House of the Dragon S2 Ep 8 Review

I don’t know when it happened, but I do remember my reaction when I learned that season two of House of the Dragon would only be 8 episodes: disappointment. It felt like HBO hadn’t learned the lessons from the final two seasons of Game of Thrones. By shortening the season, they fail to give the show the time it needs for the plot to properly develop. The end result is the episodes trying to tell too many stories at once, damaging it as a whole with important moments not being given the time or focus they need! And despite making up for Blood and Cheese with Rook’s Rest and The Red Sowing, my worst fears came true. The finale is incredibly mid, capping off a season that, outside those and a few other key moments, fails to deliver on the show’s premise: dragons fighting dragons!

The Beginning of the Mid!

Did HBO learn nothing from the shortcomings of Game of Thrones‘ final seasons? The season finale to House of The Dragon seems to indicate that they didn’t because they made the same mistake. Rather than giving the various stories it has to juggle time to breathe, the finale seeks to cram as much in as possible to its own detriment. And that becomes especially egregious when it comes to three separate storylines that take up valuable time.

Firstly, we have Tyland Lannister trying to recruit the Triarchy for the Greens. Normally, I would like this because the setting and local attire remind me of pirates. However, while seeing the haughty Lannister mud-wrestle the Triarchy admiral was amusing, this bit of worldbuilding took up valuable screen time it couldn’t afford to waste. Thsts only made worse by the fact that all this does is confirm that the Triarchy will fight for the Greens in exchange for the Stepstones. That could’ve been explained through a bit of exposition.

Secondly, there’s Rhaena’s search for the mystery dragon. They shouldn’t have wasted time showing the progress. Instead, it makes more sense to have opened up on her finding the dragon, Sheepstealer, and the rest of her scenes showing her taming it. The episode doesn’t even have Sheepstealer appear until the final moments, far too late to make an impact. Considering he was the dragon I wanted to see most, this was dissappointing.

Lastly, we have the scene between Alyn of Hull and Corlys Velaryon. I loved seeing Alyn blow up at his father for only caring about him now that he needed a male heir. It’s rare for the Westerosi elite to get called out for how selfish they can be. However, I didn’t like how this happened in the season finale. Had we got more episodes, seeing the fallout to this and how it affects Corlys would be interesting. It’s apparent that what Alyn said, combined with his wife’s death, aged him a lot!

The Good Stuff

All these missteps made the finale a very mid one. And that doesn’t even get into the fact that we got little time with the other Dragonseeds. But there were still a few good moments.

The first involves Daemon’s Harrenhal arc finally coming to an end. Having had his ego knocked down by…whatever is messing with him, Daemon reunites with Rhaenyra and makes amends with her. Seeing him finally accept that he’s not fit for the Iron Throne is some major character development, but time will tell if this humility will stick. However, some fans are already upset about what it was that made Daemon change his mind: a vision of the future.

The weirwood trees give Daemon a vision of what will come centuries from now: most notably, the White Walkers and the rise of Danaerys. Thanks to that, Daemon gets the bigger picture. He finally understands why Rhaenyra and Viserys are so serious about ensuring their rule. I thought that it’s a cool call-forward to the events of Game of Thrones, but I know many fans won’t agree and call it mid. In addition, there’s also the matter of how Daemon could see the future.

The headcanon I’m going with is a fan theory that Brynden Rivers, Daemon and Rhaenyra’s descendant that everyone believes will become the Three-Eyed Raven, sent him a message from the future. The reason why is to ensure that events proceed as they do and lead to the White Walkers eventual defeat. It seems a little contrived, but I don’t care.

Alicent’s Bargain

The moment that I do care about is when Alicent sneaks onto Dragonstone to talk to Rhaenyra. After losing all her power and influence and doing some soul-searching, Alicent came to a single conclusion: she wants out. She wasted her whole life doing what others expected of her, and she’s done. She just wants to be free of it all, so she offers Rhaenyra a deal: she opens King’s Landing for her, and in exchange, she can take her kids and granddaughter and leave.

Rhaenyra, still salty about Alicent rebuffing her earlier, makes a counter offer: Aegon (and likely the rest of her sons) must die. It’s a very sadistic choice, and both of them know it. Alicent is being asked to betray two of her sons, something no mother should ever have to make! However, both of them know that it’s the only way. Now that Aegon took the Throne and Aemond also wants it, they wont stop until they’re dead. And, Alicent actually agrees.

For such a mid episode, this moment was a major highlight to me. The irony of how the two women’s positions are reversed isn’t lost on me, either. Speaking of which, the irony is that when Rhaenyra gets to King’s Landing, Aegon won’t be there. He and Larys fled to escape Aemond, who responded to being driven off by burning down an entire town.

Rhaenyra is right: they have to die. Aemond’s a war criminal and Aegon’s a usurper and rapist. Even the pity I feel for Aegon for what happened to him doesn’t change that fact.

Unfortunately, this is where the episode, and the season, choose to end things. No major deaths, no big battle; nothing. Hence why the episode is mid.

What a Mid Ending!

Truthfully, it feels like the entire season was mid. All that build up for the Dance of the Dragons, and outside a few moments, the season barely gave the fans what we wanted. Fans wanted to see the two sides tear each other to pieces. I wanted to munch popcorn and laugh at how pointless the whole thing was! Instead, the whole season is mostly just more talking and teasing us about what comes next. But that’s not what we wanted to see, and the whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And the fans know it. This post on Twitter stood out to me the most:

I don’t know what made HBO decide to do things the way they did, but they’re losing the faith they worked so hard to regain from viewers. What makes it worse is the fact that when the series decided to buckle down and follow through on its potential, it was awesome! This ending, though, wasn’t awesome! It was mid as they come!

We don’t know when the third season of House of the Dragon airs, but something has to change at HBO. They need to give the show whatever they need to give us more of Rook’s Rest and The Red Sowing. This is a show about a war between dragons. It needs to start acting like one!

At least next year, we get “The Adventures of Dunk and Egg.”

I give “The Queen Who Ever Was” a 2/5

House of the Dragon S2 Ep 7 Review

I’ve been waiting for three moments to happen in season two of House of the Dragon: Blood and Cheese, the Battle at Rook’s Rest, and the Red Sowing. AKA the moment when the Dragonseeds claim their dragons for the Blacks. Or rather, when the dragons claim their riders, because, as the last episode made all too clear, the idea that a rider can claim their dragon is a lie. The dragons choose their rider, regardless of who they are or where they come from. But while letting Valryian bastards claim dragons might seem like a good idea on Rhaenyra’s part, is it worth it? The events of the Red Sowing put that into question before it’s even done.

Firstly, though, let’s go over the other plots in the episode.

Oscar Tully Goes Full Gangsta on Daemon

Daemon Targaryen might be one of the best characters in House of the Dragon, but his time at Harrenhal has not done his character justice. For weeks now, Daemon’s time onscreen has either been about him trying to raise an army or being haunted by visions of his regrets and misdeeds. At first, it was interesting to see Harrenhal mess with Daemon like that, but it quickly got old. It feels like a waste of Matt Smith’s acting abilities; he was my second favorite Doctor!

Fortunately, it would seem that Daemon’s time at Harrenhal is coming to an end. Now that the old Tully lord is dead, his grandson, Oscar Tully, is Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. And, unlike his first appearance, Oscar has taken a level in badass. He’s much more willing to sass the adults in the room. Firstly, he takes jabs at Daemon for being just a Prince and for having the Blackwoods commit war crimes. Then, he throws shade at the Riverlords when they question him because he’s a child. Oscar’s less an Edmure and more like a young Brynden the Blackfish!

Oscar does agree to honor his oath to Rhaenyra, but there’s a catch: the Riverlords want justice for what the Blackwoods did. And, despite being the one who gave Willem Blackwood leave to commit said war crimes, Daemon doesn’t hesitate to turn his sword on him. It’s not made clear if Willem is dead, but I just looked it online, and he’s not a character from the books. Thus, he’s likely dead. I’m only bringing that up because the fact that Daemon was willing to betray someone who followed his orders could hurt him in the long.

Alicent’s Woes and Aegon’s Physical Therapy

On the Greens’ side of things, the episode focuses mainly on two characters, Alicent and Aegon. Both have endured great pain throughout the series thus far, each in their own ways, and it feels like the episode puts great emphasis on what they have to go through. And despite giving fans plenty of reasons to hate them, I still couldn’t help but feel pity for the mother and son.

Alicent has lost almost everything she had and is deeply depressed over it. That prompts her to leave the Red Keep with her sworn sword for the isolation of the Kingswood, and there’s one scene where she strips down to her undershirt and starts swimming in a lake as a bird flies overhead. Since they can fly, many people see birds as a symbol of freedom. For Alicent, they’re a symbol of the freedom that she’s never had. All her life, she tried to follow the rules and act like how the men expected a woman to act. Alicent has realized that she should’ve followed Rhaenyra’s example and played the game by her own rules, which is the most tragic aspect of her character.

Then we have Aegon. I’ve made it no secret that I think he’s a loser and a terrible excuse for a person. But even I can’t help but feel bad seeing him try to walk across his bedroom in excruciating pain. He knew he wasn’t worthy of the Throne, but he let himself buy into the hype, and now he’ll remain like this for the rest of his life. Aegon may be a sad excuse for a man, but no one should have to experience this.

How Can a Commoner Claim a Dragon?

Now we have the best part of the episode: watching the Dragonseeds claim their dragons in the Red Sowing. And long-time fans know that any event in the franchise that starts with the word “Red” is bad news, and the Red Sowing lived up to this. But before that, there’s the event that gives birth to the idea.

After Rhaenyra confronts Addam and Seasmoke and they pledge their loyalty to her, the Queen and Mysaria go on a recruitment spree. They invite dozens of lowborn Targaryen bastards to Dragonstone like it’s an audition for Westerosi Idol. But while Rhaenyra sees this as a great idea, others either scoff at it or flat out refuse to accept it. While the Dragonkeepers refuse to help her, Jace argues that letting commoners claim dragons breaks the myth that the Targaryens are these godlike people. He’s right, but his argument stems from him fearing letting others claim dragons robs him of his greatest claim to the Iron Throne since he’s also a bastard. He might be right, but for the wrong reasons.

The Red Sowing Was Worth the Wait

Then we have the Red Sowing itself. Rhaenyra has all the Dragonseeds audition for King Jahaerys’ dragon, Vermithor, at once. And I don’t understand that for the life of me. Rhaenyra saw what Seasmoke did to a smaller group of people, so imagine what the second-largest dragon in Westeros would do?

The Red Sowing is as horrific as you expect. The show does a good job of using camera’s and special affects to play up Vermithor’s slaughter of most of the Dragonseeds. All of that leads to Hugh Hammer, the blacksmith of King’s Landing, claiming Vermithor. I really liked this moment. The fact that Hugh chooses to stare down Vermithor while trying to save another Dragonseed speaks a lot about his character up to this point. And unlike the others, Hugh faces Vermithor without any fear or arrogance, neither of which the dragons seem to like. And it seems to seal the deal for Vermithor.

As for Ulf, he flees from Vermithor, only to run into the nest of his mate, Silverwing. Luckily for him, Silverwing chooses him as her new rider. Silverwing was also pretty friendly with other humans. The entire scene is pretty funny, as is the reveal of what Ulf does next. He proceeds to fly Silverwing to King’s Landing, scaring everyone below and likely impressing Ulf’s fellow barflies. And with the three dragons, Aemond is forced to retreat from Dragonstone when he tries to pursue Ulf.

There’s also more hints about the dragon in the Vale that Rhaena is looking for, but nothing comes of it…yet.

What’s in Store for the Finale

And thus, the Red Sowing comes to an end. And with how bloody it was, it seems like Rhaenrya starts to question whether or not this was worth it in the end. However, that doubt seems to have evaporated with the sight of Aemond and Vhagar. Or I might just be reading too much into her actions. Either way, Rhaenyra now has the advantage against the Greens in terms of dragons as we head into the season finale.

Yes, the show ends its second season, but the preview seems to be promising. I don’t want to spoil what might happen, but we might get a battle that’s on-par with the one we got at Rook’s Rest. Until then, though, I’m going to look back on the Red Sowing with morbid fondness. The one complaint that I might have, though, is the fact that a few dragons from the books have not been introduced. And I’m not just talking about the one in the Vale, but two other dragons.

I Give “The Red Sowing” a 4.5/5

House of the Dragon S2 Ep 6 Review

After spending most of the season dragging its feet on the matter, HoTD is finally getting somewhere with the Dragonseeds. In the books and the show’s universes, the Dragonseeds are Targaryen and Velaryon bastards with the potential to become dragon riders. While that makes them a very hot commodity in the Dance of Dragons, what interests me is how most of the named seeds come from the smallfolk. By its nature as a medieval fantasy, the smallfolk are often out of focus in the Ice and Fire franchise. Smallfolk have been essential characters, but they mainly exist on the sidelines, with most of the elites not thinking about them. However, if you’ve seen Game of Thrones, or read your history, then you should know how looking down on the smallfolk can be a terrible idea. Especially when said smallfolk could potentially bond with dragons!

Also, the title sequence starts getting updated again. It now includes the Battle at Rook’s Rest.

Don’t Underestimate the Smallfolk

As the title of the episode suggests, a good part of the episode focuses on the smallfolk. Besides scenes that focus on specific members of the smallfolk in the form of the Dragonseeds, the episode touches on how they perceive their lords and ladies. While the Great Houses make their moves in the growing civil war, the smallfolk of King’s Landing end up suffering. They’re running out of food and can’t leave the city thanks to Aemond barring the gates, and the while, they have to watch as meat gets carted off to the Red Keep and the Dragon Pit. And while the Greens are too busy fighting their war to care about them, the Blacks show us why it’s important to have the people on your side.

First, Msyaria has her spies stir up discontent among the people. Then she and Rhaenyra smuggle boats of food across the Blackwater for the people of King’s Landing.

This was a master stroke of good PR on Rhaenyra and Mysaria’s part. While Rhaenyra doesn’t wholly understand their plight, she’s pragmatic enough to recognize that having the smallfolk side with her makes her job much easier. Their plan works even better than they hoped: not only do the smallfolk of King’s Landing start Rhaenyra’s name, but the rush for food erupts into a full-blown riot that nearly kills Alicent and Helaena.

I should also point out that several scenes are focused on two smallfolk characters: Ulf the White and Hugh Hammer. Both of them have Valyrian ancestry and want to make a better life for themselves, and if the show continues following the books, they will have roles to play.

The Hulls Are Gonna Move Up in the World

Meanwhile, across the Blackwater, we have two more Dragonseeds in the form of Alyn and Addam of Hull. By now, people watching should know they’re the illegitimate sons of Corlys Velaryon. However, what sets them apart is how they each handle that. Alyn is far more guarded about that fact, believing it isn’t his place to claim his family ties and cause Corlys problems. Despite the fact that he’s not only a capable sailor, but saved Corlys’ life. In contrast, we have Addam, who wants nothing more than to move up in the world and doesn’t get why his brother isn’t taking this opportunity. He would do anything to get the chance Alyn has.

Thankfully, he does.

Seasmoke: “And THAT is how I Adopted Addam”

I can’t lie: my favorite part of the episode was the plot with Rhaenyra trying to find more dragon riders. Her plan to find descendants of the Targaryens and Velaryons in the other Houses seems solid…but the results prove otherwise. RIP to Ser Steffon Darklyn and that dragon keeper.

The sight of Seasmoke rejecting Ser Steffon symbolically represents how the Targaryens don’t have full control of the dragons and never have. The dragons are their own beings and follow their own rules, and if they don’t like someone, they will make it known. It did feel like a waste for the show not to change things up by acknowledging that in this version, Laenor’s still alive. But what happens next more than makes up for it.

As dark as it was to see Seasmoke burn two people, I thought his actions the rest of the episode were pretty funny. He basically decided “Screw this! I’m going to go pick my own rider.” He then proceeded to fly to Driftmark, single out Addam as Laenor’s half-brother, chase him down, and corner him in the forest while the man’s scared out of his mind. It reminded me of videos I’ve seen of cats running up to humans and adopting them. Because humans don’t adopt cats; cats adopt humans. It’s funny.

I Didn’t Think We’d See Paddy Again

There were plenty of other moments from the episode that I liked beyond the stuff with the smallfolk, but the best, ironically, came from the plot line that has been the season’s weakest: Dameon. This week, Daemon’s Harrenhal induced dreams revolve around his relationship with his brother and the deep-seated regret he feels. I did not expect Paddy Considine to return as Viserys, but seeing him and Matt Smith play off each other again was immensely satisfying. For all of his bluster and bad boy behavior, Daemon did care about his brother, and a part of him always regretted not being there for him when Aemma died.

The storyline culminates in an entirely new scene, where Daemon dreams of what he should’ve done. Instead of partying at a brothel, he chooses to comfort his brother as he grieves the loss of his wife and son. Had he done that, the Dance of Dragons may never have happened.

This Next Episode Could Cook

Sadly, the episode ends on the disappointing note of Rhaenyra riding out on Syrax to find Seasmoke’s new rider. However, the ending gets counter-balanced by how much “Smallfolk” set in motion. The Dragonseeds begin to enter the game, Daemon deals with his inner demons, and in the Vale, we get our first hint about the dragon that I’ve been wanting to see more than any of them. And he’s a real…sheepstealer. If you know, you know.

Also, who’s hearts melted when they saw Rhaenyra’s kids playing alongside the baby dragon?

I Give “Smallfolk” a 4/5

House of the Dragon S2 Ep 5 Review

When I watched Aemond burn Rhaenys and Aegon with Vhagar at the Battle of Rook’s Rest, a thought crossed my mind: this reminded me of The Lion King. To be more precise, it reminded me of the moment when Scar let Mufasa fall to his death so he could become King. The look on Aemond’s face, as he ordered Vhagar to attack Rhaenys, Aegon, and their dragons, screamed, “Long live the king,” to me! And while Aegon, unlike Mufasa, remains alive, the result is the same. Aemond is now King in all but name, and both sides are left to deal with the fallout of this and Rhaenys’ death. And it’s not pretty!

Parading Meleys Around Was the Stupidest Thing the Greens Could Do

After a quick stop at Driftmark, the episode shifts to King’s Landing, with the Greens having yet another procession. Whereas the previous one was meant to show off the murdered Prince Jahaerys and discredit Rhaenyra, this time, it’s meant to celebrate the Greens’ “victory” at Rooks Rest. The centerpiece is the severed head of the slain Meleys, claimed to have been slain by Aegon himself. But if Ser Criston and Aemond hoped to hype up their side, they fail. Miserably.

The Battle of Rooks Rest was hardly a victory, and everyone who took part knows it. In a later conversation, Criston Cole shows signs of PTSD, haunted by the burning bodies consumed by dragonfire. To make matters worse, the smallfolk take one look at Meleys’ severed head and realize that when Rhaenyra comes for King’s Landing, she’ll be low on mercy. However, what I consider a bigger problem is how this act of showing off the head of Meleys destroys the mystique of House Targaryen.

A comment from one of the smallfolk reminds us of Viserys and Rhaenyra’s conversation from the pilot. The people of Westeros see dragons as gods, and their Valyrian riders thus closer to gods than mortals. By showing off the head of a dead dragon, the Greens are letting everyone know that dragons aren’t invincible gods. They can be killed, even if by other dragons. That thought will stay in the minds of everyone in King’s Landing, and thus have serious consequences for House Targaryen in the long run.

Aegon’s In a Coma. Aemond is In Charge Now

The more immediate consequences are shown once we see the state Aegon’s in…or what’s left of him.

I’ll be honest: as bad as Aegon looks, this isn’t the worst I’ve seen someone get burned alive. That honor falls to Anakin Skywalker being set alight by lava in Revenge of the Sith. That being said, the sight of Aegon having compound fractures and having his valyrian steel armor peeled off is a close second. As bad as Aegon is, seeing him cry out weakly for his mother is still hard to look at. All he wanted to do was prove he wasn’t a failure, and this is what happened to him.

As for Aemond? He doesn’t even care.

At the next meeting of the small council, the question arises as to who will rule in Aegon’s stead. Alicent, having done so for Viserys for years, tries to put her name forward. And, in hindsight, this might have been subtly influenced by her realizing she helped started this because of a misunderstanding. However, it’s like she told Rhaenyra: there’s no stopping what’s happening. So it is no surprise that the small council chooses Aemond. And with that, Westeros’s second most dangerous man is King in all but name. And knowing him, I expect Aemond plans to stay there for as long as possible.

The Blacks Mourn Rhaenys’ Passing

And while the Greens deal with this shift in power, the Blacks reel from the death of Rhaenys and Meleys, with everyone dealing with it in different ways.

Rhaenyra is devastated to lose her biggest supporter and her side’s strongest dragon in one fell swoop. And that’s on top of everything else she’s dealing with. Her husband won’t listen to her; her council can’t agree on anything, and she can’t go charging into battle on Syrax despite wanting to do just that. At one point when she’s talking to Jacaerys, you can feel her frustration.

Speaking of Jace, the young heir to Rhaenyra also wants to fly out into battle, but is continually frustrated by his Mom’s unwillingness to let him do so. That reaches a breaking point here when, at Baela’s advice, he sneaks out of Dragonstone and manages to talk the Freys into siding with his Mom. I liked this, as it shows that Jace can step up and be a leader, even if that means putting him at risk of being attacked by Aemond and Vhagar. Plus, when Rhaenyra bemoans not having dragon riders for her many dragons, it’s Jace who comes up with the idea of seeking out Taragaryen and Velaryon bastards. Which is going to play a huge role in events to come!

Corlys is a Just a Broken Man Now

The one who’s taking Rhaenys’ death the hardest, though, is her husband, Corlys, and it’s not hard to see why. Compare him to the start of the series. In another life, he could’ve been the King’s consort, which led him to make a play for the Iron Throne through his daughter. Now, that very same Throne has cost him his wife, his children, and one of his grandchildren. He’s had enough of the game and just wants to save what he has left. Yet the game won’t let him, with Rhaenyra offering to make him Hand, and Baela intending to keep fighting for her. Time will tell if takes up that offer, though.

Can We Please Get out of Harrenhal Now?

Then, we have the weakest part of the episode, and this season as a whole: Daemon at Harrenhal. If it seems like I haven’t talked about that as much, there’s a reason for it: I don’t know where to include it. As interesting as Harrenhal was initially, it’s already started to wear out its welcome. What’s worse, I feel like Matt Smith is being wasted as Daemon in these moments as the castle (which may actually be haunted) is getting to him. In one of the series creepiest moments yet, we get Daemon making out with a beautiful woman…only to learn its his mother. Not. Cool.

Daemon’s behavior isn’t winning him any fans, either. Getting involved in the Blackwood-Bracken feud, he discreetly lets the Blackwoods commit war crimes on the Brackens. Instead of cowing the Riverlands, they’re so disgusted they tell him to his face that they won’t follow him. So, good going, Daemon.

Let the Dragonseeds Come!

This episode might seem weak compared to the aboslute banger we had before. However, like the season premiere, “Regent” deals with the aftermath of a major watershed moment in Westerosi history. I hope things start to pick up once more before the season ends, and the next episode already looks promising. After building them up throughout the season, the Dragonseeds might start to play a role in the Dance of the Dragons. Until then, though, we must deal with the fact that Aemond the Kinslayer is the King of Westeros.

I Give “Regent” a 3.5/5

House of the Dragon S2 Ep 4 Review

When did the Dance of the Dragons, the civil war that nearly destroyed House Targaryen, begin? The answer was simple to me: when Aemond lost control of Vhagar, and she ate Lucerys and Arrax over the Stormlands. That seemed like an appropriate opening salvo for a war. So imagine how frustrated I was to see the first few episodes of House of the Dragon’s sophomore season drag their heels on the matter. Satisfying as it was to see Rhaenyra tell Alicent how badly she misunderstood Viserys last words, I wanted more. I wanted to see the epic battles and the Dances between Dragons that give this war its name. A huge draw to the series was the promise of seeing dragons fighting dragons, which we only got once in Game of Thrones. And since that once was in the divisive “Long Night”, that wasn’t a very high bar for fans.

No more. After weeks of dealing with poorly-adapted war crimes, offscreen battles, and trying to delay the inevitable, the Dance of the Dragons gives us what we want: dragons fighting dragons, epic medieval battles, and people dying in spades. I daresay it, but this might be the best the Ice and Fire has been since Battle of the Bastards!

Aegon Finally Realizes How Much of a Loser He is

Aegon II will be known to history as Aegon the Elder, distinguishing him from Rhaenyra’s son, who shares the name. However, I have a better epithet for him: Aegon the Foolish. The show’s pulled no punches in, showing us how inept and unsuitable Aegon is to be king. He and everyone else knew it, but people wanted him to be king anyway and talked him into it. And Aegon was enough of a fool to buy the hype. But once he became king, he realized that it was just that: hype. In truth, no one sees him as a king, and this episode drives that point home. His advisors don’t respect him. He learns his Hand and brother are making war plans behind his back, with the latter insulting him in High Valyrian, which Aegon can barely speak. Even his mother, now aware thanks to Rhaenyra that Viserys never wanted him to be king, tells Aegon that no one expects him to do anything! His mother thinks he’s worthless!

Aegon may be scum and lacking as a human being, but this episode still managed to make me feel pity for him. Knowing what King’s Landing is like, he likely grew up having people tell him he was meant to be a king because he’s a man. But I’m betting that even Aegon the Conquerer would consider him a disappointment! It’s not hard to imagine how much of a negative impact that has on the man. He becomes so desperate to prove he’s not a loser that he takes his Dragon, Sunfyre, and flies out to fight the Blacks. He thinks he’s being heroic and brave! But, as this episode demonstrates, he’s not; he’s just a fool, and it’s about to cost him everything.

How happy Aegon is when he sees his Dragon Sunfyre makes things even sadder. For all his faults, he genuinely loves Sunfyre, and the feeling is mutual. If only Aegon had taken Sunfyre and fled Westeros when he could, he would have been truly happy.

The Battle of Rook’s Rest Was Franchise’s Best in Years

One of the saddest aspects of the later seasons of Game of Thrones is how much the large-scale battles decayed in quality. By the time of the final season, the series had abandoned any sense of tactics or strategy in favor of the mindless charging headfirst that’s all too common in Hollywood. Instead of making the show look good, all it did was make the characters taking part look stupid, culminating in the final battle against the White Walkers. Many of the casualties we saw (when we could) could’ve been avoided if the living had a plan in mind.

Thankfully, the first large, onscreen battle in House of the Dragon avoids that pitfall.

Criston Cole and Aemond launch a siege on Rook’s Rest, the last Black stronghold in the Crownlands, to draw out Rhaenyra or one of her dragon riders. And, thankfully, House of the Dragon gets how to portray medieval battles. We see Green warriors moving in organized units, planning out their attack and not just mindlessly rushing the castle walls like idiots. The result is a sense of realism that late GoT failed to demonstrate. The fact that the battle was filmed in the same woods used for the opening to Gladiator only makes the entire thing even cooler than it already is. This! This is what the fans have wanted for years!

As good as that is, it’s just the appetizer before the main course.

The First Dance of the Dance of the Dragons

While Rhaenyra and Jace wanted to go to Rook’s Rest, Rhaenys is smart enough not to let them take the bait. Unfortunately, she’s not smart enough to ask others to accompany him, leaving her to face the Greens alone and giving us the first true dragon-on-dragon battle of the Dance of the Dragons.

Since Danaerys had the only known dragons left in the world, we didn’t get to see dragon fights in Game of Thrones until near the end, and the one against the undead Viserion was pretty lackluster. Seeing a real fight between dragons was one of the big selling points for the prequel, and the show did not disappoint! It was as brutal, violent, and fiery as fans expected. And even though I already knew how things would play out, I still felt my jaw drop at the outcome.

F in the chat for Rhaenys Targaryen, the Queen who never was, and Meleys, the Red Queen. They died, but at least they went out like badasses. As an aside, I couldn’t help but feel sad when I saw Meleys use her last moments to look at Rhaenys. Dragons may be unable to speak, but I could tell Meleys was asking Rhaenys to forgive her for letting her down.

That isn’t even the most surprising moment of the episode, though. It’s what happens afterward.

I Think Aemond Tried to Commit Regicide

Ever since I saw Aemond claim Vhagar as his Dragon, I thought he would make a better king than his brother. Looking back, I was impressed by the feat he pulled off, as he’d likely be no better a king than Aegon is. However, that won’t matter, as Aemond made a play for the Iron Throne.

Aemond ordering Vhagar to attack Rhaenys and Meleys while his brother was still fighting wasn’t just him being reckless. I think Aemond was trying to kill his brother, having become fed up with him after years of being belittled. The fact that Criston finds him standing over the mauled Sunfyre with his sword drawn and holding the crown and dagger of Aegon’s namesake proves it to me. If Criston hadn’t shown up, Aemond might have killed Aegon then and there. He might have even tried to kill Sunfyre. In addition to being a kinslayer, he’d be a kinslayer and a dragonslayer.

Aegon remains alive, but from what I remember from the books, he’s going to wish he had died that day. And Aemond can act as king in all but name. And with Rhaenys and Meleys dead, neither side has won anything.

Finally, House of the Dragon is Showing What it’s Made of!

Now that’s more like it, HBO. This was everything that the fans had been wanting for the Dance of the Dragons and then some. And this isn’t even the halfway point for the season. I can’t guarantee it, but I hope we see even more battles like this! This was the best the franchise has been since the Battle of the Bastards eight years ago! And plenty of others seem to agree. Just look at the ratings.

And that’s not even getting into the other storylines from this episode, like Corlys bastard sons or how Harrenhal is getting to Daemon. This was everything that I’ve wanted from the show, and I cannot wait until next Sunday to see where we go from here!

I Give “The Red Dragon and the Gold” a 5/5

House of the Dragon S2 Ep 3 Review

Oh, Alicent Hightower; how I pity you. Used as a political tool by your father, forced into a marriage you didn’t want as your best friend turned on you. Driven by your envy and misguided morals to name your son king, thinking it’s what your husband wanted. Only now, with your grandson dead and your family divided, does your former friend make you realize how ignorant you were.

That poetic prose is my way of describing how Alicent made a mistake that has ignited the Dance of Dragons…except it hasn’t. Even though most people would consider Prince Luke’s death by Vhagar the point of no return, Rhaenyra remains reluctant to admit war has started. However, as she tries to make one last attempt (I hope it is) at extending an olive branch, the show demonstrates it’s for naught. War has already been unleashed upon Westeros, and there’s nothing Alicent and Rhaenyra can do to stop it.

Seriously, HBO, can we just start the war? Stop dragging things out and torturing us like this!

No one Wins in War

The episode starts on a solid note with a very poignant example of what may occur House Targaryen if war is allowed to escalate. Two Riverlands Houses, the Brackens and Blackwoods, who are on opposing sides get into a dispute over land for their farm animals. Soon, words give way to weapons being drawn, and while we don’t see who strikes first, the aftermath tells us all we need to know.

The aftermath of the Battle of the Burning Mill, as this comes to be called, is extremely unsettling. Game of Thrones did not shirk from the fact that, in war, even the victor can come out losing more than they win. In this case, though, no one seems to have won anything. And the sad truth of it all? The Brackens and Blackwoods have been feuding for so long, they don’t even remember why it started. They’re just fighting for fighting’s sake!

Rhaenyra Risks Losing her Humanity

It’s this grim prologue that the rest of the episode is set against as Rhaenyra continues to be reluctant about going to war or use her dragons in battle. She knows that dragons are the Westerosi equivalent to nuclear weapons, and once they are unleashed, both sides stand a good chance of being destroyed. In addition, Rhaenyra also knows that by doing so, she will forfeitting that which keeps her connected with the rest of humanity. Nowhere is this better shown than when she chooses to bury Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk together. She holds no ill will against the one who tried to kill her, but if this conflict were to continue, she’ll begin to lose that empathy. And one of her decisions in this episode, while understandable, may also serve to further cut her off from her humanity.

I don’t know if anyone else noticed it, but I think a big theme of the episode is how people can solate themselves from their loved ones in the face of danger and conflict. In this case, Rhaenyra decides to send her youngest children, Aegon the younger, Viserys, and Joffrey to the Vale where they’ll be safe.

In addition to sending four dragon eggs (which are confirmed to hatch into Danaerys’ dragons one day!), she also sends Daemon’s daughter Rhaena to look after her half-brothers.

It’s a smart move on Rhaenyra’s part. If things go south, the Vale can protect her sons for a while. But there is the very real possibilty that she might have to send them eastward to Essos to wait out the conflict, which could put a lot of strain on both parties. And by doing this, Rhaenyra starts to isolate herself from her humanity. At the same time, though, Rhaenys also manages to reach out to her and offers what might be the last chance at stopping the war from escalating. More on that in a moment, though.

Daemon is Starting to Feel Guilty

Perhaps an even bigger example of that sense of isolation comes from the episode’s best part: Daemon in Harrenhal. After leaving Dragonstone, he flew Caraxes to the massive castle, capturing it without a fight. The guards flee from him and his dragon, while the steward bends the knee because he knows Larys Strong killed his father and brother. After that, Daemon has control of the castle. The gigantic, ruinous, water-logged castle.

I don’t know if Harrenhal is haunted or cursed, but this episode makes a very strong case for it. Seeing Daemon walk through the massive hallways when he arrives, trying to find someone to fight, is pretty unsettling. It’s like being in a medieval horror film; it only gets creepier. Later in the episode, Daemon has what might be a lucid dream where he sees a younger Rhaenyra (played once again by Milly Alcock) stitching the head of little Jaehaerys back onto his body. The vision of Rhaenyra then coldly tells him how she’s always having to clean up after him before abruptly ending. Instead of being in his room, he’s standing in front of a weirwood tree in the courtyard.

I don’t know if that was an actual vision or dream, but it clearly got to Daemon. The guilt he feels for his kinslaying and making things worse for Rhaenyra is starting to get to him, and Matt Smith does a terrific job of showing how rattled the Prince is. Maybe Harrenhal is haunted. Or it could be the work of the woman who tells Daemon he’ll die at that place. Hard to tell.

One Last Attempt at Peace With Alicent

At the end of the episode, Rhaenyra decides to take Rhaenys advice and try to reach out one last time for peace. With Mysaria now joining her court as her Master of Whispers, she smuggles her into King’s Landing in disguise and gets her to the Sept that Alicent frequently prays in. This is a notable departure from the books, as neither meet again until much later, but it’s also welcome. While the two women try to find some understanding, it quickly devolves into an argument over who started the matter. Was it killing Jaehaerys or killing Luke? Or when Luke cut out Aemond’s eye? Or when Rhaenyra lied to Alicent about losing her virginity? It’s just like the Brackens and Blackwoods conflict: the two don’t even remember why they’re fighting anymore. All that matters is that they are.

Alicent Realizes That She Messed Up

What makes this scene even more important is that Alicent reveals what Viserys said on his deathbed. She thought he was talking about their son when he called him “The Prince who was promised.” But we, and Rhaenyra, know better. And while Rhaenyra misses out on the chance to explain why the Targaryens think they need to be in charge of Westeros, she can tell Alicent that she misunderstood the whole thing.

And the look on Alicent’s face is freaking priceless. She’s probably thinking “So you’re telling me that Viserys wasn’t talking about our son and was just saying something about a dream that Aegon the Conquerer had? Do you mean to tell me that Viserys didn’t change his mind and wanted Rhaenyra as his heir at the very end? Oh my gods, I crowned the wrong person.”

*It was at this moment that Alicent knew…she f*cked up.*

And with that, just like her father in the previous episode, Alicent realizes that she made the biggest mistake of her life by helping to put Aegon II on the throne. Tragically, though, Alicent tells Rhaenyra that not even knowing the truth can stop the war.

And you know what? Alicent is right.

There’s No Stopping the War. Just Start it, HBO!

As much as both women want to end the war without further bloodshed, Alicent can’t stop even if she wanted to. Her father and his conspirators planned to make Aegon king beforehand; even if Alicent hadn’t given their cause a false sense of legitimacy, they would’ve made something up! And now that Aegon’s king, he doesn’t want to give up that power. And thanks to that, Rhaenyra’s son and her grandson are both dead. But in the end, who started the fight doesn’t matter now that war has begun.

This moment does do one thing for Rhaenyra, though. Until this moment, she’s been struggling with a lot of self-doubt. She thinks that her father had changed his mind about her before he died, and that’s kept her from fully committing to this conflict. However, now that she knows that Viserys decision was a mistake on Alicent’s, she realizes that her father kept faith in her until the very end. He saw her as the rightful ruler of Westeros. Thus, now that her last chance at peace is gone, she’s steeled her resolve for the war to come.

And thank heavens for that! It’s been almost three episodes into the second season, and so far, we’ve gotten very little in the way of an actual war. I know Game of Thrones is a drama before an action show, but fans want to see more fighting! We want to see dragons fighting! We saw a great moment where Baela rides atop Moondancer (small but fast) and almost kills Ser Gwayne Hightower and Criston Cole (who now has a terrible new haircut), but that’s it!

At least the previews for next week’s episode look promising. There’s no stopping the war now. Seriously, though! Criston’s new haircut sucks!

I Give “The Burning Mill” a 3.5/5

House of the Dragon S2 Ep 2 Review

From the first episode of House of the Dragon, I’ve made my disdain for Otto Hightower no secret. More than anyone, I consider him the main culprit for the Dance of the Dragons. He had his daughter marry King Viserys to give him a son and a new heir he could guide like a puppet. However, by doing so, he destroys the friendship between Alicent and Rhaenyra, splits the realm in two, and condemns the dragons to a long, slow death. And if the show follows the books well enough, then Otto’s efforts will end up being for nothing. And while plenty of others are equally responsible for what’s to come, it’s still satisfying to see Otto get his first dose of karma in this episode. Otto Hightower gets fired. Again!

As I said on Twitter: He should’ve stuck with Rhaenyra. And this episode was

Peace is Now Dead. Let the Carnage and Power Plays Begin

The end of the season premiere was disappointing, but its follow-up starts on the strongest note possible. The entire Red Keep is in chaos as guards start rounding up everyone, determined to find the assassins. Meanwhile, the Greens spiral as they each try to grasp what has happened. It’s through this that I think the episode truly shines, with the actors getting to display the full extent of their emotions.

Aegon demonstrates what happens when a Targaryen snaps when he lashes out at everything in sight, with disastrous consequences. You can practically see the flames bellowing from his mouth as he declares war on his half-sister while also destroying his father’s model of Old Valyria. Meanwhile, Aemond is left shaken at how narrowly he avoided death by being out at a brothel. Now his nephew is dead thanks to his actions. Some would say it wasn’t his fault, but I don’t think that. Vhagar may have gone AWOL, but Aemond created the circumstances that led to her killing Luke and Arrax. Silver lining? It gave us some good memes comparing a naked Aemond to Lord Voldemort.

The murder shakes Criston Cole because he failed to uphold his Kingsguard vows. Both by sleeping with Alicent, and failing to protect Helaena and her kids. As if to show just how far he’s fallen, instead of admitting his mistakes like he did in the past, he tries to deflect blame onto others. In this case, he berates Arryk Cargyle for getting his cloak dirty and for his brother choosing to join Rhaenyra. So he forces him to go to Dragonstone as part of an insane plan to kill Rhaenyra, which goes against what the Kingsguard stands for. Now the hate for Criston Cole has reached new highs.

Otto, What You Do is Messed Up

The Green who has the most unsettling reaction, though, has to be that of Otto Hightower. Whereas everyone around is visibly upset, Otto decides to milk this tragedy for all its worth. He has Jahaerys body displayed in a public funeral procession to gain sympathy from the smallfolk. And the whole time he has people proclaiming this to be the work of Rhaenyra, dubbing her ‘Rhaenyra the Cruel.”

Using the deaths of children for political purposes is not new, but watching this was just…wrong. Seeing the child’s body, its head sewn back on, paraded in front of everyone was wrong. Forcing the traumatized Helaena and guilt-ridden Alicent to take part was wrong. Otto is sad that his great-grandson is dead, but he doesn’t get how reprehensible this act is.

Plus, its rendered moot thanks to Aegon. But there’s also the reactions of the Blacks to consider.

I Think Rhaenyra and Daemon Just Broke Up

Contrary to the history books, Rhaenyra’s horrified by the death of Aegon’s son and the accusations that she ordered it. In truth, Daemon ordered the hit by Blood & Cheese without her knowledge or consent. And after figuring that part out almost +immediately, she’s livid at her husband.

That’s when HOTD starts to show the visible cracks in their relationship. Rhaenyra calls him out for going behind her back to do this, saying his impulsive decision destroyed any remaining chance at peace. She proceeds to pick him apart bit by bit, telling him that, despite claiming to support her claim to the Iron Throne, he doesn’t. Deep down, he’s still bitter and resentful at having what he thinks was his birthright passed over by his brother. While he does love Rhaenyra, he also sought to manipulate her, hoping to rule the Seven Kingdoms through her. In short, Daemon may be the biggest badass in Westeros, but on the inside, he remains a bitter, insecure man grasping for a station that’s not his. Nor is it it one that he deserves.

Daemon departs on Caraxes for Harrenhal afterwards, and I don’t remember if he returns at any point during the coming war. Even if he does, though, the damage is already done.

Not that the Greens fare any better, either.

Otto Has Zero Emotional Intelligence

When I say that I place most of the blame for the Dance of the Dragon on Otto Hightower, I mean it. He used his daughter to create a male heir to the Iron Throne that he could control. He thought that he could make Aegon into his puppet, through which his family could rule Westeros forever. But despite being an undeniably intelligent man, Otto was also a fool playing with fire.

Aegon proved utterly unworthy of being king, and everyone knows it; including Aegon! Case in point, after capturing Blood and learning it was a rat catcher who helped kill his son, he killed all the rat catchers in the Red Keep. Whatever sympathy the Greens won was lost thanks to this act, and Otto was livid. He yells at his grandson and wonders how he could be so foolish. And what does Aegon do, in response? He fires his grandfather.

And I relish the look on Otto’s face when that happens.

Otto is a smart man, and he’s great at thinking things through logically. That’s a useful trait in the royal court but also a weakness. He’s so lacking in empathy that he cannot understand why Aegon’s acting as he is. It just doesn’t compute to him! And while he’s right about Criston Cole’s plan being stupid, Aegon refuses to listen as he makes Criston the new Hand.

Otto, You Backed the Wrong Dragon

I loved this scene. Rhys Ifans gave an Emmy-worthy perfomance as Otto sees his plans blow up in his face. And he has no one to blame but himself. If he hadn’t pushed his daughter to marry Viserys and just accepted Rhaenyra as heir, none of this would have happened.

Reap what you sew, Otto. And when your death comes, may your last thoughts be “I wasted my life for nothing.”

The Dance of Dragons in Microcosm

The major highlight of the episode, though, was the battle between the brothers, Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk. As expected, the infiltration of Dragonstone fails when Arryk is spotted by a departing Mysaria. The fight between the two brothers, while not flashy or filled with cool effects, is still very emotional. In the end, neither brother walks away from this fight. Erryk kills his brother and overwhelmed with guilt; he proceeds to commit suicide.

The duel between the Kingsguard brothers is this entire conflict in microcosm. Two siblings are fighting for what they think is right (or something), and in the end, neither of them survives. The sheer waste of life is tragic. And soon, all of Westeros will repeat this battle. Families will be torn apart, lives destroyed, and a great house rent asunder.

This could have been a better episode, but I’m hoping for House of the Dragon to rally. Bring on the dragon fights, HBO!

I Give “Rhaenyra the Cruel” a 4/5

House of the Dragon S2 Ep 1 Review

It has been two days since House of the Dragon returned with its second season, but I had to think everything over. When it came out two years ago, fans and critics said that HBO’s prequel to Game of Thrones did much to eliminate the bad taste the disastrous finale left us with. We said it was like the golden age of Game of Thrones had returned. Which is fitting since the show’s first season was about the beginning of the end of House Targaryen’s golden age. But with the Dance of the Dragons set to begin, expectations were high for season two’s premiere. And, though I hate to say it, the episode didn’t meet mine. Namely due to the ending and how it depicts the actions of two characters: Blood & Cheese.

How could HBO mess up what should’ve been the Red Wedding 2.0?

An Interesting New Opening

First things first, though. In a surprising twist, Season Two of House of the Dragon has done away with the show’s original introduction. Rather than juxtaposing the bloodline of House Targaryen against the late King Viserys’ model of Old Valyria, the show does away with it entirely. Instead, the family’s history is told through a medieval tapestry.

I didn’t understand what happened during my first watch and had to see Heavy Spoilers videos to understand it. Now that I do, I think that’s a pretty cool idea. Believe it or not, there is, in fact, a tapestry about Game of Thrones. Hand-crafted and woven by loom, it depicts the show’s events from start to finish and is house in a museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland. And I’m willing to bet that the events of House of the Dragon will end up similarly immortalized in the future. I dont know if HBO intended to do this knowing about the tapestry, but its still cool.

Speaking of which…

Return of the Wolves, and Fallout of Death

The episode starts off on a pretty strong note, with the return of (what I think) is the coolest House in Westeros after the Targaryens, House Stark. And more importantly, Winterfell and the Wall. Having been sent to the North by his mother, Jacaerys successfully persuades Cregan Stark to keep his family’s oath to Rhaenyra. Not only that, but the show gives us a cool moment of Jace and Cregan overlooking the Wall together.

I loved this moment, and considering what happens in Game of Thrones, its a great use of foreshadowing. Knowing that Cregan Stark is the ancestor to all the Starks we see in Game of Thrones, you can’t help but note how much of him is in his descendants. Sadly, the moment is ruined when they receive news of Lucerys’ death.

The entire episode focuses on how everyone on both sides reacts to Luke’s death. Rhaenyra is near-catatonic with grief until she finds what’s left of Luke and Arrax, and Emma D’arcy gives a very moving performance for this. Daemon immediately wants to retaliate with or without Rhaenyra’s approval. But the Greens’ reactions are most compelling since they’re more divided on it. Argon and Aemond treat it like a great victory. Alicent and Otto, though, see it as a disaster.

Too bad that this is where some of my problems start popping up, mainly thanks to Alicent’s actions.

Cracks, Green Hypocrisy, and Blood & Cheese Screw-Up

In the first season, I couldn’t help but feel bad for Alicent. Her father used her as a pawn, she married a man she didn’t love, and her best friend lied to her face about having pre-marital sex. Little wonder their friendship fell apart. She did try to reach out to her before Viserys died and again after Aegon usurped her throne, but it’s too late… She doesn’t get that.

For some reason, Alicent spends this episode thinking that her son and Rhaenyra can still make peace. I’m sorry, but I fail to see how that’s possible. Even if Aemond didn’t intend to kill Luke (Vhagar did it), that doesn’t change the fact that he’s dead. Alicent should know Rhaenyra well enough to know she won’t forgive this. Yet she has the gall to think peace is still possible! This feels like either great stupidity on Alicent’s part, or a major oversight by the writers.

Not to mention that this episode reveals that Alicent and Sir Criston are hypocrites when they’re shown doing it! Twice! Criston made a huge deal out of breaking his Kingsguard vows of chastity and Alicent felt betrayed when Rhaenyra lied about losing her virginity before marriage? And now they’re both doing just that?!? Any moral high ground they once had is dead and buried.

The only reason I refuse to support either side is because of what happens next.

This Was NOT Blood & Cheese

After Rhaenyra recovers enough to lead her side, she’s out for blood. Aemond’s blood. So, Daemon sneaks into King’s Landing using his old contacts and hires two men, a Goldcloak and rat catcher, to kill Aemond. Or kill another prince from Aegon’s bloodline. Their names are Blood & Cheese, and I have to say…they are the worst part of this episode. And their entire portion of the episode drags the whole thing down.

If I sound salty, that’s because I am, and many fans feel the same way. In the show, Blood & Cheese were supposed to kill Aegon, but end up settling for one of Aegon and Helaena’s infant son. And the entire experience is just so disappointing when compared to the books! Here’s how it was supposed to go:

What Blood & Cheese Should Have Been Like

That is what we were supposed to get. Game of Thrones fans waited two years for the moment that should’ve rivaled the Red Wedding in terms of shock value. Instead, for whatever reason, HBO decided to pull its punches. It should’ve done the exact opposite with Blood & Cheese!! It should’ve been as horrifying and traumatic as the books and specials described it!

Out of all the moments I was looking forward to in this scene, Blood & Cheese’s murder was the biggest. And HBO completely botched it. It felt like watching Cersei and Jaime die from the collapsing roof all over again. I felt robbed! I’m sorry, but it brought the entire episode down for me.

I’m hoping that the rest of the season lives up to my expectations because that ending felt like Game of Thrones all over again. It had some good scenes and good acting, but the bad writing ruined it for me. They ruined Blood & Cheese!

I Give “A Son for a Son” a 2.5/5

House of the Dragon Episode 10 Review

One hundred-seventy year’s into the future, Danaerys Targaryen gave the slave masters of Astapor a chilling reminder: ‘A dragon is not a slave.’ In context, she was talking about her dragons wouldn’t obey anyone unless they chose to. However, Danaerys had no idea how right she was. The Valyrians may have learned how to tame and ride dragons, but at the end of the day, they’re still a dragon. If they want to do something, not even their riders can stop them. The hubris of thinking otherwise is what leads to the last chance at peace in House Targaryen to finally, tragically, close. Only the war remains.

A Dragon Loses One Child

After her dramatic escape on dragon back at Aegon’s coronation, Rhaenys makes for Dragonstone to deliver the bad news to Rhaenyra. In one fell swoop, her father’s dead and her throne taken out from under her. The shock of what happens sends the pregnant Rhaenyra into premature labor.

Four times now, House of the Dragon decided to display childbirth in all its graphic detail. Besides the gross-out factor, though, this moment serves as a powerful thematic moment for Rhaenyra. Her refusal to rely on her nurses to help her highlights just how proud and defiant she is in adversity. It’s an admirable quality, but just as it leads to the death of her unborn child, it’s a trait that will likely have tragic consequences for Westeros.

By the time she’s recovered from birth and cremated her dead baby, Rhaenyra’s hit emotional rock bottom. It makes her coronation by the few followers she has on Dragonstone a very bittersweet moment, and things only stand to get worse from there.

Before Being Faced With a Choice…

Almost everyone Rhaenyra knows starts arguing that she should go to war for the throne that her father promised her. She may not have the manpower, but she has almost every dragon alive in her possession. Even Rhaenys, who’s spent years opposing her husband’s plays for the Iron Throne (he’s fine, by the way,), is saying she should do it. And when Otto brazenly comes bearing a message from Aegon promising to let her keep Dragonstone and her son’s alive (as hostages), she visibly considers this.

Underneath her fiery will and temper, Rhaenyra’s very much Viserys’ daughter, someone who sees the forest for the trees. She has the foresight to see that a war between the Targaryens could destroy Westeros, and that the dragon’s are little better than magical nukes. They’re great on paper, but when both sides have a dragon, they risk destroying each other. 

Rhaenyra Sees The Bigger Picture…

More importantly, Rhaenyra’s aware of the Song of Ice and Fire and the second coming of the White Walkers. She and her father believe that Westeros needs the Targaryens leading it to prevent armageddon. We have the benefit of knowing they’re right, but no one else does. Thus, what we see as foresight, other see as foolishness. Even Daemon, Rhaenyra’s husband, knows nothing of this future due to Viserys not telling him. For all his skill, Daemon’s as shortsighted as the majority of the Targaryens, urging Rhaenyra to fight despite the risks.

This is one of the great tragedies of House of the Dragon, in my opinion. There are so many chances to avoid war, and everyone keeps making the wrong decisions. It’s tempting to imagine what could’ve been had Rhaenyra accepted the Greens offer. House Targaryen might have stayed in power, the dragons could be booming, and a united Westeros would’ve fought the Night King. Alas, tis but a fantasy. And House Targaryen proves to be the architects of its own downfall.

…Before Losing Another Child to Another Dragon

A dragon is not a slave. This was something that Danaerys Targaryen, one of the last of her family, deeply understood. She saw firsthand that, while powerful, dragons couldn’t win wars or do whatever she wanted. They were their own beings with their own wants and needs, and there was only so uch humans could do to keep them under control. Tragically, the children of Rhaenyra and Alicent learn this the hard way as they herald the start of the Dance of Dragons. 

As Luke and Jace leave Dragonstone to find allies for the coming war, Jace travels to Storm’s End on his dragon, Arrax. However, not only is he turned away by Lord Baratheon, but none other than Aemond Targaryen is there, having already won the Baratheon’s over. And he hasn’t forgotten how Luke took his eye.

In the books, what happens was very much deliberate on Aemond’s part, with the One-Eyed Targaryen chasing Luke on Vhagar. The show opts for a different approach, one that hammers home the idea that the Targaryens thinking they control dragons leads to their downfall. This was the result.

Aemond’s face says it all; he was trying to scare Luke. However, he overestimated his ability to control his dragon, just like how he underestimated Vhagar’s ability to think for herself. Luke failed to keep Arrax calm, causing him to give up their best chance of survival. Both boys failed to handle their dragon’s and paid the greatest price possible.

And with that, the final chance at peace is lost—the end of the dragon approaches. And there’s nothing Rhaenyra or Alicent can do to stop it. 

Let the War Begin

Wow, what a season. After the disaster that was the last season of Game of Thrones, I was ready to say goodbye to Westeros altogether. I didn’t think Martin would finish his books before he died (he’s in his 70s!) But then, HBO managed to pull out this gem. Now, everyone’s fallen in love with Westeros all over again. 

This first season of House of the Dragon managed to span two decades but rarely if ever, lost its pacing. It told a story of a family torn apart by power, greed, and hubris. Now that all the pieces are in place, all that’s left is to see everyone die. My only regret is that the dragon’s will die along with the Targaryens. That, and we’ll have to wait two years for the next season.

Also, the sight of the table at Dragonstone being lit up by candles is so cool to look at!

I Give “The Black Queen” a 4/5

House of the Dragon Episode 9 Review

I swore I wouldn’t take sides in this show. I swore that I would remain neutral in all of this. But Otto Hightower, you are poison.

King Viserys is dead. Now it’s left for the living to pick up the pieces. Or rather, for the circling vultures to come and feast on the carcass. And, much to Alicent Hightower’s shock, the vultures have been waiting for a long time for Viserys to rot.

In a moment meant to separate Alicent from the level of self-serving attitude of her father, most of the Small Council’s revealed to on Otto’s payroll. Alicent’s misguided beliefs of Viserys’ last wish merely gives them an excuse for something they were already going to do. First order of business: purge King’s Landing of Rhaenyra’s supporters, either with imprisonment…or execution.

To her credit, Alicent’s rightly horrified to learn what her father’s done behind her back. More so when Otto all but states he plans to assassinate Rhaenyra and her family. It shows that despite the hatred, a part of Alicent still cares about Rhaenyra. However, this episode also exposes how naive she’s truly been throughout the first season. It also gives voice to what’s probably Alicent’s greatest flaw.

Alicent Hightower Sucks

It’s said best by Rhaenys Targaryen, whose locked under guard by Otto’s men. When Alicent comes to visit the Princess to get her on their side, the former admits the latter should’ve been Queen. This segues into Rhaenys verbally chewing out Alicent for what’s wrong with her. What Rhaenys says is short, but it encapsulates just what it is about Alicent that sucks.

All her life, Alicent’s been a pawn for her father to maneuver in the great game. And even after reaching the point where she’s become aware of her pawn status, Alicent continues to let herself be treated as such when she’s capable of so much more. The fact that the most ambition she shows is to be the guiding influence behind the Iron Throne says it all. She wants to be free, but unlike Rhaenyra, she’s too afraid to act. So she resents her former friend since she can live the life she wants. Now, all I feel towards Alicent is pity.

Especially after what we saw Larys Strong…cringe.

Even Aegon Knows He Sucks!

Then we have Aegon. He’s a man who, were he not royalty, would belong in jail or the gutter. All he does every day is get drunk and sire illegitimate children with other women, whether they want it or not. In other words, he’s not the kind of person that should be king of anything.

The irony here is that Aegon knows that he’s not meant to be king. When he’s finally found in the Great Sept, he admits to the parties feuding over him that he shouldn’t be king. For all his faults, he’s well aware that he’d suck at the job. He even says that he’d rather board a boat and never come back.

No one cares, though. Despite everyone knowing that he’s not fit to lead, Otto Hightower and his cohorts want him as king anyway so they can control Westeros. Because that’s what it comes down to: power. That’s why Otto fears Rhaenyra so much. She’s a woman they cannot control and thus don’t want around. But as Game of Thrones showed us time and again, don’t underestimate a woman.

Don’t Mess With the Dragon, Otto

The episode’s climax comes with Aegon’s coronation at the Dragonpit with all of King’s Landing watching. Then, Rhaenys (who escaped thanks to a defecting Kingsguard) bursts through the floor on her dragon, killing dozens and causing chaos. She has the Greens dead to rights…and she lets them go. Simply escapes to Dragonstone.

Rhaenys’ message is clear: the Greens only live because she let them. That’s the kind of authority that Danaerys will exert centuries later. That said, she refuses to slay her kin, which is a huge mistake in this case. She could’ve ended the Dance of Dragons before it started. Or at least killed Otto Hightower and the main ringleaders. Instead, she kills innocents and leaves. Bad decision.

Game of Thrones did use the penultimate episode of each season to bring out the big guns. From the look of things, House of the Dragon seems ready to continue that tradition. Given the preview for the season finale, though, that could end up being proven wrong. Regardless, though, the long-brewing storm of the dragons is going to break. Expect a lot of characters to die before things blow over, because I know I am! Otto Hightower shall reap the seeds he has sown before the series ends!

I Give “Green Council” a 4/5