House of the Dragon season 1’s plot saw several characters make decisions that either put themselves in harm’s way or jeopardize the safety of their Houses. With the series based on George R. R. Martin‘s novel, novel readers know the Dance of the Dragon is an inevitable event in the timeline of Westeros. However, watching how certain characters’ decisions led to the event is satisfying.
Rather than set focus on the Civil War, House of the Dragon season 1 showcases the buildup to the event. HOTD season 1 ends with Rhaenyra, an enraged Queen and bereaved mother, ready to go to war with House Green and its allies. Whether or not these events were avoidable or not, these are the worst decisions made in House of the Dragon season explained.
6. King Viserys Producing More Kids After Naming Rhaenyra His Heir
The entire plot of House of the Dragon season 1 hinged on King Viserys’ insatiable need for a male heir and his after-thought decision to name Rhaenyra as heir. While many in King’s Landing struggled with the idea of having a female ruler, King Viserys decision to remarry and bear more children made it much easier to dispute Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne. Unfortunately for Rhaenyra, Queen Alicent bore two sons. As much as King Viserys did his best to defend Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne, his decision to have more children threatened her claim, dividing House Targaryen against itself.
5. Rhaenyra’s Sexual Affair With Ser Criston Cole
Hate or love him, Ser Criston Cole would have been a trusted ally for Rhaenyra to have by her side during the Dance of the Dragon. Besides her uncle-husband Daemon, no one cared for and was loyal to her like Ser Criston Cole did in the first five episodes of HOTD season 1. Yet, viewers watched as one of the season’s strongest relationships gets destroyed on the altar of a sexual affair that shouldn’t have happened. Undoubtedly, Ser Cole had romantic feelings towards Princess Rhaenyra, but as a Knight of the Kingsguard, he wouldn’t openly act on it. However, after a night out with Daemon, Rhaenyra chooses Ser Cole to ease her sexual urges.
Things spiral out of control when Ser Cole is willing to walk away from the Kingsguard and elope with Rhaenyra to Essos. With Rhaenyra refusing his proposal, a heartbroken Ser Criston Cole self-destructs with jealousy and anger, bludgeoning Ser Joffrey Lonmouth to death, and was on the verge of committing suicide. Giving a second chance at life by Queen Alicent, Ser Cole switches alliances to House Green with a sworn hatred for Rhaenyra.
4. Rhaenyra Choosing Ser Harwin Strong As Her Kid’s Father
Continuing her father’s steps, Rhaenyra doesn’t make smart decisions in solidifying her claim to the Iron Throne. Rhaenyra’s marriage to Ser Laenor Velaryon may have been Rhaenyra’s short-term plan to get her father off her back by finding a suitor, but it didn’t help her cause in the long run. Laenor’s inability to father children led Rhaenyra to choose a fertile mate. However, her choice of Ser Harwin Strong produced children without the Valyrian platinum hair. This resulted in several legitimacy claims being questioned – House Targaryen doesn’t acknowledge them, and House Velaryon doesn’t want them (challenged by Ser Vaemond Velaryon). Ultimately, Rhaenyra’s children are taunted for their physical looks because their mother failed to choose a better mate to bear her child.
3. King Viserys Brings Otto Hightower Back As The Hand Of The King
Ser Otto Hightower isn’t the most likable character in House of the Dragon season 1. From the season’s pilot episode, Ser Otto never ceased scheming to put his House in line to inherit the Iron Throne. King Viserys dismissing Ser Otto as the Hand of the King showed he knew of Otto’s manipulations for a while but chose to ignore them. While it’s easy to understand his reasons for keeping Ser Otto as Hand despite his shortcomings, bringing him to serve as Hand was one of the worst decisions in HOTD season 1. True to his nature, Ser Otto continued scheming by sowing seeds of discord between Alicent and Rhaenyra. Ser Otto advised Queen Alicent to withhold informing Rhaenyra of her father’s death to fortify his House and the Council’s position, denying a daughter the right to grieve her father.
2. Queen Alicent befriending Lord Larys Strong in House of the Dragon
With her father away from King’s Landing, Alicent feels alone, and in a moment of despair, she wishes her father was still the King’s Hand. A listening Lord Larys Strong grants her wish by killing his father, the serving Hand of the King, and older brother. With his network of spies across King’s Landing, Queen Alicent considers him an asset. However, Larys only request is to fulfill his sexual urges by looking at the Queen’s feet. While this may not seem like much to Alicent, her naivety brought her into an alliance with one of the dangerous men in King’s Landing. A man who kills his father and brother to get closer to power isn’t always going to settle for the price of satisfying his foot fetish.
1. Princess Rhaenys Refusing To Kill House Green
In the rarest of opportunities presented in House of the Dragon season 1, Rhaenys comes face-to-face with House Green members that threaten her House. Princess Rhaenys chooses not to get involved in the infraction of making Aegon II King instead of Rhaenyra. Her decision is by far the worst, as it could have prevented the Dance of the Dragon and saved lives. Although the decision sets the stage for the much anticipated House of the Dragon season 2, it leads to several losses in her House, House Targaryen. Lucerys would have been alive and Rhaenyra Queen. With House Velaryon becoming allies with Rhaenyra in the end, Rhaenys wasted an opportunity to have won the war before the battle began. One unanswered question House of the Dragon season 2 will help expound on is if Alicent considers Rhaenys mercy as a thing of respect or motivation for revenge.
