The new episode of House of the Dragon may just have convinced me to stick with the show a bit longer. After a pilot episode that tried too hard to align itself with its predecessor, including a reference to the White Walkers and Song of Ice and Fire (cue, eye-roll), the second episode felt more like the worthy successor of a show that held the world enthralled, despite a lack of blood and brutality (and the fact that it had to reuse the Game of Thrones theme music for the intro).
Why? Because this episode focused more on what made Game of Thrones such an incredible show in the first five seasons — interpersonal relationships and politics, whether it is between Houses, within Houses or outside Westeros.
Lays the groundwork for the politicking
The episode fast forwards six months from where it ended and opens with a (satisfyingly) grotesque scene where the flesh-eating crabs are crawling out of a man’s skull as the Crabfeeder (referenced in the first episode) goes about his business in the Step Stones. But it quickly returns to the Red Keep and stays there for the most of it — discussing, and therefore setting up, issues that will dictate the future trajectory of the show. Yes, there are a lot of meetings, and yes, they lack the sharpness, wit and eloquence of George RR Martin’s dialogues during similar meetings in Game of Thrones, but it lays the groundwork for the kind of politicking we can expect ahead.
Most of the episode — titled The Rogue Prince, though it hardly forwards Daemon Targaryen’s story — focuses on the issue of King Viserys’ remarriage, which as the King he is kind of expected to do to produce heirs, maybe male and heir to the throne, or female and a backup to Rhaenyra, in case something should happen to her. And as one can expect, there are many who would like to volunteer their daughters, including Corlys Valeryon, who wants a direct line to the Iron Throne.
Gives us a feel of the characters
But wait, how is it Westeros if there isn’t some ick factor?! So Corlys’ daughter turns out to be 12, who delivers a speech about bearing heirs taught by her father and the assurance from her mother that she wouldn’t have “to bed” Viserys till she is 14. Thank the Seven that Viserys is an honourable man and chooses not to marry Laena. But wait, he declares his intentions to marry a teenager instead, and that too his daughter’s best friend, Alicent Hightower.
And here is how the cards are laid by that one decision: Rhaenyra, who accepted her father’s duty to marry to produce heirs and Laena as a candidate, feels betrayed both by her father and her best friend; Corlys is angered and storms out of the Small Council meeting where the announcement is made and is soon joining hands with Daemon against the Free Nations to show their strength; it perhaps creates a chasm between Rhaenyra and Alicent, who, among other things like the sister-code, if she gives birth to a male child will be taking away Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne; Otto Hightower is smug that his machinations have paid off and given how skillfully he plays Viserys, he is sure to have a bigger hand (no pun intended) in how the Game of Heirs plays out.
In these one-on-one interactions, whether it is between Viserys and Alicent, Alicent and Rhaenyra, Viserys and Otto, and Otto and Rhaenyra, we get a feel for the characters and feel the first steps of being invested in them.
Three moments that stand out
For an episode that is mostly about marriage and politics there are three moments that stand out (which is two more than the first episode). One is the conversation between Viserys and Otto where the former tells his Hand of the proposal to marry Laena Valeryon. Otto masterfully handles Viserys by saying how he thinks that it is a strong match but subtly points out that he wouldn’t want to be in the King’s position where he has to bear the pain of marrying for duty. Otto (played wonderfully by Rhys Ifans) is giving off Littlefinger and Varys vibes. I can’t wait to see which way this goes.
The second standout moment is the face-off between Rhaenyra, the heir to the throne, and her aunt Rhaenys, the Queen that Never Was, as both watch Viserys walk with Laena in the gardens. Here are two women — one passed over for her male cousin and the other waiting for the day her claim to the throne is overthrown by a male heir — who know their place when it comes to their society but are unafraid to reclaim a little bit of their power when away from watchful male eyes.
The third is the stand-off between Daemon and Rhaenyra at Dragonstone. Daemon, who has grabbed the ancestral Targaryen home for himself with his army of Gold Cloaks, is probably bored at being ignored, so he steals a dragon egg and invites his brother Viserys to his wedding, with his second wife, who is expecting a child. The only reason Viserys agrees to let Otto go and take Daemon to task is because the egg he stole was the one that was chosen to be placed in the cradle of his son who died in childbirth.
While the exchange between Daemon and Otto feels underwhelming, the sudden appearance of Caraxes causes an ‘oh s**t!’ moment because the dragon could roast Otto and company with just a command. It is followed by a ‘hell yeah’ moment where the day, and the skins of many battle-hardened men, are saved by Rhaenyra riding in on Syrax. Does Daemon cave too soon? Totally. The scene could have done with a little more tension between Daemon and Rhaenyra. But it does give the necessary push towards wanting to root for the Girl with the Dragon (the real thing, not a tattoo) and is enough to make me want to tune in for the next episode of House of the Dragon.
