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House of the Dragon S3 Ep 6 Review

You feel that, you guys? It’s like this four-year-long headache that I’ve had has finally ended? By that, I mean that Ser Criston “The Kingmaker” Cole, the jerk who helped start this civil war, is dead. And yet, I feel no sense of satisfaction from it. Because at this point, I know that the majority of the cast of House of the Dragon is going to be dead before the show ends. It’s how history is supposed to play out to set the stage for Game of Thrones, but it’s no less frustrating to see everyone acting like this. Especially since in the end, these players will just be faceless men, destined to be forgotten.

The episode opens up on a very important note as we see one of the most important events of the Dance take place: the Butcher’s Ball. This battle is where Ser Criston Cole meets his end at the hands of the Blacks. Calling it a battle, though, would be too generous. It was a slaughter that Ser Criston walked right into. The Riverlanders placed the most obvious of traps by having their men play dead, and the Greens still walked into it. Then, to add insult to injury, Oscar Tully and the Winter Wolves marched in and surrounded Ser Criston. Knowing that he was about to die, he tries to go out on his terms in a valiant last stand that will immortalize him. Instead, he dies by arrows shot by Alysanne Blackwood, never even getting the chance to fight.

This feels like the perfect ending for Ser Criston, and the show lifts it so perfectly from the books. All Ser Criston wanted was to make a name for himself as a knight. But thanks to the people he served, he lost sight of who he wanted to be and became a terrible, spiteful man. If you ask me, he didn’t dishonor himself when he slept with Rhaenyra. He did it when he let his hatred for her consume him. And in the end, he doesn’t even get the dignity of going out on his terms.

And neither will Ormund Hightower, hopefully.

I have only known Ormund Hightower for a few episodes on this show, but I already have a solid opinion about who he is: a jerk. He thinks he’s so smart and has got it all figured out. What with his plan to make Daeron king and using spies to mess with Rhaenyra in King’s Landing. And his plan is working: after what happened to Ser Luthor, most of the Gold Cloaks have resigned. But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a pretentious d*****. Even Daeron doesn’t like him; he even tells Gwayne that he’s only doing what he says because he’s afraid of him! If I were the boy, I would’ve take Tesarrion and just flown all the way to Essos.

This episode perhaps gives us the most blatant example of how Ormund isn’t as smart as he thinks when he’s nearly assassinated by Baratheons pretending to related to Lord Boros. If it wasn’t for Ser Gwayne, Ormund and Daeron would have died. And Ormund pukes in response to what happened. Imagine that?

Meanwhile, things are spiraling out of control with everyone else. After catching Alicent and Helaena trying to flee, Rhaenyra puts them under even stricter house arrest. As a result, Helaena’s refusing to eat, threatening to kill herself and her unborn child. It’s the only way she can protest her lack of agency in her life and stick it to her mom. Meanwhile, Alicent tries to make another bargain with Rhaenyra by saying how Aemond is at Harrenhal. Her response? She wants her to go there and kill him. She wants her to kill her own son in exchange for her and her daughter’s freedom. We know Aemond’s a monster right now, but that’s still messed up.

Meanwhile, Aemond continues to be wrapped around Alys’ finger as she offers him sanctuary at Harrenhal and the chance to build his own power base with a clutch of Dragon Eggs. But we know that nothing’s going to come of it!

This entire episode feels like a lesson in the futility of this entire civil war. Which is the whole point, really. We all know that this is what leads to the eventual downfall of House Targaryen and the events of Game of Thrones. I would say it reminds me of the Star Wars Prequels, but at least I can watch those knowing that the next two generations will eventually make things right. That barely happens in Westeros.

I swear, if I ever try my hand at this kind of high fantasy storytelling, I want to make it a point to avoid this kind of ending!

I Give “Faceless Men” a 4/5

House of the Dragon S3 Ep 2 Review

The season three premiere of House of the Dragon managed to start things off on an absolutely crazy note. HBO proved that the time and money they put into the season opener was well spent with The Battle of the Gullet, one of the biggest clashes of the Dance, as this war shall be called. Thanks to the impulsiveness of Rhaena Targaryen, we had to watch as Prince Jacaerys and his dragon were slain by the Triarchy, depriving Rhaenyra of her eldest son and heir to the Iron Throne. And as we know thanks to her descendant, Danaerys, when Targaryens lose the ones they love, they will set the entire realm on fire. And that is what pretty much what happens in this episode as Queen Rhaenyra gets what she wants: she gets the Iron Throne. But I think she’s already questioning if it was worth it or not.

Rhaena is a Dead Woman Walking!

The opening to this episode is a somber one as Baella and Moondancer return to Dragonstone with Jacaerys’ body. Everyone on the island is shocked and horrified by the death of the prince, but the person who is most horrified is, naturally, Rhaenyra herself. Emma D’arcy has proven an oustanding actor as Rhaenyra, as they manage to have the Queen go through multiple stages of grieving in a matter of moments. Seeing her be in initial denial that her son is dead to howling in tears over it is absolutely heartbreaking to watch. It was Jace who chose to fly to what would be his death so he could prove himself a worthy heir, but Rhaenyra still blames herself like any good parent would. That, and she blames the person who rode Sheepstealer. Though she doesn’t know that it was Daemon’s own daughter…yet.

As for Rhaena, she is pretty much a dead woman walking. She defied orders to flee to Pentos so she could claim a dragon. Then she impulsively decided to ride said dragon into battle without any further training, leading to Jace’s death. She knows that Rhaenyra will kill her for this, so rather than let that happen, she flees back to the Vale to hide, though Lady Arryn say she doesn’t want to see her again. I don’t blame her, either. I was happy that Rhaena got her own dragon at last, but what Sheepstealer did only proves the late Viserys point that dragons are too dangerous for man to control. Which sucks, because the dragons are the coolest part of this entire franchise!

The one Silver Lining

The only silver lining to all of this is that Corlys Velayron is still alive. But Driftmark is now in ruins, and it’s likely the Triarchy made off with a lot of his fortune. His house will never be as big as used to be. But at least he has his granddaughter and sons, Addam and Alyn. The latter of whom is now ready to accept Corlys as his dad.

So, with Aegon in the wind and Aemond having flown to capture Harrenhal, Alicent has held up her end of the bargain to Rhaenyra, but it almost gets her r*ped in the process. No, really. Lord Jasper, the Master of Laws, figures out what she’s up to and tries to blackmail her for s*x in exchange. And then we get a very graphic moment where he attempts to r*pe her! I actually thought the show was going to go through with it, but thankfully, Alicent is saved at the last second. Sadly, she and Helaena are unable to escape King’s Landing before Rhaenyra, Daemon, Hugh, and Ulf fly in to capture it.

The Queen Lands

The capture of King’s Landing is incredibly well-executed, in my opinion. The sight of the people panicking as Queen Rhaenyra’s dragons fly overhead is an excellent contrast to how nonchalant they were about in the first episode. Seeing Rhaenyra and Daemon tear through the Red Keep and take it for themselves is an excellent display of assertiveness. And that moment when the City Watch helps them take the city out of loyalty to Daemon? Chef’s kiss. Of course, I think that my favorite scene has to be how Rhaenyra deals with those who tried to deny what was promised to her.

So Long, Otto!

Like Littlefinger centuries later, Otto Hightower is the man responsible for the chaos unfolding in the show. He tried to put his own blood on the throne by selling off his own daughter as a bride. He and his conspirators basically enacted a coup by putting Aegon on the throne against the wishes of Viserys. Otto was a traitor hiding behind a veil of tradition, and it cost him his life. I was happy to see him go, but that joy was muted by the show’s decision to have Rhaenyra execute him herself.

The bloody footprints as she climbed towards the Throne that was promised to her is peak symbolism, in my opinion. It’s a Throne she’s had to win in blood, and the distraught look on her face as Alicent enters the throne room says that she is shocked at what she had to do to get it. But the bloodshed has only just begun.

The season is far from over, and while Rhaenyra can now say she is Queen, she has to hold it while Aegon and his brothers are still on the loose. And holding the Iron Throne is even harder than winning it! Ball’s in your court, Rhaenyra. Let’s see how long you can hold it.

I Give “Queen’s Landing” a 4.5/5

House of the Dragon S1, Ep 6 Review

Until tonight, I thought the Lannisters were the most messed up family in Westeros. Emotionally abusive dad, incestuous twins, and alcoholic son. However, after seeing what House Targaryen was like in their heyday, it’s clear that I was mistaken. The Targaryens take the top spot as Westeros’ most messed up family. A family that’s only staying civil while the King lives. Once he dies, the House of the Dragon will go to war…and it already has its first casualties.

New Girls on the Block

This episode marks the debut of Emma D’arcy and Olivia as the now adult Princess Rhaenyra and Queen Alicent, and they hit the ground running and don’t stop. I was skeptical that we couldn’t replace Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as the female leads, but these post-timeskip actors do a wonderful job. In their first scene as Rhaenyra, we see Emma play the Princess as she goes through the labors of childbirth, which the show depicts in vivid detail. Ten years have not softened Rhaenyra one bit, as no sooner has she given birth than she heads off to see Alicent with her newborn son, even while trailing blood on the way.

While Rhaenyra’s now the mother to three sons, there’s a problem, and everyone but the King seems to know it: they’re not Laenor’s sons. They’re all bastards, born from Rhaenyra and Ser Harwin Strong of the City Watch. And the more that are born, the more frustrated Alicent gets. Her attitude makes it clear: she doesn’t understand how her husband doesn’t see that his daughter’s undermining the marriage he worked to build.

In all fairness, Viserys might be aware of what’s going on, but chooses to ignore it. What matters to him is Rhaenyra’s sons are of his blood, regardless of who the father is, though everyone else may not feel the same way. Or maybe he’s just deluding himself in the hopes that his family will be as happy as he wants them to be.

Targaryen Family Is Messed Up

Truthfully, the whole Targaryen family is messed up, best shown through how Rhaenyra and Alicent’s kids interact with each other. Rhaenyra’s eldest boys, Jace and Luke (they’re nicknames) are nice enough, but it’s Alicent’s kids that are odd. Aemond laments how he’s the only Targaryen without a dragon, leading him to be the butt of a cruel prank by his brother.

As for Aegon? He acts like a spoiled brat. We see him standing naked on a window doing his…business, which is not something I want to remember. He’s basically a foolish boy.

Daemon Has a Happy Family, Though.

Ironically, the family that has it best ends up being Daemon’s new family with Laena Velaryon. They’re now living in Pentos as guests with their dragons, and this marks the first time that we see Vhagar, the largest dragon alive and the last one from the time of Aegon the Conqueror. She easily dwarfs all other dragons and is a triumph of CGI. 

In other words, Daemon goes from being unhappy to having a loving wife, two daughters, and another one on the way. Best of all, he’s away from the toxic environment of King’s Landing.

If only fate would be kind enough to spare the kids the heartache of what’s to come. Westeros doesn’t work like that, though.

Scandal Rocks the Royal Family

After what he did at the end of last week’s episode, Ser Criston’s gone from golden boy to hated by the show’s fans, and it only gets worse from there. This week, he provokes fights between the Targaryen kids, and when Ser Harwin steps in, he accuses him the things he’s guilty of. So, Harwin beats him up, and the resulting scandal opens the floodgates.

And from here, the bodies start dropping.

The First Big Casualties

I never mentioned him last week, but there’s another member of House Strong, Larys Strong. And he’s this era’s Littlefinger, acting the mild-mannered servant in public. In private, though, he’s just as cunning. Maybe even more so, to the point that Alicent fears him.

Case in point, when Lord Strong takes Hardin back to Harrenhal to quell the rumors of Rhaenyra’s children, he burns them alive. He wipes out his own family, which isn’t new, but still disturbing. It also prompts Rhaenyra to take her family and leave for Dragonstone, depriving her of her power base.

Meanwhile, Laena dies from the stresses of childbirth in Pentos. In a moment meant to contrast Viserys’ decision to sacrifice his wife to save their child, Daemon hesitates to take the same route. However, Laena takes the choice out of his hands by approaching Vhagar and having the ancient dragon immolate her. It’s a tragic example of female agency and one that leaves everyone saddened. 

A Family Divided Against Itself

Thus, the episode ends with the die already being cast. The first members of the house of the dragon have fallen, and more will follow.

Watching all this, I’m mentally berating everyone for pushing things to this point out of pride. At one point, Rhaenyra even offers an olive branch by promising to marry Jace to Alicent’s daughter, Helaena. The latter refuses to marry her daughter to a bastard, and another chance to make peace flies out the window.

Right now, I’m glad I promised not to become attached to the characters in House of the Dragon. It lets me see the entire Targaryen family for what they’re being: dumb. And once King Viserys dies, fire and blood will consume them all. Meanwhile, I’ll be munching on popcorn, lamenting the foolishness of everyone.

That, and the sight of Prince Aegon doing his business in a window. Who does that?!? Even if that was David Tennant’s son playing him.

I Give “The Princess and the Queen” a 4.5/5

House of the Dragon Ep 5 Review

WHAT. THE HECK. JUST HAPPENED? I knew knives would come out on House of the Dragon, since this is Westeros, but damn. I didn’t expect that to happen so soon! We are now past the point of no return for House Targaryen. In what should be a “joyous” royal wedding, instead becomes a tragedy. And for once, Daemon wasn’t at fault.

No, seriously, Daemon wasn’t at fault this time. 

In the episode’s opening minutes, we get our first look at Daemon’s “bronze bitch,” Rhea Royce. It’s also the last because Daemon kills her.

The books say Rhea died when she fell off her horse. The show takes some creative liberties that would make George RR Martin proud. Daemon tricks Rhea into causing her own fall…and then just kills her. The knives have come out, and Dameon’s taking crap from no one.

A Mutually Beneficial Relationship?

For the players in King’s Landing, though, there’s plenty of crap to go around, especially for Rhaenyra and Set Criston Cole. Rhaenyra heads to Driftmark to meet her betrothed, Ser Laenor Velaryon. On the surface, it seems like an ideal match. Both houses are Valryian, and both have dragons. However, there’s an issue: Laenor’s gay, and Rhaenyra knows it. While the parents discuss inheritance, Rhaenyra and Laenor come to an understanding. They essentially agree that after they do their duty, they’ll have an open relationship. It’s not that bad of a deal, honestly. Unless your Ser Criston Cole.

Poor Ser Criston Got His Heart Broken

Oh, poor Criston. My heart couldn’t help but go out to you just as much as I wanted to slap you across the face. Rhaenyra made him break vows of celibacy as part of the Kingsguard, something he deeply regrets. Being the idealist he is, he gives Rhaenyra an offer: walk away from all this madness. They can leave for Essos, forget everything, and leave the insanity behind. 

Hindsight has never felt more painful than it does here. Because if you know the story, then you know how it will likely end. What Ser Criston’s offering is the best chance Rhaenyra could get for a happy life. If this weren’t Game of Thrones, then maybe Rhaenyra would take that offer. Instead, her sense of duty, pride, and desire for the Iron Throne make her turn him down. And he’s not happy with the idea of sharing Rhaenyra with someone else. 

Again, I feel for Ser Criston. From his perspective, he feels like Rhaenyra just used him for her own amusement. The Lords and Ladies can afford that kind of slip-up, but someone common born like Ser Criston? He tarnished himself as part of the Kingsguard for nothing. It’s painful to watch, especially when he just admits it to Alicent when she lightly prods him. 

Knives Come Out With Blood in the Water

Things come to a head at the feast that’s supposed to mark the start of Rhaenyra and Laenor’s weeklong wedding celebrations. Alicent comes dressed in Hightower green, which is her way of saying to Rhaenyra, “I know what you did. I know you lied to me, and our friendship is over.” 

It gets worse. In the middle of the dancing, Ser Criston lets the guilt and resentment he’s feeling get to him, and he snaps. What happened next was a tragedy that left people horrified and me with my jaw on the floor. Thus, Rhaenyra and Laenor hastily wed in a private ceremony, even while blood lays dripping on the floor as a rat comes by.

So, to recap: two minor characters are dead. Any relationship Alicent and Ser Criston had with Rhaenyra’s damaged beyond repair. And if it’s not clarified, King Viserys won’t live to be old. 

Knives Out, Lines Drawn, Bonds Destroyed

Can someone ring the gong to announce the impending doom for the Targaryen’s? Because, as Princess Rhaenys said this episode, knives will come out. People will fight over who sits on the Iron Throne. All because they can’t accept having a woman as a leader. 

What’s especially tragic about all this is that Rhaenyra had an out. She had the chance to walk away with Ser Criston. They could’ve taken Syrax and left for parts unknown, but pride and duty made her stay. Now she must face the consequences of what comes.

This episode also marks the final appearance of Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra and Alicent. Starting next episode, they’ll be played by older actresses to signify the big time skip. They both did an amazing job as these two women, and I hope they find success in the future. 

Alright, people, the knives are out. Let’s watch the Dragons tear at each other’s throats!!

I Give “We Light the Way” a 4/5

House of the Dragon S1, Ep 4 Review

Have you ever seen an TV show episode that makes you go ‘uggghhh’? Like, every character makes the wrong decisions and digs deeper into the hole they’re trapped inside? It’s frustrating to watch, especially when you like being straightforward like me. However, Westeros doesn’t care about truth. It cares about the chaos of the Game of Thrones. And, as Littlefinger will say centuries later, chaos is a ladder.

As of this week, most major characters fall down one ring on the ladder of chaos.

Daemon Returns to King’s Landing And Brings Chaos With Him

After crushing the Crabfeeder and the Triarchy pirates, Daemon got crowned King in the Narrow Sea. However, he doesn’t want that title since the Stepstones are worthless rocks. So it’s back to King’s Landing and the arms of his Brother, who forgives him thanks to winning them the Stepstones.

Sadly, he returns at the exact same time that Rhaenyra does. She’s been on a tour at her father’s behest, trying to find a husband. But like a bad Tinder experience, she swiped left on all of them. Even if she didn’t compare them to Daemon so much, though, they weren’t impressive. She’s happier with Daemon back…and even more so when he sneaks him out for a night of fun in King’s Landing.

It’s clear that Dameon’s tone away hasn’t changed his need to cause chaos. And chaos is what follows in his stead.

The Chaos of Daemon Targaryen

When people first heard that Matt Smith would be playing Daemon Targaryen, they panicked, thinking he’d be a bad fit. However, it seems that the chaotic energy he brought as the Doctor serves him well. He’s a perfect fit for Daemon.

Daemon may cause chaos in his family, but he does know what he’s doing a lot of times. Besides serving as a means to give Rhaenyra the freedom she can’t get in the Red Keep, Daemon’s night out’s meant to teach her something important. A few important things, truthfully.

Firstly, the street-play satirizing the issue of succession is meant to be a brutal truth to Rhaenyra. That truth being that even the smallfolk don’t want a woman to be Queen. And if the smallfolk don’t approve, then how can she hope to rule? This is where Daemon has an advantage over the other elite: unlike many of them, he understands the need to be loved and respected by the people. Sadly, Rhaenyra fails to learn that.

It also doesn’t help that the second of Daemon’s lessons takes her to a brothel.

Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is. But, surprisingly, Daemon doesn’t go through with doing that. He leaves at the last second!

Too bad for everyone. The chaos has already spread.

Rhaenyra Takes Charge of Herself…and Causes More Chaos

People who’ve gone through puberty knows that when most teens see others engaged in intimate acts, it’s going to affect their hormones. And getting blue-balled by the man she’s into (Daemon), Rhaenyra’s understandably frustrated. However, what she does next might be just as bad. She…sleeps with Ser Criston Cole.

Viewers would be hard-pressed to deny the romantic chemistry between Rhaenyra and Ser Criston. I saw it from a mile away. However, I didn’t expect her to act on it so soon into the show!

As much as I applaud Rhaenyra for taking charge of her love life, I wish she’d given this some more thought. Because what she does, no surprise, causes more chaos

Otto Hightower Falls Off the Chaos Ladder

From the outset, Otto Hightower’s been hated by viewers. Despite King Viserys trusting him, viewers see him for what he is: the schemer who gave up his daughter to an older man so he could put his grandchild on the Iron Throne. As such, Rhaenyra rightfully despises him, and those feelings only worsen in this episode.

After hearing from spies about where Rhaenyra and Daemon went, Otto wastes no time in bringing slanderous rumors to King Viserys. While we know nothing happened behind making out, Otto doesn’t care. He sees this as the chance to get rid of Rhaenyra he’s been waiting for.

It backfires. Big time. Rhaenyra learns about this from Alicent in a tense confrontation, and while her Dad’s rightfully pissed at her, she uses this to her advantage. As a result, Otto Hightower’s fired as Hand of the King.

It’s the smartest decision that Viserys’ made this far, but sadly, it likely won’t stick. While Rhaenyra, and now her Dad, see him as the threat to order that he is, Otto won’t go quietly. He’ll be back, one way or another.

What Chaos Has Wrought

So, despite finally winning back his brother’s favor, Daemon’s penchant for causing chaos costs him his standing. Again. His plan to force Viserys to let him wed Rhaenyra (and get the Throne) sees him sent back to the Vale.

As for Rhaenyra, she’s forced to fave the consequences of her actions. Her Dad orders her to marry Laenor Velaryon, Lord Corlys son. And take a contraceptive tea. So, despite choosing her first time, Rhaenyra still loses in the end.

Basically, chaos reigns in House Targaryen this week, and everyone’s miserable. Rhaenyra for her lot in life, Daemon for his second exile, Viserys for the headache that is his daughter, and Alicent for being a pawn of her Dad and stuck in a loveless marriage.

Westeros is fun to watch, but it sucks to live in. And, honestly, this was the show’s weakest episode thus far. And I’m not saying that because it relied on sex for drama again. Next week marks the halfway point for the series. They need to keep up the momentum.

I Give “King of the Narrow Sea” a 3.5/5

House of the Dragon S1, Ep 3 Review

I know it doesn’t need to be said at this point, but I’m saying it anyway: Westeros sucks. As much as I love the world and the plot at times, it drives me nuts how self-serving so many of the Elite are. Almost every Lord or Lady we meet does something for their gain rather than the good of all, and the people who are good people get eaten alive. Or worse, they become the thing they hate the most. This is a fact that House of the Dragon cruelly reminds us of in this week’s new episode with the arrival of the new Prince, Aegon

Aegon, Second of his Name

In the next of the show’s time skips, Kong Viserys has married Alicent as he said he would. What’s more, they now have an infant son, Aegon, and another child on the way. Everyone in court showers praise upon the Prince and act like he’s the second coming of his namesake.

Anyone who’s watched Game of Thrones long enough knows that most of this is empty flattery, trying to brown nose the King for favor. It gets to the point where even Rhaenyra’s sick of it.

Despite being made the heir, something that Viserys reminds her of, she never receives such praise, not that she wants it. Moreover, her relationship with her friend/mother-in-law, Alicent, has gotten much colder. She fears, rather rightfully, that Alicent’s children will supplant her as heir to the throne. Despite Alicent dismissing that for the moment, Rhaenyra’s right. Already, Alicent’s father is scheming to make Aegon the future King. He’s trying to pull a Tywin Lannister centuries before Tywin is born.

The Lannisters are Back

As for the Lannisters, they make their formal return in Jason Lannister, ancestor to the family we see in the show. He tries to make a marriage proposal to Rhaenyra, but arrogance must run in the Lannisters because he comes off like a self-entitled jerk. Rhaenyra flatly turns him down.

This won’t be the end to her problems, though. Now that Rhaenyra’s old enough to marry, her Dad’s been getting marriage proposals from all over. Most of them are from people who want to use her for her power, something she doesn’t want, and prompts her to run off into the Kingswood with Ser Criston Cole while the court is on this big hunt for Aegon’s birthday. Not that anyone can blame her, though. At one point, Otto Hightower suggests marrying her to her infant half-brother, Prince Aegon! Political machinations aside, how disgusting is that, marrying her to a two-year-old?

Rhaenyra+Criston Cole?

I may not be as familiar with the prequel to Game of Thrones as I would like to be, but I know chemistry when I see it. And Rhaenyra and Ser Criston have a lot of chemistry. They talk to each other so casually, and they work well together. This is made more apparent when they end up saving each other from a wild boar. Then, as if to hammer home how she’s meant to be in charge, Rhaenyra finds the White Hart her father’s lord’s have been hunting, but lets it go. In her mind, this will solidify her as the rightful next ruler of the Seven Kingdoms…which only makes what will happen harder to watch.

Not that I care. I swore I wouldn’t get emotionally attached to the characters again.

Wrath of the Dragon

Meanwhile, Prince Daemon and House Velaryon have spent the time skip fighting in the Stepstones. Their opponent is the pirate prince of the Free Cities, the Crab Feeder. Despite having a dragon on their side in the form of Caraxes, though, they continue to lose the war. Then, word reaches Daemon that his brother’s sending them aid. Rather than be happy that his brother’s helping him, Daemon snaps.

What happens next is what we anime fans would call “Pulling a Vegeta.” Daemon pretends to surrender to the Crabfeeder, but it’s an obvious lie. Despite committing what would be considered a war crime (I.E. attacking while waving the white flag), Daemon’s plan works. With all their attention on him, the pirates fail to notice the Velaryon’s and Caraxes sneak up on him until it’s too late. In the second of the episode’s big battle scenes, the Westerosi forces massacre the pirates. As for Daemon, he single-handedly slays the Crabfeeder, leaving him the undisputed ruler of the Stepstones. And he intends to let all of Westeros know he’s in charge.

A Storm is Coming to Westeros

So, by the end of the episode, the cracks continue to grow in House Targaryen as Rhaenyra continues to get ignored. And now Daemon’s ruling over the islands of the Narrow Seas. As for me, I refuse to become emotionally invested in anyone in this show. That way, I won’t be upset when characters start dropping like flies. And drop they will.

Irritation at sychophant’s aside, House of the Dragon has done good so far. Whether they can keep it up for the rest of the series will be another matter entirely. They have a chance to redeem the mistakes of the final seasons of Game of Thrones. For HBO’s sake, they shouldn’t mess it up.

I Give “Second of His Name” a 4/5

House of the Dragon S1 Ep 2 Review

If you’ve seen Game of Thrones (or read a book on Medieval Europe), you’ll know there’s one constant. That constant being that the elites would rather have a man ruling than a woman. Not many women broke that glass ceiling in the days of old, and that number’s even fewer in Westeros. Fans remember how paranoid Daenerys became when she learned Jon Snow was a Targaryen, which helped lead to her fall. She had good reason to be paranoid, as she likely knew what her ancestor, Rhaenyra, dealt with in her time. As we see in the second episode of HOTD, that disrespect continues when King Viserys makes the biggest mistake of his life. 

Also, click here if you want to see my thoughts on the new intro.

Where’s Rhaenyra’s Respect?

So, six months have passed since the death of the Queen and Viserys decided to name Rhaenyra his heir. In a nicer world, that would be the end of matters. Since this is Westeros, though, it’s not, as the Small Council keeps pressuing King Viserys to take a new wife. They argue (as does Viserys later to his daughter) that this is so that their bloodline isn’t in danger of extinction. However, their motives couldn’t be more obvious. They still want the King to have a son who can inherit the Iron Throne in place of Rhaenyra. 

Much like most of Medieval Earth, Westeros remains stuck in this sexist mindset. They think that being a good ruler means being a man. Or, as Rhaenys tells her relative:

More than anything, the show hammers home that this mindset is a big part of the reason why things will go south for House Targaryen. Much of the Small Council ignores Rhaenyra and her sound advice. While using Dragons to intimidate the Free Cities of Essos might be a bit excessive, it’s an effective tactic, and Rhaenyra’s right to suggest it. Instead, she’s brushed off as the Small Council keeps scheming to manipulate King Viserys to take a new wife. 

Marriage in Westeros Stinks!

Since child-marriage laws don’t exist in Westeros, one candidate is Laena Velaryon. Like the Targaryen’s, the Velaryon’s are one of the few survivors from Old Valyria, so the match seems perfect. Except she’s twelve in the show. Even King Viserys isn’t comfortable with that. However, who he ends up choosing ends up sealing the fates of everyone involved in this era.

Meanwhile, Daemon’s squatting on Dragonstone and refuses to move out, despite his brother’s pleas and the Small Council’s demands. Things come to a head when he flat-out steals a dragon egg and says he’s going to take a second wife himself, purely to anger the people at King’s Landing. It works, too. Otto Hightower goes to confront him and demands he leave while giving back the egg.

Rhaenyra Has More Stones Than Most Men

How did it not occur to him that would be a bad idea, since Daemon has his own dragon, Caraxes? His stupidity almost gets him killed…until Rhaenyra pulls up and gets things done.

In one move that demonstrates that she deserves the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra makes her uncle back down by calling his bluff. He doesn’t act like it, but he does love his family; or at least his niece. Thus, he goes to vacate Dragonstone, and returns the egg.

What does Daenerys get for acting decisively? No recognition beyond a reprimand from her concerned father. While King Viserys has the right to scold her, he should also praise her for defusing the mess his Hand caused. Later, it doesn’t even appear that Otto feels grateful as he continues his schemes for power.

The Sound of Doom For All

And they work. King Viserys announces that he’s going to wed Otto’s daughter and Rhaenyra’s best friend, Alicent. It’s a move no one besides the Hightower’s are happy over. Corlys Velaryon, his master of ships and relative by marriage, walks out on the Small Council and decides to team up with Daemon to head to the Stepstones and clear out the pirates there.

So, by the end of this, King Viserys has let the Game of Thrones make him make what viewers know is a terrible mistake. By remarrying, he will have to have more children. And since one of them will be a son, that will put Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne in question. He’s undermining his own family’s power. 

The seeds are already sewn, though. The House of the Dragon’s going to go through its greatest crisis ever. And if you know the history of Westeros, then you know that it won’t end well for anyone. So, good going, King Viserys.

This is why I’m not trying to get attached to anyone in this show. 

I Give “The Rogue Prince” a 4/5