The penultimate episode! And what a ride it's been.
Admittedly, episodes 1-7 had me completely disinterested yet I found myself still watching. Starved for good television I suppose. Nonetheless, I'm glad I stuck it out because I went from "who gives a shit" to "damn...the season is almost over..." in a matter of two weeks.
Before breaking down episode 9 let's all agree to not be the people who in an attempt to sell the show to someone you believe might enjoy it, start off every conversation around it with "okay it starts a little slow, BUT!..."
Okay? Okay. Good talk. And now, the episode!
Viserys is dead. Like, DEAD dead. In fact, at the beginning of the episode, Lord Beesbury mentions how the King was looking alive just the night before and I audibly laughed because what?! The dude's been laid up in bed for years sipping on milk of the poppy as his skin fell off.
Well, he's officially dead now but Alicent quickly finds out that the council has been plotting without her knowledge to usurp Rhaenyra and make her piece of shit son Aegon King the entire time. A plan that she is also all in on but hey, a little transparency here maybe? Can't trust anyone in this fucking kingdom I swear...
...minus the aforementioned Lord Beesbury who stands up for Viserys and calls out everyone for the shady bastards they are before Ser Criston bashes his head on a dinner plate and the meeting resumes.
Side note and worth mentioning: did anyone else notice the score for this episode?! The dramatic music that filled every scene for the first 8 minutes or so was incredible.
Aegon, as we all know, is a massive douchebag. From jerking off in his window on (presumably) the people below him in the streets to raping Tanya - this kid is special. And upon hearing of his father's death he runs into the city and hides. Alicent wants to find him and have a word before he's made King but so does her father but for different reasons - he wants to convince Aegon once he's the ruler that he needs to kill Rhaenyra which Alicent does not want.
Because of this, I despise her slightly less. Slightly.
Aegon is eventually found and dragged back to his mother who again outright refuses to have Rhaenyra killed and instead sends her an offering on the eve of her son being made King. Mind you, all of this is happening while Rhaenyra and Daemon are in Dragonstone and have no idea that her father has passed. Additionally, all of the other houses are simultaneously being forced to pledge their allegiance to Aegon.
Democracy my ass!
Lord Larys, the creepy dude who somehow manages to look 30 and 70 all at once, confides in Alicent that the reason why they knew where Aegon was hiding in the city is that there are spies throughout the kingdom, some of them having direct access to her. In an exchange for this information, Alicent removes her stockings so he can masturbate to her feet.
NOW. This might seem like some inconsequential freaky shit but the depth behind this scene is brilliant. Earlier, Rhaenys shares with Alicent that she sees a Queen that is so eager to put men in positions of power instead of envisioning herself on the throne. And for Lord Larys, by exchanging information with the Queen for a quick jerkoff sesh he ensures that she doesn't leave the room until he's finished. He's diminishing her power and authority while quite literally getting off to it. Another unfortunate demonstration of the Queen cow-towing to men within her kingdom.
The episode wraps with one hell of an entrance for Aegon, with the entire city watching as he makes a grand entrance and quickly turns from hesitancy to embracing his role as he is made king of the realm. It was breathtaking.
...and then...
BOOM.
Out of fucking nowhere Rhaenys rises from the floorboards with a dragon (and undoubtedly killing hundreds if not thousands of civilians in the process) mid-ceremony to interrupt the celebrations. People run screaming for the doors and she faces the dragon towards Alicent, Aegon, Sir Criston Cole, and the whole Hightower gang, and LET ME TELL YOU... I have never shouted "DRACARYS!!" so hard in my life just wishing she would incinerate everyone on the spot.
But of course, she doesn't. I mean, if she did the show would be over and we'd be left scratching our heads in confusion. Besides, this was a warning. And a way for Rhaenys to inform them that she is flying directly to Dragonstone to let Rhaenyra and Daemon know of the coup that took place.
Hell of a scene. Hell of an episode. I could not be more ready for the season finale.