Hot Damn, That Was a Spicy House of the Dragon

It’s all too tempting to make a bunch of fire jokes when talking about House of the Dragon, but this week’s episode, “Smallfolk,” was genuinely sizzling. With just two more episodes to go after this week’s, we’re in the prime moment for the show to build its tension as high as possible—and the foundation is already forming for a hell of a season two finale.

We open with an army on horseback, and based on their banners and the fact that they’re toting lions in cages, we know this is the Lannisters—led by Lord Jason Lannister, whose twin brother (yes, there are a lot of twins in Westeros!) Tyland sits on the Green Council. House Lefford—hailing from the Golden Tooth—greets Jason with deference, proudly offering 500 men to fight for Team Green, and is met with an avalanche of classic Lannister snobbery. Also, Jason has decided his army won’t head to Harrenhal until Aemond’s able to join them on Vhagar; after all, Daemon’s own beast, Caraxes, is dangerously nearby. 

In King’s Landing, Aemond angrily crumples the raven-sent message—the Westeros equivalent of leaving someone on read—and rages at the idea that anyone thinks he’s at their beck and call. “I am the Prince Regent, not a dog to be called to heel,” he grumbles, making an especially uncomfortable moment for Ser Tyland Lannister. The awkwardness gets worse when Aemond leans over Ser Tyland’s chair and tells him to go make a treaty with the Triarchy—the same Free Cities alliance we encountered during season one, during the show’s “Crabfeeder” era.

Ser Tyland isn’t on board with this plan, not one bit, and neither is Alicent, who pipes up that King Viserys would not have dared enter an alliance with the Triarchy, who are not to be trusted. (Moments later, she has to snap “out of the question” when another member of the Green Council suggests offering up the Dowager Queen’s hand in marriage might tempt the notoriously salty Greyjoys to join their cause.) Even Ser Criston Cole dares to speak up against Aemond’s scheme. But the Prince Regent just tells him it’s time to march his army to find Daemon at Harrenhal, and brushes aside all of Cole’s seemingly valid points about why waiting a bit would be better. “I will fly out to meet you when the time is right,” Aemond smirks. “My uncle is a challenge I welcome, if he dares face me.”

“I see we’re all agreed,” he says to a room that is very much not in agreement, and as the meeting ends he tells Alicent to stay behind—so he can inform her he doesn’t want her sitting in on council meetings anymore. He talks over her protests: “I release you of your seat, such as it was. I’m sure you’ll be much-pleased to return to more… domestic pursuits.”

“Have the indignities of your childhood not yet sufficiently been avenged?” she asks her son, and we all know the answer.

At Dragonstone, another council is about to meet. Lord Corlys is now wearing the Hand of the Queen pin—and frankly, we’re relieved to see him back in action. There’s a special guest star in the room: Ser Steffon Darklyn. Rhaenyra’s genealogical research has determined he just might have enough dragon blood to become a dragon rider, and though it’s an outrageously dangerous thing to attempt, he’s profoundly moved by the request, and agrees.

At Harrenhal, Daemon is still being haunted by his past. This time, it’s Paddy Considine reprising his role as King Viserys, more or less taking us through the exact same exchange he had with his brother last season, after he learned Daemon had cruelly called Viserys’ dead newborn son “heir for a day.” He tells Daemon he’s removing him from the line of succession, naming Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne instead, and Daemon has to re-live the agony of that moment. For the first time, we start to think that maybe Daemon is capable of feeling regret.

Daemon’s yanked out of the vision by Ser Simon Strong, and his reaction is particularly cranky and paranoid. He accuses the old man of sabotaging him, and even wonders if he’s secretly working for one of Daemon’s many enemies (which now include Rhaenyra). Ser Simon, who’s been nothing but hospitable for this troublesome guest, manages to soothe him, but it’s very clear that Daemon has become extremely unglued.

As Daemon, his man-bag packed, is flouncing away from the castle and toward Caraxes, he encounters—of course—Alys Rivers, who looks spooky and full of secrets even when she’s just standing around. She teases him a little bit about being a scaredy-cat, and gives him shit for once again pulling the trigger on his “I don’t like this, I’m outta here” approach to life. She also levels with him: “There are older things in this world than you, or I, or living memory. You are not the player, but a piece on the board. As am I.” After she lectures him about why Rhaenyra would make a better ruler (and he yells “Don’t lecture me!”), she reminds him that the crown isn’t a prize. It’s a burden. 

And then… what’s this? Daemon Targaryen asking for advice? Alys herself can hardly believe it. But she turns thoughtful, and goes on to point out the importance of House Tully’s support when it comes to convincing the Riverlands to support Daemon (especially after his cruel tactics were exposed, as we saw last week). “Do nothing now,” she advises, looking extremely badass as a hawk screeches down and settles cozily on her arm. In a few days, the winds will shift, she says, and walks off with her bird 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 own death in season one—appears, with all the snorting menace you’d expect. “Do not show fear,” one of the Dragonpit attendants mutters to Ser Steffon, which is hilarious because nothing about the scene is anything short of terrifying. Though it seems like for a moment Seasmoke might be willing to play along, he suddenly draws his giant head back and torches Ser Steffon, as well as the poor guy standing next to him (who cuts his own throat rather than die any more slowly in the inferno). 

In the background, Rhaenyra and Jace watch in horror. Not only have they lost a brave, loyal knight—their dragon plan, a desperate ploy under any circumstances, has seemingly ended in disaster.

Down at the docks, Addam watches with bemusement as Lord Corlys walks up to his brother, Alyn, and asks him to be his first mate; they’ll be setting sail soon as part of the war’s sea effort. Alyn looks like he’d rather step into Seasmoke’s line of fire than agree, but Lord Corlys frames it as an order—a friendly order—so he has no choice. 

In King’s Landing, in a half-empty tavern, patrons—including Ulf, the Targaryen bastard we met earlier this season—complain about scarcity in the capitol. The lack of food is very real and very troubling, but you have to assume one woman’s gossipy details about the abundant feasts still being held in the Red Keep (“racks of lamb, mince pies, honeycakes, beef and gravy”) are part of Mysaria’s whisper campaign, especially when she brings up Rhaenyra—the rightful heir of Viserys, a ruler that would never have let his people starve.

And speaking of Rhaenyra, she’s walking through Dragonstone being nattered at by an elderly lord—Lord Bartimos Celtigar, Lord of Claw Isle, to be exact—about the Seasmoke snafu when she stops, turns, and slaps him across the face. “It is my fault, I think, that you have forgotten to fear me,” she hisses. It’s a turning point for her. She returns to her chamber and is rummaging through her sword collection when Mysaria walks in. “It was worth the risk, no matter the outcome,” Mysaria assures her, and encourages Rhaenyra to keep trying to find new dragonriders. 

She also offers an optimistic update: the smallfolk of King’s Landing are listening, and they’re getting angrier and angrier at Team Green. Plus, whatever the next step of Mysaria’s plan is—it’s about to happen very 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 cut to King’s Landing, where the smallfolk desperately trying to find food gawk as a cart full of sheep—food for the royal dragons—clatters by. In the Red Keep, the only person who could possibly be keeping tabs on the situation, Lord Larys, warns Aemond that the smallfolk are becoming “restless.” Aemond’s answer is perfect selfish Aemond: “So?”

Larys’ advice, delivered in the most unctuous manner, is still right on. “The enemy without may be fought with swords; the enemy within is more insidious,” he says, while reminding the Prince Regent that the people look to him to ensure their well-being. Then, a rare Larys misstep: he brings up the fact that Aemond has no Hand (Ser Criston being the out of commission Aegon’s choice, of course). Just when you think 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 give grandpa his job back!

Just then: awful/miraculous news, depending on who hears it. Aegon has briefly regained consciousness! Maybe his death isn’t imminent after all? Aemond’s first move is to go to Aegon’s room, kick everybody out, and threaten his brother to never tell the truth about what happened at Rook’s Rest. “I remember nothing,” Aegon wheezes.

In the Eyrie, Rhaena—who got a mention earlier in the episode, in the context of “she failed at dragon riding”—is walking with one of Rhaenyra’s little sons when they come across a giant patch of burned land, far too large to be made by one of the baby dragons they brought from Dragonstone. Is there another large beast roaming the skies? When she asks the brittle Lady Arryn, she admits that there is a large dragon in the Vale: “It is large and formidable. But alas, wild.” Rhaena agrees (“Alas”), but you can see the wheels in her head begin to turn. Maybe she won’t have to go to Pentos after all?

On Dragonstone, Alyn is carefully shaving his Targaryen-blonde stubble as Addam (who does not have the trademark hair color, though they are brothers) gives him a hard time about being reluctant to accept Lord Corlys’ offer. Alyn gives him a hard time right back, saying the Sea Snake will never recognize them as his sons: “Stop wasting your life waiting for something that will never come.”

Rhaenyra looks out across the water—she’s got a lot on her mind, understandably—when Jace appears. He brings up THE SLAP, and she explains she’s tired of feeling like the men around her are protecting her as if she’s a wife or daughter. She’s their ruler, dammit. And while Jace mostly believes in her, he says that to defeat the Green army, they’ll need Daemon and his dragon. “May I be free for even one hour of the constant refrain of Daemon, Daemon, Daemon?” she moans. Just then, Mysaira appears with a message: “Our gift is sent.” Jace wonders what that means, and so do we—until we see a fleet of small, unmanned boats full of food, drifting to the shores of King’s Landing.

In Aegon’s room, a kinder presence watches over him: Alicent, who’s not looking very hopeful. “What will he be if he lives?” she asks the Grand Maester, who tactfully refrains from answering. She also asks him about all those letters she’s been sending to try and track down her father, without response. She gazes as Aegon and whispers “I’m sorry.” 

In the next scene, the soldiers are preparing to leave—following Aemond’s orders, of course—and Alicent wanders into the yard. She looks over at Cole, but she talks instead to her brother, fretting about the fact that Ser Otto is MIA. Ser Gwayne says he hasn’t heard anything, but if anybody would hear anything, it would be Alicent—their father’s favorite. Also, “Otto Hightower is ever-resourceful. He will send news when there is news to send.” 

Briefly—but in the longest conversation we’ve ever seen them have—they commiserate about their lives until this point; he was raised away from his immediate family in Oldtown, she accompanied her father to court. “You get on with it, don’t you, when there isn’t any choice,” he says. He also offers an encouraging update on Daeron—Alicent’s son, also raised in Oldtown—who’s now a teenager, a clever kid who’s big with the ladies. But the true balm for Alicent is hearing her son is “kind,” because “kindness is a quality I’ve found lacking in his brothers.” Ser Gwayne, ever droll, opines that the Red Keep might perhaps be “a less-than-salubrious environment” for young men. Alicent worries that it’s her fault, but her brother, who also possesses some of that very rare kindness, says “I’m sure you did your best.”

She doesn’t speak to Cole, but there’s a meaningful glance exchanged, and you can see Alicent giving him a tiny nod as he rides off. With no other allies to turn to, Alicent finds Heleana and suggests they visit the sept to light a candle for Aegon, “and all our lost souls.” But the timing on that, she’ll soon realize, is pretty, pretty terrible. In King’s Landing, the people—including Hugh the blacksmith, and ANOTHER DOG CAMEO FOR GEORGE R.R. MARTIN!—are in a frenzy over the Rhaenyra-send bounty that’s just appeared on their shores. The streets erupt into a riot just as Alicent and her daughter are making their way back to the tank-like carriage that they use to move around the city. It’s almost a disaster (the queens are pelted with rotten food; a member of the Kingsguard slices off a man’s grabby hand; and at least one other guard gets swallowed up by the crowd), but the queens make a safe escape in the nick of time.

In the Red Keep, Aegon has yet another visitor: Lord Larys, who interrupts the king’s urgent pain-medication schedule to give him some advice, drawn from his own experience. “Your mind is all that remains to you. I do not say that gladly… people will pity you, either behind your back or in your presence, and will stare at you or turn away. And they will underestimate you, and this will be your advantage.” When he tells Aegon his life is in danger as long as Aemond’s in charge, the king says “Help me,” and a smile very faintly slithers across Larys’ face.

In Harrenhal, Daemon’s having another vision: this time, it’s of Viserys sobbing over the body of his first wife. It’s a touching moment between brothers, but of course Ser Simon is there to blunder in and pull Daemon back to reality. There’s been news, you see: Ser Grover Tully is dead. He’s been ill for some time, and even the efforts of Harrenhal’s own healer, Alys Rivers, couldn’t save him. You know, Alys, who just paid the old man a special visit. A still-emotional Daemon knows what that means, and so do we.

Meanwhile, Addam is on the beach, going about his business, when suddenly Seasmoke appears, screeching and doing fly-bys. Everyone scatters, but the dragon zeroes in on Addam, who cowers as Seasmoke pushes his giant snoot closer to the terrified young man. 

We’ll get back to that shortly, but first, Mysaria has an update for Rhaenyra. It’s good news (their plan worked!) but Rhaenyra is still melancholy. Daemon is weighing on her mind, especially now that their complicated relationship with each other and their family legacy is coming to a head. “I fear what he may now do,” she confesses. “I fear he may have turned against me.” She’s also worried about what losing Daemon means for the future of the war.

Mysaria’s there with a pep talk, and it turns into a confessional as she explains the scar on her neck. It was left by her abusive father; he’s also the reason she can’t have children. “I swore to myself that I would never trust another and that oath has served me well,” she says. “This world is cold and cruel, and there are few in it who are steadfast.  You, I think, are steadfast.” She appreciates that Rhaenyra has seen her as equal and worthy, and she believes Rhaenyra is meant to be queen. The two women embrace. A long embrace. A loooong embrace. And then: they kiss! They make out! It gets heated!

But they’re interrupted by a big piece of news: Seasmoke has been spotted around with a rider on his back. We know who it is, but Rhaenyra doesn’t—could it be the dreaded Greens? She saddles up Syrax to go see what’s what.

New episodes of House of the Dragon arrive Sundays on HBO and Max.

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