Is Mysaria dead? House of the Dragon Episode 9 sets up a major finale twist
The Hightowers just tried to take out the White Worm, but did they succeed?
Mysaria has lurked in the background throughout House of the Dragon’s first season. In Episode 9, however, Sonoya Mizuno’s scheming spymaster takes a dramatic step into the spotlight. Not only does the episode, “The Green Council,” see Mysaria win the race to locate Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), but she makes an admirable play at asserting her dominance over none other than the Hand of the King himself, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans).
Both actions earn Mysaria the ire of House Hightower, and it’s not long before her base of operations is burned to the ground by servants of Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham). However, while Episode 9 makes it clear that Mysaria, a.k.a. The White Worm, has lost her King’s Landing headquarters, it stops short of revealing whether she also perished in Larys’ attack.
To solve that mystery, we must delve into some minor spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 1.
Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria a.k.a. The White Worm in House of the Dragon Episode 8.
Eliminating The White Worm — Fans likely won’t be surprised to learn that, unless the HBO series has chosen to diverge significantly from its source material, Sonoya Mizuno’s Mysaria did not perish in the fire that destroyed her King’s Landing stronghold. She actually promises to be one of the more prominent players in the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil conflict that’s on the verge of breaking out in House of the Dragon.
While Mysaria’s allegiances have shifted over the course of Season 1, the Hightowers’ attack has revealed her future path. The Hightowers may have control of the Iron Throne for now, but “The Green Council” sees them create a whole lot of new enemies. Even though she only makes one appearance in “The Green Council,” it’s safe to say that Mysaria is one of them.
Mysaria’s base of operations burns to the ground in House of the Dragon Episode 9.
Mysaria’s Future — When House of the Dragon began, Mysaria was a lover and trusted confidant to Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). Their relationship didn’t last long, but viewers should expect to see Daemon and Mysaria’s bond be reforged when the latter makes her next appearance.
In Fire & Blood, the 2018 novel House of the Dragon is based on, Mysaria becomes one of Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Daemon’s most powerful and trusted allies. It is possible that House of the Dragon will take Mysaria’s story in a different direction, but it seems highly unlikely that House Hightower’s attack will have kept her interested in working further with the current ruling family of Westeros.
In their attempt to eliminate a perceived problem, the Hightowers may have just kickstarted Mysaria’s transformation from a neutral political operative into a staunch supporter of Rhaenyra and the Blacks.
Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen and Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria in House of the Dragon Episode 2.
The Inverse Analysis — It’s impossible to predict whether Mysaria will appear again in House of the Dragon Season 1. Episode 9 leaves the character’s status ambiguous, opening the door for House of the Dragon to take her story in several different directions.
That said, if House of the Dragon continues to stick closely to the events laid out in Fire & Blood, then it seems more likely than not that Mysaria’s next appearance will see her align herself with Daemon Targaryen and Rhaenyra.
The Season 1 finale of House of the Dragon premieres Sunday, October 23 on HBO.
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