Recalling and discussing what we saw in the second episode of 'House of the Dragon': the king's new wife, the Crabfeeder, and court intrigues.
The week since the premiere of ‘House of the Dragon’ has flown by. And now we’re once again diving into Westeros at a time when dragons and their riders were commonplace, and a calm, empathetic Targaryen sat on the throne. Just a reminder that in Russia, the series can be officially watched on Amediateka, and let’s move on to breaking down the new episode, where we get to know our heroes (and anti-heroes) a little better.
Previous recaps:
Warning: spoilers for Episode 2 of 'House of the Dragon' ahead
Turmoil in the Council
While the debut episode of 'House of the Dragon' did without epic opening credits, the second episode didn’t deprive us of the pleasure of hearing the spine-tingling melody by Ramin Djawadi and examining the intricately designed graphic transformations showcasing castles, battles, and iconic characters. In the credits, the show’s creators embedded the Targaryen family tree:
The events of the new episode unfold roughly six months after the death of Queen Aemma and her son. But the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, Viserys (Paddy Considine), is not allowed to peacefully mourn the loss of the most important part of his family: on one side, his rebellious brother Daemon (Matt Smith) has taken Dragonstone along with the city watch, posing a threat to the throne and the king’s authority; on the other, in the Stepstones, a certain Prince Craghas Drahar (Daniel Scott-Smith), nicknamed the ‘Crabfeeder’ (guess what he does with the bodies of his enemies), along with his army from the Free Cities, is destroying the ships of Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint).
All of this naturally causes concern in the king’s council. Corlys wants to respond to aggression with aggression. The Hand of the King, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), calls for punishing Daemon for his insolence. Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) suggests deploying the dragons to remind everyone of Targaryen power.
The girl, however, is quickly reminded of her place at court—though she is the heir to the throne, her opinion on important state matters will not be considered. Instead, Viserys asks his daughter to choose a new head of the Kingsguard. Without much hesitation, Rhaenyra selects Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) in this casting, a man who has actually fought in battles and also defeated Daemon Targaryen himself in the tournament from the debut episode. Betting that this pair will clash more than once (even in this episode, they manage to exchange a few choice words).
The Bachelor Show: Westeros Edition
It quickly becomes obvious that the future fate of the Seven Kingdoms depends not on battles on the field, but on whom Viserys takes as his wife. Lord Corlys and his wife Rhaenys propose that the king marry their young daughter, uniting the two Valyrian houses and thereby ensuring a bright (very ironic given the skin color of the proposed bride) future for Westeros.
Viserys considers this idea, talks to the young lady (the girl turns out to be only 12, nothing surprising for such stories), and consults with members of the king’s council, many of whom confirm that this could indeed help in the current situation. However, the king’s wounded heart clearly belongs to another.
Lady Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey) is somewhat like her king: trying to please everyone at once while remaining a good person. She obeys her father, who literally pushes her toward Viserys, supports her best (for now) friend Rhaenyra in every way (the most beautiful scene of the episode involves the moment when the girls pray in the sept, remembering their mothers), and entertains the ruler of the Iron Throne with heartfelt conversations.
In the series, literally all characters are hostages of their position. But among them all, Alicent evokes the most sympathy so far. Though there’s a feeling this might soon change (for example, when Olivia Cooke enters the game, playing the adult version of the character).
How to Train Your Dragon
Let’s return to the most odious character of the show 'House of the Dragon'—Daemon Targaryen, who does whatever he pleases. As we’ve already noted, he has taken Dragonstone (of his own volition, naturally). But that’s not the only way he infuriates his relatives. He steals a dragon egg and leaves a message that he intends to marry the former prostitute Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), who is about to (not) give birth to his heir, for whom the egg is intended, according to Targaryen family traditions (with each episode, we learn more and more dubious quirks of this family).
Viserys cannot ignore such antics and wants to personally punish the scoundrel talk to his brother. However, the Hand of the King urges him to calm down and send someone to meet with Daemon on Dragonstone. The peaceful conversation yields nothing good (who would doubt it), and at the moment of highest tension (both sides were ready to draw swords), Rhaenyra steps in, arriving on her dragon.
Who better than the crown princess and dragon rider to know how exactly to ‘tame the dragon.’ She openly confronts her uncle, offering him either to return the egg or kill her as the main obstacle to the throne. Daemon, clearly experiencing mixed feelings toward his niece, backs down and returns the egg to his relative. Their cat-and-mouse game becomes more dynamic with each encounter. And there’s more to come.
Alongside this event on Dragonstone, a touching conversation takes place between Mysaria and Daemon. In it, the girl admits that she followed the silver-haired prince for freedom from fear, not for glory and power. Though these words are unlikely to affect the most ambitious character played by Matt Smith.
An Unexpected Alliance
The ending of Episode 2 of 'House of the Dragon' delivers two surprises at once. The first is unlikely to surprise anyone (except Rhaenyra)—Viserys announces that he will take Lady Alicent Hightower as his wife. The king acts on the principle of ‘listen to those close to you and do it your way.’ Though there’s a feeling that this choice is made quite sincerely.
But the second surprise stems directly from the first. Enraged by the king’s decision, Lord Corlys arranges a secret meeting with Daemon Targaryen and proposes an alliance. The second-tier figures of the kingdom, in his opinion, should join forces to finally step into the spotlight.
You don’t need to be a genius to understand that this alliance, even if it happens, will lead to nothing good. These Velaryons and Targaryens are far too unique and proud. But it will naturally shift the balance of power in the Seven Kingdoms.
Right at the very end of the episode, we are shown the mysterious ‘Crabfeeder.’ The appearance, though brief, is quite effective. One might assume that this character will temporarily serve as a sort of poor man’s Night King.
Let’s hope that the creators of 'House of the Dragon' are done with exposition and, starting from the third episode, will move on to action. Because as it stands, we’ve already gotten quite familiar with the characters, but nothing substantial has actually happened to them yet. Although they are unambiguously hinting that the days of Viserys himself are gradually coming to an end (this time, a no less mysterious problem with his fingers is added to the wound on his back). Perhaps this event should become the catalyst for the start of a real ‘Game of Thrones’ in miniature.
Trailer for Episode 3:
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