House of the Dragon finale review: An orgy of screaming dragons, dying princes and a gruesome stillbirth

Warning: This review contains spoilers

When in doubt, play the hits. That is the philosophy at House of the Dragon (Sky Atlantic, Monday, 2am and 9pm), which bows out in a trademark orgy of screaming dragons, dying princes and a gruesome stillbirth.

Except for that horrific miscarriage — is it really necessary? — it makes for a triumphant conclusion to a series that has thoroughly banished memories of the ignominious ending to Game of Thrones. Consider our passion for the Seven Kingdoms thoroughly rebooted.

The disastrous conclusion to Game of Thrones had reduced the George RR Martin saga to a huge cratered ruin. Brick by brick, House of the Dragon has built it back up

The disastrous conclusion to Game of Thrones had reduced the George RR Martin saga to a huge cratered ruin. Brick by brick, House of the Dragon has built it back up — and a riveting, sometimes distressing season finale confirms the franchise as once again ready to torch all before it.

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This is visceral fantasy of the first order. (Beware: spoilers to follow.) The big shock arrives at the end as Vhagar, the largest dragon on either side of the Narrow Sea, disobeys her rider Aemond and takes a slice — all the slices — out of poor Prince Lucerys.

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As Aemond screams, you can almost hear the warning of his late grandfather King Viserys: “The idea that we control the dragons is an illusion. They’re a power man should never have trifled with”. Aemond — and Lucerys — have discovered the hard way the truth of that statement.

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With Viserys’s death confirmed last week, the banners of war are now flapping in the breeze. And so this instalment is essentially a scene-setter for season two. By killing Lucerys, Aemond has first the first shot. Conflict between the “blacks” (Princess Rhaenyra in Dragonstone) and the “greens” (Alicent and the Hightowers at King’s Landing) is now inevitable. Fans will already be counting down the days to the next series.

The Game of Thrones universe hasn’t quite weaned itself off its old addiction to female suffering, which is a strange flex for a blockbuster-TV property in 2022

But if the finale is gut-punching and gripping, there may be disquiet about the miscarriage scene. Rhaenyra lost her mother to childbirth in the first episode — and now here she is losing a baby in a similarly excruciating circumstance. We see everything — and it is a reminder that the Game of Thrones universe hasn’t quite weaned itself off its old addiction to female suffering, which is a strange flex for a blockbuster-TV property in 2022.

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This isn’t the only way in which the finale recalls classic Game of Thrones. Among the complaints about House of the Dragon are that it has taken place almost entirely within candlelit rooms and that there hasn’t been enough to it beyond the palace intrigue. But with Lucerys’s disastrous flight to Storm’s End and the seat of House Baratheon, HotD has pulled back the veil and given us a glimpse of the world beyond.

After the horrors of Games of Thrones’ season eight, Westeros’s redemption is sealed

There will surely be more to come next year (or the year after next — House of the Dragon 2.0 may not arrive until 2024). Rhaenyra and her abusive husband, Daemon, are determined to raise armies across all of Westeros.

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They must do so to outrank the usurpers, as they see them, at King’s Landing. And so they have their sights set on the North (House Stark) and the Vale (House Arryn). One advantage they already have is the support of the Sea Snake, Lord Corlys, whose ships will blockade the capital.

So the game’s afoot, the lords are calling their bannerman, Daemon is poking around under Dragonstone looking for bonus dragons. And, after the horrors of Games of Thrones’ season eight, Westeros’s redemption is sealed.