrives in the capital, a hung-over Daemon wakes up in an unfamiliar chamber and sees his former lover Mysaria. Daemon asks if he is her prisoner, to which she says that she is his protector. Daemon groggily asserts that he doesn't need protection from a common whore, but Mysaria says that she is no longer a whore, having learned that the "skin trade" can only take her so far in life. Mysaria is now an information broker in the city's underbelly. Then the same street urchin enters and gives Mysaria the reward money that Otto just gave to him, revealing her as the “White Worm”. Meanwhile, Ser Otto awakens King Viserys to inform him of Rhaenyra’s nocturnal escapades, further stating that she was seen "coupling" at the brothel with her own uncle Daemon. When Viserys insists that it must be a lie, Otto responds that he had considered not reacting to the report of a single spy, but multiple castle servants had confirmed that they saw Rhaenyra creeping back through the main gates disguised as a page. Furious, Viserys redirects his anger to accuse that Otto is so ambitious that he would have his daughter stalked with spies and angrily commands Otto to leave. Viserys is so shocked by the news that he only remembers that Alicent is still in the room, and she walks out to him with tears welling in her eyes.

Later on, Rhaenyra is in her chambers when a guilt-ridden Ser Criston opens the door. She greets him warmly but he coldly informs that the queen wishes to speak with her. Rhaenyra then meets Alicent alone in the godswood. Her voice trembling, Alicent accuses Rhaenyra of what her father Otto has been informed of. Rhaenyra says this is a vile accusation, but Alicent ponders if it is, as "you Targaryens do have queer customs." Now feigning total innocence, Rhaenyra begs Alicent as her friend and "sister" that this is a complete lie, and that as a princess to question her virtue is an act of treason. Alicent admits she doesn't know the specific source of this report, but that her father believed it enough to report it directly to the king. Rhaenyra declares that they watched a show at the brothel, but she was "only a spectator" and didn't actually do anything herself, all of which is technically true. She concludes by embellishing word-for-word that "Daemon never touched me" at all and swears this on her mother's memory. Though ultimately believing Rhaenyra, Alicent still criticizes that it was foolish to go to a brothel show in the first place, to even put herself in a position where her virtue could be called into question. Alicent stresses that if any potential suitor ever thought that Rhaenyra had been "sullied," it would ruin any potential marriage-alliance.

Meanwhile, Daemon is seized by Harrold Westerling and two other Kingsguard as they bring him to an audience with Viserys in the throne room. Viserys accuses that Daemon defiled his daughter and gives him a swift kick in the ribs, asking if he will even attempt to deny it. Daemon does not refute, adding that Rhaenyra is a “woman grown” and that it's better that her first experience is with him than some random whore. Angered, Viserys starts strangling Daemon, proclaiming that he has ruined her, as no lord will wed her now in this condition. Daemon brazenly says that he himself will wed her, adding that he'll simply take a second wife polygamously, like Aegon the Conqueror did. Viserys is so insulted that he immediately draws his dagger and holds it to Daemon's throat, declaring that he is no conqueror, but a plague upon their house. Daemon continues to insist that if Viserys gives him Rhaenyra, together they will restore House Targaryen to its proper glory. Viserys bitterly accuses that it's not Rhaenyra that Daemon wants, but the Iron Throne. He then dismissively tells Daemon to go back to the Vale and to try to restore what scrap of honor he may have left. Afterwards, Alicent points out to Viserys that Daemon pervasively lies. Viserys states that whatever happened, he can still sense that Rhaenyra is not innocent of any wrongdoing. Alicent earnestly insists that Rhaenyra swore to her that she remains a maiden, and she believes her.

That evening, Rhaenyra is summoned to her father's chambers while he has been heating his dagger in a brazier of fire. Viserys explains that the dagger was carried by Aegon the Conqueror, who commissioned the last of the old Valyrian pyromancers to etch a hidden message onto his personal dagger, only visible when it is heated red-hot. Rhaenyra then reads off the High Valyrian glyphs on it: “from my blood come the Prince That Was Promised, and his will be the Song of Ice and Fire.” Viserys asserts that the burden of this knowledge is larger than herself, or her desires. He then informs her that King Jaehaerys would have disinherited her, but he does not have that luxury. Rhaenyra claims that she hasn't been given a chance to defend herself, though her father insists that the truth doesn't matter, “only perception.” Rhaenyra defiantly states that if born a man, she could bed whomever she wanted, father a dozen bastards and no one would bat an eye. Viserys bluntly states that she's right, but she was born a woman. He then commands Rhaenyra to marry Lord Corlys' son Laenor Velaryon, to which she eventually agrees to. Rhaenyra, however, states that in return he must relieve Ser Otto as his Hand, claiming that he would jeopardize the stability of the realm to place a Hightower heir upon the throne.

Some time later, Ser Otto is summoned to meet Viserys alone in the small council chamber, who immediately launches into the story of how his own father, Baelon Targaryen, served as Hand for only five days before his death. Baelon was then replaced as Hand by Otto himself, who has held the office ever since. In only five days, Otto went from just another man in the royal court to the second most powerful man in the realm, and Viserys wonders how long it took Otto to start choosing his own interests over those of his king. Viserys says that Alicent did get him through the worst of his grief after Aemma died, but he realizes now just how much Otto intended her as a "calculated distraction" so the Hightowers could subsume his reign from within. Otto pleads that this is absurd, and he knows that Viserys and Alicent love each other. Viserys doesn't deny this, but says that Otto's interests no longer align with those of the realm, as he then removes the Hand’s pin from Otto’s chest. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra is reading alone in her chambers when Grand Maester Mellos arrives to present her with a special tea he brewed for her by command of the king. Before departing, Mellos informs Rhaenyra that the tea will “rid you of any unwanted consequences," confirming that her father wasn’t entirely sure to believe her.

*Episode descriptions from GOT Wiki