Here's Why 1x9 is the Worst House of the Dragon Episode So Far

The coronation of Aegon II was always going to be controversial. In both the books and the TV show, this was a moment that made war inevitable.

But despite portraying such a pivotal moment in the story, the on-screen version of the event is widely considered to be part of the worst episode in season 1.

Here's why:

In the books, Rhaenys didn't appear on the dragon's back to ruin the moment. Neither did she kill an unspecified number of smallfolk just to make a point. And herein lies the problem. Up until this point Rhaenys was portrayed as a wise but reluctant participant in the family feud that was brewing. Of course, it had become clear that she would have to choose one side over the other – but did she really have to cause such death and destruction in doing so?

One Redditor, in discussing the events that followed the coronation, lamented that 'as long as it doesn't happen to one of the main characters (the showrunners) just ignore the consequences'.

Another posted to raise their dismay about an episode that spent half the show demonstrating how much the smallfolk matter only to blindly ignore the fact that Rhaenys then burst in to show they clearly don't.

It's noticeable that the influence the attack had on those not at the heart of the show is not even mentioned in the aftermath. Surely, the Greens should have immediately seen the propaganda benefits of it?

Then, there's the question of why Rhaenys, with all the most influential Greens at her mercy, didn't just roast them there and then. She's not naïve. She understands that war brings about the death of civilians and hits the coffers hard. So, why not end it before it even begins?

Quite apart from protecting more innocent deaths, it would have at least provided some justification for sacrificing the lives of those who died in the incident. And it would have given her huge kudos.

In the end, nothing about this scene made any real sense in the context of the show. Whether we see any kickback from it in season 2 remains to be seen. But fans seem to be in agreement that this kind of cheap writing should not be seen again in future seasons.

Nobody (well, almost nobody) expects the show to be entirely faithful to the books. There simply isn't the time or resources for that. But where it deviates, the story should at least make sense.

Source: Reddit.