There are so many scene-by-scene analyses of each episode of House of the Dragon that I wanted to avoid going that route as much as possible and the 2nd episode of the second season made me realize the strength that the writers wanted to make us think: how the family impact is crucial to the drama. Something I’ve mentioned before in Westeros, siblings are complicated.

First, a recap of what happens in the episode “Rhaenyra, the Cruel”: on the morning immediately after Jaerhaerys’ brutal murder, both the Greens and the Blacks point fingers at those responsible for the child’s death. And, at least in the case of the Greens, the attack is immediately used as propaganda. What no one cares about, in George R. R. Martin‘s style, is feelings or mental health.

In King’s Landing, Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) feel guilty because they are having sex and as a result, Helaena (Phia Saban) becomes vulnerable with the children. Apparently, no one on the green team even suspects the castle’s secret passages. The poor queen has double trauma because she saw her son beheaded and her mother having sex with Cole, so her madness from the books gained even more strength. Ignored by her husband-brother, Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), who is deeply grieving the death of his heir, Helaena’s loneliness is heartbreaking.

Usually, her company was guaranteed by Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), who was away during the night (lucky for him, unlucky for his nephew) and is now away in mourning, returning to the brothel where he finds maternal comfort in the prostitute who cradles him and serves him warm milk. Freud would become a millionaire in Westeros.

In the truncated DNA of the Targaryens, who intermarry, there is madness, anger, and yes, narcissism. Although Aemond is telling the truth that HE was the target, his insensitivity to Helaena’s pain is blatant when he boasts that his uncle had him killed because he feared him. In a moment of pure honesty, he confesses to feeling sad about having killed his nephew Lucerys, although his trauma is precisely the bullying he suffered from Aegon, Luce, and Jacaerys as children.

And do you know who is to blame for everything? Otto Hightower (Rhys Iphans) and the limited intelligence of Alicent (Olivia Cooke). She is completely unprepared for the position she holds as Queen or mother. I have also addressed her maternal inability, in direct contrast to Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy). Alicent, motherless, was used by her ambitious father for his political machinations, “sold” into a marriage at a very young age and with a much older man, for more than 10 years without taking pleasure in sex and producing children who were not direct heirs. of the throne were.

Since she became a mother, we have seen Alicent struggling to interact with her children, she is unable to give what she never had: affection, advice, and understanding. With this, we saw Aemond looking for what he wanted at home from the prostitute, a fragile Aegon asking for his mother’s opinion, and a Helaena forced to do what she doesn’t want (on Otto’s orders) and rejecting the clumsy affection that Alicent tries to do. The lack of loving connection between the greens is the weak point that Rhaenyra fails to explore, but it is crucial to the entire tragedy that unfolds.

But she’s not better on the black side. After asking for Aemond Targaryen’s head, Rhaenyra appears to have returned to her former wary queen in just one night’s sleep. All the pain in the book regarding Lucerys’ grief, which would have “paralyzed” her, was not quite like that. Okay, Fire and Blood provides this space, but the conversation there should have been first with Daemon (Matt Smith) to confirm what happened.

It sounded schizophrenic or hypocritical that she was so surprised that someone on her team, given what they saw and heard from her after Luce’s funeral, didn’t understand that she would be “a son for a son”. Lucky for Rhaenyra Daemon, contrary to what she later accuses him of, did not want to take away her authority and remained quiet until the two could speak openly. Then he was “straightforward”. Without regrets, he barely convinces us when he admits that killing Jaehaerys was a mistake and certainly doesn’t fool his wife.

Rhaenyra’s integrity has been a relief to us who would already root for her simply because the rules were being broken. This bonus, on the other hand, takes away the dramatic dimension of the war and the black struggle. The most brutal element of the story was the violence that escalated to such an extent that it almost extinguished House Targaryen, but, between the Queen’s correct attitudes and the Greens’ headbutts, I’m already looking forward to Robert’s Rebellion.

In the book, Rhaenyra is unable to have a good reign both because of the Greens’ ability to undermine her economically and popularly, but she is also isolated, paranoid, and scared. Her confrontation with her husband-uncle puts an end to their marriage, precisely overturning the strategy that brought them together: having him as her supporter and consort in Westeros. The irreparable strategic error of it, which, being rational as it has been, remains somewhat incoherent.

On the other hand, having ended their marriage opens the way for the terrible influence of Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) and, who knows, the entry of Nettles. Daemon is really complex in the story, a man who is frustrated by the “weakness” of those he loves (Viserys and Rhaenyra) and is unable to accept the supporting role to help them. Still, Dameon is faithful and will stand by the blacks in this long battle that has barely begun.

Still in the recap, we see the punishment of Jaehaerys’ killers, and how – SPOILER ALERT – Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew) has already been dangerously circulating among the greens. He will go over to the black side, but his betrayal will be epic later on. Brothers Adam (Clinton Liberty) and Alyn from Hull (Abubakar Salim) will be given equal importance and will gain our sympathy. This trio is important for next season, it’s more for us to follow.

What arrived in this episode was one of the most striking facts of the entire saga, which we thought would be in the 1st season and which was the duel between the brothers Arryk and Erryk Cargyll (Elliot and Luke Tittensor), faithful to the story of the book, since it was Ser Criston Cole who ordered Rhaenyra’s murder and that the two die in honor, each serving their sovereign. It was tense, it was sad, and emotional, one of the highlights of the story. All that was missing was their song to end the credits, care that Game of Thrones always took, including Jenny of Oldstones and Rains of Castamere on the soundtrack.

With Ser Criston Cole navigating as the story’s shallow villain, we saw the fall of Otto Hightower as Hand of the King, the confirmation that Daeron Targaryen will enter the plot, and that Ser Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) has been growing his web by gaining Aegon’s trust. Ser Criston, even though he failed to secure the heir of the King of the Greens, has been elevated to the Hand of the King and he wants blood and action. The days of diplomacy are over (just when Rhaenyra sends Daemon away).

All of this remains in the shadow of the obvious issue of creation errors as seeds of toxic relationships. Daemon not only ignores his wife, but his daughters as well. Baela (Bethany Antonia) has more affection from her stepmother-aunt than from her father, something she reveals to her cousin-fiance Jacaerys (Harry Collett). The couple’s scene – with a teaser of the prince’s fate in details that only those who read the book captured – was one of the highlights of the episode.

Baela and Jace were betrothed as children and never saw their engagement as something bad, on the contrary, having grown up close and united by their parents’ marriage, the two are confidants, trusting, and affectionate. She complains about Daemon and the two talk about “parents”, talking first about Laenor Velaryon (John McMillan) and then, subtly, about Ser Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr), in a simple and very important complicity. Jace is loved even by Daemon, even though he is aware that he is a bastard, he is not revolted or repressed, even less, rejected by Baela. This unity of love between black people, even with Daemon’s lack of ability to show affection, is one of their highlights. But it will be sad to see how everything will turn out…

In other words, there are clear points in House of the Dragon, all of which still have a direct influence on events. The lack of love, affection, or connection between Otto and Alicent, consequently between her and her children. Alicent navigates loss, making mistakes that she doesn’t even notice, disrupting her father’s plans through silly steps like trying to maintain her friendship with Rhaenyra when she was young and now because she’s getting involved with Criston Cole. Among the Hightowers, even when they ask each other for help, they are denied. The toxicity of envy rules the cause of greens.

And on the side of the Velaryons-Targaryens, there is plenty of love, but too much tolerance. Rhaenys (Eve Best) did not end the usurper’s coronation because she judged it was not a war she could start herself. The price of that decision will come in episode 4, I imagine. And Rhaenyra is avoiding using her greatest weapon – Daemon – because she wants to be recognized as ruler alone.

Of course, it is this complexity that makes House of the Dragon such an interesting series. There is much more to comment… more posts throughout the week!

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