After that wrenchingly grim end to episode one, episode two, “Rhaenyra the Merciless,” is right here to remind us that each one actions have penalties—whereas additionally extolling the methods tragedy will be exploited in unexpectedly optimistic methods. However after all, even the best-laid plans can go awry on Home of the Dragon.
Within the aftermath of lil’ Jahaerys’ ugly homicide, the Pink Hold is stuffed with chaos—and none stronger than King Aegon II expressing his grief by smashing up the late King Viserys’ prized mannequin of King’s Touchdown. “I declare warfare!” he wails.
The search continues for the assassins, and Hand of the King Otto Hightower assures his daughter, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, “They’ll pay for this.” There’s no query Rhaenyra loyalists are responsible, however Alicent thinks possibly the gods are punishing her facet of the household—and, given the truth that she was having forbidden intercourse with Ser Criston Cole when her grandson was killed, even perhaps punishing her particularly. However Otto’s mind is already miles down the observe. “Some good could come of this,” he tells his daughter, and we’ll see what he means quickly sufficient.
In an emergency Small Council assembly, Aegon continues his tantrum; when he asks Cole what he was doing when his son was focused (slightly than, um, his job of defending the royals from issues like assassinations), we see Alicent flinch, her guilt ever extra palpable. The king is busily calling Rhaenyra “the Bitch Queen of Bastards” and “the Smug Cunt of Dragonstone” when Lord Larys Sturdy enters and calmly pronounces they’ve captured a gold cloak making an attempt to flee with a toddler’s head in tow. Aegon’s in favor of killing the person ASAP, however others advise him to see what different info is likely to be extracted first. Everybody is aware of Crew Black is behind this, however maybe they’d assist from somebody contained in the Pink Hold?
Otto has one other level to make, following up on what he mentioned to Alicent earlier: there’s a chance for spin right here. In the event that they blame Rhaenyra outright for the hideous killing of a kid, and maintain a extremely public funeral procession so all of the smallfolk can see the kid’s mangled corpse up shut, they’ll achieve sympathy for Crew Inexperienced and Aegon’s declare on the Iron Throne. “I cannot have him die in useless,” Otto says, however his true grasp of the scenario is unmistakable: “Jaehaerys will do extra for us now than a thousand knights in battle.”
And there’s extra: “The realm should see the sorrow of the crown,” Otto insists, which means that Alicent (who’s reluctant) and Queen Heleana (who’s repulsed by the concept) should trip within the procession. (When Alicent imparts this order to her daughter, she tentatively brings up the truth that Heleana caught Alicent and Cole in mattress collectively–however Heleana ignores her.) Within the dungeon, Larys and firm are getting ready to torture the gold cloak for info, however it’s not essential: “Daemon employed me,” he blurts out, and sputters that an unnamed ratcatcher helped him. From the shadows, a seething Aegon steps into the cell to work out his anger.
In the meantime, within the streets of King’s Touchdown, the gloomy procession begins; “Behold the work of Rhaenyra Targaryen,” an announcer bellows because the wagon rolls by means of. It’s an open coffin and you may see that Jahaerys’s tiny head has been stitched again onto his physique, Frankenstein-style. The smallfolk are aghast—and so is Rhaenyra herself, again on Dragonstone, when she learns what’s occurred. As a mom who’s not too long ago misplaced her personal son, she’s sorry to listen to concerning the boy’s loss of life, certain, however the brewing PR catastrophe can also be a giant concern. “And they’re accusing me of getting a hand on this?” she wonders, whereas figuring out in her head what should have occurred.
Later, when she’s alone with Daemon, she asks him “Did you ship assassins to homicide kids of their beds?” He corrects her; he despatched “the Queen’s vengeance for her son,” and his directions have been to kill Aemond, not Jaehaerys or anybody else. She then comes out with what she’s actually considering. She doesn’t belief him. He’s egocentric. He’s all the time been egocentric. And now, “you’ve used me as a instrument with which to know at your individual stolen inheritance.” He bites again as she questions his loyalty and motivations, they usually do not half on good phrases as he flies off to Harrenhal, tasked with serving to increase a military for Crew Black. “He should observe his personal path,” she says—ostensibly chatting with her stepdaughter, Baela, but additionally reminding herself in the identical breath.
There’s a melancholy interlude as we see servants dismantling Jaehaerys’ tiny mattress within the Pink Hold—whereas on Dragonstone, Rhaenyra performs together with her personal youthful kids, who’re as white-blonde as Jaehaerys was. Within the doorway to her bed room, Alicent asks Cole “Have you ever informed anybody?” (clearly, he hasn’t), and she or he shuts the door on him earlier than taking one other contemplative bathtub… this time sliding beneath the waterline to carry her breath for a worrisome period of time.
A stressed Cole stalks across the citadel, searching for somebody to soak up his frustration, and finds Ser Arryck eating after a protracted shift. Cole criticizes his subordinate’s muddy cloak, then unleashes his actual fireplace: “The place have been you when Jaehaerys was murdered?” Arryck says he was guarding King Aemon within the throne room, truly, then asks “The place have been you, Lord Commander?” It will get snippier. Cole brings up Arryck’s disloyal twin, twisting the knife very similar to Daemon did to Ser Erryck in final week’s episode. “You’ve gotten introduced shame upon our ranks. And now you could restore it,” Cole snaps, chatting with himself as a lot as to Arryck. Then he orders him to go to Dragonstone, sneak in by pretending to be his an identical brother, and get payback by killing Rhaenyra.
In a King’s Touchdown pleasure home, Aemond is having a mope about it with a sympathetic intercourse employee he apparently pays to cradle him like a child. “Daemon despatched them to kill me,” he worries, however he’s additionally happy by the concept that he’s threatening sufficient to be made a goal. “I do remorse that enterprise with Luke. I misplaced my mood that day,” he admits to her, referring to what occurred within the season one finale. She’s an older lady who’s clearly an everyday service supplier for him, and she or he’s snug sufficient with him to impart an essential little bit of fact: “When princes lose their tempter, ‘tis typically others that suffer… the smallfolk, like me.”
Whether or not this sense of guilt or these very smart phrases about gazing past one’s personal royal navel make a distinction or not is but to be seen, however Home of the Dragon underlines its rising theme concerning the struggles of the smallfolk by shifting scenes. We’re in an unfamiliar location for Westeros: a peasant household’s residence, particularly Hugh, an iron employee we noticed in final week’s episode petitioning King Aegon for his long-overdue pay. Hugh and his spouse have a sick little one and rising worries about discovering sufficient meals to eat. He’s nonetheless hopeful the king will make good, however she’s rightfully afraid for the longer term.
In the meantime, on Driftmark’s docks, brothers reunite: Alyn of Hull, who we met final week, and the youthful Addam. They share a giant hug and a fast catch-up chat through which Addam encourages Alyn to lean into Lord Corlys’ good graces; the Sea Snake does owe him for saving his life, in spite of everything. “To serve with the Sea Snake is to make your fortune,” Addam enthuses, however Alyn’s preoccupied along with his issues concerning the upcoming warfare. A bit later, there’s an interlude—brief, however price noting—the place we see Addam on the seaside, digging for crabs. All of the sudden he seems to be up as a dragon swoops overhead. On a present like Home of the Dragon the place each minute counts and each look is stuffed with which means, this certain looks like foreshadowing.
Of their citadel close by, Corlys and Rhaenys lie in mattress discussing their worries about Daemon’s habits and whether or not or not they will belief him. “We is not going to let the Queen falter,” Rhaenys says, as we reduce to Rhaenyra assembly with Mysaria, who’s nonetheless imprisoned at Dragonstone. First, she grills her about what position she performed in Jaehaerys’ loss of life; very similar to she did with Daemon, Mysaria insists her involvement was solely about getting paid—and it takes a beat earlier than Rhaenyra remembers assembly her earlier than. (In season one, Daemon pretended he was going to take her as a second spouse—and claimed she was pregnant along with his little one—with out correctly letting her in on the ruse.) As the girl share an unstated second crammed with their mutual Daemon annoyance, Mysaria explains that each one she needs is for Rhaenyra to honor Daemon’s phrase and set her free. She has no ulterior motives. She’s solely fascinated by her personal survival.
“I used to be delivered to Westeros with nothing,” she begins, then explains that she did what she needed to do to earn a dwelling—together with studying to be a really astute listener. “For too lengthy I made it my goal to be of consequence. However now I see that was the want of a kid. Daemon, Otto Hightower—makes no distinction. They’ll by no means settle for me. I would as properly have remained a whore,” Misarya says. Although she comes from very completely different circumstances, Rhaenyra is aware of the way it feels to not be accepted by highly effective males, and the speech offers her pause.
In King’s Touchdown, we get one other second that illustrates the theme of “smallfolk are rising bored with being handled like rubbish.” Exterior the Pink Hold, there’s an alarmingly massive variety of hanged males; it appears all of the ratcatchers within the king’s make use of have been exterminated, to verify the one man (who we see amongst their numbers) that aided within the younger prince’s loss of life is taken out. A mom seems to be up and wails: “My son!” A son for a son… for a son. And so it goes in Westeros.
Up within the Pink Hold, Otto is, but once more, very displeased with this show and confronts King Aegon about it. Actually, he screams “IDIOT!” at him. It’s the episode’s second PR catastrophe, this time on the opposite facet of issues: “Together with your little one’s blood, we purchased their approval. Together with your mom’s tears we made a bitter sacrifice in opposition to the deprivations to return. And also you’ve thrown it away.” Aegon, bitchy as ever, says “I want to spill blood!” He needs to take motion! Cole takes motion! It’s right here that Otto learns Cole determined to ship Ser Arryck to homicide Rhaenyra. “It’s time the bitch queen paid a worth,” Cole provides unhelpfully.
Otto is apoplectic. “As a substitute of judgment, you show impetuousness and diminish us within the eyes of our enemy,” he thunders, then sadly realizes how a lot he misses King Viserys—who would by no means, ever have let one thing like “Fuck dignity, I would like revenge!” slip from his lips. It’s an unpleasant scene, and it will get worse when Aegon orders Otto to take away his badge and, seemingly spontaneously, decides that Ser Criston Cole, the one different individual within the room, ought to grow to be Hand of the King as a substitute. “You. Will. Remorse. This,” Otto guarantees, talking slowly so even an fool like his grandson can perceive. And we imagine him!
Again on Dragonstone, Rhaenyra summons Ser Erryck and tells him Mysaria is free to go—she’ll simply want somebody to take her to the shore and put her on a departing ship, pronto. Rhaenyra doesn’t need her hanging round stirring up any extra bother in Westeros. Mysaria is grateful, however as she’s heading to the boat, she does a double take. There’s a knight with an awfully acquainted face—one she’s simply seen within the citadel, actually—heading up the trail from the ocean. She tells her escort to carry up a second.
Even with Mysaria recognizing the invader, the ruse nearly works. Arryck bluffs method by means of the citadel and proper into Rhaenyra’s chambers. Similar to final week’s Home of the Dragon, we observe an murderer creeping up on their goal and an terrible anticipation builds—however this time, issues finish in another way. Simply as Rhaenyra’s about to satisfy the fallacious finish of a sword, Erryck bursts in and there’s an epic battle between the brothers. No one watching can inform who’s who, least of all us viewers at residence, however it doesn’t matter… as a result of when one lastly dies, the opposite dramatically falls on his personal sword in anguish. Each twins are lifeless.
Again in King’s Touchdown, Otto is blowing off steam to Alicent. “Aegon have to be stored in examine,” Otto warns. Solely, Grandpa’s not the one to do it anymore. He’s leaving King’s Touchdown, certain for the Hightower stronghold of Oldtown, the place Alicent’s third son (drink for those who forgot there was one other one) lives. Alicent asks him to go to Highgarden as a substitute and persuade the Tyrells to hitch their trigger. She additionally thinks Aegon will quickly change his thoughts, and can ultimately need Otto again as Hand. It’s not clear what Otto’s going to do, however he reassures Alicent he nonetheless believes peace is feasible, “so long as you and I maintain quick.”
Alicent is itching to dump her huge secret, and whispers “I’ve sinned.” His response: “I don’t want to hear of it.” There’ll be no straightforward absolution right here; no fatherly consolation past issues pertaining to the realm. When she leaves the room, she hears sobbing, and realizes it’s Aegon, sitting by himself, overcome with emotion. As a result of his son is lifeless? As a result of he fired his grandfather? As a result of he is aware of what Otto mentioned to him is true? As a result of he realizes he sucks as king? We don’t know, as a result of Alicent takes within the scene, and turns and leaves with out doing something about it. As a substitute, she goes to her bed room… the place Ser Criston Cole is ready. She slaps him, she shoves him, after which… the sinning recommences.
New episodes of Home of the Dragon arrive Sundays on HBO and Max.
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