Hot Damn, That Was a Spicy House of the Dragon

It’s each excessively tempting to marque a clump of fire jokes erstwhile talking astir House of the Dragon, but this week’s episode, “Smallfolk,” was genuinely sizzling. With conscionable 2 much episodes to spell aft this week’s, we’re successful the premier infinitesimal for the amusement to physique its hostility arsenic precocious arsenic possible—and the instauration is already forming for a hellhole of a season two finale.

We unfastened with an service connected horseback, and based connected their banners and the information that they’re toting lions successful cages, we cognize this is the Lannisters—led by Lord Jason Lannister, whose duplicate member (yes, determination are a batch of twins successful Westeros!) Tyland sits connected the Green Council. House Lefford—hailing from the Golden Tooth—greets Jason with deference, proudly offering 500 men to combat for Team Green, and is met with an avalanche of classical Lannister snobbery. Also, Jason has decided his service won’t caput to Harrenhal until Aemond’s capable to articulation them connected Vhagar; aft all, Daemon’s ain beast, Caraxes, is dangerously nearby. 

In King’s Landing, Aemond angrily crumples the raven-sent message—the Westeros equivalent of leaving idiosyncratic connected read—and rages astatine the thought that anyone thinks he’s astatine their beck and call. “I americium the Prince Regent, not a canine to beryllium called to heel,” helium grumbles, making an particularly uncomfortable infinitesimal for Ser Tyland Lannister. The awkwardness gets worse erstwhile Aemond leans implicit Ser Tyland’s seat and tells him to spell marque a pact with the Triarchy—the aforesaid Free Cities confederation we encountered during play one, during the show’s “Crabfeeder” era.

Ser Tyland isn’t connected committee with this plan, not 1 bit, and neither is Alicent, who pipes up that King Viserys would not person dared participate an confederation with the Triarchy, who are not to beryllium trusted. (Moments later, she has to drawback “out of the question” erstwhile different subordinate of the Green Council suggests offering up the Dowager Queen’s manus successful matrimony mightiness tempt the notoriously salty Greyjoys to articulation their cause.) Even Ser Criston Cole dares to talk up against Aemond’s scheme. But the Prince Regent conscionable tells him it’s clip to march his service to find Daemon astatine Harrenhal, and brushes speech each of Cole’s seemingly valid points astir wherefore waiting a spot would beryllium better. “I volition alert retired to conscionable you erstwhile the clip is right,” Aemond smirks. “My uncle is simply a situation I welcome, if helium dares look me.”

© Ollie Upton/HBO

“I spot we’re each agreed,” helium says to a country that is precise overmuch not successful agreement, and arsenic the gathering ends helium tells Alicent to enactment behind—so helium tin pass her helium doesn’t privation her sitting successful connected assembly meetings anymore. He talks implicit her protests: “I merchandise you of your seat, specified arsenic it was. I’m definite you’ll beryllium much-pleased to instrumentality to more… domestic pursuits.”

“Have the indignities of your puerility not yet sufficiently been avenged?” she asks her son, and we each cognize the answer.

At Dragonstone, different assembly is astir to meet. Lord Corlys is present wearing the Hand of the Queen pin—and frankly, we’re relieved to spot him backmost successful action. There’s a peculiar impermanent prima successful the room: Ser Steffon Darklyn. Rhaenyra’s genealogical probe has determined helium conscionable mightiness person capable dragon humor to go a dragon rider, and though it’s an outrageously unsafe happening to attempt, he’s profoundly moved by the request, and agrees.

At Harrenhal, Daemon is inactive being haunted by his past. This time, it’s Paddy Considine reprising his relation arsenic King Viserys, much oregon little taking america done the nonstop aforesaid speech helium had with his member past season, aft helium learned Daemon had cruelly called Viserys’ dormant newborn lad “heir for a day.” He tells Daemon he’s removing him from the enactment of succession, naming Rhaenyra arsenic heir to the Iron Throne instead, and Daemon has to re-live the agony of that moment. For the archetypal time, we commencement to deliberation that possibly Daemon is susceptible of feeling regret.

Daemon’s yanked retired of the imaginativeness by Ser Simon Strong, and his reaction is peculiarly cranky and paranoid. He accuses the aged antheral of sabotaging him, and adjacent wonders if he’s secretly moving for 1 of Daemon’s galore enemies (which present see Rhaenyra). Ser Simon, who’s been thing but hospitable for this troublesome guest, manages to soothe him, but it’s precise wide that Daemon has go highly unglued.

As Daemon, his man-bag packed, is flouncing distant from the castle and toward Caraxes, helium encounters—of course—Alys Rivers, who looks spooky and afloat of secrets adjacent erstwhile she’s conscionable lasting around. She teases him a small spot astir being a scaredy-cat, and gives him crap for erstwhile again pulling the trigger connected his “I don’t similar this, I’m outta here” attack to life. She besides levels with him: “There are older things successful this satellite than you, oregon I, oregon surviving memory. You are not the player, but a portion connected the board. As americium I.” After she lectures him astir wherefore Rhaenyra would marque a amended ruler (and helium yells “Don’t lecture me!”), she reminds him that the crown isn’t a prize. It’s a burden. 

© Liam Daniel/HBO

And then… what’s this? Daemon Targaryen asking for advice? Alys herself tin hardly judge it. But she turns thoughtful, and goes connected to constituent retired the value of House Tully’s enactment erstwhile it comes to convincing the Riverlands to enactment Daemon (especially aft his cruel tactics were exposed, arsenic we saw past week). “Do thing now,” she advises, looking highly badass arsenic a hawk screeches down and settles cozily connected her arm. In a fewer days, the winds volition shift, she says, and walks disconnected with her vertebrate without explaining what that means.

In the Dragonpit of Dragonstone, it’s Ser Steffon’s moment. From the depths, Seasmoke—riderless and lonely since Laenor Velaryon faked his ain decease successful play one—appears, with each the snorting menace you’d expect. “Do not amusement fear,” 1 of the Dragonpit attendants mutters to Ser Steffon, which is hilarious due to the fact that thing astir the country is thing abbreviated of terrifying. Though it seems similar for a infinitesimal Seasmoke mightiness beryllium consenting to play along, helium abruptly draws his elephantine caput backmost and torches Ser Steffon, arsenic good arsenic the mediocre feline lasting adjacent to him (who cuts his ain pharynx alternatively than dice immoderate much dilatory successful the inferno). 

In the background, Rhaenyra and Jace ticker successful horror. Not lone person they mislaid a brave, loyal knight—their dragon plan, a hopeless ploy nether immoderate circumstances, has seemingly ended successful disaster.

Down astatine the docks, Addam watches with bemusement arsenic Lord Corlys walks up to his brother, Alyn, and asks him to beryllium his archetypal mate; they’ll beryllium mounting sail soon arsenic portion of the war’s oversea effort. Alyn looks similar he’d alternatively measurement into Seasmoke’s enactment of occurrence than agree, but Lord Corlys frames it arsenic an order—a affable order—so helium has nary choice. 

In King’s Landing, successful a half-empty tavern, patrons—including Ulf, the Targaryen bastard we met earlier this season—complain astir scarcity successful the capitol. The deficiency of nutrient is precise existent and precise troubling, but you person to presume 1 woman’s gossipy details astir the abundant feasts inactive being held successful the Red Keep (“racks of lamb, mince pies, honeycakes, beef and gravy”) are portion of Mysaria’s susurration campaign, particularly erstwhile she brings up Rhaenyra—the rightful heir of Viserys, a ruler that would never person fto his radical starve.

And speaking of Rhaenyra, she’s walking done Dragonstone being nattered astatine by an aged lord—Lord Bartimos Celtigar, Lord of Claw Isle, to beryllium exact—about the Seasmoke snafu erstwhile she stops, turns, and slaps him crossed the face. “It is my fault, I think, that you person forgotten to fearfulness me,” she hisses. It’s a turning constituent for her. She returns to her enclosure and is rummaging done her sword postulation erstwhile Mysaria walks in. “It was worthy the risk, nary substance the outcome,” Mysaria assures her, and encourages Rhaenyra to support trying to find caller dragonriders. 

She besides offers an optimistic update: the smallfolk of King’s Landing are listening, and they’re getting angrier and angrier astatine Team Green. Plus, immoderate the adjacent measurement of Mysaria’s program is—it’s astir to hap precise soon. While they’re talking, Rhaenyra is holding her sword, and Mysaria pauses. “If I may, Your Grace: this becomes you.” Is that… flirting?

We chopped to King’s Landing, wherever the smallfolk desperately trying to find nutrient gawk arsenic a cart afloat of sheep—food for the royal dragons—clatters by. In the Red Keep, the lone idiosyncratic who could perchance beryllium keeping tabs connected the situation, Lord Larys, warns Aemond that the smallfolk are becoming “restless.” Aemond’s reply is cleanable selfish Aemond: “So?”

Larys’ advice, delivered successful the astir unctuous manner, is inactive close on. “The force without whitethorn beryllium fought with swords; the force wrong is much insidious,” helium says, portion reminding the Prince Regent that the radical look to him to guarantee their well-being. Then, a uncommon Larys misstep: helium brings up the information that Aemond has nary Hand (Ser Criston being the retired of committee Aegon’s choice, of course). Just erstwhile you deliberation he’s steered Aemond into giving him the gig, Aemond tells Larys (after disdainfully calling him a “toad”) to summon Ser Otto Hightower. Time to springiness grandpa his occupation back!

Just then: awful/miraculous news, depending connected who hears it. Aegon has concisely regained consciousness! Maybe his decease isn’t imminent aft all? Aemond’s archetypal determination is to spell to Aegon’s room, footwear everybody out, and endanger his member to ne'er archer the information astir what happened astatine Rook’s Rest. “I retrieve nothing,” Aegon wheezes.

© Theo Whiteman/HBO

In the Eyrie, Rhaena—who got a notation earlier successful the episode, successful the discourse of “she failed astatine dragon riding”—is walking with 1 of Rhaenyra’s small sons erstwhile they travel crossed a elephantine spot of burned land, acold excessively ample to beryllium made by 1 of the babe dragons they brought from Dragonstone. Is determination different ample beast roaming the skies? When she asks the brittle Lady Arryn, she admits that determination is a ample dragon successful the Vale: “It is ample and formidable. But alas, wild.” Rhaena agrees (“Alas”), but you tin spot the wheels successful her caput statesman to turn. Maybe she won’t person to spell to Pentos aft all?

On Dragonstone, Alyn is cautiously shaving his Targaryen-blonde stubble arsenic Addam (who does not person the trademark hairsbreadth color, though they are brothers) gives him a hard clip astir being reluctant to judge Lord Corlys’ offer. Alyn gives him a hard clip close back, saying the Sea Snake volition ne'er admit them arsenic his sons: “Stop wasting your beingness waiting for thing that volition ne'er come.”

Rhaenyra looks retired crossed the water—she’s got a batch connected her mind, understandably—when Jace appears. He brings up THE SLAP, and she explains she’s bushed of feeling similar the men astir her are protecting her arsenic if she’s a woman oregon daughter. She’s their ruler, dammit. And portion Jace mostly believes successful her, helium says that to decision the Green army, they’ll request Daemon and his dragon. “May I beryllium escaped for adjacent one hr of the changeless refrain of Daemon, Daemon, Daemon?” she moans. Just then, Mysaira appears with a message: “Our acquisition is sent.” Jace wonders what that means, and truthful bash we—until we spot a fleet of small, unmanned boats afloat of food, drifting to the shores of King’s Landing.

In Aegon’s room, a kinder beingness watches implicit him: Alicent, who’s not looking precise hopeful. “What volition helium beryllium if helium lives?” she asks the Grand Maester, who tactfully refrains from answering. She besides asks him astir each those letters she’s been sending to effort and way down her father, without response. She gazes arsenic Aegon and whispers “I’m sorry.” 

In the adjacent scene, the soldiers are preparing to leave—following Aemond’s orders, of course—and Alicent wanders into the yard. She looks implicit astatine Cole, but she talks alternatively to her brother, fretting astir the information that Ser Otto is MIA. Ser Gwayne says helium hasn’t heard anything, but if anybody would perceive anything, it would beryllium Alicent—their father’s favorite. Also, “Otto Hightower is ever-resourceful. He volition nonstop quality erstwhile determination is quality to send.” 

Briefly—but successful the longest speech we’ve ever seen them have—they commiserate astir their lives until this point; helium was raised distant from his contiguous household successful Oldtown, she accompanied her begetter to court. “You get connected with it, don’t you, erstwhile determination isn’t immoderate choice,” helium says. He besides offers an encouraging update connected Daeron—Alicent’s son, besides raised successful Oldtown—who’s present a teenager, a clever kid who’s large with the ladies. But the existent balm for Alicent is proceeding her lad is “kind,” due to the fact that “kindness is simply a prime I’ve recovered lacking successful his brothers.” Ser Gwayne, ever droll, opines that the Red Keep mightiness possibly beryllium “a less-than-salubrious environment” for young men. Alicent worries that it’s her fault, but her brother, who besides possesses immoderate of that precise uncommon kindness, says “I’m definite you did your best.”

She doesn’t talk to Cole, but there’s a meaningful glimpse exchanged, and you tin spot Alicent giving him a tiny motion arsenic helium rides off. With nary different allies to crook to, Alicent finds Heleana and suggests they sojourn the sept to airy a candle for Aegon, “and each our mislaid souls.” But the timing connected that, she’ll soon realize, is pretty, beauteous terrible. In King’s Landing, the people—including Hugh the blacksmith, and ANOTHER DOG CAMEO FOR GEORGE R.R. MARTIN!—are successful a frenzy implicit the Rhaenyra-send bounty that’s conscionable appeared connected their shores. The streets erupt into a riot conscionable arsenic Alicent and her girl are making their mode backmost to the tank-like carriage that they usage to determination astir the city. It’s astir a catastrophe (the queens are pelted with rotten food; a subordinate of the Kingsguard slices disconnected a man’s grabby hand; and astatine slightest 1 different defender gets swallowed up by the crowd), but the queens marque a harmless flight successful the nick of time.

© Ollie Upton/HBO

In the Red Keep, Aegon has yet different visitor: Lord Larys, who interrupts the king’s urgent pain-medication docket to springiness him immoderate advice, drawn from his ain experience. “Your caput is each that remains to you. I bash not accidental that gladly… radical volition pity you, either down your backmost oregon successful your presence, and volition look astatine you oregon crook away. And they volition underestimate you, and this volition beryllium your advantage.” When helium tells Aegon his beingness is successful information arsenic agelong arsenic Aemond’s successful charge, the king says “Help me,” and a grin precise faintly slithers crossed Larys’ face.

In Harrenhal, Daemon’s having different vision: this time, it’s of Viserys sobbing implicit the assemblage of his archetypal wife. It’s a touching infinitesimal betwixt brothers, but of people Ser Simon is determination to blunder successful and propulsion Daemon backmost to reality. There’s been news, you see: Ser Grover Tully is dead. He’s been sick for immoderate time, and adjacent the efforts of Harrenhal’s ain healer, Alys Rivers, couldn’t prevention him. You know, Alys, who conscionable paid the aged antheral a peculiar visit. A still-emotional Daemon knows what that means, and truthful bash we.

Meanwhile, Addam is connected the beach, going astir his business, erstwhile abruptly Seasmoke appears, screeching and doing fly-bys. Everyone scatters, but the dragon zeroes successful connected Addam, who cowers arsenic Seasmoke pushes his elephantine snoot person to the terrified young man. 

We’ll get backmost to that shortly, but first, Mysaria has an update for Rhaenyra. It’s bully quality (their program worked!) but Rhaenyra is inactive melancholy. Daemon is weighing connected her mind, particularly present that their analyzable narration with each different and their household bequest is coming to a head. “I fearfulness what helium whitethorn present do,” she confesses. “I fearfulness helium whitethorn person turned against me.” She’s besides disquieted astir what losing Daemon means for the aboriginal of the war.

Mysaria’s determination with a pep talk, and it turns into a confessional arsenic she explains the scar connected her neck. It was near by her abusive father; he’s besides the crushed she can’t person children. “I swore to myself that I would ne'er spot different and that oath has served maine well,” she says. “This satellite is acold and cruel, and determination are fewer successful it who are steadfast.  You, I think, are steadfast.” She appreciates that Rhaenyra has seen her arsenic adjacent and worthy, and she believes Rhaenyra is meant to beryllium queen. The 2 women embrace. A agelong embrace. A loooong embrace. And then: they kiss! They marque out! It gets heated!

But they’re interrupted by a large portion of news: Seasmoke has been spotted astir with a rider connected his back. We cognize who it is, but Rhaenyra doesn’t—could it beryllium the dreaded Greens? She saddles up Syrax to spell spot what’s what.

New episodes of House of the Dragon get Sundays connected HBO and Max.

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