Jace confronts his mother Rhaenyra in deleted scene from House of the Dragon

In the House of the Dragon season 1 finale, "The Black Queen," Rhaenrya Targaryen learns that her half-brother Aegon has ascended the Iron Throne, stealing her birthright. She wants to fight for her place on the throne, but is hesitant plunge the Seven Kingdoms into war, especially after her best frememy Alicent Hightower sends her a message pleading for restraint.

At the end of the episode, Rhaenyra makes clear that she wants war; after her half-brother Aemond Targaryen kills her son Lucerys, there's no turning back for that. But before that, she's torn. In one scene that didn't make the cut, her eldest son Jacaerys, aka Jace, encourages her to fight for the throne, lest all of them be exiled or killed.

These pages come from @darksvster on Twitter, who has said that they "got my hands on the scripts for episodes 2-10 and was able to grab quotes/scenes to share." They previously shared a deleted scene between a young Rhaenyra and Alicent from the script from Episode 2, "The Rogue Prince." Now it's time for a scene from the finale:

Read a deleted scene from the House of the Dragon season 1 finale

This scene takes place while Rhaenyra's husband Daemon, war on the brain, loudly spars outside Rhaenyra's window. Daemon wants to fight and Jace apparently thinks he has the right idea:

• Jace: "Daemon wants to fight for us. I wonder, will you?"

• Rhaenrya: "I will always fight for my family...but this is not as simple as one or the other."

• Jace: "It could not be simpler. If you accept Aegon's term, you will forfeit my life. And Luke's and Joff's."

• Rhaenyra looks at him quizzically.

• Jace: "If you do not claim the throne, we will be taken hostage, or sent to the Wall, or put to the sword. I do not know which fate will await us, but I do know they will call us "bastards" first."

• Rhaenyra: "Alicent gave her word that you would be treated kindly."

• Jace: "The word of a usurper means little and less."

This is a nice little scene — I like that Jace says "little and less," a phrase that shows up more than a few times in George R.R. Martin's books — but I think I understand why it wasn't in the final episode. As much as Rhaenyra wants to be back on good terms with Alicent, having her question whether her sons will be in danger in Aegon's Westeros makes her seem a little naive. As a direct threat to Aegon's legitimacy, they would very likely to dealt with harshly.

But like we said, Rhaenyra's doubts are now moot; after the murder of her son Luke, she's resolved to go to war. We'll see how that turns out when House of the Dragon airs its second season on HBO and Max sometime this summer.

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