We begin with Baela recovering Jacaerys’ body and destroying what remains. She brings Jace back to Dragonstone, carried before stunned soldiers. Rhaenyra sees her son’s body and speaks to him as though he were still alive. She appears to be losing her mind. They have to pull her away by force, and she begins blaming everyone for her son’s death. The grief is overwhelming, and Emma D’Arcy is extraordinary in the scene.

In Driftmark, Alyn continues searching for Corlys, who may be dead.

In the Vale, Rhaena returns with Sheepstealer to ask Lady Jeyne for help after the disastrous decisions she made, abandoning the princes and contributing to Jace’s death. Jeyne initially rejects her plea but ultimately agrees to let the princess remain in the Vale.

A song led by Daemon unites the Black Queen’s allies as they celebrate their bloody victory over the Greens. Ser Simon interrupts the festivities with a message from Rhaenyra informing Daemon of Jacaerys’ death and summoning her husband to invade King’s Landing. He arranges for his soldiers to march south and meet him in the capital.

Before departing, he speaks with Alys Rivers, who demands that Harrenhal be given to her. Daemon refuses because she is not noble-born. Alys warns him never to return. It is more than a threat, and Daemon, being Daemon, ignores it. Anyone who has read the books knows exactly what she means.

Baela leaves Dragonstone (and I cannot blame her, given how furious Rhaenyra is with her) and helps Alyn search for Corlys. She reveals that she knows he and Addam are her uncles, and Alyn softens when they speak about Corlys and Jace. Addam joins the search and is the one who ultimately finds his grandfather. Baela tells Alyn that she is tired of losing people. Corlys then delivers one of the most iconic lines from the books: he hopes never to win another victory like this one. He decides to legitimize Addam and Alyn as his heirs. Technically, he still needs Rhaenyra’s approval, but that is a detail the episode ignores: House Velaryon has been restored.

On the road away from Dragonstone, Larys and Aegon argue. Aegon, in pain, is furious that Larys handed him over to their enemies, but he is not paying attention. Everything is unfolding exactly as Larys intended. During their journey, they are captured by men who kill their current captors, but in the chaos, they manage to escape. Larys wants to continue toward Dragonstone, while Aegon wants to return to Rook’s Rest and find the Green soldiers stationed there.

In King’s Landing, the moment Alicent sees Aemond depart for Harrenhal, she orders Ser Luthor Largent to leave the gates open for Rhaenyra’s arrival. He is shocked by the Queen’s betrayal, but Alicent has no time to waste.

Back at Dragonstone, Daemon humiliates Ulf and Hugh for abandoning Harrenhal without confronting Vhagar. He also argues with Mysaria over her growing closeness to Rhaenyra. Gradually, however, the two exchange ideas because neither trusts Alicent. When news arrives that Vhagar has left King’s Landing, they realize Alicent truly is involved, just as she promised.

Daemon finds Rhaenyra utterly broken. She blames the rider of Sheepstealer for Jace’s death and demands that person be executed as justice. Daemon promises he will take care of it soon, without realizing he is talking about his own daughter, Rhaena. That’s right: Baela never told him that her sister’s actions caused the chaos during the battle. Because the news from King’s Landing is more urgent, he tells his wife that Vhagar has departed. Rhaenyra seems to have lost the will to fight, but speaking in Valyrian, Daemon tells her about his vision and convinces her. It is time to take what is hers.

Lord Jasper decides to interfere with Alicent’s escape plans and concludes that it is time to violate the Queen. She is saved by Grand Maester Orwyle, but Jasper accuses her of treason. Orwyle ignores the accusation and orders Jasper arrested. He understands that Alicent acted out of desperation.

Daemon attempts to warn Rhaenyra about Mysaria, but she cuts him off. She likes Mysaria and trusts her. This is not good news, but let’s save that discussion for later.

Alicent explains to Helaena what she has done — to give her daughter a chance at happiness — and together they continue preparing everything to ensure there will be no resistance to Rhaenyra’s arrival and to secure their own escape. The tension here is extraordinary, and Olivia Cooke shines as well.

Ser Criston sees Aemond arriving at Harrenhal, and the men celebrate. Cruel as ever, Aemond storms the castle, burning everything and everyone, personally killing those who survive. Upon encountering the Strongs — exactly as his uncle would have done — he asks for Daemon. Ser Simon attempts to speak to him as he spoke to Daemon, but Aemond kills him in cold blood, along with his sons. Alys Rivers appears just as Aemond realizes he has been wounded. He asks for her help, and she simply watches him. I loved this long-awaited encounter.

Surrounded by Hugh, Ulf, and Daemon, Rhaenyra arrives at King’s Landing. The people panic. The use of the “The Prince That Was Promised” theme is incredibly powerful. Everyone surrenders without resistance. She is pleased to discover that Alicent kept her word. Daemon never leaves her side and kills the few who dare reach for weapons. He simply does not trust the former Queen of the Greens.

Numb with grief, Rhaenyra walks toward the Iron Throne. When the Kingsguard prevents her from sitting, she asks for Aegon. No one answers. Ser Luthor arrives with the Gold Cloaks and switches sides, pledging himself to Rhaenyra and guaranteeing her safety. But she insists she will not sit until Aegon is dead. Before swearing loyalty to Rhaenyra, Grand Maester Orwyle explains that the usurper king has escaped and that Ser Jasper may be executed in his place.

In the dungeons, however, Daemon receives another gift, left behind by Ser Larys, that makes him burst into laughter: Otto Hightower has been imprisoned, betrayed by his own allies. That’s right — mystery solved. Ser Larys imprisoned Otto without anyone suspecting a thing and kept him hidden in case Daemon and Rhaenyra invaded King’s Landing. And he was right. Please, never take Ser Larys away from us or underestimate his foresight.

In the middle of the crowd, Helaena and Alicent attempt to flee, but they are captured and brought before Rhaenyra. They arrive after Rhaenyra executes Otto Hightower — with difficulty, but with Daemon’s support. We have to admire Otto’s audacity: everything happened because of him, and yet he still has the nerve to accuse Rhaenyra of being responsible, implying that Viserys would have been disappointed in her. That accusation helps her order his execution, although not without difficulty, as the first blow fails to kill him.

With bloody footprints marking her path, Rhaenyra finally sits upon the Iron Throne, while Alicent stares at her father’s severed head lying on the floor and looks upon the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms with a mixture of shock and resentment.

The drama, of course, is far from over.