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 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