Plot

The war for the Iron Throne escalates, and Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, in a crucial gamble, is prepared to risk everything in her urgent quest for dragon riders.

Rhaenyra confronts Addam of Hull, Seasmoke's new rider, who pledges fealty to her. Alicent retreats to the Kingswood after being dismissed from the Small Council. Larys presses Grand Maester Orwyle to accelerate Aegon's recovery. While departing the Eyrie with the young princes, Rhaena leaves to find the wild dragon. Mysaria tells Rhaenyra to search for Targaryen dragonseeds (bastards with Valyrian blood) in King's Landing as potential dragonriders. The new Lord Paramount, Oscar Tully, offers Daemon allegiance but denounces his nefarious behavior. He demands Daemon's contrition and to mete out justice for allowing war atrocities; Daemon then executes Willem Blackwood for slaughtering the Brackens. Daemon has another vision of Viserys, who asks if he truly wants the crown and its burden. Jace confronts Rhaenyra, arguing that bastard dragonriders could challenge the Targaryens' power and threaten the succession due to his own illegitimate birth. At Rhaenyra's command, Elinda and Alyn deliver the dragonseeds to Dragonstone, Hugh and Ulf among them. Vermithor kills many dragonseeds until Hugh claims him; meanwhile, Ulf claims Silverwing and flies over King's Landing. Aemond pursues him on Vhagar but nearing Dragonstone, he quickly retreats upon seeing Rhaenyra with Syrax, Vermithor, and Silverwing.

Rhaenyra confronts Addam of Hull, who is now Seasmoke's rider. Addam kneels and pledges his fealty to Rhaenyra. When asked about his parentage, Addam withholds telling her that Corlys Velaryon is his father to conceal his potential Valyrian bloodline. He follows Rhaenyra to Dragonstone on Seasmoke.

Grand Maester Orwyle treats Alicent's superficial arm wound, received during the recent riot. Despondent after being removed from the Small Council, Alicent seeks solace in the Kingswood, taking one Kingsguard, Ser Rickard Thorne, for protection and assistance. They make camp, and, when asked, Alicent says she may not return to King's Landing. She spends time riding her horse in the woods and floating in a lake, reflecting on her current status.

In the courtyard, Larys observes as Aemond sentences two Kingsguards to lifetime servitude at the Wall, ostensibly for fomenting the riots. Lord Jasper Wylde approaches Larys and says that Seasmoke has a new but unknown rider. Considering it an unverified rumor, Larys suggests that Jasper withhold telling Aemond. Against Orwyle's advice that Aegon needs more rest, Larys pushes him to accelerate the king's recovery, despite the physical exertion causing pain.

Rhaena escorts Rhaenyra's sons, Aegon and Viserys, as they depart from the Eyrie to travel to Pentos. Rhaena secretly leaves the group to track the wild dragon.

Oscar Tully, the new Lord Paramount of the Trident, arrives with the Riverlords. He proclaims his intention to honor his late grandfather's oath of loyalty to Rhaenyra as Viserys' heir and offers Daemon his allegiance. The Riverlords doubt young Oscar's leadership ability and despise Daemon for allowing the Blackwoods' war atrocities against House Bracken.

To appease the other lords, Oscar condemns Ser Willem Blackwood's savagery, though Willem claims he was doing Daemon's bidding. Oscar dismisses Willem's excuse and declares he must be held accountable. Oscar demands that Daemon prove himself worthy of the Riverlords' banners by showing contrition for his earlier actions and dispensing justice. Daemon agrees and executes Willem. Later, Daemon experiences another vision of Viserys, who says he never wanted the crown and that it crushes whoever wears it. He asks if Daemon still wants it.

Rhaenyra returns with Addam and Seasmoke. Ignoring her council's concerns about a low-born dragonrider, she instructs that Addam be trained in dragonriding and tutored in High Valyrian. She is optimistic that other dragonriders can be found. Mysaria says that rather than researching noble houses for Targaryen descendants, to instead search King's Landing for dragonseeds with thicker blood ties. Rhaenyra concurs, but Jacaerys challenges her plan, arguing that bastard dragonriders could threaten Targaryen legitimacy and his own succession, revealing that he knows Ser Harwin Strong was his biological father. Rhaenyra says the dragonseed riders deserve respect.

Corlys privately meets with Addam and, praising him, grants his request to be released as his shipwright to become a dragonrider. Later, Corlys tasks Alyn with delivering a message to Elinda in King's Landing and procuring boats with reliable captains and crews. Corlys asks if Alyn would want to claim a dragon like his brother, but Alyn declines, saying he is "salt and sea".

Elinda receives Mysaria's instructions on where to find Targaryen bastards, and word quickly spreads throughout the city. In a tavern, Ulf, who often boasted he has Targaryen ancestry, is urged to join the other dragonseeds heading to Dragonstone. Ulf is reluctant, claiming a leg injury, but he also harbors doubts regarding his real ancestry. Hugh, grieving his daughter's death, tells his wife, Kat, that his prostitute mother was a Targaryen. He desires to go to Dragonstone and claim a dragon, saying it will bring them rewards.

A few dozen dragonseeds board boats organized by Alyn and set sail for Dragonstone.

As Rhaenyra greets the dragonseeds, the dragonkeepers denounce her decision to entrust smallfolk with dragons and exit the dragon pit. Rhaenyra summons Vermithor. A dragonseed named Silver Denys steps forth to try and claim him, but the dragon fatally burns him and unleashes a furious attack, killing dozens more. Initially avoiding the dragonfire, Hugh confronts Vermithor, stopping the dragon from killing a woman. Responding to Hugh's boldness, Vermithor accepts Hugh as his new rider. Meanwhile, Ulf evades Vermithor's attack, escaping into the caverns where he unknowingly enters a dragon lair. Silverwing awakens but is docile and accepts him as her rider.

During a council meeting, Lord Jasper Wylde informs Aemond that Prince Daeron Targaryen and his dragon Tessarion are nearly ready to join the war. The meeting is interrupted by a loud commotion outside-Ulf flying on Silverwing above the city. Aemond rushes out to mount Vhagar and pursues them to Dragonstone. He quickly retreats, however, upon seeing Rhaenyra with Syrax, Vermithor, and Silverwing, all adult dragons now claimed by riders.