he Targaryens don’t do issues by halves, and that goes doubly for household feuds.
Final episode noticed the loss of life of Laena Velaryon by self-immolation, and Lord Larys’ entry into the historical past books as a ruthless manipulator par excellence. And if that wasn’t sufficient, Rhaenyra’s youngsters have all however publicly been slandered as bastards.
With all that in thoughts, what may presumably go incorrect this episode? Strap in: it’s going to be a bumpy dragon journey.
We open with a really sombre scene: Laena’s coffin being dedicated to the ocean. Thankfully, it’s a closed casket, as she was immolated final episode by her dragon Vhagar.
Regardless, it’s a beautiful do: the nice and good of Westeros stand at strategic intervals on the cliff rocks across the ocean like trendy statues and everyone seems very unhappy, together with Rhaenys, who wears a fetching veil.
Otto Hightower can also be there. As he seems on sombrely, he gently touches his Hand of the King badge… whaaaat? It seems like our boy is again in favour, ten years later and looking out virtually as wizened as Viserys, who’s, astonishingly, nonetheless alive.
As Corlys Velaryon’s brother commits the casket to the ocean – “Salt programs by Velaryon blood. Ours runs thick. Ours runs true. And ours must not ever skinny” – Daemon lets out somewhat giggle. Unhealthy time for it – clearly, he’s not the flavour of the month, and on the following wake, he’s completely out within the chilly.
Snakes at a wake
Although we’re handled to a beautiful shot of the Targaryen dragons clustering round Driftmark, the Velaryon seat, the temper on the wake is understandably somewhat darkish.
When Rhaenyra seems, her eyes hone in on Daemon. Presumably, she’s nonetheless grieving – she’s misplaced Ser Harwin Robust within the hearth at Harrenhal – however she doesn’t present it, as an alternative strolling over to their son Jace (Jaecerys) and telling him to go take care of their traumatised cousins.
“I’ve an equal declare to sympathy,” he complains. “We needs to be at Harrenhall mourning Lord Lyonel and Ser Harwin.”
“It could not be acceptable,” Rhaenyra says firmly, and places him in his place.
Subsequent, we meet Alicent’s youngsters. That’s, Aegon and Aemond are watching their sister Helaena sing creepy lullabies to a spider and discussing whether or not or not they’d marry her.
“We’ve got nothing in frequent,” Aegon complains, whereas Aemond says he would. “We should strengthen the household. Preserve our Valyrian blood pure,” he says. Although they’re clearly actors, it’s nonetheless deeply bizarre to see youngsters discussing incest so casually – although possibly we must always rely our blessings. Not less than we’re not watching Aegon masturbate out of a fortress window this time.
One other unwelcome sight greets us subsequent shot: Lord Larys, lurking within the nook and being roundly ignored by Alicent. As effectively she may – their dialog within the final episode obtained the Strongs killed. What nefarious scheme is he cooking up now?
Nevertheless, the main target appears to be firmly on the youngsters this week. Jace (Jaecerys, Rhaenyra’s son) is reassuring Laena’s bereaved youngsters, whereas Corlys is speaking to Lucerys, the boy’s youthful brother.
“Each my seat and Excessive Tide will likely be yours someday, Lucerys,” Corlys tells him. “Your brother will likely be king after all.”
Lucerys replies, “Ser. I don’t need it.” Yikes. Corlys stares. “It’s your birthright, lad,” he says. Or is it? It seems somewhat like the problem of Rhaenyra’s youngsters’s parentage is changing into increasingly of an issue.
A way of unease could be very a lot pervading all the wake: Rhaenyra and Rhaenys each appear to be ingesting somewhat quite a bit, whereas Corlys all of the sudden spots Laenor standing within the ocean and crying and snaps.
Muscling his method by the group he grabs the shoulder of Laenor’s paramour. “Retrieve your patron!” he snarls, to the shocked stares of the nobles.
In the meantime, Daemon – regardless of exchanging a number of charged seems with Rhaenyra – continues to be on their lonesome, staring moodily out on the sea (it’s so handy having it proper there, with all of the moodiness that goes on). It seems like no one has approached him in any respect, till Viserys manages to stump over on his strolling stick.
“Your ladies are the very picture of their mom,” Viserys tells him. “A consolation and an anguish, as I effectively bear in mind. The gods might be merciless.”
“Appears they’ve been particularly merciless to you,” Daemon retorts. Undeterred, Viserys asks him to return residence to King’s Touchdown. Daemon refuses, saying that Pentos is his residence now.
Daemon I do know we’ve had our variations however allow them to cross,” he pleads. “There’s a spot for you in my courtroom if there’ one thing you must want.”
Poor Viserys: ever the peacemaker. In a wholly predictable response, Daemon rebuffs him and makes his escape, swiftly adopted by Rhaenyra, who’s fervently being watched by Otto.
Maybe pondering he’s had sufficient for the night, Viserys heads off. “I’m going to mattress, Aemma,” he says. Awkward silence; Alicent seems like she’s been slapped.
What, this once more?
Because the wake wraps up, the bereaved mother and father, Rhaenys and Corlys, are sitting in entrance of the hearth and chewing over their grievances.
Rhaenys is fuming that Daemon didn’t let Laena come residence for her start, to be tended by the maesters at Driftmark; Corlys responds that Daemon did what he thought was finest for her.
“Daemon solely does what’s finest for Daemon,” Rhaenys says bitterly, including, “Mayhaps the gods have scorned us for our insatiable pleasure.”
The dialog then strikes onto well-trodden floor: Corlys complaining that Rhaenys was robbed of the crown by “these fools on the Nice Council.”
Rhaenys is having none of it. It’s not justice in your spouse driving him, it’s ambition, she says. It’s him that refuses to let the matter go, even at the price of their youngsters.
He protests: the worth of life is legacy, is it not?
For you, possibly, she replies. After a heavy pause, Rhaenys means that Laena’s daughter Baela inherit Driftmark as an alternative of Viserys. Corlys refuses – she needs to disinherit Laenor and his youngsters?
“Rhaenyra’s youngsters should not of your blood,” Rhaenys replies. “However Laena’s are.”
Historical past doesn’t bear in mind blood, Corlys replies. It remembers names. Very epic. Then he will get up and walks off.
Illicit liaisons
On the shoreline, Daemon and Rhaenyra are strolling collectively, swathed in darkness. It’s so darkish: darkish sufficient that this reviewer had appreciable bother making out what was happening. Thankfully, the Targaryen hair is blonde sufficient to behave as a nightlight.
Rhaenyra and Daemon appear to be speaking relationships, particularly Rhaenyra’s.
Her marriage to Laenor is a farce, however she retains up appearances, she says. She additionally confesses that she tried to conceive a baby together with her husband, however to no avail. As an alternative, she obtained her “pleasure” elsewhere – that’s, with the now-deceased Ser Harwin.
However when Daemon means that Alicent could have a hand in his loss of life, Rhaenyra slaps him down.
“I don’t consider Alicent able to chilly homicide,” she says.
Every of us is able to depravity, he responds. Can anyone say foreshadowing?
The dialog then strikes to juicier floor: Daemon and Rhaenyra’s relationship. They alternate verbal blows – You deserted me, she says. I spared you; you had been a baby, he replies – however Rhaenyra strikes nearer and begins fiddling along with his hair.
“I’m not a baby,” she tells him. No, however you might be accosting your uncle on the day of his spouse’s funeral.
However Daemon doesn’t appear to thoughts: the pair then have intercourse on the seaside accompanied by arguably unjustified hovering strings.
Dragon-rustling and pig-riding
And who needs to be operating throughout the seaside however Aemond – Alicent’s youngest son.
Has he seen Daemon and Rhaenyra? Actually, it’s too darkish to inform (viewers, be suggested that the brightness wants turning effectively up for a lot of this episode). However he does stumble throughout a dragon. It’s Vhagar, trying very unhappy after Laena’s loss of life.
Aemond promptly tries to make buddies with it. With just a few phrases of Valyrian, Vhagar calms down sufficient to let him scramble on, after which scares the pants off him with a midnight joyride.
Sadly Laena’s youngsters have been watching, and Baela wakes up Rhaenyra’s son Jace with a whispered, “Somebody stole Vhagar!”
When Aemond will get in from his midnight run, he’s confronted by the 2 sisters and Rhaenyra’s boys. The cocky little shrimp says that Vhagar has a brand new rider now, and that Baela missed her shot at claiming him.
“Perhaps your cousins can discover you a pig to journey,” he tells her. “It could go well with you.”
Understandably, Baela’s sister Rhaena punches him within the face. A battle ensues and all 4 cousins descend on Aemond.
He fights again and sneers that Rhaenyra’s youngsters are “bastards.” Jace then pulls out his knife and after a scuffle, Aemond is slashed throughout the face.
He screams; individuals come operating, and the injury seems critical sufficient for Ser Harold Westerling, chief of the Kingsguard, to let loose a “Gods be good!” That’s karma, child.
A watch for an eye fixed
Within the reckoning afterwards, Viserys is livid.
“How may you let this occur?” he rages on the Kingsguard, who’re understandably somewhat nervous. As certainly one of them says, they’ve by no means needed to shield princes from princes earlier than.
It seems somewhat like Aemond goes to lose the attention, and as per regular, Alicent takes her anger out on Aegon for being “in his cups” whereas his brother was being attacked.
All of the adults arrive – Corlys and Rhaenys, Rhaenyra and Daemon – and the room descends into squabbling till Viserys summons up the final puff of air from his desiccated lungs to demand silence.
Unsurprisingly, Alicent and Rhaenyra face off. Alicent spits that Rhaenyra’s sons needed to homicide Aemond; Rhaenyra retorts that her boys defended themselves after Aemond’s slurs.
What slurs, asks Viserys.
Ah, that outdated bastardy declare: Rhaenyra calls for that this treason (ie. casting aspersions upon the inheritor to the throne) be investigated. The place did Aemond hear it from? Alicent protests – as effectively she may, on condition that she was most likely the supply of the rumours.
Confronted along with his mom’s seen worry, Aemond blames his brother Aegon, who sounds nonplussed however tells his father: “We all know, father. Everybody is aware of.”
A leaden silence. Viserys storms. “This interminable infighting should stop!” he shouts. “We’re household.”
He calls for the pair make their apologies to one another and goes to depart, however that’s not sufficient for Alicent. She needs punishment; her son has been completely broken, and as recompense she needs Lucerys’ eye.
As you may count on, this goes down like a lead balloon, however Alicent is agency. If the king received’t search justice, she says, the queen will, and he or she calls for Ser Criston fetch her the offending eye.
As Ser Criston demurs (understandably, he didn’t signal as much as mutilate youngsters), Alicent grabs Viserys’ dagger (Aegon’s dagger, no much less!) and launches herself at Rhaenyra. The pair wrestle in the midst of the room, their numerous guards at an deadlock.
“You’ve gone too far,” Rhaenyra tells Alicent, who scoffs. In her eyes, Rhaenyra has all the time taken what she happy with impunity whereas Alicent has to abide by the foundations – and now that features her son’s eye.
“Exhausting, isn’t it? Hiding underneath the cloak of your personal righteousness,” Rhaenyra snaps again. “However now they see you as you might be.”
Alicent screams and leaps forwards; there’s a second of horrified silence after which Rhaenyra begins bleeding. Her arm has been slashed.
As Alicent sways, shellshocked, Aemond steps ahead. For anyone who was stabbed just a few hours in the past, he’s managed to plaster that smirk again on. “Don’t mourn me, mom,” he says. “It was a good alternate. I could have misplaced an eye fixed however I gained a dragon.”
Within the crowd, Daemon additionally smirks barely. Actually, who wants him anymore? This lot are greater than chaotic sufficient by themselves.
The morning after
Subsequent morning (presumably nursing some critical regrets), Alicent is visited by Otto.
Say your piece, she tells him, twisting her palms collectively. She performed herself in an unfitting method and gossip is spreading that she’s gone mad.
Extra worryingly: “I’ve disgraced myself and ensured my husband’s favour will eternally relaxation on her.”
Sure, says Otto. And but, he says, he’s by no means seen that aspect of her earlier than.
“We play an unpleasant sport,” he tells her. “And now for the primary time I see that you’ve got the dedication to win it.”
The king will forgive her, Otto says. He has to: what else can he do? And in time the pair of them will prevail, as a result of now Aemond has managed to win Vhagar to their aspect: “It’s value a thousand occasions the value he paid.”
In the meantime Rhaenyra is getting her wound stitched up, watched goggle-eyed by her two sons.
With the world’s worst timing, Laenor strolls in. “I ought to have been there,” he says.
“These needs to be our Home phrases,” Rhaenyra says dryly.
Whereas her husband wallows in self-pity, Rhaenyra has extra urgent issues to fret about. The ‘bastard’ slur, as an illustration. Upon listening to it, Laenor beats himself up some extra. He tried, he says. And he loves the boys, however he hasn’t liked them sufficient.
Clearly, they aren’t his youngsters, and each of them are apparent about it. “Issues might need been totally different,” in the event that they’d managed to conceive a baby collectively, she says.
“I hate the gods for making me as they did,” Laenor says.
“I don’t. You might be an honourable man with a superb coronary heart. It’s a uncommon factor.” Phew, tripwire prevented.
Laenor reminds Rhaenyra of the settlement they made initially, to be husband and spouse and pursue their bits on the aspect. However he appears to have had sufficient of this carefree way of life: his lover is returning to the Stepstones.
“I recommit myself to you,” he says. From now onwards, he’ll dedicate himself to supporting Rhaenyra and making certain the boys will likely be princes of the realm. We love a supportive husband!
Larys shoots his shot
Because the royal delegation leaves, Viserys seems extra sick than ever. He waves away Alicent’s apology – leaving it unsure whether or not or not he’s actually forgiven her – and on the ship, Lord Larys lastly will get his second along with his beloved.
What occurred was a perversion of justice, he tells her, with faux pet eyes. “If it’s an eye fixed you need to stability the scales, I will likely be your servant.”
Maybe pondering of the Strongs, Alicent appears to return again to her senses. “That won’t be vital,” she tells him. However his dedication has been observed, and he or she could name on his companies in future.
“I shall await your name, my queen,” he replies. Appears like a satan’s cut price.
Nonetheless in Driftmark, Rhaenyra watches the dragons comply with the royal ship again to King’s Touchdown and is joined by Daemon.
“I would like you, Uncle,” she tells him. Yikes: no one wants reminding of the truth that they’re associated.
Regardless, Rhaenyra is sensible. She will be able to’t face the Greens alone, she says – she wants his help. Ideally, she needs them to be married.
“We’ve got all the time been meant to burn collectively,” she tells him. Attractive. However there’s an issue, after all: Rhaenyra is already married, so for this to occur, Laenor would wish to die.
Ever keen to do the soiled work, Daemon heads over to Laenor’s erstwhile lover and provides him a bag of gold and the promise of an escape in alternate for Laenor’s fast loss of life in a spot with witnesses.
Because the wheels of the plan are set in movement, Rhaenyra says in voiceover that she is unwilling to be a tyrant and rule by terror.
“If a king isn’t feared, he’s powerless,” Daemon replies. “If you’re to be a powerful queen you need to domesticate love and respect, sure, however your topics should worry you.”
After Laenor is brutally attacked in Driftmark’s Nice Corridor, Corlys and Rhaenys run downstairs to search out their son’s physique charred to a crisp within the Corridor’s fire.
As Rhaenys screams, Rhaenyra admits that folks will whisper that she was concerned in her husband’s homicide. Allow them to whisper, Daemon replies. Their enemies will marvel what else they is likely to be able to.
Actually seconds later, they’re getting dolled up and married underneath the baleful stares of their respective youngsters. Each adults appear very comfortable about it – as effectively they may.
And underneath the quilt of darkness, Laenor’s assassin sneaks off.
Verdict
The Targaryens and Velaryons assume they’ve every little thing. Wealth! Dragons! Titles! What they don’t have, sadly, is a secure residence life – and episode seven proves to be no totally different.
This episode confirmed each Rhaenyra and Alicent in a wholly new gentle. They’re extra ruthless than ever earlier than, and extra keen to harm others to get what they need. With Rhaenyra having killed Laenor, and Alicent participating the companies of Lord Larys, it seems just like the prospect of all-out warfare between the 2 sides is drawing ever nearer.
Home of the Dragon is streaming on NOW and Sky Atlantic