House of the Dragon episode 8 trailer teases big changes are coming

The  House of the Dragon  episode 8 trailer teases the rise of House Hightower. Set approximately 200 years before the events of the hit HBO...

The House of the Dragon episode 8 trailer teases the rise of House Hightower. Set approximately 200 years before the events of the hit HBO show, Game of Thrones, the new prequel series focuses on the House Targaryen during the height of their reign over the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. After King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) names his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, as heir to the Iron Throne, members of the king's council and family conspire against him, eventually leading to the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.

House of the Dragon episode 7 finds the royal families together at Driftmark to bury Lady Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell) at sea. Tensions rise as Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) are brought together sparking deeply-rooted romantic emotions while questions of her children’s legitimacy bubble to the surface in front of the king. Following the service, Prince Aemond Targaryen (Leo Ashton) sneaks out in the middle of the night and bonds with the dragon Vhagar. This leads Laena’s daughters to confront Aemond who violently defends himself. In the scuffle, Prince Lucerys Velaryon (Harvey Sadler) cuts his eye with a dagger, igniting a confrontation between Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and Rhaenyra that leaves them on a course to an inevitable war.

With House of the Dragon episode 7 leaving Rhaenyra paying the price for her son's attack on Aemond, tensions between the family have never been higher. The trailer for House of the Dragon episode 8 shows that the rage between the two families have not waned in the time between episodes. With Alicent and her father apparently commanding the throne in Viserys' stead, Rhaenyra's claim is threatened despite the kingdoms pledging to her. With Corlys also hinted at suffering a fatal wound during battle, the power struggle within the Seven Kingdoms may become far more complicated.With Rhaenyra and Daemon racing back to King's Landing to likely prepare for her father's death, as well as to defend her ascension to the throne, she must strengthen the bond with her allies to help secure her rise to power or else she may find her neck at the end of a sword, along with her children. Although Rhaenyra had previously given Alicent a chance to bond their families through marriage of their children, insuring her children's safety, the Queen's distrust and hatred of the heir apparent has driven her toward a life or death predicament. As House of the Dragon season 1 nears its end with the war between the family nearly certain, audiences should prepare themselves for the inevitable death and loss to come.