House of the Dragon Episode 8 ending explained: What does Viserys say to Alicent?

After the events of last week’s episode of House of the Dragon where Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) fully lunged at Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and her children with a dagger, the two former friends are in a better place come tonight’s new episode, “The Lord of the Tides.” Sure, they have an awkward relationship now, but with another time jump, it looks like the two just want peace. But after the ending we get in Episode 8, I have a feeling that might not be the case for long.

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon Episode 8!

There’s been tension in the realm ever since King Viserys (Paddy Considine) named Rhaenyra his heir to the Iron Throne, and after she had an affair with Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr) and tried to pass off their children as her and her husband Laenor Velaryon’s, all eyes have been on the princess, and not in a good way. Of course, Rhaenyra still maintains her sons are legitimate, but really no one’s buying that.

So in Episode 8, when word gets out that Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) has been wounded in battle out in the Stepstones, it doesn’t take long for his brother Vaemond (Wil Johnson) to object to Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys (Elliot Grihault) becoming the next Lord of Driftmark.

As a woman in Westeros, and a woman who makes mistakes (she’s human after all), Rhaenyra’s claim to the Throne will always be challenged. Probably even when she sits on it. Mostly due to pressure from her father, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), Alicent has wanted her and Viserys’ son Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) to become the king, and even though she seems to hate her eldest son nowadays, I wouldn’t be surprised if she eventually did fight for him to sit the Iron Throne. And that could be coming soon.

After a tense family dinner in the Red Keep, Rhaenyra and Daemon (Matt Smith) decide to head back to Dragonstone with the kids, and the last scene we see is of Alicent taking care of Viserys before bed. She gives him his milk of the poppy tea for his pain, and once he’s out of it enough he starts talking to her about Aegon the Conquerer and his dream: the song of ice and fire.

What does Alicent think Viserys said to her in House of the Dragon Episode 8?

Given that Viserys and Rhaenyra have a conversation not long before about Aegon’s dream and the burden Rhaenyra now carries with her, it’s likely the king believes he’s speaking to his daughter when he confides in Alicent, but of course, he’s not. In reality, Viserys is referencing the end of mankind after the great darkness comes, but Alicent doesn’t know any of that. So she assumes he’s talking about their son.

When Viserys tells her “it is you, you are the one, you must do this,” Alicent interprets that as she must make Aegon, their son, the king. She tells her husband that she understands before leaving the room, and we see Viserys pretty close to death.

Does Viserys die in House of the Dragon Episode 8?

By the end of House of the Dragon Episode 8, Viserys is still alive, but he’s in really bad shape. As we see earlier in the episode, he’s lost an eye and he can barely get around without crippling pain. The final moments of “The Lord of the Tides” show him in lying in bed, having a hard time breathing. It seems he’s on his last breath here, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he passes away in between episodes.

If Viserys dies and the last conversation he had with Alicent was about Aegon, there’s a chance she’ll say his dying wish was to make their son king. And with Rhaenyra on her way back to King’s Landing very soon, I can only imagine how their next interaction might shape up.

Don’t miss the penultimate episode of House of the Dragon season 1 when it premieres next Sunday, October 16 on HBO.

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