RJ Writing Ink

House of the Dragon S3 Ep 3 Review

Well, Rhaenyra got what she wanted. King’s Landing is hers, and with it, the Iron Throne that she was promised. Otto is dead at her hands, and Aegon is on the run m. She should be happy that she’s righted this injustice towards her, but she’s not. Far from it, this entire episode demonstrates that the Iron Throne has become a curse. And while the show doesn’t show the Throne cutting her like in the books (yet), it comes up with an even better metaphor for her rule already starting to crumble: rats. There are already rats in the Red Keep, and the symbolism the show gives them in this episode is just amazing. And that’s not even getting into its name, either.

Rhaenyra is in a Worse State than Ever

I heard tell that the last two episodes of HOTD were actually meant to be the finale for season two. If that’s the case, then I think the second season would not have been so heavily criticized. More importantly, though, it feels like this episode is the start of an entirely new season. And unfortunately for Rhaenyra, she’s not starting things off on a high note.

To put it bluntly, Rhaenyra’s household is in shambles. King’s Landing is starving from lack of food, partially thanks to her blockade and the nobles’ hoarding it. In addition, the Greens saw fit to pilfer the Crown’s treasury and move it elsewhere, leaving her short on money. Now she can’t pay anyone or help people get back on their feet. And to make matters worse, the Red Keep is dealing with an infestation of rats.

Rats are Everywhere in the Red Keep

The rats are a very big symbol throughout this episode. Throughout history, they have been maligned as harbingers of plague and death, as while they themselves are often very diligent with their hygiene, they carry diseases and parasites. Hence why they are so hated by most other beings. And in this case, the constant presence of rats is meant to symbolize what Rhaenyra’s status is like right now: it’s rotting from the inside out. And nowhere is this better shown than with Rhaenyra herself.

The thing I hate the most about the world of Ice and Fire is just how much it beats down good people. Like her descendant, Daenerys, Rhaenyra has the potential to be a truly great leader. However, because of the mistakes she makes and the actions of the buffoons around her, she isn’t getting the chance to be the leader she could have been. It also doesn’t help that she’s trying to act like her father, Viserys, ignoring the fact that while he was a good man, he was a weak king. She’s getting no chance to show what she can do, mostly because she is a woman. Even the Faith is getting bold enough to defy her, saying her dragons are abominations.

Putting the Rats in their Place

Now, the way that Rhaenyra tries to assert her dominance and gain some favor is pretty badass. She gets rid of the rats by feeding them to her loyal nobles as a show of force. She takes their hoarded food and gives it to the poor. It’s a pretty badass way to let everyone know that she is in charge, and in a kinder world, this would be enough. But it ain’t. Coryls criticizes her for refusing to legitimize his sons, potentially costing her her biggest ally. And then there are the problems outside of King’s Landing.

At the beginning of the episode, we saw Lord Ormund Hightower apparently bend the knee to Daemon and head home. Daemon captures the youngest of Viserys and Alicent’s children, Daeron, AKA the only decent kid besides Helaena. However, it is a ruse. Honestly, the fact that his dragon, Tessarion, didn’t react should have been a dead giveaway that Daemon should have seen. And the worst part? Ormund has now taken Tumbleton, a town on the road to King’s Landing.

Yeah, is it any wonder that Rhaenyra is starting to lose it? Emma D’arcy is knocking it out of the park showing just much she’s starting to lose it.  I love it.

I Give “Rhaenyra Triumphant” a 4/5

The Owl House Episode 4 Review

When I read the synopsis to this episode, “The Intruder”, I thought that I wasn’t going to like it. Fortunately, I was wrong: this was the best episode of The Owl House yet. Not only was this episode filled with great lines and jokes, but we got some plot development. Luz takes a big step in her witch training, and we get a potentially big mystery to solve; the kind of stuff that these shows thrive on!

Rainy Day Schedule

As it turns out, not even the weather on the Boiling Isles is safe; the rain is boiling hot and melts everything it touches! With Eda keeping everyone inside the Owl House for the night, Luz sees it as her chance to finally learn some magic from Eda. However, putting up a magic barrier took a lot out of Eda, so she soon falls asleep, much to Luz’s frustration.

On the other hand, King’s been trying to teach Luz all about demons. I quickly figured out that it’s just an excuse to spend time with one of the few people who likes him for who he is. Under his snarky exterior, he’s a lonely little guy. In desperation, King takes an elixir from Eda and gives it to Luz, thinking it will give her magic. At that moment, though, an intruder breaks into the house!

Like A PG Horror Film

From here on out, The Owl House plants itself firmly in the horror end of the spectrum. Luz and King’s search for the intruder has all the hallmarks of a horror film. The lack of light, the broken window and doors torn off by the hinges, and the snarled sounds of the intruder give off a genuinely creepy vibe. To top it off, the way the creature moves is creepy as they come. It’s like the writers fused Noh-Face from Spirited Away, the Summerween Trickster from Gravity Falls, and Hungry Larry from that Star vs. Halloween episode. That last one still freaks me out; so scary.

It turns out, though, that the creature’s Eda, though I can’t say I didn’t see the twist coming. I knew something was up when I saw the tag on her elixir said “an elixir a day”. What happens next, though, ends up being even more amazing!

Luz figures out how to use magic. Those circles that Eda draws to use magic have patterns inside of them. Luz figures out how to draw a light spell and uses them to stun Eda long enough to turn her back to normal!

More importantly, though: LUZ CAN DO MAGIC NOW! This is a huge step forward in regards to the show, as it opens up the gateway for Luz to learn all sorts of things. If all she has to do to use magic is create patterns in circles a la Fullmetal Alchemist, then who knows what she be capable of.

Owl Lady Mystery

Aside from letting Luz dip her toes into the pool of magic for the first time, this episode opens up a potentially big mystery about Eda. Once the intruder ordeal’s over, Eda reveals that she was cursed when she was younger. As a result, if she doesn’t take that elixir, she turns into that were-demon. Hence why people call “the Owl Lady”.

My mind’s already racing with dozens of ideas about where this could take us, and just as many questions. Who was it that cursed Eda and why? Why is it that she can’t remember anything about it? It may not be as big as learning about who wrote the journals in Gravity Falls, but it’s still a big mystery to solve. If Dana Terrace and her crew play their cards right, they could make this into a huge story arc to carry the show.

By a wide margin, “The Intruder” is the best episode of The Owl House. Alex Hirsch and Wendie Malick’s lines are spot on and hilarious, we got some actual character development, and two major events occurred that will play a role in the plot moving forward. This is the kind of stuff that I want to see more from this show; the A-material! The Roundtable’s going to have a field day with the theories from this episode, and so will I.

I Give “The Intruder” a 4.8/5.

Stray Observations

• We get a cameo from Willow right after the intro rolls.
• That little conspiracy demon from the prison makes a return. Guess she was able to get out in the end.
• So Giraffes really are demons, huh? Look!

• Is someone going to make Luz’s cat hoodie? They’ll make a fortune selling it to fans
• So Eda actually sleeps in a nest like a bird.
• So what other ways are there to do magic. Besides having a sac of bile attached to the heart.

Favorite Quotes

• “And here we the most fearsome creature in the world, the king of demons. Facing his natural enemy, the ducky sock.”

• “Our only weaknesses are purified water and passive-aggressive comments, sometimes.”
• “Even demons have inner demons.”
• “Now we’re boo-boo buddies”
• “Painbows. It’s like a rainbow, but looking at it turns you inside out!”
• “Magical, sassy, surprisingly foxy for her ages”
• “It sparkles and shimmers and shines and delights. I must have it for my nest!”
• “I respect your cunning, but I also hate you for it.”

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