They were happy . For one unexpected , shining moment , the extendedTargaryenfamily subsist as one House , together , the past times at least temporarily forgotten . And then the consequence terminate .
“ The Lord of the Tides ” is a mostly excellent sequence ofHouse of the Dragon , but it ’s also a lot . To begin with , it takes place after the second of the first season ’s twotime - startle . It ’s been six old age since last week ’s “ Driftmark , ” and while Rhaenyra ( Emma D’Arcy ) , Alicent ( Olivia Cooke ) , Viserys ( Paddy Considine ) , andDaemon(Matt Smith ) are all played by the same adult player , their kid have maturate up . Rhaenyra ’s Word Jacerys ( Harry Collett ) and Lucerys ( Elliot Grihault ) are mid - teens , with Joffrey not far behind ; to boot , Rhaenyra has two sons by Daemon , with a third child on the way . Viserys and Alicent ’s kids Aegon ( Tom Glynn - Carney ) and Aemond ( Ewan Mitchell ) are either late teens or extremely early XX , which will make them powerful adversaries for their nephews / cousins . ( Let ’s not take too close a expression at the Targaryen family tree . )
Despite the fourth dimension - saltation and slew of new worker , “ The Lord of the Tides ” is primarily relate with the same issue that hassle everyone last week : Who will be the next Lord of Driftmark ? Technically , it should be Lucerys , as the second Logos of Rhaenyra and Laenor ( Jacaerys will be busybodied being the Prince of Westeros ) . However , Corlys “ The Sea Snake ” Velaryon ( an absent Steve Toussaint ) has been badly bruise in the struggle for the Stepstones , perhaps mortally , and his crony Vaemond ( Wil Johnson ) impound the chance to take the deed for himself — less , it seems , in a catch for power as much as it is to keep Velaryon roue on the Driftwood Throne . Unlike so many others , he ’s done pretending Laenor fathered anybody , countenance alone Rhaenyra ’s children .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
The only grounds Vaemond feels gift to push the normal line of succession is because Viserys has become so inauspicious over the step in years he ’s sick-abed and invariably drinking milk of the poppy for his hurting , leaving Queen Regent Alicent and her father , Hand of the King Otto Hightower ( Rhys Ifans ) , to rule in his stead . They , of course , have everything to gain by giving Driftmark to Vaemond , since it will delegitimize Rhaenyra ’s tyke and her claim to the crapper , thus pave the way for Alicent ’s eldest Word Aegon to become king .
So everyone has to return to King ’s Landing to argue about who will be named the next Lord of the Tides . Upon arriving , Rhaenyra is perturbed to find the Red Keep ’s Targaryen heraldry missing , interchange with the spiritual star of the Seven … whose symbol also hangs conspicuously around Alicent ’s cervix . But far more disturbing is the sight of Viserys . He looks like a pest victim , half of his fount covered in patch , his hide pasty and hurt , scantily capable to take a breather , and clearly in constant pain . Daemon can barely look at what his brother has become .
Alicent , on the other hand , has no problem confronting her first - born son Aegon after fall upon he ’s raped a serving amah in a harrowing but thankfully non - graphic panorama ( we ’ll verbalize more of this below ) . She slap him and hissing that he ’s no son of hers , but then continues her agenda of getting him on the Iron Throne rather of Rhaenyra . Aegon is even more of a lush than his young avatar , and apparently a hedonist with no interest other than gormandise his own pleasures , no matter the cost to anyone else . He ’ll be a terrible king , and Alicent do it it .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
How ’s Aemond doing , then ? We gather him in the training grounds , slam dance Criston Cole in a swordfight . Seemingly gone is the pertinacious , quiet boy we saw last week ; instead , Ewan Mitchell puts a wild , mischievous glimmer in his heart as if he ’s looking for problem , or looking to make trouble . It ’s incredibly evocative of the younger Daemon from the beginning of the series , and I guess it ’s knowing . He ’s certainly far more redoubtable than his other blood brother in both the brains and brawn department , and capable of far more destruction , as we ’ll see . He also smile when the angry Vaemond come , know that topsy-turvydom is on the way .
The wild wag is Rhaenys ( Eve Best ) , Corlys ’ married woman , the Queen Who Never Was , who convey her desire to have her late daughter Laena ’s children inherit Driftmark last instalment . Since Rhaenys is still under the impression Daemon and Rhaenyra killed her son Laenor , she has no reason to do Rhaenyra any favor … until the Queen - to - be paint a picture her sons , Jace and Luce , marry the two daughter of Laena , Baela ( Bethany Antonia ) and Rhaena ( Phoebe Campbell ) , which would get honest Velaryon blood on the Iron Throne , just has always Corlys desired .
It ’s a cute programme , but it ’s pure desperation when Rhaenyra pass to her Church Father ’s side that night before the claim are heard . She ask if Aegon the Conquerer ’s “ Song of Ice and Fire , ” the threat from the north that could engulf the world if the Targaryens are n’t there to top humanness into conflict , is real . “ But by naming me the heir you ’ve divide the realm ! ” Rhaenyra cries , beg him to hold her and her son ’s claim yet again .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
The next daybreak , as the bells peal over the metropolis — not King ’s Landing , but Viserys ’ model city , in a rattling touch — Vaemond angrily presents his claim to Otto Hightower to be the Lord of the Tides should Corlys croak ( or have died of his wounds on the way home ) . Vaemond stresses the grandness of continue Velaryon profligate on the Driftwood throne , saying Rhaenerya ’s kids are n’t Laenor ’s without state it out loud . As Rhaenyra begin her supplication , she ’s right away interrupted by the pot room room access opening , something I was trusted was a ploy by Alicent and Otto . But no .
It ’s King Viserys . He ’s almost completely dented over , but he ’s walk . He ’s hobbling so slowly , but he ’s doing it under his own tycoon . Half of his face lie behind a golden mask . He shrug forth help as he edge his way to his Iron Throne and the music swell and it ’s a toppingly powerful moment to see Viserys return to his seat of business leader , and it ’s even more emotional when Daemon is the one who helps his ailing pal those last few step to the throne . Finally , the King has returned , and he vocalise regal and commanding to everyone ’s shock , pronounce he does n’t understand what the job is because this was finalise long ago : Laenor and Rhaenyra ’s second son Lucerys will be the Lord of Driftmark .
As the someone closest to the current Lord , Rhaenys , Viserys ask his cousin what Corlys want and she puts it plain as Clarence Day : Lucerys . And Rhaenys does n’t betray to mention the plan union between her granddaughter and Rhaenyra ’s sons . It ’s such an immensely satisfying moment , and not because Alicent and Otto are thwarted ; it ’s majuscule to see Viserys , as decrepit as he is , return as a simulacrum of the good - hearted , and mostly firm leader from the commencement of the serial . He ’s been in perpetual declination throughout the show , both in sanction and physically , and everyone make love a retort .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
Well , everyone but Vaemond . “ I will not allow it ! ” he squall , practically hold state of war against the crest . He breaks the tabu and calls Rhaenyra ’s children bastards , to the shock of everyone , and the fad of Viserys , who desire Vaemond ’s tongue . Then Vaemond take in it even further when he engage eyes with Rhaenyra and calls her a whore , aright before Daemon slices the top half of Vaemond ‘s head off , just about the jaw . It ’s incredibly gory , but it does offer the welfare that literally anyone can strain down , grab that tongue , and pull it right out .
This act of violence , preceded by vile insults , and intense political maneuvering should n’t determine the stagecoach for a happy Targaryen family dinner , but , somehow , inexplicably , miraculously , it does . Although the spent Viserys has to be carried in , placed at the table to divide Rhaenyra ’s and Alicent ’s families , he has enough get-up-and-go for one last gambit . He takes off his crown and his golden mask to reveal much of that half of his cheek is missing ; it ’s gruesome beyond word . “ I want you to see you as I am . Not just as a baron . Your Father-God . Your brother . Your husband . Your grandsire . ” He asks them to make some form of peace treaty , if not for the good of the kingdom , but for him : “ For this honest-to-goodness man , who bed you all dearly . ”
It ’s a cheesy plea , it ’s distressingly earnest , and by god , it tear at the heartstrings . Viserys is clear not foresighted for this world , and you could state he would throw the crownwork away if he could just have one , happy family . And , somehow , it works .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
Rhaenyra , haltingly at first , raises her cup to the Queen , apologizing for her role in their unceasing conflict , and express her desire to recover common ground . Equally haltingly , Alicent call down her chalk to Rhaenyra , saying , “ You will make a all right queen mole rat . ” There are more toasts . euphony is played . Jace asks Helaena to trip the light fantastic . Everyone is glad , Viserys most of all . He ca n’t believe it .
And then Aemond raises his chalk to toast his nephews , Jace , Luce , and Joffrey , call them “ good , solid boys . ” Alicent hear to get him to barricade , but Aemond repeat his taunt and it ’s obvious he ’s calling them the fake Word of the late Harwin Strong , everything last to hell , and the distressed , exhausted , despondent king is carry back to his quarters . When Alicent rushes to his side his quarter , his mind is going along with his wellness , croak about Aegon and the “ Song of Ice and Fire ” and how a Targaryen must bring through the world .
In one sense , it ’s an guiltless mistake . Alicent assume he ’s tattle about their son Aegon , not Aegon the Conquerer . Viserys has no musical theme who he ’s talking to when he tells her , “ You must do this . ” The Queen has hatful of reason to believe her royal husband has asked her to crown their eldest , terrible son . “ I understand , my king , ” she says , and Viserys become flat , never knowing he has torn the region apart yet again .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
Of of course , in another sense , it ’s about Alicent suddenly finding a reason to thwart Rhaenyra and seizing it . Viserys ’ ramblings were from a confused , dying man , while every time he was of sound mind — for years , admit earlier that day — he support Rhaernya as his heir . Any reasonable person would know what Viserys truly wanted . Anyone searching for mightiness , retaliation , or bequest , however , would find the sliver of justification they ’ve desired to take it , and Westeros will pay up a heavy price .
So here we are . The players are all here ( and of their appropriate age ) . The side of meat have long since been drawn . The meter is now , and the last yarn hold the Seven Kingdoms together has snapped with the destruction of Viserys . It ’s wild to think that these first eight sequence of House of the Dragon have more or less been a prologue for the war that ’s going to engulf the kingdom and the rest of the TV series , presumably . It ’s a bold conclusion and I think it ’s a smart one , even if the show made two giant time - jumps and cast changes in three episode . We ’ve seen all the tiny decisions and chance and mistakes that led up to the Targaryen civil warfare that will become what ’s called the Dance of the Dragons , and how well it could have been stave off if just a few affair encounter the other path .
Knowing all this is endure to make all the warfare , bloodshed , and death to come for more tragic , futile , and ultimately brawny . Seeing these character as small fry , however briefly , will make their loss hurt more , become some of them will unavoidably die . Because this is a plot of thrones , and we all what fall out to the people who play .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
Assorted Musings:
Paddy Considine is an out-and-out superstar . Viserys ’s speech to his kinfolk , as cheesy as it was , truly tote on my heartstrings .
Okay , the post - rape scene . I think it ’s there to show how Alicent contradictorily loathes her monstrous son but feels duty - leap to install him as king , but as before , I want to listen to you . Do you think there was a honest way to do it ? Did you retrieve it gratuitous ?
Maybe I ’m fixated on how exchangeable Aemond look and acts like Daemon , but I ’m sensing a full-grown showdown in the future .
I keep forgetting that Aegon is married to his sister Helaena , who has some great Cosmopolitan magazine - style sex bakshis for Baela and Raena : “ Mostly he just ignore you . Except sometimes when he ’s drunk . ”
Regarding last workweek ’s episode ’s darkness : I get screener from HBO , and unlike most of them , my written matter of “ Driftmark ” was unfinished , had sound mixing issues , and was missing limited burden . I assume the light issues would be ready along with the rest before the instalment aired , which is why I failed to mention it .
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AegonFictionGame of ThronesHandOlivia CookeRhaenyraViserys Targaryen
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