The much-anticipated tenth and final episode of the first season ofย โHouse of the Dragonโ has reportedly been leaked on Friday on illegal pirate sites about 48 hours or so before its official premiere on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, October 23, 2022.
For the unversed, โHouse of The Dragonโ is an American fantasy drama TV series, which is an independent prequel to โGame of Thronesโ.
This series premiered on August 21, 2022, with the first season consisting of ten episodes. Just five days after its premiere, the series was renewed for a second season.
The news of the leak surfaced on Friday, which means spoilers have been circulating around social media, and possibly tens of thousands of people have already downloaded an illegal copy.
An HBO spokesperson said that the leak appears to have come from a distribution partner in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa.
“We are aware that the tenth episode of ‘House of the Dragon’ has been posted on illegal torrent sites,” the representative from HBO said in a statement.
“We’re disappointed that this unlawful action has disrupted the viewing experience for loyal fans of the show, who will get to see a pristine version of the episode when it premieres Sunday on HBO and HBO Max, where it will stream exclusively in 4K.”
Episode 10, titled โThe Black Queenโ will concentrate on the Black’s, or the Targaryens, after the ninth episode centered around the Green’s and the Hightower family.
It will see Rhaenyra Targaryenโs fight for the Iron Throne intensify, as she learns of Alicent’s plan to take over the throne by anointing her half-brother Aegon Targaryen as heir to the Iron Throne against the wishes of the late-King Viserys in episode nine.
The season finale is set to be highly action-packed, as it sets up a great civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons that tore the Targaryen family apart.
This marks the first leak of the โHouse of The Dragonโ seasonย although the franchise is no stranger to leaks.
For instance, the eighth and final season of the popularย โGame of Thronesโ series on both illegal sites and on legitimate platforms such as DirecTV Now and Amazon Prime Video in Germany before its scheduled air date.