House of the Dragon

[Totenkindly]

S2E7 - The Red Sowing

• Addam falls into line quickly. It seems genuine enough, especially since he didn't seek power, and Seasmoke was really just choosing his own rider. Still, getting power so abruptly means his loyalties have never been tested once he has possessed some leverage. This goes for all successful dragonriders this episode, I suppose...
• Poor Alicent, with her face eaten off by the face-eating leopards she raised and instigated. Now she has no face and must do a perilous swim-about in the wild to find herself again. I thought perhaps she was going to drown herself in despair -- but maybe not yet.
• All the ratcatchers are dead, and the rodents rule supreme!
• Jace isn't necessarily upset (or just upset) that those under him might have a chance for glory; it's insecurity over his own claim as heir if the only thing that makes him (a bastard) unique (a dragon) is taken from him. It's good to have him finally voice his concerns over his own lineage, of course it would be upsetting. But what is Rhaenyra to do? If she loses this war, he will never have a throne regardless and likely no life either. And the dragons are the ones who select their riders.
• Seeing Aegon stumble around for intense PT was horrific -- but I burst out laughing when the scheming clubfoot inserts himself as the guy to carry him through. It's Larys who has been pushing Aegon into so much pain to recover as quickly as possible, as he's on perilous ground with Aemond, and if anything further were to happen to Aegon, his leverage would be completely gone and he has no other future after burning bridges with his family. Earlier we see him afraid to take what could just be hearsay (about a new dragonrider) to Aemond and further destablize his standing if wrong.
• Aemond sends his brother's party crew to the Wall (essentially a life sentence of irrelevance and labor), further destabilizing Aegon's leverage in the administration while claiming the mantle of "merciful."
• I did like the overtones of Rhaenyra's decision -- even if it is out of desperation -- to provide opportunities to the bastards and not let their low birth stand in the way of becoming dragonriders. She sees it as an opportunity she is granting for those of bold spirit to prove themselves worthy of a higher calling, rather than debasing them because of their mixed blood. Black and Green are still both ruling it over the commoners, but they will have a gentler rule under Rhaenyra.
• Poor Hugh. his little girl died, and now his wife might become a widow. But I have faith that the writers who have wasted time on his subplot have a method to their madness.
• More Paddy!
• I'll hand it to Daemon; he's not just a dick when convenient, he's pretty much just a dick all the time even when some honey would be more helpful. Despite the King Consort's worst self, the new Lord Oscar Tully threads that needle delicately and forces Daemon to commit himself to get what he wants.
• Oh my -- all those dragon stewards, clutching their pearls and marching out, lol.
• I liked Rhaenyra's speech upfront to the seeds; she doesn't coddle them, she just explains her vision, details the risk, and if they are willing, there could be great reward and a benefit to her kingdom instead of awful fiery and gnashy death.
• Vermithor delivers as promised and more -- fire, blood, and mayhem. Just like the Red Wedding, the lives of many during the Red Sowing flow freely. The poor first volunteer (with no sideplot) is such a redshirt, and so many others die quickly, but Hugh proves his courage by offering his life in place of a nothing-seed.
• Meanwhile, poor Ulf is almost like the comic version; his stumble towards "escape" leads him right to another dragon, and it's as ignoble as Hugh's selection by Vermithor is heroic: he tracks through shit and might even break an egg, but Silverwing latches onto him with a randy air that reminds me of the she-dragon in "Shrek" glomming onto a donkey.
• Aemond is properly paranoid, which is good for him -- what might have been messy ends up just being a shot over the bow, as he prudently decides not to follow Silverwing to Dragonstone.
• Team Black, ready for action. Team Green, what have you got?

 

[ceecee]

S2E7

So we get right to it. Addam, wtf? I mean he has no idea what's happening so bending the knee asap, probably a good move. I don't think Alyn will want a dragon - I think he should be the Lord of the Tides but Corlys needs to stop dicking around and have Rae legitimize them.

Is Hugh Hammer everyone's favorite now? Not only is my man awesome looking, he has a real reason to want to make life terrible for the Greens. Him yelling and Vermathor being like - I like where this is going, I like your energy, I had some snacks - let's fucking gooooooo!

Ulf, lol - You know he wanted his mates to see this at Kings Landing! No I have not been talking shit for years, see my dragon (actually I think he did better than Jon Snow's first ride). But Silverwing hasn't had a rider since Queen Alysanne, that's a long time, looking for the right person. Those dragon stewards have crazy standards but again, these are people trying to control dragons with forked sticks - I don't expect logical behavior. But I agree Rhaenyra was super honest with them about possible death.

Alicent - She decides to ride forlornly into the woods, takes a forlorn dip in a forlorn lake, and camps out, with great forlornitude. I assume this is because she got smacked in the face with a rotting fish last week, in addition to getting fired.

Jace - At first I'm like - don't be a privileged little bitch. But he's not. He's just like them, a bastard and I think what he asked his mom was fair.

Aegon - I feel so bad for him. I really hope Grandmaester Orwyle pushes Larys Strong out of a fucking window (but I know it doesn't end like that for him).

Daemon - So awful, totally incapable of taking away from any of these lessons being taught to him. The scenes with Paddy Constantine are so sad. But more Vis please!

The frat bro Kingsguard - to the wall with you! Which is probably going to work out way better for them.

But the MVP of this episode is Lord Oscar Tully. I think I actually snorted at one point when he was dressing down "King" Consort. Shades of Lyanna Mormont too.

 

[Totenkindly]

Yeah. Oscar Tully. Damn, that was great.

edit: I also really love this shot at the end of the episode. Rhaenyra has such an ugly look on her face. It's ON.

 

[SensEye]

I knew Hugh was a shoe in for a dragon. It was a coin toss in my mind for Ulf the freeloader, but I am pleased fate smiled on him. Everyone else was pretty much a blonde haired redshirt, but I couldn't rule out a possible promotion of some random young upstart to a starring role.

Jace is most certainly a privileged little bitch, don't understand you guys cutting him any slack. He'd prefer thousands die in battle and risk his mom's side loosing, rather than introduce a minor complication to his chances to become heir for what appears to be certain victory*. Poor baby. He comes across as spoiled and power hungry as all the other Targaryen brats. Also, when he takes to whining about his dark hair and the stigma of being perceived as a bastard, does he have any empathy for all the other bastards who all had to grow up in anonymous poverty? That could easily have been his fate, but the far worse suffering of his illegitimate brothers and sisters is of no mind to him, he's the only 'poor bastard' despite being raised in wealth and privilege.




*I'm sure this apparent overwhelming advantage in dragon power won't hold, but Jace doesn't know that when he is carping. Heck, I wouldn't put it past the butthurt little twerp to plot to assassinate the new riders. That would certainly level the playing field again, especially with all the other potential candidates now roasted to death.

 

[ceecee]

S2E7 - The Red Sowing


View attachment 31210

• Addam falls into line quickly. It seems genuine enough, especially since he didn't seek power, and Seasmoke was really just choosing his own rider. Still, getting power so abruptly means his loyalties have never been tested once he has possessed some leverage. This goes for all successful dragonriders this episode, I suppose...
• Poor Alicent, with her face eaten off by the face-eating leopards she raised and instigated. Now she has no face and must do a perilous swim-about in the wild to find herself again. I thought perhaps she was going to drown herself in despair -- but maybe not yet.
• All the ratcatchers are dead, and the rodents rule supreme!
• Jace isn't necessarily upset (or just upset) that those under him might have a chance for glory; it's insecurity over his own claim as heir if the only thing that makes him (a bastard) unique (a dragon) is taken from him. It's good to have him finally voice his concerns over his own lineage, of course it would be upsetting. But what is Rhaenyra to do? If she loses this war, he will never have a throne regardless and likely no life either. And the dragons are the ones who select their riders.
• Seeing Aegon stumble around for intense PT was horrific -- but I burst out laughing when the scheming clubfoot inserts himself as the guy to carry him through. It's Larys who has been pushing Aegon into so much pain to recover as quickly as possible, as he's on perilous ground with Aemond, and if anything further were to happen to Aegon, his leverage would be completely gone and he has no other future after burning bridges with his family. Earlier we see him afraid to take what could just be hearsay (about a new dragonrider) to Aemond and further destablize his standing if wrong.
• Aemond sends his brother's party crew to the Wall (essentially a life sentence of irrelevance and labor), further destabilizing Aegon's leverage in the administration while claiming the mantle of "merciful."
• I did like the overtones of Rhaenyra's decision -- even if it is out of desperation -- to provide opportunities to the bastards and not let their low birth stand in the way of becoming dragonriders. She sees it as an opportunity she is granting for those of bold spirit to prove themselves worthy of a higher calling, rather than debasing them because of their mixed blood. Black and Green are still both ruling it over the commoners, but they will have a gentler rule under Rhaenyra.
• Poor Hugh. his little girl died, and now his wife might become a widow. But I have faith that the writers who have wasted time on his subplot have a method to their madness.
• More Paddy!
• I'll hand it to Daemon; he's not just a dick when convenient, he's pretty much just a dick all the time even when some honey would be more helpful. Despite the King Consort's worst self, the new Lord Oscar Tully threads that needle delicately and forces Daemon to commit himself to get what he wants.
• Oh my -- all those dragon stewards, clutching their pearls and marching out, lol.
• I liked Rhaenyra's speech upfront to the seeds; she doesn't coddle them, she just explains her vision, details the risk, and if they are willing, there could be great reward and a benefit to her kingdom instead of awful fiery and gnashy death.
• Vermithor delivers as promised and more -- fire, blood, and mayhem. Just like the Red Wedding, the lives of many during the Red Sowing flow freely. The poor first volunteer (with no sideplot) is such a redshirt, and so many others die quickly, but Hugh proves his courage by offering his life in place of a nothing-seed.
• Meanwhile, poor Ulf is almost like the comic version; his stumble towards "escape" leads him right to another dragon, and it's as ignoble as Hugh's selection by Vermithor is heroic: he tracks through shit and might even break an egg, but Silverwing latches onto him with a randy air that reminds me of the she-dragon in "Shrek" glomming onto a donkey.
• Aemond is properly paranoid, which is good for him -- what might have been messy ends up just being a shot over the bow, as he prudently decides not to follow Silverwing to Dragonstone.
• Team Black, ready for action. Team Green, what have you got?

That shot also foreshadows this shot.

Rhaenyra is, after all, Daenerys' great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother.

 

[The Cat]

That shot also foreshadows this shot.

Rhaenyra is, after all, Daenerys' great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother.

Those dragons work so hard on choreography while the humans play their games of thrones....

 

[Totenkindly]

Those dragons work so hard on choreography while the humans play their games of thrones....

Face it, dragons are pretty much only vulnerable to other dragons or to shitty showrunners.

 

[Totenkindly]

Hell yeah!!

 

[Totenkindly]

Season 2 Episode 8

• This episode preps for "Maximum Season 3 Carnage" rather than being a big event on its own.
• Giving power to her bastard riders has made Rhaenyra vulnerable to them. Addam and Hugh (currently) seem respectful of her authority, but Ulf is completely unfazed by expectations (ironic, considering he was hesitant to go, then stumbled ass-backwards into a dragon pairing). The culture clash is going to create issues when no big threats occupy their attention.
• Based on this, Jace's anxieties seem well-placed. Much of his rage seemed entrenched in Mom's affair with Strong putting him and his brothers in a precarious position. (It's not even just with who is next in line; typically if you don't win the game of thrones, you die.) His sulking is a problem if he doesn't move on -- but then again he's supposedly only 16 and that's what mid-teens are prone to do, especially when ashamed of their heritage. Good thing Baela is there to kick him in the ass.
• I like the way these scenes create discomfort. For the series we are typically being taught to identify unequivocally with the Targaryen royalty, but now we're seeing first-hand the disparity between the have's and the have-not's. While the royals have their own drama (fighting over their share of privilege), the commoner class is just fighting to survive.
• Going along with this, Alyn's speech to Corlys -- WOW. But yeah. That bridge might be burnt, and good intentions won't solve it. Awareness came after he lost his wife, but too little, too late...
• Poor Aegon and his sizzling sausage... TMI!
• Aemond's scared and pissed, leading him to lay waste. His attempt to bully Helaena fails with mama bear Alicent around. It's even more chilling later when Helaena calls him out for maiming his brother and acknowleges that yes Aemond can kill her... but it won't change his doom. (Cursed with knowledge, Helaena seems to be the only sane one around King's Landing.)
• Cole actually has a scene where he's not a total asshat, while my respect for Gwayne continues to grow. (Freddie Fox is going to be great as Cluracan in "Sandman s2.")
• It's so worth it to see Abigail Thorn (Lohar) put a Lannister through the paces. Tywin Lannister came from this guy??
• Is Alys alive or a ghost of Herronhal? (Also, I finally recognized her as Sheila the wolf-girl from GLOW. DOH!)
• So what dog kennel did someone tuck Otto away in??
• Rhaena's driving me nuts. All these quick edits remind me of the "Holy Grail" schtick where there are multiple cuts of Lancelot running ahead to storm a castle but taking forever due to all the cutting. Every eight minutes, it's like, "Oh yeah, don't forget Rhaena still desperately frolicking about the moors!" (We are all assuming she is taking Nettles' place, although I would laugh if she is eaten and Nettles shows up in Season 3.)
• So... a final meeting between Alicent and Rhaenyra. We know Alicent is likely on the level because we've seen what's been going on with her, although she's short-sighted in thinking that she can ever escape what she herself set in motion. (Again, the privilege of royalty -- she thinks she can just live happily ever after with resources, after walking away.) Rhaenyra will have to decide whether she trusts it enough to go to King's Landing in three days. (Neither of them know that good ol' Layrs has saved the one ruler who he has some control over, though.)
• Some reviewers were calling Rhaenyra petty for returning to the "son for a son" comment. When I watched it, based on what was said prior, I did not see it as a "petty revenge" moment. Rhaenyra has shown herself through this season to be extremely reluctant to wantonly destroy life. Here she was just saying that Alicent set wheels in motion that cannot be stopped just because she's NOW not liking the outcome -- while meanwhile Rhaenyra is stuck playing out that hand to the bitter end. Alicent set up a situation where either Aegon or Rhaenyra HAD to die in order to achieve unified rule and peace. She ENDS that exchange by saying almost, "Besides -- a son for a son. [That is the bargain you entered into, Alicent. It's fair.]" If she is committed to this, Alicent must accept the reality of the situation, that her eldest son needs to die.
• Most of the episode didn't impact my emotions, except for the scene when Rhaenyra arrives at Herronhal and demands Daemon's loyalty. After a private conversation in High Valeryan, he suggests that he's finally worked through to acceptance and gives her his pledge. That was a big deal, a sign that Daemon is finally accepting his role in all of this -- and he immediately channels all of that ferocity into stirring up the army for her. There was a lot of tedium getting here, but Matt Smith sells that moment so beautifully. Really moving.

So -- while the vision with the tree was pretty nifty, it just left a sick feeling in my stomach because of how badly D&D screwed up Game of Thrones. "House of the Dragon" tries to sell us all on how big a deal The Prince That was Promised is (enough to turn Daemon's heart around!), but whether it was Daenerys or Jon/Aegon Snow in that role, neither of them panned out to anything. Even Dany's dragons are wasted. It kind of makes this after-the-fact setup feel pretty disappointing, although maybe GRRM's books will set the story straight if he ever completes them.

 

[ceecee]

 

[The Cat]

maybe GRRM's books will set the story straight if he ever completes them.

Sometimes I think George thinks if he finishes that series it'll be the last thing he does, so he's dragging it out till he gets his bucket list done. Either that or he's already got it done, he just knows after all this time, no matter what it is, most people are gonna be pissed, so he's gonna have them published posthumously with the forward: "I'd rather be dead than listen to your bitching. I did it. I won the game of thrones. Enjoy the books nerds."

 

[SensEye]

I just found out Season 2 was cut to 8 episodes vs 10. I thought the next two episodes were going to be cracking. Alas, not.

Season 2 was a pretty slow burn in all aspects. I know it's not doing anywhere near as well as GOT in the ratings. I think they should have pulled in a bit of what I presume will be lots of action in Season 3 just to keep momentum going. Hate to see it cut short due to high production costs + low ratings. If this keeps up 'at least' four seasons is going to turn into 'at most' four seasons.

 

[Totenkindly]

GoT had high viewership but then started to suck ass after it peaked.

They have multiple projects coming out. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms or something will probably air next year, with HotD returning in 2026. I don't know how much I'll watch of any new series -- if something sucks, I won't bother. I'm not particularly wedded to GRRM.

 

[The Cat]

GoT had high viewership but then started to suck ass after it peaked.

They have multiple projects coming out. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms or something will probably air next year, with HotD returning in 2026. I don't know how much I'll watch of any new series -- if something sucks, I won't bother. I'm not particularly wedded to GRRM.

Thank the gods. You know how that guy is with Weddings.

 

[Totenkindly]

Thank the gods. You know how that guy is with Weddings.

His purple and red weddings are terrible to behold.

I don't want to imagine his brown, yellow, or green weddings.

 

[The Cat]

His purple and red weddings are terrible to behold.

I don't want to imagine his brown, yellow, or green weddings.

Garish things to behold.

 

[Totenkindly]

It pretty much has to. They only have 9-10 dragons and 15-16 regular cast or something; and pretty much almost everyone dies (as far as I have guessed), lol. Can't really drag that out for more than two seasons, with everything primed to explode in Season 3.

I'm kind of curious to see whether Alicent gets away with her planned retirement to the lakeside hut or whether she dies horribly like everyone else.

House of the Dragon To End With Season 4

Here's another thing House of the Dragon does better than Game of Thrones.

movieweb.com

 

[Totenkindly]

 

[The Cat]

You know the drill: if you're not caught up and care about spoilers...
Move along home.​

 

[Totenkindly]

"The Greens stand accused of taking Black jobs"

Gawd the whole video is pretty great to start with -- and then we get a stellar drop from The Hound, which might have been one of my favorite lines in all of GoT.