‘House of the Dragon’ Finale: What Page Did Alicent Send Rhaenyra?

Home of the Dragon has been deft at calling again to earlier episodes — and the season 1 finale, episode 10, was no exception. We noticed a pale web page torn from a big ebook, a callback to the very first episode. This web page is so important it nearly prevented the declaration of battle between the greens — King Aegon’s supporters — and the blacks, Queen Rhaenyra’s clan.

However in case you’ve watched the finale, you already know issues took a bitter flip. Let’s focus on the importance of that torn web page within the spoiler-packed part beneath.

Warning: Spoilers forward.

What does the torn web page say?

Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, produces the torn web page at an opportune second within the hopes of stopping battle. In episode 10, he and a small delegation meet with Queen Rhaenyra on the Dragonstone Bridge. They current “beneficiant phrases” — possession of Dragonstone fort, Driftmark island, locations of “excessive honor” at courtroom — on behalf of King Aegon in alternate for peace and acknowledgment of Aegon’s kinghood.

This goes down horrifically — till Hightower reveals his trump card: A torn web page from an previous, massive ebook.

The previous pale web page bares a big image of a girl in a crown standing over ocean waves and what appear to be purple snakes. The previous fashion writing reads: “Lashed along with ropes and cables, Nymeria’s fleet dispersed on the coming of the primary storms, sweeping them throughout the ocean, east, west, and south into corsair infested pockets of the Basilisk Isles.”

What ebook is the torn web page from?

This passage is from an enormous fictional tome entitled Ten Thousand Ships. It tells the historical past of warrior queen Nymeria and first appeared in episode 1, when Septa Marlow instructs childhood buddies Alicent and Rhaenyra to check it. Within the Pink Hold’s godswood, Alicent quizzes Rhaenyra on the ebook’s contents, together with which husband Nymeria takes when she arrives in Dorne (the reply is Lord Mors Martell).

The dialog strikes to Rhaenyra and her fears about her dad and mom — King Viserys and Queen Aemma — who may quickly have a new child son. Rhaenyra says she hopes her father will get the son he is at all times needed. In the meantime, that is what she needs.

“I wish to fly with you on dragonback, see the good wonders throughout the Slim Sea, and eat solely cake.”

Rhaenyra reveals that she did research the ebook earlier than ripping out the particular web page. She arms it to Alicent, saying, “So that you bear in mind.”

What does the web page imply?

Alicent has evidently stored this childhood memento for twenty years. So why give it to Rhaenyra by way of Otto on the bridge? She may hope it reminds Rhaenyra of an easier time when each ladies have been freed from obligation to their households. It was a time once they actually cherished one another and would by no means dream of waging battle with the chums on opposing sides.

“Queen Alicent has not forgotten the love you as soon as had for one another,” Hightower says on the bridge. “No blood want be spilled, so the realm can stick with it in peace.”

Initially, this candy memento conjures up Rhaenyra to stay open to peace. Sadly — and unsurprisingly, given Home of the Dragon is a couple of civil battle in Home Targaryen — this takes a tragic flip when Alicent’s son Aemond largely unintentionally kills Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys.