RECAP: “House of the Dragon” Season 2, Episode 2 & 3
I missed Episode 2 due to traveling, so this will be a condensed blog covering both the second and third episodes of Season 2. To be honest, I'm glad I didn't watch E2 until I could binge E3 right after. I thought it was a clunker of an episode, aside from that tense fight sequence at the end of the episode. Tonally, that makes sense, as Episode 2 was all about the characters reacting to the horrifying incident that ended Episode 1. Everyone seemed off, discussions were awkward, and attention felt scattered.
After Episode 3, I realized that's part of what is leaving me cold regarding this season -- and also, I suspect, deliberate on the part of the showrunners. Season 1 was big and bold, all set-up that leaned heavily on the mystical/magical elements of the Targaryen Dynasty, meant to wipe away the bitter taste left from the "Game of Thrones" series finale. Season 2 is not that. It is tense. It is uncomfortable. It has an overwhelming feeling of dread that makes sense for this world, which is staring down what appears to be an inevitable bloody, brutal conflict -- and the horrors have already started.
From that perspective, it's successful storytelling. As an entertaining television show, I do think -- as of Episode 3 -- the season is struggling. Everyone is so dour, and most of the performances are so restrained that it lacks much of the flash and sexy bombast that made the early episodes of "Thrones" fan favorites. Episode 3 was much better than its predecessor, and contained a few very strong scenes. But I still don't feel the show has fully found its groove this season, and I wonder how much impact the writer's strikes of 2023 had on what we're seeing.
I will also state plainly that the biggest issue this season is how poorly developed the tertiary characters are, and how unmemorable/indistinguishable many of the characters are at this stage. So many have VERY similar names -- Rhaenys, Rhaena, Rhaenyra; Daemon, Aemond, Aegon; etc. -- and it is challenging to keep them all separate. I get why that is, from a narrative perspective. But it is an issue for this series, and I don't think the showrunners have successfully solved it as of Episode 3.
Below find my thoughts on the various plotlines as of Episode 3, organized by most engaging to least. SPOILERS AHOY.
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Queen Rhaenyra
Rhaenyra is in a precarious position, and I think Emma D'Arcy is acting the hell out of it. The brutal death of Aegon's son in Episode 1 has set off a chain of events that Rhaenyra never intended...even though she is, ultimately, still responsible for them. And she knows it. In Episodes 2 and 3, we see a Rhaenyra challenged by her own Small Council on Dragonstone, who clearly do not respect her authority (this is important, since the backdrop to all of this -- even going back to Rhaenys -- is that Westeros would never accept a woman on the throne), and dealing with the political disaster of child murder ostensibly in her name. She and Daemon -- who ordered the hit that ultimately went sideways resulting in the death of the child -- have an intense scene in which it becomes clear that Rhaenyra cannot and never has fully trusted Daemon, and the two of them separate (more on that in a moment). The attempt on her life in which Ser Criston sent the Aegon-aligned twin to infiltrate Dragonstone in the guise of his Rhaenyra-aligned brother (if you're watching "Star Wars: The Acolyte," you have to laugh at the coincidence) provided one of the only interesting scenes in E2, and led to Rhaenyra summoning niece Rhaena to take her youngest children and go into exile in Lys to spare them of any additional danger -- and to reduce Rhaenyra's own exposure. (Interestingly, I believe the clutch of dragon eggs they send along with Rhaena may be the dragon eggs that Daenerys ultimately hatches in "Thrones" Season 1; even more interestingly, there were FOUR here, but only THREE there.)
And then we got the best scene of the season so far, in which Rhaenyra goes "Charlie's Angels" undercover to infiltrate King's Landing, dressed as one of the Silent Sisters so that she can meet privately with Queen Allicent at the Sept of Baelor. Season 1 did a great job establishing the core friendship between Rhaenyra and Allicent, a dynamic that underpins this entire series. The two of them clearly still care for and respect one another, and are both equally terrified about the war that is to come. There's a brutal moment when Rhaenyra believes Allicent when she tells her that Viserys really did change his mind on his death bed, and proclaimed Aegon be named the new ruler of Westeros. The idea that her father would lose faith in her, and betray her in his final moments, is gutting to Rhaenyra, and it is conveyed to the viewer solely through D'Arcy's facial expressions. But then Allicent mentions "the prince that was promised," and Rhaenyra realizes the critical misunderstanding that triggered this entire conflict: Allicent was unaware of the Song of Ice & Fire prophecy, and thought Viserys was talking about Aegon her son instead of Aegon the Conqueror. The looks on both their faces in this moment of realization was superb acting, and now that Rhaenyra knows that 1) she is 100 percent Viserys' rightful heir, and 2) the conflict is basically unavoidable at this point, will undoubtedly strengthen her resolve moving forward.
The show may not be delivering with some storylines, but I think they're doing a GREAT job with Rhaenyra. She's so compelling.
Queen Allicent/Ser Criston Cole
Also compelling: Queen Allicent, played marvelously by Olivia Cooke. Allicent is ALSO in a difficult position, as HER Small Council is in complete disarray, her son -- the King -- is by turns an idiot or a madman, her father is an overbearing bore, and she's secretly fucking her knight, which she should absolutely NOT be doing. That last bit weighs especially hard on her in Episode 2, because she was getting banged out by her family's sworn protector while her grandchild was being beheaded just a few hundred feet away. Allicent is clearly overwhelmed by guilt over this relationship, moreso than she seems upset by the death of her grandson. Which is...weird. But Targaryens are a weird family.
Things take a significant turn when Aegon gets chewed out by Otto Hightower -- his Hand, and Allicent's father/his grandfather -- after Aegon makes the incredibly stupid move to publicly hang every one of the king's ratcatchers, after the Goldcloack involved in the prince's murder admits that his coconspirator had that profession. That's going to prove incredibly unpopular with the smallfolk, on top of the many other politically bad moves the crown is making that is setting King's Landing increasingly on a knife's edge. Aegon responds by firing Otto as his Hand, and instead promoting Ser Criston to the role. It is rare for a member of the Kingsguard to by Hand, and we will likely see why in short order.
Actually, we already have, as Criston bullies Ser Arik (or Ser Erik? I can't keep them straight, and at this point, it doesn't matter) into his Parent Trap regicide plan to kill Rhaenyra on Dragonstone, and then launches an expedition to lock down the Riverlands for the Greens (King Aegon's side). They are repeatedly warned that this is a terrible idea, that the Greens are overplaying their hands too soon...but Criston will not listen. Allicent is so concerned that she sends along her brother, the recently arrived Gwayne, to essentially watch over Criston -- which neither man is particularly thrilled about.
The personal relationship between Allicent and Criston is also transformed in these episodes. When she was the dowager queen and he was her knight, it was merely scandalous and inappropriate for them to be getting down. Now that he's the Hand? It's politically disastrous. The power dynamic has also shifted, as we saw in the sequence where she slaps him around for his multiple chess moves that have seen to the dismissal of her father, the endangering of her idiot son, and arguably their whole dynasty. At first, Criston takes the abuse. But then he remembers that she is no longer his superior, and he essentially forces himself on her. You guys are a MESS. At least the dynamic is shifting, because I was already tiring of both of them wallowing in self pity because they were getting that dick. But I'm not sure this new permutation is better for Allicent.
The most interesting moment for Allicent in these episodes comes from that scene in the Sept of Baelor, where she realizes that she may actually have been wrong about what Viserys wanted, and that everything has happened -- and the even greater conflict that is ABOUT to happen -- may actually all be her fault. Her face clearly registers the penny-drop moment where Rhaenyra mentioned Aegon the Conqueror, and her entire worldview shifts from "I was doing what the King wanted" to "Oh, FUCK." Allicent could be seen as sympathetic up this point. She genuinely thought she was doing the right thing by Viserys and the kingdom. (Didn't hurt it was also what her father had been orchestrating for years, to raise their family to power.) Now, she KNOWS that there's a very good chance she was in the wrong, and all of this is literally HER FAULT. Just as Rhaenyra is no longer plagued by self doubt over her responsibility in this conflict, will Allicent now accept the aggressor role, and lean into it? Personally, I would love to see it.
Daemon Targaryen
Daemon has two critical scenes in Episodes 2 and 3. In one, he and Rhaenyra finally have it out, after she correctly clocks Daemon as the reason that the child prince was murdered; in the other he has flown to the cursed stronghold of Harrenhal to act as home base for the army he is meant to be raising in Rhaenyra's name...but which he might just claim for himself. The Rhaenyra/Daemon scene was solid, but this is where the writer's strike may have had an impact. It went on too long, and felt like it could have used another pass or two on the script. There's good meat here, and when you see the Allicent/Rhaenyra scene in E3, you can see that the writers KNOW how to deliver. I don't think we quite got that between these two, and both of those actors are more than capable. Ultimately the resolution is that Rhaenyra admits she never can -- and never fully did -- trust Daemon, and they separate on uncertain terms.
The scenes at Harrenhal were terrific. The director and cinematographer did an excellent job bringing to life this deeply cursed location in Westeros, previously featured in "Game of Thrones." Harrenhal is ultimately a symbol of the hubris of the landed class, and the horrible power of dragons. The scenes in which Matt Smith interacts with the current lord of the castle, Simon Strong (Russell Beale), give him an opportunity to flex his comedic chops. The nightmare vision in which younger Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock cameo!) sews on the head of the dead prince while saying, "I'm always cleaning up after you" shows that Daemon DOES feel conflicted about not only the murder, but in defying Rhaenyra. And then there's a highly cinematic sequence in which a nameless young woman informs Daemon that he will die on this land. Trust and believe she'll be back in a big way.
King Aegon/Prince Aemond
These two messes. Aegon, understandably, reacts to his young son's death with a mix of rage and sorrow. But is the sadness solely at the death of his son, or is he crumbling under the weight that he is essentially a joke as a King?
Not helping with that opinion is that he decides to replace his decimated Kingsguard by promoting to the roles a bunch of his drinking buddies, who have absolutely no idea what they're doing, and do not take their new positions seriously. Aegon also barely interacts with his sister/wife Helaena, who of course witnessed (and predicted) the death of their son. Again: Targaryens are weird.
Aegon spends much of the two episodes making terrible decisions, or making an ass of himself, including a sequence where he gets drunk at a tavern and then visits a brothel, where he encounters his brother Aemond abed with -- it is suggested -- the madame who took his virginity. The implication is that Aemond has remained true to this woman since she first bedded him, which is simultaneously sweet -- especially for a psychopath like Aemond -- and sad. And having Aegon publicly humiliate him in front of his peers and his lady is not going to do anything good for Aemond's mental health, which is already precarious. (They've done very little with Aemond this season, which I find fascinating.)
Ser Otto Hightower
After Episode 1, I bitched that Rhys Ifans was sleepwalking through this role, giving virtually nothing to the stoic, condescending Hand. I'll recall that commentary now. He was excellent in Episode 2, exploding on his idiot grandson for making TERRIBLE decisions that will ultimately cost them the support of the people. At the same time, Otto does a thoroughly awful thing -- ordering his daughter and granddaughter to be paraded around King's Landing behind the corpse of his great-grandson -- solely to publicly accuse Rhaenyra of the attack, and to gin up public ire at her. It's a politically brilliant move even as it is morally repugnant. Episode 2 was a great turn for Ifans, and it's unclear if Otto is now off the show since he's no longer Hand, or if we will see him trying to play politics in Highgarden to bring House Tyrell to the Greens.
Mysaria/The White Worm
After Episode 1 I complained that this character felt extraneous, and I thought her being brought back into the picture seemed overly complicated and unnecessary. I was wrong. Mysaria is actually one of the more interesting characters on the show, and probably THE most interesting non-Targaryen/Hightower/Valaryon. I enjoyed her conversations with Rhaenyra, as they showed us both how much of a badass Mysaria is, and what a good ruler Rhaenyra would make. Ultimately Mysaria uses her skills and knowledge to take the position as, essentially, Rhaenyra's Master of Whispers. I'm fully on board with wherever they're going with this character.
Helaena Targaryen
I think Helaena is a fascinating character, and I would love to spend more time with her, exploring more of what pretty clearly seems to be some kind of sixth sense/future sight. In Episode 2 Helaena is forced, with her mother, Allicent, to be paraded around King's Landing, following behind her dead son's carriage. It's a ghoulish scene, and particularly awful for Helaena, who doesn't like to be around people at the best of times, and especially when she is deeply traumatized by the attack on her family. The moment where the wagon gets stuck, and the crowds close in on them, gives us tremendous acting from Phia Saban, as she's practically crawling out of her skin to get out of that scenario.
Ser Erik/Ser Arik
After E1 I also complained that these twins, separated by the Green/Black schism, were underdeveloped and not particularly interesting. I was surprised that the plot developed so quickly that character development became almost unnecessary, as the two of them were pitted against each other in a great action setpiece in Episode 2, ending in not one but two brutal deaths. While I don't think either character was particularly interesting on his own, the concept of the twins divided over allegiances, who are ultimately manipulated into killing each other in the names of their masters is a pretty compelling microcosm of the overall plot for this show.
Ser Loris Strong
I enjoy where the Loris plot is going, although I continue to find the actor playing him a challenge. I get that he is deliberately underplaying, being explicitly forgettable and beneath notice. That is the point. But it's not particularly exciting to watch. In very short order Loris has worked himself into the position as Aegon's Master of Whispers, which is a tremendously important gig that made Varys a fascinating figure in "Thrones." Can Loris become that interesting to watch? I'm dubious.
Baela/Rhaena Targaryen
Daemon's daughters with the late Laena Valyron are being brought into the fold, although they also aren't given much of a personality just yet. Baela, who is a dragonrider, is sent by Rhaenyra to act as eyes in the sky, and has a near run-in with Ser Criston and his troopers, which had me bracing for her death the entire time. We get the sense that Baela is bold and impetuous, but also skilled. I hope that serves her better than I'm fearing. Rhaena, meanwhile, is NOT a dragonrider, and so is sent into exile by Rhaenyra to take her younger children into exile in Lys, although there was also SOMETHING to do with taking a dragon and one of the children to The Vale to be a ward to Lady Jane Arryn. Rhaena seems stubborn and irritable, and doesn't much seem to love authority.
Rhaenys/Lord Corlys Velaryon
These two might be my favorite couple on the show -- they genuinely care for one another -- but weren't given much to do in Episodes 2 and 3. Rhaenys is a great second-in-command for her niece, and had a nice parting shot to the Dragonstone Small Council. I can't follow what is going on with Corlys and the Driftmark shipbuilders storyline at all.
And The Rest
On that note, let's dig into these tertiary characters, and how little impact they're making. In Episode 1, Corlys had a conversation with Alyn, a shipwright who saved his life. Alyn is now getting his own storyline, where we are introduced to his brother -- I didn't catch the name -- who is...cooking stew? Catching crabs? While watching dragons? I have no idea what is going on with this plotline, and why I should care about either of these characters. The show needs to do a much better job making it clear why we are spending time with these people.
On that note, who is the guy in King's Landing who has a sick daughter? We saw him petition Aegon in Episode 1, and now he and his wife commiserate about the food stock plummeting and prices rising in King's Landing (tell me about it, folks; a Chipotle burrito is now $20 in NYC -- without guacamole!). Is this the same guy who was in the tavern in Episode 3, telling people he was a bastard Targaryen? I swear to you, I have no idea. I also don't know why I should care about these characters. I DO know I don't need any more quasi-Targaryens out there right now. It's impossible to keep track of the ones we have...
