"Beware the beast beneath the boards" - Targaryen, Helaena. 2022.

For God's sake, at least burn Criston and Otto first before you leave.

If that was Daemon the entire series in over 🤣

Rhaenys casually kills like 50 people with her epic dragon entrance then decides to spare Aegon and Alicent when she had the chance to kill them.

Alicent's only mistake was telling Rhaenys "you are the queen who should've been" not knowing that her words will spark encouragement in Rhaenys to support Rhaenyra, the queen who is being supplanted just like she had been in the past.

Rhaenys Targaryen: - Appears out of nowhere in her dragon. - Kills peasants. - Scares the sh*t out of everyone. - Refuses to elaborate. - Leaves.

Man, I loved Meleys roar. It sounds different, yet it fits her graciously.

Loved Olivia Cooke's acting here. It showed Alicent's true character. In the face of certain death, she stood in front of her son. A mother above all else.

She went from “queen who never was” to “queen who should have been” in one scene.

Aegon was looking at Alicent like: *“Well? This is what you guys wanted right? Tell me you expected something like this.”*

Rhaenys: Dra- Alicent: Oh shit this is the end Rhaenys: -matic Alicent: wait what? Rhaenys: Dramatic! That's what I am, bish! Byeeeee!

So cute how Alicent told Ser Criston to "get to Helaena!" 💚

after watching so many ceremonies in GOT And HOD we got a moral lesson " Never attend a royal ceremony" 😂

No one talking about how beautiful that dragon is. Amazing work!

I gotchu Rhaenys, I’ll say it for you girl- *”DRACARYS”*

Rhaenys message was clear: “You’re only alive because I will it”

Shoutout to sir Eric for bailing her out of the castle and leading her there so she can take her dragon, he the real one.

I love how earlier in the episode, Alicent told Rhaenys to ring the bell when she was ready to give an answer. And now the bells ring as Rhaenys shows everyone what her answer is.

I LOVE how they designed meleys' horns...its like a crown around her head

For all of Alicent's flaws, the fact she stood in front of Aegon fully prepared to be eaten by Rhaenys's dragon makes me feel like she's a good momma

She may be The Queen Who Never Was but don't forget she's still a Targaryen

Helaenas expression is the best. Mix of fear, awe and '' what the f...k did I tell you?, no one listens to me ''

No one is gonna admit how brave Alicent was. She literally stand between dragon and aegon. That's a true Mother for me ❤️

I like how Alicent at the beginning, while happy her son is King, has regret in her eyes due to her betraying the friend she just got back.

The intense stare between Rhaenys and Allicent spoke louder than words alone.

I love how Aemond was protecting Helaena

I love how Alicent is covering Aegon and answers his question if she loves him…

Only reason she didn’t burn them was out of respect for Alicent trying to protect her child.

Meleys' flight pattern never ceases to amaze me. You can see how skilled she is with flying and how amazing Rhaenys is as her rider ❤️❤️

I love how all the greens stood there ground despite the significant disadvantage....especially Alicent and Otto

This scene is EPIC but i agree it's bad for the story. Rhaenys didn't have to break through the floor to escape and if she did she would have been crushed. She wouldn't have been able to change into armour before mounting Meleys. And if this actually happened, Aemond would have immediately got on Vhagar and chased her all the way to dragonstone. Rhaenys had no reason to mass kill peasants as a way to send a message to the greens. I think the idea of the scene was to set up the smallfolk's animosity towards the blacks and the dragons which will lead up to the riots in kings landing, but it's s8 GOT writing. They are trying to set up future plot points without making the writing logical.

The clasped lips ready to say Dracarys speaks volumes. Rhaneys is not a monster she's a mother who lost everything. If it weren't for Alicent they would all be dead.

When Rhaenys had them in the corner, we needed Daemon to tell her to: 'Say it' 😂

Meleys' roar is like a roar and a screech at the same time lol sounds so good.

Alicent. MVP of the episode. She didn't answer Aegon when he asked if she loved him, but she showed him her unconditional love without hesitating. She grew from a girl too scared to ride a friend's dragon to a woman ready to be burned by an enemy's. I hated the idea explosion idea, but damn if it gave us this face-off, I'm OK with it.

I’m pretty impressed with Meleys’s design. The neck would normally be a dragon’s weak spot, but Meleys is protected by a mane of porcupine-like spines! I also really like how her roar starts out as a piercing scream that gradually descends into a trilling moan. Now that is a dragon that delivers in both appearance and sound effects! 😄

Rhaenys is a true crownless queen, a true dragon ... and her coin landed on the right side.

us: rhaenys is a badass woman who is a good person! Writers: *She kills thousands of innocent people by smashing through the floor when she could have flew out the back door*

D&D snuck in to write this scene

I have my own opinions about Alicent's character but the move she made without hesitation, shielding Aegon with her own body from Meleys, willing to take the brunt of dragon fire, showed me how much of a Mother she is. She's distant and angry most of the time but the things she's willing to do for her children. Tragic character and brilliant acting by Olivia Cooke.

This was Rhaenys’ answer to Alicent’s offer of alliance, basically a gigantic “F*** You” to the entire Greens faction. Also, I do have to give Alicent credit for being the only one to step towards danger rather than away from it. She may have stated out submissive, but she’s never been weak.

Prince Aegon: Do you love me mother? Alicent: you imbecile. Also Alicent: 1:35

Alicent looks gorgeous. What a queen

It was Rhaenys' her love for her children that made her spare Alicent's Also Helaena just being wow'ed is such a nice touch

This scene had my jaw dropped MELEYS SOUNDED AMAZING AND RHAENYS IN ARMOR JUST WOW

As epic of a girl boss moment as this is, let's not forget that she just killed dozens of innocent civilians here. Lol

Tyrion: We're losing people. Do you hear me? Rhaenys: The people? You think I care.

I get major Tywin vibes here"Explain to me why it is more noble to kill 10,000 men in battle than a dozen at dinner."

If the quote: “Be a Dragon” was a person. 👆🏽 Rhaenys and Meleys are freakin savages. 🔥

The show runners: She didn't want to kill Alicent and her children because she understood and Sympathized with her as a mother. Me: but what about all the innocent mothers and children she Murderd in the crowd ?

King's landing got to be the most dangerous place to live in westoros.

Alicent: 😱 my precious babies, get behind me! Otto: if you gotta kill them, leave at least one for me to influence. Or not. Dealer’s choice. 😅

**kills a bunch of innocent civilians** the fans: WOW I WISH SHE WAS MY QUEEN. YAAAS lmao

0:58 and 1:27 look how Aemond is intending to protect Helaena

I like how she kills a good dozen of the commonfolk but doesn't kill her actual enemy. Wow very pacifist of her to only kill people who don't matter LOLOL.

Now THAT'S more like the MAD QUEEN.

I like Aemonds fighting stance at 1:28. Clearly none of them would've survived but he looked ready to fight against the world. Everything you need to know about his character.

If the hound was here he would say to Rhaenys just as he said to Arya "you are very kind someday it'll get you killed"

Ser Criston Cole; "Not even the threat of your dragon will be enough to grey my hair!"

Alicent sending to Cole to protect Helaena and then stepping infront of Aegon to protect him will never not be the most badass mom moment in GOT history

She could have roasted them all, ended the civil war before it even started. "We would never be as powerful or as feared again." Viserys "III" Targaryen (The Beggar King).

This speaks volumes to Rhaenys’ character. She was dead right about Alicent. Alicent represents the very reason Rhaenys herself could not ascend the iron throne, why her granddaughters will never have claim, and why poor Laena ultimately did not matter at all in the line of succession, despite having done her “duty”. Not even to Rhaenys’ “dear” husband; Corlys passed over Laena and her children just like Rhaenys had been all those years ago. If Rhaenys sides with the Greens, she is a slave to that tradition, and her granddaughters are too. Just as Alicent is. As her descendant Daenerys would come to say, “A dragon is no slave”. While Rhaenys had her differences with Rhaenyra, I get the sense she admired her for standing up to tradition. Why shouldn’t a woman sit the iron throne, especially when the King himself believed she would be a good one? ** this is not saying she’s by default a good ruler, it means a good ruler makes a good ruler, not gender or anything else. Rhaenyra at least has shown the most dedication to the role, more than any of Alicent’s children (actually sitting on council meetings, making confrontations when Viserys chose inaction, and actually hiring a capable Kingsguard, not just because they have a fancy title, as Otto would have done). This should have been showed to us more, but Rhaenyra’s sons - although bastards - were raised and loved by Laenor, are good people, and are dedicated to becoming good rulers. If names are truly all that lives on, in the words of Corlys himself, then gender should not matter in the slightest. I very much appreciate this change from the books. Edit: I agree that it makes no sense for Rhaenyra NOT to tell Rhaenys about Laenor. She has everything to gain by telling her, plus, it’s a nice bit of closure for her… um, cousin-aunt? I’m lost at this point. I think it was poor story form to not flesh out Rhaenyra’s ruling capabilities earlier. In the books she’s very clearly NOT a capable leader, but I think they’re trying to tell a different story here. She took charge when her father didn’t many times when she was younger, and actively wanted to be involved in ruling (sometimes to Viserys’ dismay). Even Aemond, while a good fighter, hasn’t sat on council meetings or shown any other dedication to the role other than marrying his sister. And yeah, I think Rhaenys honestly made Rhaenyra’s job a lot harder by killing civilians. I think a good scene to explain Rhaenys’ rationale here would be her considering fleeing peacefully (the very first scene we see Syrax we can see an exit to the sea separate from where the crowds are) but when she hears the crowds cheer for the new King over the rightful Queen (once again, just like they did all those years ago to her) she loses it. Still a stupid idea on her part, but still more justifiable than Dany’s rage in my opinion. At the end of the day, Rhaenyra still may be a shit Queen, but it still proves George’s overall point of the series: gender, age, birthright - none of these make a good ruler, being a good ruler does.

Alicent "Ring a bell if you made your decision." Rhaenys *DING FUCKING DONG*

Aegon: do you love me? Alicent: *stands between him and a dragon"

The red queen Meleys shows its dominance! Princess Rhaenys is such a badass

Wow that just badass, no fire, no killing the green, just dragon and a rider can hold such a power of intimidation. Now I can Imagine how fear of aegon the conquer brought to people in westeros.

This just gives the peasants a reason to support the greens even more now.

I hope they saw their “ king” cowering behind his mommy.

My assumption for the reason Otto yelled "open the door!" was because he just wanted Rhaenys and her dragon to have a clear exit because it was clearly too late to stop her. By trapping them inside she would only be forced to use her dragon to kill more people, probably to include all the Green's leadership. In other words, he was just trying minimize the damage at that point. Does that sound right or am I missing something?

That little maneuver at the door tho lol

Alicent was a badass in this scene and no one will ever convince me otherwise

Other series: who is your favorite character? HOTD/GOT: who is your favorite war criminal?

The way allicent just stood in front of her son and closed her eyes. Chills

Rhaenys took a DNA test and confirmed she is 100% that B. The dragon is magnificent as it’s rider. Alicent’s earlier talk with her saved all of their lives.

Amazing how she goes in there like that. Fully suited up, & aware that she’s establishing herself before their eyes & that she’s not supporting them. That she could basically wipe them out completely right there, that this was war. It’s such a beautiful scene! As excited as I am for season 2, I hope they take their time. The way they’re filming & producing is unreal. PROPS

Right before this Aegon asked his mother if she loved him. She only smiled and called him an "imbecile". She might not tell her kids she loves them, but she shows that she does.

The people of King's Landing would get their revenge for their losses in this day.

I think this scene really exemplifies the fact that NONE of the characters are really fit for the throne - they’re out to protect their own egos, regardless of what the citizens may want.

Aegeon is the true heir to the throne being the son of the king.

You know, a thought occurred to me. In many ways this mirrors Ned Stark's decision to show mercy to Cercei and her children and in doing so doomed the realm. While perhaps not as cut and dry, in can't be argued that Rhaenys could have effectively wiped out the Green faction right then and there. But she spared them because she was both an honorable woman and I think because she sympathized with Alicent protecting her children. But because of that mercy, the kingdom will now be drawn into a civil war that will decimate it and its greatest dynasty

I really love the reflection of mother’s love here tho. Alicent without a second thought shielding her son from an enormous beast.

This scene alone is better than the finale of rings of power

Would have made sense if Sunfyre was here to protect Aegon. Plus, it would have made sense for the Targaryens to have their dragon with them on their own coronation

the way she protected aegon that's MOTHER

Rhaenys’ stare… letting her know with one word she can end her whole line

No wonder the smallfolk start to hate dragons they just see a bunch of priviledged jerks riding them around and geting peasants killed to look "badass" in their deadly games with no regard for the lives of the average person.

oh man i never noticed how alicent tells criston to go to helaena 🥺 i wish sunfyre came to aegon here so the two dragons would have a mutual destruction stalemate stand-off. to me, if we had otto saying “open the doors”, and right at when meleys is about to burn the greens, we hear sunfyre roar from behind, and squeeze in so he can protect his rider, and he opens up his beautiful golden/pink wings, it would be more meaningful, satisfying and make more sense. (also it would be cool foreshadowing for the future, and how sunfyre is able to find/connect with aegon on dragonstone after rooks rest if the mental/emotional link between them was exemplified early on.)

Rhaenys showed us exactly what she was saying to Corlys. The throne isn’t everything to her anymore. She sees herself as a mother first now. She lost her children and decided that she valued her dragon more than the small folk. She knew if she didn’t join the Greens that Meyles was as good as dead.

Rhaenys could have ended the Dance right then and there. If she had burned them all, she would have saved the dragons and House Targaryen. Others would have killed them all without hesitation. The Conqueror would have. Maegor would have. Daemon would have. But just as Alicent wouldn’t kill Rhaenyra, neither could Rhaenys be that cold blooded butcher. And in that moment, she showed the same kindness as Viserys. And thus doomed the realm.

I think people fail to give Alicent the credit she deserves here. She's standing in front of a friggin adult dragon, ready to die before abandoning Aegon to his fate. A guy who is a cruel imbecile, true, but for all the praise of Rhaenys, she's the one riding the fire breathing monster, not standing between it and its prey. Alicent is the bravest one here by a mile.

A mother whose son and daughter were burnt to a crisp didn’t wanted to burn another mother with her children 😔

One of my favorite scenes.

Alicent stepping in front of Aegon was what prevented Rhaenys from burning all of them. That roar was like "this was the last time you've been given mercy". I love that woman.

This scene was awesome but I hated seeing the innocent townspeople dispatched so heartlessly by Rhaenys. Those poor people were rounded up and brought there.

It’s Helaena lowkey smiling the whole time for me

Aemond’s look 🔥🔥

How many innocents did Rhaenys just kill?

0:04 The look on Alicent's face, she knows this isn't right, she knows what her son is but bound by duty, she has to see it through. I love the staredown between Alicent and Rhaenys, she really reinforces that she would have been a far better ruler than her cousin because the only reason they are still alive is being Rhaenys is an honorable lady.

1:16 big guy with a beard escapes 1:21 he is teleported back inside

All this scene was missing was a shark for Meleys to jump over.