House of the Dragon episode 1 ending explained: Who does King Viserys name his heir?

It’s time to celebrate, because House of the Dragon is finally here! The highly anticipated prequel takes place about 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, following the Targaryen family as they rule the Seven Kingdoms. The premiere does a great job introducing us to the key players and getting this epic story started as we see King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) name his heir. But it’s certainly not an easy decision.

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon episode 1!

House of the Dragon episode 1 recap

To summarize what happens in the House of the Dragon premiere briefly, Viserys’ wife Aemma (Sian Brooke) is pregnant and he’s convinced they’re having a boy because of a dream he had. This is a huge relief for him, as he’d been wanting a son to name him next in line to the Iron Throne. Viserys and Aemma already have a child together, Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), who wants to spend all her time riding her dragon Syrax. We also meet Prince Daemon (Matt Smith), Viserys’ brother who seemingly causes chaos every chance he can get.

But beyond his hard exterior, Daemon has many insecurities and wants nothing more than to be his brother’s heir. When Aemma and her son die in childbirth, Viserys is left with an incredibly difficult decision. He and his council discuss who the next in line could be, realizing he only really has two options. There’s Daemon or there’s Rhaenyra.

When word gets out that Daemon was speaking ill of Viserys’ dead baby, Viserys then knows what he has to do.

Viserys summons Daemon while he sits on the Iron Throne, confronting him about what he said. Their conversation quickly turns into a heated argument, where Daemon asks why he wasn’t chosen to be the Hand of the King before calling his brother “weak.” As you’d expect, this doesn’t go over well with Viserys, who orders Daemon to return to Runestone.

Does Viserys choose Daemon or Rhaenyra as his heir?

With Viserys sending Daemon away, we know who his heir will be. He calls on Rhaenyra and tells her he thinks she’d be a great queen, warning her of their family’s history and making sure she knows it cannot be repeated. He apologizes to her for spending so much time wishing for a son when she was there all along. Rhaenyra asks about Daemon as the heir, but Viserys tells her he’s not the right fit.

We then cut to Rhaenyra being sworn in as Viserys’ heir as she stands in front of her father on the Iron Throne. Daemon gets ready to leave with his mistress Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), and we see them get on Caraxes and fly away.

What is Aegon Targaryen’s secret?

Viserys also shares a secret with Rhaenyra, one that she must hold with her, and it’s pretty big. He reveals that Aegon Targaryen, the first king to sit on the Iron Throne, foresaw the end of mankind. According to Aegon, a great winter will come with “absolute darkness,” and in that darkness something will wipe out all men. What he’s referring to is the White Walkers, who we get to know pretty well in Game of Thrones. Viserys says that Aegon called his dream the “song of ice and fire,” a.k.a. the events of the original show and George R.R. Martin’s book series of the same name.

As Viserys tells Rhaenyra, all of Westeros must fight together against this threat, and a Targaryen must be on the Iron Throne when it happens.

The premiere ends with Rhaenyra’s face as she’s named the next heir, and we hear the music turn to the Game of Thrones main theme which we all know and love. Rhaenyra looks happy, but also very overwhelmed and nervous. And for good reason. She has no idea what’s ahead of her.

Don’t miss the second episode of House of the Dragon next Sunday, August 28 at 9:00 p.m. ET.

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