| "The Black Queen" | |
|---|---|
| House of the Dragon episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 10 |
| Directed by | Greg Yaitanes |
| Written by | Ryan Condal |
| Featured music | Ramin Djawadi |
| Cinematography by | Pepe Avila del Pino |
| Editing by |
|
| Original air date | October 23, 2022 |
| Running time | 59 minutes |
"The Black Queen" is the tenth and final episode of the first season of the fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon, a prequel to Game of Thrones. The episode was written by series co-creator and co-showrunner Ryan Condal and directed by Greg Yaitanes. It first aired on HBO and HBO Max on October 23, 2022. Two days before it aired, the episode leaked online and was shared among many fans on illegal torrent websites.[1]
The plot depicts Princess Rhaenys' arrival at Dragonstone from King's Landing to deliver the news of King Viserys' death. Rhaenyra is subsequently crowned Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and opposes her faction's demands for open war, instead wanting to secure alliances. Her son, Lucerys, is sent to Storm's End to gain Baratheon support for Rhaenyra's cause. At Storm's End, Lucerys meets and is harassed by his uncle Aemond; Aemond loses control of his dragon Vhagar, who kills Lucerys. Daemon informs Rhaenyra of her son's death.
In the United States, the episode achieved a viewership of 9.3 million during its premiere night, with nearly 1.9 million viewers on linear television alone. It received critical acclaim, with praise going towards the writing, musical score, cliffhanger and set-up for the next season, the whole sequence in Storm's End, and performances of the cast, especially those of Emma D'Arcy and Matt Smith.
The episode marks the final appearance of Elliot Grihault as Prince Lucerys Velaryon.