Fire & Blood ÔÇö The Dance of the Dragons ÔÇö Rhaenyra Overthrown

The city that opened its gates learns what a queen's taxes and a queen's fears cost. Helaena Targaryen falls from Maegor's Holdfast onto the spikes below; the smallfolk name Rhaenyra kinslayer and rise behind the Shepherd. The Dragonpit is stormed by ten thousand hands ÔÇö five dragons die in it, and Prince Joffrey with them, falling from Syrax's back. Rhaenyra flees a burning city as, above the Gods Eye, the uncles end each other: Daemon leaps from Caraxes onto Vhagar's back and puts Dark Sister through Aemond's remaining eye as both dragons fall.

The chapter retold

The city that opened its gates learns what a frightened queen's taxes and suspicions cost, and turns on her with a speed that shocks even her enemies. Helaena Targaryen ÔÇö gentle, broken, beloved by the smallfolk more than anyone else in her family ÔÇö falls from Maegor's Holdfast onto the spikes below, and the city, choosing to hear murder rather than grief, names Rhaenyra kinslayer and rises behind a one-legged prophet called the Shepherd. Ten thousand hands storm the Dragonpit, and in the dark and the fire five dragons die in their own prison, Prince Joffrey among the fallen, trying to fly his mother's Syrax out of the inferno.

Above the Gods Eye, meanwhile, the war's two most dangerous men end each other in the single combat the whole Dance has been circling. Daemon on Caraxes meets Aemond on Vhagar, and in the boldest and most reckless act even he ever attempted, leaps from his own dragon's back onto Vhagar's to drive Dark Sister through his nephew's remaining eye as both beasts fall locked together into the lake. Aemond's remains are found years later still chained to the saddle; Daemon's are never found at all, which the singers take as license and the maesters take as the kind of ending the Rogue Prince would have chosen for himself. Rhaenyra flees a burning capital with almost nothing left to lose that the war has not already taken.

This movement: The Fall of the Dragons

• The Red Sowing fills the black sky with bastard-ridden dragons; the Gullet breaks the blockade and takes the queen's heir under.
• King's Landing opens its gates; Rhaenyra sits her father's throne ÔÇö and the city starves, whispers, and turns.
• Tumbleton burns twice-sworn; Helaena falls onto the spikes; the Shepherd's ten thousand storm the Dragonpit and butcher five dragons in their vaults.
• Above the Gods Eye, Daemon and Aemond end the question of the uncles the old way: Dark Sister, one eye, two dragons in the lake.

The fallen ÔÇö spoilers

• Queen Helaena Targaryen ÔÇö The gentlest of them, dead on the spikes of Maegor's Holdfast ÔÇö grief the assassins left behind.
• Prince Joffrey Velaryon ÔÇö Rhaenyra's youngest by Harwin, dead trying to fly his mother's dragon out of the burning Dragonpit.
• Prince Maelor Targaryen ÔÇö Aegon's last son, torn apart by a mob at Bitterbridge ÔÇö a child the war would not overlook.
• Prince Aemond Targaryen ÔÇö Dark Sister through the eye above the Gods Eye, locked with his uncle as Vhagar and Caraxes fell together.
• Prince Daemon Targaryen ÔÇö The Rogue Prince, seen leaping, never found ÔÇö the singers say what the maesters cannot.