Targaryen blood has been spilled. The unbelievable stress that has been constructing between Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) for the reason that starting erupted in a mesmerizing episode of House of the Dragon the place secrets and techniques have been uncovered, Westeros’ final energy couple emerged, and somebody was pushed well past their breaking level.

As its title, “Driftmark,” signifies, the episode takes place totally within the ancestral dwelling of the Velaryons the place everybody has gathered for Laena’s funeral after her suicide-by-dragon final week. So although Rhaenyra and Laenor left King’s Landing for Dragonstone to get away from Alicent, Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), and all of the rumors spreading about how their youngsters are bastards, everybody has been pulled again collectively virtually instantly, and tensions are operating increased than ever.

The funeral itself is virtually a “previously on House of the Dragon” as a result of it so effectively summarizes all the pieces you’d must know, even when this was your first episode. Viserys (Paddy Considine) is grim and ailing. Alicent stares daggers at Rhaenyra, who holds her youngsters tight. Corlys (Steve Toussaint) and Rhaenys (Eve Best) are devastated by their daughter’s loss of life, whereas Laenor (John MacMillan) appears totally damaged by the lack of his sister. Daemon (Matt Smith) is… affected by the tragedy, however not a lot he nonetheless doesn’t burst out into laughter when the Velaryon funeral rites embrace a speech about how “their blood must remain true.” Daemon doesn’t take a look at Rhaenyra and her brown-haired youngsters, however everybody else definitely does. It’s so well-crafted that I assumed it was going to be the excessive level of the episode. I used to be mistaken.

Things are tense all day, nevertheless it’s that night time when all hell breaks unfastened. First, Rhaenyra and her uncle Daemon take a stroll on the moonlit seaside, and, as all of us suspected it inevitably would, it occurs: They fall into one another’s arms and have intercourse, turning into one other in a protracted line of incestuous Targaryens. It is certainly icky, primarily due to the taboo and in addition as a result of we’ve seen them work together when Rhaenyra was a toddler, however House of the Dragon tries to mitigate their new relationship as greatest it might probably. When Rhaenyra blames her uncle for abandoning her as a toddler, Daemon says he left as a result of she was a toddler, indicating he purposefully stayed for her safety. Rhaenyra does all of the instigating, displaying greater than enthusiastic consent, whereas Daemon hesitates. They make love tenderly, displaying the 2 share actual romantic affection for one another. Still, ick! If this places you off the present, I perceive, however man, do Emma D’arcy and Matt Smith have some spectacular on-screen chemistry collectively.

Meanwhile, Viserys and Alicent’s second son, the mopey Aemond (Leo Ashton), sneaks out to lastly get a dragon (for the reason that egg he was given by no means hatched), and that dragon is none aside from Laena’s now riderless Vhagar. I do know the dragons in House are imagined to be larger than Daenerys’ in Game of Thrones as a result of they’re of their prime. But nothing in both collection has ever given me extra of a way of the scope and monstrousness of a dragon than watching the extremely tiny Aemond creep as much as the totally large head of Vhagar. And when the prince rouses the beast and is about to be incinerated for his trespasses, Aemond stands agency, instructions Vhagar to not kill him, and climbs on its again in an try to say a dragon.

House of the Dragon makes Aemond’s first experience so harrowing I used to be sure the child was going to die. Vhagar viciously tries to shake his impudent passenger off, and there’s a protracted portion the place Aemond dangles from his saddle by his fingers. But ultimately, he outlasts Vhagar’s bucking and tames the beast. The solely drawback is that Laena’s daughters Baela (Shani Smethurst) and Rhaena (Eva Ossei-Gerning) noticed Aemond successfully steal their mom’s dragon, and they’re understandably very upset about it.

The ladies are ready for Aemond when he lands, and Rhaenyra’s sons Jacaerys (Leo Hart) and Lucerys (Harvey Sadler) are with them. Things get out of hand instantly. The ladies are upset and livid; Jace, nonetheless mourning the loss of life of his actual father Harwin Strong, turns into enraged when Aemond mocks him for being a bastard, and Lucerys will get caught up in his brother’s ache. A brutal four-on-one brawl breaks out between the children, which is surprisingly even-matched as Aemond is the eldest and largest amongst them. But because the blows fly and the accidents get larger, Jace attracts a dagger, Aemond knocks it out of his hand, and a scared, indignant Luce picks it up and slashes his younger uncle proper within the face. Right by way of his eye.

Words can’t actually do justice to what occurs subsequent; when you’re a type of individuals who learn recaps earlier than or with out watching the episode, let me strongly counsel you bookmark this and skim it later. Because what occurs is everybody will get in a room and stands virtually completely nonetheless and it’s a few of the greatest tv I’ve watched this 12 months.

Aemond’s eye is misplaced, he has a large, ugly scar on his face, and Alicent is horrified. Viserys calls for solutions, Alicent slaps Aegon (Ty Tennant) for getting drunk as a substitute of being along with his youthful brother, and all the children begin screaming their variations of what occurred. Alicent claims Rhaenyra’s boys attacked and mauled her son, whereas Rhaenyra says they have been defending their honor after a vile insult, and Rhaenyra immediately is aware of she’s tousled as a result of now she has to say, in entrance of your entire royal household and Viserys’ court docket, what the insult is.

Almost everybody has been too scared to inform Viserys that his daughter’s youngsters are bastards, and the king has refused to let the few who weren’t voice the allegation aloud. But fortunately for Rhaenyra, he additionally refuses to consider them, and so he furiously calls for Aemond inform him the place he heard this despicable treason. Aemond stares at Alicent however claims it was Aegon, and Viserys calls for the identical of his elder son. Aegon says, “Everyone knows,” and Viserys is aware of he should again down immediately or be pressured to declare his spouse a traitor and execute her. So, he calls for everybody apologize and begins to storm off, hoping he can will the scenario into being over.

He can’t, as a result of Alicent desires blood. She calls for a literal eye for a watch from one in all Rhaenyra’s youngsters. The court docket gasps in shock, Viserys thinks she’s gone mad (accurately) and refuses to grant her vicious request. Alicent doubles down and orders her Queensguard, Criston Cole, to take a watch, however even her lapdog refuses. So Alicent pulls a dagger from Viserys’ belt and lunges ahead to get the attention her goddamn self.

Rhaenyra manages to seize the queen’s wrist, and the 2 battle in entrance of their household, the king, and his royal entourage, one mom desperately making an attempt to guard her youngsters, the opposite determined to actual revenge for hers. As they battle, everybody simply stops and stares in whole shock, and Alicent provides voice to the hate that’s been burning her up from the within. “What have I done but what was expected of me?” she cries. “Forever upholding the kingdom, the family, the law? While you flout all to do as you please?! Where is duty? Where is sacrifice? It’s trampled under your pretty foot again. And now you take my son’s eye, and to even that, you feel entitled.” And the depressing Queen stabs downward, chopping the arm of the Princess who didn’t deny herself happiness.

Alicent has her blood, however even she steps again, shocked at what she’s carried out. Unexpectedly, it’s the impressively pragmatic Aemond who defuses the scenario, by claiming he’s completely positive. “I lost an eye, but I gained a dragon.”

There’s completely no going again now. The Queen has attacked the Queen-to-be, and sides have fashioned. As a proud Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) tells his daughter Alicent, he has little question they are going to prevail in time, confirming he has no intention of letting Rhaenyra turn into the Queen. And Rhaenyra is aware of, as mad as Alicent acted in entrance of your entire court docket, her place has been weakened immensely after forcing the rumors of her affairs into the sunshine. Her husband Laenor is aware of this as nicely, and though he needed to return to the battle for the Stepstones, he rededicates himself to Rhaenyra, their youngsters, and her future succession.

But that’s not sufficient. Their bond is simply too tenuous and the rumors too public. So Rhaenyra asks Prince Daemon to marry her, not only for the love they share, however as a result of his former standing as inheritor to the throne (earlier than Viserys selected Rhaenyra after which lastly had a son) will strengthen her declare. “We have always been meant to burn together,” she says, however there’s one drawback: Laenor has to die. So Daemon does what Daemon does; he pays Laenor’s squire and lover, Ser Qarl (Arty Froushan), to homicide him. And poor Corlys and Rhaenys are horrified to find their son, their final youngster, has been killed and his physique thrown in a fireplace.

Although Daemon murders a servant seemingly out of nowhere first, the scene is so quick—Rhaenyra and Daemon’s dialog about killing Laenor will get intercut completely with the homicide itself—that I barely had time to register it. And I fully assumed Laenor was lifeless. Daemon wouldn’t suppose twice about it. And though Rhaenyra tells her husband he’s a very good and sort man, I assumed her able to having Laenor murdered to assist guarantee her the crown. I used to be very dissatisfied about it, however that is the sport of thrones, the place you win otherwise you die. As Rhaenyra herself says, it’s a ruthless plan, however her enemies will see her ruthlessness and suppose twice about crossing her. She doesn’t need to be a tyrant, however Daemon is aware of for her to rule, she should nonetheless be feared. Killing a very good and sort man looks like a value Rhaenyra have to be—and is—keen to pay.

The episode ends with a small, quiet wedding ceremony, carried out in High Valyrian, and the union of Westeros’ latest energy couple. Meanwhile, Ser Qarl sits on a small rowboat, and a cloaked man jumps in it and the 2 start their escape… which is when the digital camera reveals Laenor, head shaved, off to dwell anonymously along with his lover in Essos.

The reveal that Rhaenyra didn’t kill her former husband to get a brand new one made me extremely comfortable, though I definitely consider she’s able to getting her fingers soiled to turn into queen—I imply, RIP random servant, and now Corlys and Rhaenys consider each of their youngsters are lifeless, though that’s additionally on Laenor. (Unless they knew concerning the scheme, however I don’t consider they’d enable their son to simply disappear and abandon his the Aristocracy.) But Game of Thrones wanted the Starks, and House of the Dragon wants somebody for us to root for as nicely.

The one drawback with this fabulous hour of tv is that it was directed by Miguel Sapochnik, who co-created the collection, however is leaving the present after its first season. He’s been an unlimited a part of the rationale House of the Dragon has been so good, and whereas I fully perceive his causes for leaving, I fear the present will undergo for his absence. But that’s an issue for season two. For now, there’s nothing to do however marvel at what he’s achieved to date, and surprise how a lot worse issues can get earlier than Viserys lastly dies and the blood stops spilling and begins pouring.

Assorted Musings:

• When the extremely messy household drama goes down, Daemon simply watches from the sidelines, and he’s completely radiating delight. Matt Smith retains a small, amused smile on Daemon’s face that appears refined—you possibly can see it above—however you realize all Daemon solely needs he had popcorn.
• There’s a extremely good scene between Corlys and Rhaenys sandwiched in all of the craziness, the place she forces him to simply accept the reality that Laenor’s youngsters as not true Velaryon blood and they need to give Driftmark to Laena’s eldest daughter as a substitute. But ultimately, the Sea Snake is so decided to make sure his legacy that he doesn’t care. “People don’t remember blood,” he says angrily. “They remember names.”
• Larys Strong, new Lord of Harrenhal, to Alicent on their experience dwelling from Driftmark: “You want one of those kids’ eyes? I’ll give you all the eyes you want.” (I’m paraphrasing barely.)
• Otto Hightower to his daughter Alicent, principally: “I would stab the eyes of a hundred of my grandchildren to get our hands on that dragon.”
• I don’t know if it makes issues any higher for folks, however in the intervening time Viserys’ son Aegon is betrothed (or will quickly be) to his sister Helaena. Targaryens gonna Targaryen. Shrug!

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