History Awesome / HouseOfTheDragon

[[quoteright:414:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/viserys_2.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:414:[[SincerityMode The most awesome scene of season 1-]] [[MundaneMadeAwesome a sick and dying man walking across a room.]]]]

* An offscreen example in House Stark without even being there occurs when one lord inquires if they can rely on support from Storm's End and Winterfell, Lord Celtigar immediately replies "''There has never lived a Stark who forgot an oath. And with House Stark, the North will follow.''" and nobody rebuts this nor does anyone feel the need to elaborate why like with Rhaenyra's familial relation to House Arryn. It's simple fact that House Stark will stand with them and so too will the North, simply because they believe in keeping their word.

* Rhaenyra is in earth-shattering labour for ''three days'' according to 'Fire and Blood'. In the show, she more or less overcomes her womb nearly falling out from miscarriage and [[PregnantBadass single-handedly delivers Visenya herself]] within an hour or two. Bear in mind, that the stress from losing her father, being usurped and her family likely marked for death ''[[LizardFolk mutates]]'' the second-trimester foetus's head into something more draconic and difficult to pass through her birth canal. But she's a true dragon and pushes her out anyway and survives the most arduous birth she's endured to be up and about taking over the Silent Sister's duties (and the cremation) just moments after!

* The duel between Ser Arryk Cargyll and Ser Criston Cole on the steps of the Grand Sept, while Aemond effortlessly intercepts his brother. Cole is even driven right down the flight of stairs during the initial exchange but recovers then deprives his sworn brother of his falchion with a fancy disarm technique. It's quite a clean, short, yet thrilling battle between two seasoned Kingsguard knights.

* For all of his [[TheAlcoholic crude]] [[HandsomeLech tendencies]], Aegon's coronation at the Dragonpit makes for a triumphant scene, with the guards lining their swords for the Aegon to walk through. Anointed by the septon, Criston Cole places the crown of the Conqueror on the young prince's head, and the crowd cheers as Otto declares him second of his name. Seeing the crowd's reaction, Aegon draws the sword [[CoolSword Blackfyre]] and raises it into the air, finally accepting his position as King of the Seven Kingdoms.

** Prince Aemond actually looks like he's about to charge both rider and dragon down if Rhaenys makes one move to speak the letter 'D - '. He's also notably shields Helaena either intentionally or on instinct, which doubles as a SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoment.

** Say what you will about Otto, but not only does he not cower or beg, he actually gives orders to the guards to open the gates so the civilians can get out. It's very telling that, [[WhatYouAreInTheDark taken completely by surprise and facing imminent death,]] his instinct is to minimise collateral damage rather than attempt to ensure the survival of himself or his bloodline. It seems like the [[TheNeedsOfTheMany "good of the realm"]] rhetoric that just so happened to keep making him more powerful may have been sincere after all.

* Jacaerys stands up to Daemon without any hesitation and tells him he is not to make decisions until Rhaenyra gives the go-ahead - sure, Daemon blows him off like he's a fly, but confronting his vastly more experienced and blooded stepfather, who's on a literal war path is still the action of a youth who one day could be a true king.

* Rhaenyra is in earth-shattering labour for ''three days'' according to 'Fire and Blood'. In the show she more or less overcomes her womb nearly falling out from miscarriage and [[PregnantBadass single-handedly delivers Visenya herself]] within an hour or two. Bear in mind, that the stress from losing her father, being usurped and her family likely marked for death ''[[LizardFolk mutates]]'' the second trimester foetus's head into something more draconic and difficult to pass through her birth canal. But she's a true dragon and pushes her out anyway and survives the most arduous birth she's endured to be up and about taking over the Silent Sister's duties (and the cremation) just moments after!

-->'''Prince Consort Daemon Targaryen:''' I would rather ''feed my sons to the dragons'', than have them carry spears and cups for your drunken, usurper ''[[PrecisionFStrike cunt]]'' of a king.
* Rhaenyra finally gets fed up of Otto's wheedling to give up her claim and accept Aegon instead, she charges up to him, rips his pin of office from his lapel, and tosses it off the bridge.

* An understated but no less powerful moment: Corlys limps to the Black council meeting while they're degenerating into a NotSoOmniscientCouncilOfBickering. With a few words, Corlys and Rhaenys manages to show that House Velaryon is finally committing to this side of the Dance. If it can be shown that discussing strategy can be turned into a BadassBoast, this is it.

* We get to meet Lady Rhae Royce and we find out that the real reason he hates her is not because of her supposed ugliness but because unlike Laena or Rhaenrya she is not impressed or enamored with his antics and considers him pathetic. She mocks Daemon right to his face and even after he causes her horse to throw her down and break her back what does she do ''mock him about not being able to finish''.

* Viserys's model of Valyria is an understated moment of awesome throughout the first season. While he modestly says that the stonemasons did most of the work building the structures, Viserys still had to create a very detailed plan of the ancient city from just ''written descriptions''. On top of that, numerous scenes show him etching much of the details himself. By the end of the season, the model is so big that it fills his entire chambers.

** By not killing the Greens right there and then, Rhaenys demonstrates and exercises a restraint that essentially denies the legitimacy of Aegon's ruling before it's even begun. He's hardly an inspiring protector of the realm when "his" realm's citizens are squished under rubble at his own inauguration.

** Prince Aemond actually looks like he's about to charge both rider and dragon down if Rhaenys makes one move to speak the letter 'D - '. He's also notably shields Helaena either intentionally or on instinct, which doubles as a SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoment moment.

** Prince Aemond actually looks like he's about to charge both rider and dragon down if Rhaenys makes one move to speak the letter 'D - '. He's also notably shields Helaena either intentionally or on instinct, which doubles as a [[Heartwarming heartwarming]] moment.

* For all of his [[TheAlcoholic crude]] [[HandsomeLech tendencies]], Aegon's coronation at the Dragonpit makes for a triumphant scene, with the guards lining their swords for the Aegon to walk through. Anointed by the septon,Criston Cole places the crown of the Conqueror on the young prince's head, and the crowd cheers as Otto declares second of his name. Seeing the crowd's reaction, Aegon draws the sword [[CoolSword Blackfyre]] and raises it into the air, finally accepting his position as King of the Seven Kingdoms.

* For all of his [[Slimeball slimeball]] tendencies, Aegon's coronation at the Dragonpit makes for a triumphant scene, with the guards lining their swords for the Aegon to walk through. Anointed by the septon,Criston Cole places the crown of the Conqueror on the young prince's head, and the crowd cheers as Otto declares second of his name. Seeing the crowd's reaction, Aegon draws the sword [[CoolSword Blackfyre]] and raises it into the air, finally accepting his position as King of the Seven Kingdoms.

** Prince Aemond actually looks like he's about to charge both rider and dragon down if Rhaenys makes one move to speak the letter 'D - '. He's also notably protecting Helaena while his brother cowers behind his mother's skirts.

* A {{villainous|Valor}} example, but Aemond did well in a 4v1 fight, throwing off Jacaerys, Lucerys, Baela, and Rhaena.

* Viserys prominently carries a Valyrian Steel dagger. One with a very familiar and distinctive hilt. At first, it just seems a proper precaution -- the king is always prepared to defend himself -- and a nice touch of history and connection: the dagger that an assassin would use to try and kill Bran, the dagger that Arya will utlimately use to end the Night's King, was once owned by a Targaryen king. Then Viserys reveals to Rhaenyra that that Targaryens know about the White Walkers and the Long Night, that they are preparing for the day they and their dragons are needed to prevent the end of the world. ''Then'' he shows Rhaenyra that "The Song of Ice and Fire" is engraved on that very dagger, the reminder that Targaryens must be prepared for the day Winter comes and the dead march on the living. It adds a layer of tragedy to the decline of the Targaryen dynasty, that when the Night's King finally arose, no one was left to pass on this vital information to Daenerys, to explain her role in the Song of Ice and Fire. And yet, Dany was there in the end, and helped cancel the apocalypse, showing perhaps that prophecy will find a way.

* Rhaenyra gets sort of a AwesomeMomentOfCrowning (she's not queen yet, but still the next best thing, being made Crown Princess, heir to the throne) at the end of the episode. It even doubles as a TearJerker and SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoment if only because King Viserys came to the decision after an entire episode of only worrying about having a male heir--not realizing Rhaenyra (who we are shown to be not only a brave dragonrider but a dutiful student of the Realm's history) is already there.

** Plus the fact that Daemon backs off after their display. Remember, he is widely regarded as [[WorldsBestWarrior the most dangerous man in Westeros,]] and he is armed with the Valyrian Steel sword Dark Sister. But these Knights are not the lickspittles and thugs of the Baratheon/Lannister regime nearly two hundred years from now, these are [[KnightsInShiningArmor Kingsguard]] [[PraetorianGuard in their prime,]] the greatest and noblest knights in the Seven Kingdoms, and even Daemon Targaryen knows better than to recklessly challenge them.

* [[BigDamnHeroes Rhaenyra's sudden and majestic arrival to Dragonstone atop Syrax]] from beneath the mists and challenging Daemon to kill her and end all the strife then and there, or willingly give back Dreamfyre's egg. ''Daemon chooses the latter''. She may be young, but Viserys' heir will clearly make a fine queen.

* At one point, Caraxes's flame breath doesn't just carbonise a soldier (as Drogon's did a la Vesuvius's eruption over Pompeii), but ''evaporate him'', similar to water touching a furnace; leaving only a foot behind.

* One that owes much to RuleOfSymbolism: contrast Viserys and Rhaenyra's conduct throughout the [[TheGrandHunt royal hunting trip]].
** Viserys needed the assistance practically his whole household (and the gifts of House Lannister) to just track and kill the White Hart (which everyone claims is a good portent for the young Aegon II). Even then, all that this will amount to is them finding a quite large--but still not white--hart/stag deer, and Viserys still needed two struggling strikes to drop the already-bound animal.

* Viserys' last conversation with Rhaenyra is a quiet but undeniable one. After spending the entire episode seeming ineffectual, exhausted and at the end of his rope, he finally manages to stand up and be a ReasonableAuthorityFigure, stating that no, he's not going to disinherit Rhaenyra no matter how much pressure is on him, but she ''is'' going to have to marry. Not because her only value is as a wife but because it ''isn't'' - if she's going to rule, she'll need a powerful marriage alliance at her back, and she's going to need heirs of her own. This actually seems to get through to Rhaenyra and go some ways towards healing the rift between the two of them.

** Even when some arrows temporarily down him, puncturing his knee and breastplate with bodkin points. Daemon rips two of them out and snaps the shaft of the third that's too deeply embedded. Before seizing Dark Sister and rising to go down swinging against an entire encirclement of corsairs.
*** For that matter, Drahar, the cunning strategist finally pits ''the entirety of his remaining soldiers'' against Daemon. ''One man''. Because let's face it, he was making them look like fools and morale must have taken a heavy blow at seeing the dragonlord's bravery to fight them on their terms and home ground without his dragon.

** We should also note the significant AdaptationalBadass Laenor Velaryon is given in this episode. For most of his screentime, he is shown not only to be a competent enough strategist (calmly yet grimly acknowledging the disadvantageous position of the Velaryon forces--even compared to his ever-grumpy uncle Vaemond), but also a FrontlineGeneral DragonRider. While he does owe it to Daemon's ISurrenderSuckers maneuver, it was him and Seasmoke who manages to successfully burn out the Triarchy in battle--when even Daemon and the larger Caraxes never manages to do so. This is quite a huge leap from the largely UpperClassTwit he is in the source material.

** The parallels of he and Rhaenyra presenting trophies killed with their own hands, reborn in fire and blood also cannot be denied.

[[folder:4 - King of the Narrow Sea]]

* The swagger of a Targaryen dragon prince, it doesn't help that Matt can pull off the body language effortlessly and his new haircut makes him look like DMC's Vergil!

*** "The tides. The crabs. And ''two thousand dead Triarchy corsairs'', staked to the sand to warn those who might follow."

** When Ser Harwin Strong passes Prince Daemon the latter acknowledges him with a conspiratorial smirk, implying that the son of the Master of Laws has been his eyes and ears in the gold cloaks as Lord Commander, and that the Watch still belongs to Daemon.

** The inter-cutting and juxtaposition of a rapidly declining Viserys creakily "taking his rights" from Alicent, who submits to her wifely duties in the marriage bed with [[LieBackAndThinkOfEngland all the receptive heat and passion of the Lands of Always Winter]]. As opposed to hale and dashing Daemon introducing Rhaenyra to the joys of foreplay; the two of them drawn together magnetically, almost spinning and dancing when they both get lost in their first shared kiss, stroking and writhing in the throes of building rapture.

* Viserys annihilating Otto verbally for, as he sees it, employing spies to tail his daughter, when ironically Mysaria and her little birds seem to be freelance information brokers and Otto's report is actually the act of a legitimate servant.

** Adding to that, the mere fact that Viserys, despite his numerous shortcomings, is ''not'' as stupid [[SmarterThanYouLook as many believe.]] He is perfectly aware that Otto Hightower has his own agenda but simply overlooked it because of his years of service, even to his grandfather. However, he makes it plain for all to witness that he's under no illusion of what an opportunistic schemer his Hand truly is. Otto himself is bewildered that his own king sees through him like glass on a window and for the first time, he's at a complete loss of what to say or do.

[[folder:5 - We Light the Way]]

* The Rogue Prince shows his mind and tongue are both as sharp as his blade. When Ser Gerold Royce confronts him about his cousin's [[HuntingAccident "accidental" death]], citing that in Westeros people answer for their crimes, Targaryen or not, Daemon quickly turns the tide of the conversation by informing him that with no evidence it is slander, which is also a crime when leveled at a member of royalty, which should ''also'' be answered for. The best part? Daemon makes a point of reminding him that Runestone is now his by all rights as Lady Rhea's bereaved widow. Poor Gerold can only shamefully back down and silently withdraw his indictment, even when he knows it to be true. OutGambitted at its finest.

* Daemon raining on Alicent's paper dragon parade, by being the only one amongst all the gathered nobility to not stand for the queen of the realm. Her father was a leech, which to him just makes his brother's wife the spawn of one.

[[folder:6 - The Princess and the Queen]]

* The episode finally sees the introduction of Vhagar, the last of the three great dragons who brought all of Westeros to heel, and she is truly a sight to behold. She looks every bit ancient, weathered and wrinkled by time, and is so large that she dwarfs even the already-massive Caraxes and Laena barely seems like a speck on her back. The cinematography also adds to this, with Vhagar filling the entire screen in many shots as [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall if the camera itself]] can't fit her into the frame from just how massive she is.

* While Harwin and Lyonel's deaths are more of a TearJerker moment, they are both brave and proactive until the end. Harwin stands in the middle of a burning hallway, using his shoulder to try to break down the door to his father's bedroom after the lock melts shut rather than save himself. Lyonel also grabs a fire poker and tries to pry the door open from his side.

[[folder:7 - Driftmark]]
* Otto having the temerity to deliver the whole "I'm sorry for your loss" cliche to Daemon; obviously relishing his rival's pain and Daemon seeing right through the snake and burning him with this:

* Baela sucker punching Aemond after he smacks Rhaena.
* A {{villainous|Valor}} example, but Aemond did well in a 4v1 fight, throwing off Jacaerys, Lucerys, Baela and Rhaena.

* Paddy Considine as Viserys killing it again, going from livid rage, to feeble, tremulous grief and back to the shadow of regal majesty in several subsequent lines.

* Rhaenyra defending Lucerys from a knife wielding and bloodthirsty Alicent, single-handedly holding her back from her son and delivering a cutting remark, despite this being the first time in her life she's been confronted with true human violence on her royal person, [[MamaBear she is unyielding in her protection of him]].
* Daemon likewise [[StoneWall halting]] Criston who was running at near ful-tilt and definitely weighed more considering he was clad in his heavy plate. Alicent's sworn-sword nearly bounces off the rogue prince.

* For the first time hearing Emma D'Arcy's Rhaenyra speak with the Valyrian "love language" to Daemon in their velvet, resounding tone. Mega goosebumps...
* Daemon, Laenor and Qarl pull off an epic FakingTheDead ploy; at Rhaenyra's behest, allowing everyone to get what they want. (Except [[WhatMeasureIsAMook a poor shmoe Velaryon footman]] to use as a body-double). Qarl gets a fat purse, Laenor gets to abscond with him to Essos and live the sellsword's life he was yearning for - and help support his wife and the children he himself loves in standing aside to allow Daemon to take the reins of the family.

[[folder:8 - Lord of the Tides]]

* Rhaenys ruling the Driftwood Throne in her husband's stead. She carries herself with all the grace and dignity a [[TheHighQueen High Queen]] should and is quick, decisive and firm, but also [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure eminently fair,]] and her granddaughter Baela makes for quite the mini-Hand. She's also ''very'' quick to defend her husband and shoot down Vaemond's claim to High Tide. It really does make you wonder how much better things might have been had she been accepted as heir all those years ago...

* King Viserys I forgoes milk of the poppy, even though its absence causes him extreme agony, and is able to heroically stagger through the Red Keep and sit the Iron Throne one last time to resolve the Velaryon succession dispute. He manages to maintain his dignity and defend his daughter to the utmost as a dragon one, last, time. Showcasing more strength and bravery at the end of his reign than all the rest combined. You ''were'' sorely tested, Viserys and you were not found wanting.

* Ser Vaemond Velaryon, apoplectic that his claim has been denied, and facing the death of the Velaryon patrilineal line, accepts Daemon's dare to speak the punishable OpenSecret at court. Then he goes even further, calling Rhaenyra's honour into question so that he might have the satisfaction of spitting in his enemies' eye and a [[SuicideByCop clean death]] in place of maiming and torture.
-->'''Ser Vaemond Velaryon:''' You... may run your House as you see fit... But you will ''not'' decide the future of mine! My House survived the Doom and a thousand tribulations besides! And gods be damned... I will not see it ended, on the account of this--

** This bears elaboration. Viserys at this point has as many eyes as he does arms, and both of those numbers are lower than two. He was barely able to stay upright long enough to walk to the Iron Throne, he has only recently come out of a long drug-induced stupor, he is in constant pain from the absence of those same drugs, and he seems to have done more ruling in the past five minutes than he had in the previous six years. Even in his prime he was never much of a warrior. And yet he was still ready and willing to take on a knight far younger and healthier than him before Daemon intervened. [[PapaWolf Do not insult Viserys' children or grandchildren.]]

** Aemond and Aegon being the only ones among the greens to not quail at bloodshed. The latter just seems to find Vaemond's end amusing but ol' Aemond is [[InLoveWithYourCarnage gazing unerringly at his uncle]] with [[WorthyOpponent clear respect and a desire to face someone other than Criston]]. Notably, while everyone else stands either dumbfounded or horrified the instant Daemon makes the cut, equally-shocked Aemond instead jumps back and turns his side, the sudden display of deadly force clearly triggering his duelist reflexes even from halfway across the throne room.

** To make the scene even better, Daemon gives his nephew a sigh of disappointment and Ewan's expression goes from absolute certainty that he's his uncle's equal if not his superior, to a slowly dawning, tiniest smidge of actual ''fear''. Aemond then murmurs to himself in curiosity as if he's thinking: ''"Hey... This is a curious new emotion...!"'' Vhagar could not cow him as ''a boy''. Daemon shows him, that even as a man, he's not "da man" of the house just yet.
*** Daemon effortlessly corralling (there really is no better word for it) his stepsons deserves its own mention too. This is two teenage boys who have been provoked into a fight, all set to duke it out with their smug, superior uncles, and all he does is hiss a soft 'wait' and step in front of them, giving them a long look, and they both stop ''dead'' in their tracks and veer back and out of his way, totally conceding without so much as a complaint even though their blood is up and they're spoiling for payback. His earlier execution of Vaermond in front of their eyes can't have hurt in that regard, but it's made quite obvious that they fully respect him as the alpha male.

[[folder:9 - The Green Council]]
* Lord Lyman Beesbury. If integrity was an incarnate man, he'd be it. Though his efforts cost him his life, he still faces down the small council's conspiracy and tells them where they can shove their schemes and pretensions to the Iron Throne.
-->'''Lord Lyman Beesbury:''' I will not have this. To hear that you're plotting to replace the king's chosen heir with an imposter! / Hundreds of lords and landed knights swore fealty to the princess. / I am six and seventy years old. I have known Viserys longer than any who sit at this table. And I will not believe that he said this on his deathbed, alone, with only the, the boy's mother as a witness. This is seizure! It is theft! It is treason!
** He's not the only one. In a later scene Otto Hightower orders a group of nobles to pledge fealty to Aegon as the new king. One of them, Lord Merryweather, attempts to leave under the guise of discussing it with his house but when informed that none will be allowed to leave until they've declared themselves, with the implication that the penalty for refusal is death, he faces Hightower and states bluntly that he is not an oathbreaker and will not bend the knee. Then Lady Fell, despite being clearly afraid, joins him in stating that House Fell will honour its pledge to support Rhaenyra. Both are from relatively minor houses, yet they show all the bravery and honour of a Great House.

* Lord Caswell chooses to KneelBeforeZod rather than openly defy Otto like Lord Merryweather and Lady Fell, but then quickly tries to leave the city and rally to Rhaenyra anyway. He does this even though he probably knows that he is under observation as the biggest Black supporter left in the capital and the penalty for only pretending to follow Aegon will be unpleasant and lethal.
* Ser Harrold Westerling being the only living man among the nest of vipers who tries to bring Criston to justice for his murder of Lyman; almost holding the rest of the council at sword-point and removing his white cloak when Otto orders him to assassinate Rhaenyra and Daemon.

* Alicent furiously calling out the rest of the Small Council for their plan to assassinate Rhaenyra. She will crown Aegon but she won't have her former best friend put to the sword to do it if she can help it.

-->'''Rhaenys Targaryen:''' [[BrutalHonesty And yet you toil still in service to men. Your father, your husband, your son. You desire not to be free, but to make a window in the wall of your prison.]] [[ArmorPiercingQuestion Have you never imagined yourself... on the Iron Throne?]]

[[folder:10 - The Black Queen]]
* Jacaerys stands up to Daemon without any hesitation and tells him he is not to make decisions until Rhaenyra gives the go ahead - sure Daemon blows him off like he's a fly, but confronting his vastly more experienced and blooded stepfather, who's on a literal war path is still the action of a youth who one day could be a true king.
* Daemon intimidating the remaining Kingsguard on Dragonstone into compliance with TranquilFury exuding from his every pore. There's also the demonstration that the rogue prince might as well be TheBeastMaster among even House Targaryen's long legacy of dragon riders; what with his immaculately timed control of Caraxes during his speech that only Daenerys with Drogon eventually emulated (along with a famous death threat). Especially since his great to the seventh generation grand-daughter had to ''birth'' her dragon to gain such a close bond.

* Rhaenyra finally gets fed up of Otto's wheedling to give up her claim and accept Aegon instead, she charges up to him, rips his pin of office from his lapel and tosses it off the bridge.