“House of the Dragon” Season 1 Episode 10 Review: Luke’s Tragic Death

“House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 10” is the finale of the first season. In this episode, Rhaenyra tries to form her alliance. This occurs with several shocking moments, all of which feature dragons. One of the strong points of the alliance, as Daemon points out, is that the Rhaenyra faction has 13 dragons to Aegon’s 4. He also says they have many dragon eggs. The faction, however, is short on allies.

This episode of “House of the Dragon” starts and ends with a bang. The middle of the episode can be described as Rhaenyra working to forestall the coming war, wanting to be sure of her alliances, when all the men around her table want conflict now. Were you surprised by either the beginning or the ending of this episode?

Rhaenyra Mourns Her Stillborn Son as War Approaches

This episode of “House of the Dragon” begins with Princess Rhaenyra having a difficult and bloody labor. The baby, which she holds lovingly, is stillborn. Daemon sees the end of this labor and seems surprisingly sad. The baby is burned by dragon fire at a funeral. As a continual reminder of the coming war, Ser Erryk arrives and swears his fealty to Rhaenyra.

Rhaenyra has her crown and her people by her side as she mourns the death of her son. Daemon is by her side. After the funeral, the lords gather with Daemon and Rhaenyra in the throne room at Dragonstone. Daemon gives them all an important update. They have 30 knights, 100 crossbowmen, and 300 men-at-arms. They might have more, but nobody really knows.

Rhaenyra Refuses War as Aemond Hunts Luke in “House of the Dragon”

Not long after that meeting, a ship bearing the royal colors arrives. On it is Otto Hightower, and a contingent of knights and the maester from King’s Landing (whom Rhaenyra knows well). They are met by Daemon and a similar number of knights on the narrow bridge leading to Dragonstone. Hightower gets a frosty reaction and demands to see Rhaenyra. This is a symbol of the main conflict of “House of the Dragon.”

She arrives dramatically. Wearing a crown and riding her dragon, she lands it on the bridge, behind Hightower and his knights. With her there, Hightower delivers the King’s terms. Rhaenyra rips off his hand pendant, calls him a traitor, and says he will have her answer to the offer tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, Daemon and his knights want to fight Hightower and his knights right there on the bridge. Rhaenyra tells them no. This symbolizes a theme in this episode: the people around her want to go to war, and she keeps saying no.

Rhaenyra is cautious because she wants to be sure of her allies before going to war. There are a handful of houses that have pledged fealty to her, but she wants to be sure. So, she sends her sons Luke and Jace on dragonback to these houses. Notably, Luke goes to Lord Borros Baratheon, who receives him frostily and is sitting on his throne, flanked by none other than Aemond.

Aemond demands that he and Luke fight right there. He also demands that Luke give him his eye in compensation for his. Aemond is quite agitated. Borros Baratheon tells Aemond he will not have bloodshed in his throne room, and that Luke came as a messenger and should not be harmed. Aemond agrees reluctantly, and Luke is allowed to leave in the pouring rain, but Aemond pursues him on his own dragon. This sets up the shocking ending of “House of the Dragon.”

Aemond Loses Control of Vhagar and Tragedy Strikes

Luke emerges from the rainstorm on his dragon, and he thinks he has evaded Aemond and his dragon. Just then, Aemond emerges and loses control of his dragon. Arrax attacks Vhagar; both dragons become difficult for their riders to control, and Vhagar ultimately kills Arrax and Luke. Aemond is also visibly shocked by what happens. Luke and Arrax are both killed, and the episode ends with Rhaenyra learning of the death and looking upset. In the next episode, next season, she goes searching for closure on her dragon. She gets it, finding Arrax’s wing, but her absence frustrates those who want war.

Why Season 1 Episode 10 Is Crucial to the Targaryen Civil War

This is the last episode of the first season, “Season 1, Episode 10”, of “House of the Dragon.” The episode has a bloody beginning, with the stillbirth that Rhaenyra experiences. The episode has a good ending also, with Rhaenyra learning of Luke’s death. This episode will have ramifications next season. The viewer is left to wonder if her grief will sink the Kingdom into a civil war.

Don’t forgot to check out this and other episodes of “House of the Dragon” on HBO Max