Directed By: Clare Kilner / Written By: Sara Hess

Original Airdate: October 16, 2022

Runtime: 58 minutes

Queen Alicent Hightower informs her father, Ser Otto, of King Viserys Targaryen’s dying wish, which had been misinterpreted, was that their son Prince Aegon should succeed him rather than his daughter and chosen heir, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. Though the lords and ladies of Westeros already swore obeisance to the princess, Ser Otto delays publicly announcing King Viserys’ death and convenes a Small Council meeting to discuss supplanting Aegon on the Iron Throne before Rhaenyra finds out, much to Alicent’s surprise. Meanwhile, the Kingsguard is sent out into the streets of the capital in order to find the missing Prince Aegon ahead of the coronation.

main cast

king’s landing

In the dead of night, a servant boy discovers King Viserys Targaryen has died in his sleep and immediately informs Queen Alicent Hightower's lady in waiting, Talya, who wakes her mistress with the news. A tearful Alicent hastily dresses and heads to her father's chambers in the Tower of the Hand, informing Ser Otto of the king's death. Alicent then declares to her father of Viserys’ confession, which made it clear to her that the king’s choice on his deathbed was to rename his heir as his eldest son Aegon Targaryen. Otto’s initial skepticism fills the air with an uncomfortable silence before Alicent urges the revelation as truth. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Alicent, Talya lights a candelabra in the window of King Viserys' chamber as a signal to someone in King's Landing.

The Small Council then hastily convenes, when Ser Tyland Lannister asks what matter could not have waited until dawn, sarcastically asking if Dorne was invaded. The council are shocked upon hearing that King Viserys has passed. Ser Otto sombrely notes that they grieve for their fallen sovereign, dubbing the late king "Viserys the Peaceful," before noting that Viserys has given them a final gift in naming Aegon as his heir. Ser Tyland then casually notes that they can now proceed with his blessing on their long laid plans, to which Otto agrees. Tyland then suggests that they replace two captains in the City Watch known to be loyal to their former Lord Commander, Prince Daemon Targayen. An appalled Queen Alicent then demands to know why she was not informed that the council was plotting to install her son Aegon as heir without her knowledge, to which Lord Jasper Wylde replies they did not want to sully her with their schemes. Lord Lyman Beesbury is also appalled by this subterfuge, raging at the other council members for plotting to replace Viserys’ chosen heir, his eldest daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen. A furious Lyman snaps that he has known Viserys longer than any of the other incumbents, and refuses to believe Viserys, who was a tireless advocate of his daughter's right to throne would change his mind on his deathbed. Lyman refuses to be silenced, going so far as to insinuate regicide. Before he can say more, Ser Criston Cole furiously seizes Lyman and forces him back into his seat; unfortunately, the force of the slam against Lyman's frail head fatally cracks his skull on the table. A furious Harrold Westerling draws his sword and orders Cole to forfeit his white cloak. Before the two Kingsguard can come to blows, Alicent and Otto order them to stand down. Alicent then asks of Rhaenyra, as Ser Otto vaguely informs her of his intentions. Knowing Rhaenyra would ever swear obeisance, Alicent realizes that Otto and his fellow conspirators mean to kill Rhaenyra and her family. She furiously shouts that Viserys would never have condoned the murder of his beloved daughter, though Alicent cannot offer an alternative when Tyland asks for one. Otto then orders Ser Harrold to take his knights to Dragonstone in order to assassinate Rhaenyra and her family. However, a disgusted Harrold resigns as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard in protest. He throws his white cloak to the floor and exits the room.

By the time the Small Council session concludes, it is morning. Otto and Alicent head to Aegon's chambers only to be told by his sister-wife, Princess Helaena, that he's not present. Realizing that Aegon has left the Red Keep, Otto quickly exits the chamber. A distressed Helaena declares that there is a “beast beneath the boards,” while Alicent struggles to soothe her daughter. Meanwhile, Ser Otto dispatches the twin brothers of the Kingsguard, Ser Erryk and Arryk Cargyll, to find Prince Aegon and bring him back, urging them to shed their White Cloak. Inside the Keep, Alicent commands for Ser Criston to search for Aegon as well, with Aemond volunteering himself to accompany Cole, given his knowledge of Aegon's likely haunts.

Aemond and Criston make their way to the Street of Silk in order to visit a brothel Aegon used to frequent. However, they are informed by the madam Sylvi that Prince Aegon hasn't patronized the establishment in years. When Ser Criston continues to press Sylvi, she asserts that the Prince does not frequent the Street of Silk, as Aegon’s taste is known to be “less discriminating”. She wishes Ser Criston good luck and then gives her regards to Aemond, staring upon him with recognition. In private, Sylvi affectionately proclaims how much Aemond has grown, but he silently turns away from her. Meanwhile, inside the throne room, Ser Otto has the nobles present at court herded into the throne room and informs them of Viserys's purported change of his successor, insisting they bend the knee and swear allegiance to Aegon. Lord Merryweather states that he will need to confer with his house, but Otto commands that he is not leave without declaring his intention. Merryweather indignantly declares that he is no oath breaker and will not bend the knee to Aegon. When Ser Otto asks if anyone else will challenge him, Lady Fell also refuses to break their oath to Rhaenyra. As result, Otto has the Kingsguard escort Lord Merryweather and Lady Fell out of the throne room while Lord Allun Caswell anxiously witnesses. Larys Strong watches from above in the gallery, look towards Lord Allun.

The Cargyll twins arrive in the slums of Flea Bottom, where Ser Erryk brings his brother to a one of Prince Aegon’s frequent haunts, a fighting pit where children are forced to fight for the cruel amusement of the smallfolk. While Ser Arryk witnesses the pit in horror, Erryk admits that Aegon's involvement with such events, which he frequently had to accompany Aegon to as his sworn shield, proof that the prince isn't fit to be a king. To further prove his point, Erryk points to the corner of the room to show his brother one of Prince Aegon’s own bastard children lives inside the pit, “one of many” Erryk wagers. Meanwhile, along the Street of Silk, Aemond grows tiresome over the hunt for his brother, bitterly confessing to Ser Criston that Aegon has never taken any interest in his birthright. An increasingly frustrated Aemond then admits that he should be king, as Criston sympathizes when admitting that the he knows what it is to toil for what others are freely given. Aemond then vehemently whispers close to Cole’s ear, declaring that as the next in line, should he be sought out for the Crown, he intends to be found. Back at the fighting pit, an agent of Mysaria named Jayne approaches the Cargyll brothers, informing them that Mysaria is holding Aegon prisoner and will reveal his location in exchange for an audience with Otto Hightower. Meanhile, at the Red Keep, Lord Allun Caswell attempts to flee in order to get word to Princess Rhaenyra, only to be intercepted in the courtyard and brought before Otto in his chambers. Ser Otto interrogates Lord Allun, doubting his intentions in leaving the capital so quickly, and sentences him to execution as he did with Merryweather and Fell.

After watching the Silent Sisters prepare Viserys' body for burial, Alicent goes to speak with Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, locked in her quarters. Rhaenys's fury at her house arrest becomes sadness when she realises her cousin is dead, then scorn when she realises the Greens are usurping the succession, scoffing at Alicent's insistence Viserys wanted Aegon to be his heir. Alicent beseeches Rhaenys to support the new succession, pointing out the losses and insults she has suffered thanks to House Velaryon's allegiance to Rhaenyra : her daughter’s death far from home in Pentos, her son cuckolded, the illegitimate children of Harwin Strong passed off as his rightful heirs and her husband Corlys Velaryon abandoning her to wage war in the Stepstones. Alicent insists that Rhaenys should have been elected Queen by the Great Council at Harrenhal, and in return for her bending the knee, offers to grant Rhaenys rule of Driftmark and be able to pass on to her granddaughters. Rhaenys rebuffs Alicent's overtures, however, coldly replying that for all her flattery, Alicent is just helping her father and son perpetuate the system that denied Rhaenys the Iron Throne in the first place.

Some time later, Prince Aemond and Ser Criston witness Mysaria arrive in the distance to meet with Ser Otto. They watch on from afar while Mysaria gives her condolences for King Viserys’ passing. Otto has Erryk hand Mysaria a large bag of coin and demands to know where Prince Aegon is. However, Mysaria thinly veils the understanding of her upper hand in the situation. She demands for Otto to shut down the child fighting rings in Flea Bottom, then shooting a look to the Cargyll brothers and noting that the Gold Cloaks take bribes to allow for the barbaric sport to continue. Otto gives his word to Mysaria that he will look into it. Mysaria then reminds him to remember that it was her who installed Aegon on the throne, coolly noting that she could have had Aegon killed. Mysaria eventually reveals that Aegon has sought refuge and is hiding in the Grand Sept. Shortly thereafter, Arryk and Erryk find a drunken Aegon within the Grand Sept and they struggle with catching him when Aegon attempts to flee. Once detained, Ser Arryk brings Aegon outside when they are immediately met by Aemond and Ser Criston, who holds his sword up to his fellow knight. Arryk readies himself to fight against Criston, as he is obeying his orders to bring Aegon back to Otto. Before attack, however, Aegon suddenly pushes his way out of Arryk’s grip and flees down the stairs of the Sept. While Criston and Arryk engage in a duel, Aemond chases after his brother and tackles him to the ground. Holding a drunken Aegon down, Aemond tells him that he had hoped he disappeared, and then scoffs at Aegon’s inheritance to the throne. Meanwhile, during the fight, Ser Erryk stands aside at the top of the steps of the Sept, fully disillusioned by this public display of infighting. Refusing to bend the knee, Erryk takes his leave and walks away from the fight. Ser Criston eventually overpowers Ser Arryk in a duel while Aemond is finally able to subdue Aegon, who desperately insists that he doesn't want to be king. His brother and Criston pay no mind to his pleas and then drag him back to the Red Keep in preparation for his coronation.

Some time later, in the Tower of the Hand, See Otto compliments Alicent on having outmanuevered him: Alicent in turn remonstrates with him for having manipulated her all her life, and makes it clear now Aegon is in her possession, his succession to the Iron Throne will be done her way. Otto accepts Alicent's insistence that Aegon be crowned in the Dragonpit at dawn the following day, and that Criston Cole be raised to Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, but protests when Alicent insists generous peace terms be sent to Rhaenyra at Dragonstone to convince her to surrender, insisting that as long as Rhaenyra lives, she and her supporters will continue plotting to seize the throne out from under Aegon. When Alicent insists Viserys would have wanted such mercy shown to his daughter, Otto insinuates Alicent is doing so more out of reluctance to harm her childhood friend. When Alicent refuses to budge, Otto compliments his daughter on her resemblance to her late mother in the moment.

Afterwards, Alicent returns to her chambers to find Lord Larys waiting for her. She expresses her annoyance of his presence in the late hour, however, Larys insists on offering her information she would like to know. Alicent stares in disgust as he sits down across from her. Larys poses the questions to Alicent of how she thinks her father got to Aegon first, and then leans back on the bench with a look of expectancy on his face. Alicent begrudgingly then sits downs in front of him and takes off her shoes. He informs Alicent of Mysaria's network of spies within the Red Keep and its usage by her father Otto. As Larys continues to feed Alicent further details, she eventually strips both socks off and reluctantly places her bare feet before him. As he stares down at her feet, Larys informs Alicent that one of the “little spiders” is her lady-in-waiting Talya. Larys then offers to kill Mysaria in order to destroy Ser Otto’s advantage, to which she eventually agrees upon. He then begins to touch himself while continuing to stare at her feet, asserting a situational dominance. Alicent looks away with disgust as he pleasures himself.

Before dawn, Princess Rhaenys is freed from her chambers by Erryk Cargyll, who insists he can't let the treachery against Rhaenyra’s claim go unchallenged and escorts her from the castle. Out in the streets of King's Landing, Rhaenys insists that she needs to reach the Dragonpit to free Meleys (having been previously told by Alicent her imprisonment was partly to deny Rhaenyra another dragon that could be used to attack the Greens), but Erryk insists it will be impossible to reach, and that they must make for the docks and get aboard a ship before the Greens discover their escape. Unfortunately, the pair get separated by a surging crowd the gold cloaks are herding to bear witness to Aegon's coronation. Initially panicked at being parted from her only ally, Rhaenys smiles when she realizes the crowd are being directed towards the Dragonpit. Later on, Alicent and Aegon ride in an enclosed wheelhouse; the former chides her son for his seeming ingratitude at the efforts being made on his behalf to crown him King, while Aegon makes it plain he doesn't believe a word of Alicent's claims Viserys named him heir on his deathbed, given Viserys had twenty years to change the succession from Rhaenyra to Aegon and never did, concluding that his father never truly loved him. Alicent presents Aegon with his father's dagger as proof otherwise. As she tries to convince Aegon to go against Otto's wishes to assassinate Rhaenyra and her family and spare his half-sister's life, Aegon interrupts to ask his mother if she actually loves him. Alicent despairingly calls him an imbecile as if the answer were obvious. At the Dragonpit, while Otto announces Viserys's death to the population of King's Landing, Rhaenys uses the distraction to slip into the subterranean caverns where the Dragonpit's draconic occupants are housed. The royal family watches on a hastily erected dais as Aegon sullenly marches through a procession of Targaryen guardsmen and gold cloaks to be ceremonially anointed by Septon Eustace as King. Criston Cole completes the coronation by placing Aegon the Conqueror's crown on Aegon's head, whereupon Eustace proclaims him "Aegon, Second of His Name." The crowd begins to cheer and applaud the newly crowned King, to the point that the initially reluctant Aegon finally begins to warm to his new position, drawing his sword Blackfyre and thrusting it into the air to bask in the crowd's adulation, all while Otto and Alicent smile in satisfaction at the seemingly successful completion of their plans. Without warning, the floor of the Dragonpit erupts, and the cheering of the crowd turns to screams of panic as a colossal dragon claws its way out from the caverns below the main hall, flattening panicking spectators with its tail and talons. Terrified smallfolk try to escape, either climbing to the Dragonpit's upper floors, or streaming through the gates as the gold cloaks desperately try to close them, though some are crushed by fallen debris sent flying by the rampaging dragon or swept into the hole created by its escape. As the Greens on the dais watch in incredulous horror, the dragon emerges from the pall of ash and debris thrown up by its escape, revealing itself to be Meleys, with Rhaenys sat astride her back, clad in an ornate suit of dragonrider armor. A panicking Otto bellows at the gold cloaks to open the Dragonpit's doors to allow escape, but his commands go unheard over the chaos as Rhaenys directs Meleys towards the dais. With the fury of the Red Queen and the Queen Who Never Was bearing down on them, Alicent orders Criston to get Helaena to safety before placing herself between Aegon and the snarling dragon. Despite having the entire Green faction at her mercy, whether out of respect for Alicent's love for her son or refusal to make herself a kinslayer, Rhaenys withholds giving Meleys the command to kill. As the Red Queen roars at them, Rhaenys gives Alicent a cold look, signaling her rejection of Alicent's request for her support, before directing Meleys towards the Dragonpit's closing doors, the dragon furling her wings about her and gliding through the doors with inches to spare, before flying off. Alicent and Aegon warily watch Rhaenys go, aware she is likely heading straight to Dragonstone to inform Rhaenyra of what has happened, as well as fearing how Rhaenyra will react when she learns of her father's death and the usurpation of her throne.

*Episode descriptions from GOT Wiki