This article contains spoilers for HotD.
First Game of Thrones and now House of the Dragon.
These hit TV shows are filled to the brim with memorable scenes showcasing thrilling combat, shocking twists, and in some cases just breathtaking performances or special effects.
This show brings the drama and the action, but what more do you expect from a bunch of Targaryens? From scenes including Alicent’s shocking knife attack to Lucerys’ one last dragon ride, it’s these individual moments of high drama that keep us coming back for more.
With that in mind, and with Season 2 done and dusted, we’re taking a look back at House of the Dragon’s best scenes. Relive every greatest moment by scrolling down!
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The Best Moments in ‘House of the Dragon’
Season 1:
1. Daemon vs. Criston
Season 1, The Heirs of the Dragon
The “Heir’s Tournament” takes place to celebrate the looming birth of King Viserys’s heir. It’s a remarkable scene, but the climactic clash between Daemon Targaryen and Ser Criston Cole has to be singled out.
It’s all very back-and-forth in which Cole wins the joust, Daemon basically wins an ensuing melee, but Cole technically triumphs because Daemon — true to his character — gets a bit cocky before he seals the deal.
The scene proves both characters are formidable forces and endears Criston Cole to the royals. But it’s also just a ton of fun to watch. If only Oberyn took notes about this fight before he battled The Mountain, eh?
2. Viserys Tells Rhaenyra About the Song of Ice and Fire
Season 1, The Heirs of the Dragon
Episode 1 includes a wonderful scene where King Viserys names Princess Rhaenyra his heir and the lords of Westeros pledge their fealty to her. Within this moment, is perhaps the most intriguing mini-scene in the whole show so far.
Viserys tells Rhaenyra about the Song of Ice and Fire, a vision their ancestor, Aegon the Conqueror had, foretelling the coming of the White Walkers we witnessed in Game of Thrones. Viserys adds that to fend off the doom, Westeros must be under Targaryen rule.
This is ranked as one of the best moments in House of the Dragon simply because it pieces together Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon for the first time. We’d like to imagine the look of disappointment on Viserys’ face though, had he’d known how the Long Night really ended. Sigh…
3. Rhaenyra Surprises Otto on Dragonback
Season 1, The Rogue Prince
This is a show packed with tension. But not many moments are more anxiety-inducing than when Daemon and Otto Hightower face off on a Dragonstone bridge. Otto is there to retrieve a stolen dragon egg which Daemon has no intention of surrendering.
What kicks the scene up a notch, though, is that both sides are stilled by the arrival of Rhaenyra, riding her dragon, Syrax.
A Targaryen with a dragon versus useless men with swords? Yeah, we all know how that one ends. But Rhaenyra talks her Uncle Daemon into surrendering the egg, and that’s that. The princess’ intervention is a clever twist on a would-be battle scene.
The hazy light and stunning dragons also make this one of the most visually beautiful scenes in HotD.
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4. Rhaenyra Sees The White Stag
Season 1, Second of His Name
There’s a lot to dig into in the royal hunt throughout Episode 3. Viserys’ strength is declining, while a budding relationship between Rhaenyra and Ser Criston Cole is forming. But one of the most compelling moments comes in a small scene in which Rhaenyra spares the semi-mythical white stag.
The stag basically appears to her as a symbolic representation of her status as the rightful ruler of Westeros.
Rhaenyra’s response, though — whispering, “no,” when Cole prepares to slay the beast — is very telling. It’s a moment that proves there is good in the princess, as well as respect for the greater story she is a part of.
5. Daemon Kills the Crabfeeder
Season 1, Second of His Name
Prince Daemon’s war with Craghas Crabfeeder is a random side plot, not to mention it’s little more than a footnote in Fire and Blood. Still, the end of this war gives us one of the most awesome battle scenes in GoT or HotD history.
Basically, Daemon pulls an Achilles-from-Troy and charges the beach by himself. He proves himself as the best warrior we’ve yet seen in Westeros.
In the end, his solo siege sets the stage for a larger charge during which the Targaryen/Velaryon forces take the Stepstones and Daemon kills the Crabfeeder. Spectacular.
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6. Alicent Goes for the Knife
Season 1, Driftmark
Alicent’s bold decision to wear a green dress at Rhaenyra’s wedding (in Episode 5) famously represents the break between her and Rhaenyra. But if that’s the first sign of the break, Episode 7 shows the true point of no return for their friendship.
Or at least that would seem to be the case given that Alicent grabs Viserys’ knife and charges her old friend with it, ultimately slashing Rhaeynra’s arm.
That, ladies and gents, is years of built up bitterness and jealousy.
Sure, Alicent had reason to be mad; their kids had quarreled to the point that one of her sons lost an eye. Still, this was an extreme act that made for a gripping and iconic scene and another pivotal moment in House of the Dragon.
7. Viserys Takes a Long Walk to the Throne
Season 1, The Lord of the Tides
Who knew watching an old man stagger across a room would wind up being one of House of the Dragon’s best scenes?
By the end of Season 1, King Viserys is on the verge of death. As a result, his Hand, Otto Hightower, sits the throne to oversee a dispute over who will inherit Driftmark from the deceased Corlys Velaryon.
The king enters the royal hall, barely able to walk yet determined to take his throne. It’s a heroic show of power as he makes one final plea to unite his broken family.
Add to that the powerful moment when the crown falls from Viserys’ head, and none other than Daemon is there to pick it up and help his brother take the final steps.
8. Daemon Beheads Vaemond
Season 1, The Lord of the Tides
This could almost be considered part of Viserys’ long walk scene, but it really feels like a separate moment.
Once Viserys has assumed the throne and the debate continues about who will inherit Driftmark, Vaemond — the brother of Corlys Velaryon — gets a little heated. He calls Rhaenyra a “whore” and her sons “bastards.”
Viserys, defending his daughter to his last breath, says he will have Vaemond’s tongue for the insults, but Daemon, being Daemon, decides half the head would be better. The prince simply slices the upper half of Vaemond’s head off in a move so sudden as to be shocking, even in the world of Westeros.
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9. Rhaenys Crashes Aegon II’s Coronation
Season 1, The Green Council
Rhaenys, aka “The Queen Who Never Was,” is an enigmatic, intriguing character in House of the Dragon. She’s quietly powerful with somewhat uncertain allegiances, and while we know she has a powerful dragon — Meleys — we don’t see them together…Until Episode 9.
As Aegon II Targaryen is being crowned in open defiance of Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne, Rhaenys and her dragon burst forth from the floor to disrupt the ceremony and declare themselves for Rhaenyra’s side. If there’s one way to make a statement, it’s this. Badass, powerful and truly unforgettable, there’s no denying this is one of the best scenes ever on House of the Dragon.
Is it maddening that Rhaenys didn’t just dracarys Aegon II and the Hightowers on the spot? Sure. But hey, if she’d ended it there, we won’t have a whole civil war to look forward to…
10. Aemond and Vhagar Kill Lucerys
Season 1, The Black Queen
By the end of Season 1, the bad blood between Alicent’s children and Rhaenyra’s is pretty obvious (I mean, one kid takes out another’s eye), and the tension is rising like wildfire.
But that still didn’t stop us from being SHOOK during this epic scene in the Season 1 finale.
When Aemond Targaryen and his nephew Lucerys Velaryon end up at Storm’s End at the same time, Aemond takes it as an excuse to seek vengeance for the loss of his eye.
He rides the massive dragon Vhagar in pursuit of Lucerys (riding his own dragon, Arrax), and murders him in the sky above the sea. It’s not actually totally clear what happens, but Vhagar all but snaps Arrax in half, either devouring Lucerys or seeing the prince fall to his death in the process. Yikes.
Season 2:
11. Rhaenys Puts Daemon in His Place
Season 2, A Son for a Son
Season 2 picks up with the aftermath of Lucerys’ murder. News of the tragedy has reached Dragonstone and Rhaenyra is thrust into mourning. Ever the warrior-prince, though, Daemon immediately turns his thoughts to avenging his kin and striking back against the Greens.
Daemon commands that his cousin, the Princess Rhaenys, fly with him to King’s Landing to attack Aemond and the gigantic dragon, Vhagar. But the princess simply responds, “Would that you were the king” as she walks away.
MIC DROP!
12. Jaehaerys Targaryen is Murdered
Season 2, A Son for a Son
Rhaenys’ snubbing of Daemon may be one of the more subtle best scenes from this show, but the Season 2 premiere ended with a louder and more memorable (or shall we say traumatic?) event: the shocking murder of Jaehaerys Targaryen, the oldest (baby!!) son of King Aegon II and Queen Helaena and heir to the Iron Throne.
The two killers hired by Daemon to exact vengeance on the Greens (anonymous in the show but named “Blood” and “Cheese” in the book) pose as rat catchers to infiltrate the Red Keep, and slay Prince Aemond.
But Daemon’s careless instructions lead the killers to believe that any Targaryen son will suffice. And so, they make their way into Helaena’s chambers, force her to choose a child, and wind up decapitating the young heir.
Fortunately for show watchers, this was — believe it or not — less gruesome than it was in the book…
13. The Twins Duel
Season 2, Rhaenyra the Cruel
Aegon II and Ser Criston Cole devise a just-so-simple-it-might-work plan to send Ser Arryk to Dragonstone to impersonate his twin brother, Ser Erryk, to slay Rhaenyra, and end the war.
Tragically and inevitably, though, Arryk winds up confronting his own twin in what becomes one of the most dramatic scenes in HotD. The twins have a brutal fight, and throughout we can’t help but wonder, “Wait! Which is Erryk!?”
Turns out, Ser Erryk prevails — saving Rhaenyra — but he immediately realizes he can’t live with having slain his twin. He kills himself on the spot. A great scene from beginning to end.
14. Rhaenyra Confronts Alicent
Season 2, The Burning Mill
HotD delivered one of the most compelling quiet scenes we’ve ever seen. Rhaenyra sneaks into King’s Landing disguised as a septa, to confront Alicent about how they can prevent further war and bloodshed among their families.
In what is yet another showcase of how wonderful these two actresses are together, Rhaenyra and Alicent air their grievances with hushed urgency, and ultimately uncover — together — the great misunderstanding at the heart of the war.
Rhaenyra learns that Alicent believes Viserys named Aegon II heir, and Alicent, in the ultimate “oh crap” moment, realizes it wasn’t as simple as that. Of course, these realizations can’t stop the coming war, but the scene was extraordinary for character development.
15. Rhaenys Dies on Dragonback
Season 2, The Red Dragon and the Gold
In what is the highest-rated episode on IMDb so far (9.6/10), we witness yet another exhilarating dragon battle…and suffer yet another devastating loss. Rhaenys heads on dragonback with her scaly side-kick Meleys to ambush Ser Criston Cole’s army in defense of Queen Rhaenyra and the Blacks.
Unaware of the Greens’ full plan, Rhaenys is attacked by Aemond and his mighty dragon, Vhagar, as well as King Aegon with Sunfyre. Despite the thousands of deaths on the battlefied, the dragon-on-dragon battle is a stunning spectacle. But it ends violently and sorrowfully as Vhaegar takes down Meleys and Rhaenys, and the pair fall through the sky to their deaths.
It’s a saddening scene, as the acceptance of Rhaenys’ fate is written across her face while taking one last ride with her dragon. The Blacks have certainly lost a powerful player…
16. Dragons are Claimed by Bastard Targaryens
Season 2, The Red Sowing
…Powerful player they may have lost, but two more dragonriders they have won!
While this counts as two separate moments from the penultimate episode of Season 2, we’ve rounded it to one, as they’re both equally exhilarating.
In efforts to build up her army against the Greens, Rhaenyra gathers a group of unofficial ‘bastard’ Targaryens from the city, in hopes that they will be ‘accepted’ by the gigantic dragon Vermithor.
As expected, the beast burns all but one of the smallfolk to a crisp, Hugh Hammer, the rumored grandson of Jaehaerys I Targaryen. Hugh Hammer epically shouts “c’mooon,” and the thrilling moment is followed up by another brilliant scene: The unofficial brother of Viserys and Daemon Targaryen, Ulf White, beautifully claims the dragon Silverwing.
17. Rhaenyra and Her Dragons Confront Aemond and Vhagar
Season 2, The Red Sowing
The Red Sowing ends dramatically, but satisfactorily when Rhaenyra shows she has one up against the Greens. Now with two more dragons and riders on her side, Rhaenyra sends the newly claimed Silverwing to take height with her new rider, Ulf White.
Tension builds as they fly over King’s Landing, and come face to face with Aemond and his mighty dragon Vhagar. Just when we think the courageous fighting dragon is about to take yet another of the Black members down, Aemond backs out.
Below him, Rhaenyra gives her younger brother the ultimate death stare, as her dragons roar as one behind her. It’s a powerful moment, indeed.
All things considered, there are a lot of great scenes in House of the Dragon, but these are undoubtedly some of the best. They combine character drama, incredible action, and gorgeous visuals, collectively giving us so much of what we love most from the GoT universe.
Do you agree with our list? Are these House of the Dragon’s best scenes? Let us know what your favorite moment was in the comment section below!
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