We’ve been away from Westeros for two years, but it’s only been two weeks since Aegon II usurped the throne and Aemond accidentally stole Lucaerys. Rhaenyra, naturally, is devastated in search of her son’s remains, and the War, although inevitable, is still on hold. Men are frustrated, and women are distressed.
House of the Dragon is back to step away from Game of Thrones‘ shadow. I would say you’ve already achieved it.
How are the Seven Kingdoms doing amid family conflict?
For a large part of the public, even with MAX’s hand weighing in favor of the Greens, choosing a side is easy, but in Westeros, under threat from dragons, not so much. The Houses are still defining themselves, one by one, in a step that irritates the hasty Daemon Targaryen as much as his nemesis-nephews. We know that the economy is in crisis, and the people are without food or security, almost indifferent to which Targaryen is on the Throne.
With a good rhythm, House of the Dragon introduces some new characters and mentions others but is still stuck with the political strategy that irritated those who wanted action. Everything will be tied up and it is relevant to show the concern of the Master of Coin, Ser Tyland Lannister, who is worried about the King’s inexperience as well as any lack of influence over him. In short: everyone has to choose a side and many still haven’t chosen who they will fight with.
The Blacks: Rhaenyra’s mourning on the way
In Dragonstone the tension is contagious. Rhaenyra has been searching for her son’s remains for two weeks without taking any action. For Daemon, the answer to everything would be to kill Otto Hightower, Alicent, and their children. Without mercy and therefore resents everyone without exception.
Pointing fingers at everyone who could have resolved the drama before it started, which cost his stepson his life, it seems more like Daemon is more angry at not being listened to than actually feeling Luke’s death. “A son for a son,” he repeats. And he will get what he wants so much.
Opening the episode with the Stark theme, going through Winterfell and going to the Wall just doesn’t move those made of steel. Cregan Stark with his northern accent made me miss Jon Snow! Jacaerys’s stay in the North is short because he receives news of his brother’s death. We only know that he has already been with Jeyne Arryn and his mission is successful for the Blacks. It seems to me that there is no reason to extend the stay in the North and with that Sara Snow’s part will either be cut or brought back in another way.
Ser Corlys Velaryon is still recovering from her near death and weakens when she thinks of Luke, her beloved grandson. There is something strange between him and Alyn of Hull, who saved him, but we haven’t yet gone into detail about what the connection is.
Daemon manages to capture Mysaria, who is on the run. It would hardly be possible to say that he one day wanted to marry her: they are cold and aggressive towards each other. Daemon confronts his ex-lover for having been a double agent and working for Otto, but the future Master of Whispers assures her that she is not part of the Green Team, she just knows how to identify when it is a good deal. Just like Daemon can.
When Rhaenyra asks for Aemond’s head, Daemon does somersaults in happiness. In his agility, he counts on Mysaria’s help to hire Blood and Cheese. The order is simple: kill Aemond in response to “a son for a son” and the assassins change the plan. I will talk more later.
Everyone puts on a show in the episode, especially Emma D’Arcy whose wordless suffering is powerful. She wants revenge, but, above all, to reign.
Although the series changes important details from the book, including Rhaenyra’s docility, the character is now opening up to the reading that defines her as resentful and insecure in the book. And Matt Smith was born to play Daemon, it’s perfect.
Rhaenys is exhausted, but she is the only one who understands Rhaenyra, and her support has been heartwarming. Eve Best will steal the season.
The dark side of the Greens: arrogance and hypocrisy
A lot has changed within two weeks of Viserys I’s death, unlike the Blacks.
The Greens are “safe” with the coup, but are out of tune with each other about how to move forward. Luke’s death, unlike the book, provoked almost no reaction from them, it’s as if it were just “one less” that only generates annoyance, if that.
Aegon, who was never trained to reign, just gives up. He is reluctant to obey his grandfather but still listens to his mother, Alicent. He hasn’t even warmed up to the throne and wants to be better with his son: even though he’s 4 years old, he wants to train Jahaerys.
Otto is more transparent in his “leadership” and displeases everyone. Interestingly we discover that it was Ser Larys Strong who engineered the downfall of the Hand of the King, not the future Hand, Ser Criston Cole.
Speaking of which, now that she is a widow Alicent has embarked on a romance with the Chief of the Guard that is anything but secret. I’m happy for her to finally have some pleasure, but of course if only guilty entity. The funny thing is that with Alicent there are no suggestions of dropping everything to sell oranges, right? The worst thing is that maybe Alicent would agree.
And we had Blood and Cheese
The episode closed, as expected, with the traumatic event of little Jaehaerys’ death. Faithful to the book, but less graphic than expected, it is one of the saddest incidents in the entire saga and with the changes made (including Alicent being with Cole and not her daughter) I thought it lost its dramatic effect. GOT effect?
Anyway, we had another act of bad communication leading to the conflict, with “a son for a son”. And there’s much more to come…
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