In House of the Dragon Episode 2, the Old Makes Way for the New

House of the Dragon episode 2 — out now on HBO Max and Disney+ Hotstar — is titled “The Rogue Prince”. That clearly refers to Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), who has introduced himself because the rightful inheritor to the Iron Throne and camped out on Dragonstone, after being snubbed by his brother King Viserys (Paddy Considine) on the finish of episode 1. It’s a bit curious to call the episode after him although. Of all the principle characters on the Game of Thrones prequel sequence, Daemon has the least quantity of display screen time on episode 2. But it is also a intelligent title, “Fire & Blood” readers will know greatest. House of the Dragon episode 2 hints at it too, with everybody speaking about how Viserys should “produce” new heirs. Spoiler alert: he’ll — and considered one of them’s additionally a rogue prince.

It’s been roughly six months — as promised, time jumps have begun — for the reason that occasions of episode 1, after we choose up in House of the Dragon episode 2. While Daemon has made the boldest transfer but, Viserys’ eldest Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) is now attempting to say herself across the Red Keep, now that she’s been named inheritor. At a small council assembly, the place her job is to pour wine, Rhaenyra suggests to her father that he ought to ship dragonriders to take care of the menace of the Crab Keeper, a brand new villain who’s taken over the Stepstones, a sequence of islands east of Dorne in Westeros and west of Essos. It’ll be seen as a present of drive, she notes. (This second really foreshadows her personal actions in a while House of the Dragon episode 2, in how she offers with Daemon.)

But the all-men council do not take kindly to her “suggestions” and he or she’s quietly pushed out of the small council assembly. Instead, she’s instructed to partake within the selecting of a brand new knight for the Kingsguard. There too, Rhaenyra tries to say herself by selecting a knight who’s had fight expertise — Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), one of many two new primary solid members on House of the Dragon episode 2 — over a extra politically-savvy selection. It’s a side-effect of her personal wishes. While ladies are anticipated to be comely and bear offspring for his or her husband, Rhaenyra is extra occupied with dragon-riding and preventing. It’s why she leans ahead and enquires about Ser Criston’s exploits within the Dornish marshes.

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Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole in House of the Dragon episode 2
Photo Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

Rhaenyra’s boldest transfer to say herself on House of the Dragon episode 2 finds her appearing on her personal recommendation. After the small council is made conscious of Daemon stealing a dragon egg, saying common-born Lady Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) as his second spouse and welcoming the King to his marriage ceremony in two days, Viserys decides to go and face his brother himself. The Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), calms him down and asks to let him go in his place. But Otto fails to make Daemon see motive, exactly as a result of Daemon has no need to take heed to motive. He’s comfortable to unsheathe his sword and unleash his dragon Caraxes, regardless of Mysaria and his unborn little one being of their presence.

And have been it not for Rhaenyra’s transfer to do a present of drive — her entrance with Syrax was really epic on House of the Dragon episode 2 — Otto must return to King’s Landing along with his tail between his legs. Even Daemon is caught by Rhaenyra’s sudden arrival, with Rhaenyra rapidly unravelling his sequence of lies. Not solely has Daemon not requested Mysaria to be his spouse, there isn’t any little one in her stomach. Daemon was merely making all of it up. At the top, it is Daemon who walks away, reluctantly handing over the dragon egg again to Rhaenyra.

A woman of 15 bested her uncle, a grown man. In a approach, that is the primary dance of the dragons — the famed Targaryen battle of succession that we’re headed in direction of is named “Dance of the Dragons” by those that wrote the historical past books — as we see two Targaryens butt heads. While their respective present of drive sits on both facet of the stage, the 2 dragonriders prance in regards to the enviornment, ready for considered one of them to attract first blood. Ultimately, no fireplace is breathed and no lives are misplaced, however the stage has been set on House of the Dragon episode 2.

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Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon episode 2
Photo Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

And whereas Otto makes an attempt to object — be it in selecting the knight, and later, Rhaenyra’s presence at Dragonstone — he fails on each accounts in House of the Dragon episode 2. In the primary, he tries to offer Rhaenyra a lesson in politics, however she’s not simply swayed. And with the second, it is Rhaenyra who finally ends up giving Otto a lesson in politics. If you are going up in opposition to somebody with a dragon, you higher have one in your nook.

That stated, there is a a lot greater and extra necessary political lesson in retailer for her on House of the Dragon episode 2. That comes from Viserys’ cousin and The Queen Who Never Was, Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best). As Viserys takes a tour across the Red Keep gardens along with her daughter Lena, Rhaenys tells Rhaenyra that her father will remarry somebody or the opposite. And as he fathers new youngsters, considered one of them will find yourself being a son. And when Viserys is gone, the realm will anticipate him to be the ruler, not Rhanerya, as a result of “that is the order of things.” Rhaenys sums up patriarchy — additionally foreshadowing what’s to return — as she provides: “Men would sooner put the realm to the torch, than see a woman ascend the Iron Throne.”

And by the top of House of the Dragon episode 2, it is clear that Rhaenyra will not simply be going up in opposition to boys, but additionally her greatest pal. Alicent has been charting her personal approach via the Red Keep, although as of now, she is not working out of need as a lot as expectation from her father. After the demise of Queen Aemma, she’s been having talks with the King which have extra to them, particularly from Viserys’ facet. And after all, she’s good sufficient to say the suitable issues and know what is going to impress him. But she’s additionally stuffed with fear and anxiousness — simply take a look at the state of her fingernails — and it does not assist that the King and her father have simply pitted her in opposition to her greatest pal. Alicent does not need to destroy their friendship, however she’s being manoeuvred in methods which might be outdoors her management.

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Paddy Considine as Viserys, Eve Best as Rhaenys, Steve Toussaint as Corlys in House of the Dragon episode 2
Photo Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

Picking Hightower over Velaryon goes to value Viserys. Rhaneys tells Rhaenyra when they’re speaking on House of the Dragon episode 2 that her father isn’t any idiot, but that is clearly a silly choice, on par with some Ned Stark decisions on Game of Thrones, I’d argue. Even although he is king, Viserys has his “duties”, and strengthening his line is prime of them. Joining the outdated homes of Valyria in blood — the Targaryens and the Velaryons — would have been the good transfer, as everybody instructed. But in marrying for responsibility, Viserys has made a compromise and completed it half out of affection. (And the truth that the opposite suitor was 12 years outdated, youthful than his personal daughter.)

But by choosing Alicent as spouse, Viserys has burnt the bridges he was attempting to rebuild each with Rhaenyra, his solely inheritor, and Lord Corlys “Sea Snake” Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), who owns half the fleet’s ships. No marvel then that the Sea Snake turns to Daemon to search out his price, with the rogue prince doing his personal plotting. House of the Dragon episode 2 leaves us with a promise that it will tackle the Crab Feeder within the close to future, probably with fireplace and blood.

House of the Dragon episode 2 is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar in India, and HBO Max wherever out there. New episodes launch each Monday at 6:30am IST/ Sunday at 9pm ET.