Rhaenyra Had The Worst Day(s?) Ever In The ‘House Of The Dragon’ Season Finale

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

But this picture is worth a thousand Aemond deaths.

In the House of the Dragon season finale, Princess Rhaenyra, I mean, Queen Rhaenyra had the worst day ever. Or maybe days? It’s unclear how much time passes between the beginning of the episode and the end of it, but whatever the answer, a lot of stuff happens to Rhaenyra — none of it good (except the whole First of Her Name, etc. thing).

She learns about the death of her father, King Viserys, and that Aegon — thanks to a, ahem, “misunderstanding” by Alicent — has been crowned the leader of the Seven Kingdoms; and she loses one son during childbirth, and another son, Lucerys, after he and his dragon get snapped in two by one-eyed Aemond and his dragon, Vhagar. On top of all THAT, she also gets choked by her uncle-lover, Daemon, who constantly speaks over her. When Daniel Powter said “you had a bad day,” Rhaenyra felt that.

Ahead of the finale, Emma D’Arcy (Rhaenyra) told the New York Times, “It’s no coincidence that the male figures with power within this court have created conditions where Alicent and Rhaenyra’s relationship becomes untenable.” That was proven yet again during the episode. A peaceful compromise could have been met — right up until the moment when Aemond chased after Lucerys on a dragon.

Season two can’t get here soon enough.