Podcasts about viserys

“We should start back” sono le primissime parole de “Le Cronache del Ghiaccio e del Fuoco” di George R.R. Martin e noi abbiamo pensato di fare esattamente così.Vaes Dothrak è immensa, Dany non riesce a vederne la fine. La città giace ai piedi della Madre delle Montagne, accessibile solo ai khal e ai loro bloodriders.Come spiega Mormont, ora ufficiosamente al servizio della Khaleesi, è una città fatta da schiavi allo scopo, un giorno, di ospitare tutti i suoi figli Dothaki, come hanno da tempo profetizzato le vecchie del Dosh Khaleen, le anziane vedove dei khal morti, portate qua a passare il resto della loro vita tra le case vuote di una città che sembra un fantasma.A Daenerys fa strano pensarla come una città, lei ne ha viste tante e mai senza delle mura di cinta o uno stile ben preciso; Vaes Dothrak la confonde, così come la confondono tutte le statue di antiche divinità e vecchi eroi che adornano la strada principale che stanno percorrendo verso il centro.Insieme a lei Ser Jorah e suo fratello Viserys, di nuovo a cavallo, dopo che Dany, a sua insaputa, è riuscita a convincere Khal Drogo a ridargli una cavalcatura.Viserys non si è minimamente adattato alla cultura dothraki, anzi ne schernisce gli usi e costumi, non fa alcuno sforzo per comprenderla, l'unica cosa che brama e richiede insistentemente a Drogo è un esercito per poter riconquistare i suoi Sette Regni.Ser Jorah è scettico, quasi gli ride in faccia ma Dany, a sorpresa, lo difende nonostante dubiti anche lei delle capacità militari del fratello; se solo esistesse qualcuno di più capace e affascinante, qualcuno che potrebbe ammaliare le folle e farsi seguire fedelmente da chiunque…Dopo essere stata avvertita da Cohollo, uno dei bloodrider di Drogo che il khal non tornerà nella sua tenda quella sera, Dany è solleva, specialmente all'idea di passare una serata senza sforzi e all'insegna del riposo assoluto, d'altronde il bimbo che porta in grembo sta crescendo e cavalcare diventa ogni giorno più pesante. La Khaleesi decide quella sera di invitare a cena suo fratello per donargli dei vestiti fatti apposta per lui. Sono in stile dothraki, adatti alle lunghe cavalcate, leggeri e dinamici, pensati per il caldo afoso delle immense steppe; sono anche un modo per aiutarlo a integrarsi e innalzare il suo rango tra i leader del khalasar.Viserys però è furioso, non ci sta; come si permette sua sorella, sua sottoposta, a ordinargli qualcosa? Lui è il suo re e non ammette che una “puttana” gli dia ordini, specialmente inviando una umile schiava.Questo litigio porta Dany a versare del sangue, il suo primo sangue in terra sacra: a Vaes Dothrak nessuno può portare un'arma o versare sangue altrui, Dany viola questo principio.Alla sera è ovviamente turbata e scossa e l'unica cosa che la può calmare sono le sue uova di drago. Chiede alle sue ancelle di portarle un uovo da cullare insieme al figlio in grembo; Irri le porta l'uovo verde con striature bronzee e in questo momento magico Dany riesce a sentire i calci di suoi figlio, il vero drago dentro di lei.Ovviamente condividete su tutte le piattaforme, spargete la voce e mettete like al video. Potete trovarci su tutti gli altri social tramite i link qua sotto:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tronodispadepod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/tronodispadepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tronodispadepod/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4mdslx4Nd8vunpc7nP3B45Google Podcast: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3uZm0vcy81MDk3ZTk4OC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ilpodcastdelghiaccioedelfuocoKo-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ilpodcastdelghiaccioedelfuocoLinkt.ree: https://linktr.ee/ilpodcastdelghiaccioedelfuoco

Send us Fan MailTonight is a double episode recap. We will be breaking down both episode 2 and episode 3. Ep2  "Rhaenyra the Cruel" picks up with the aftermath immediately after the death of Lil Jae Jae. It also introduced us to Addam of Hull, Ulf the White, and  Kat. Ep3 "The Burning Mill" gives us, well Alicat, clarity on what Viserys really said, but at this point it doesn't matter. It also starts Damon's time at Harrenhall. The episode introduced us to Ser Gwayne Hightower, Alys Rivers, and Ser Simon Strong.#aknightofthesevenkingdoms #watchdemthrones #gameofthrones #houseofthedragonhbo #demthrones 

“We should start back” sono le primissime parole de “Le Cronache del Ghiaccio e del Fuoco” di George R.R. Martin e noi abbiamo pensato di fare esattamente così.È il giorno del matrimonio con Khal Drogo e la giovane Daenerys non è mai stata così impaurita, nemmeno lo strano sogno con un drago l'ha calmata, anzi l'esatto contrario. I matrimoni dothraki sono eventi incredibili: cibo a volontà, intrattenimento, sesso e qualche cadavere… d'altronde, come le aveva anche detto Illyrio, un matrimonio dothraki senza morti è considerato sfortunato. Il suo di morti ne ha avuti almeno una dozzina, vedi che fortuna.Il giorno comunque passa lento e inesorabile, e lei si sente sempre più sola e isolata, in alto nel suo scranno accanto a un marito che non conosce e soggetta allo sguardo crudele e geloso del fratello Viserys, costretto qualche gradino più in basso, un affronto per il re di Westeros. È verso la fine del giorno che la paura si trasforma in terrore puro quando, dopo il momento dello scambio dei regali, ci sarà la consumazione del matrimonio.(I regali vanno a gruppi di tre: 3 ancelle, 3 armi, 3 uova di drago… strane, ma bellissime e splendide. Drogo le regala una bellissima giumenta argentata)Alla fine della cerimonia lei e Khal Drogo si allontanano in groppa alle loro cavalcature per raggiungere una piccola radura isolata sotto le stelle dove consumeranno l'unione.Dany è nel panico, non sa cosa fare né come comportarsi… eppure, piano piano, seguendo l'attenta guida di Drogo la giovane Targaryen si scioglie, e dopo una serie di no ecco il sì definitivo. Ovviamente condividete su tutte le piattaforme, spargete la voce e mettete like al video. Potete trovarci su tutti gli altri social tramite i link qua sotto:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tronodispadepod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/tronodispadepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tronodispadepod/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4mdslx4Nd8vunpc7nP3B45Google Podcast: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3uZm0vcy81MDk3ZTk4OC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ilpodcastdelghiaccioedelfuocoKo-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ilpodcastdelghiaccioedelfuocoLinkt.ree: https://linktr.ee/ilpodcastdelghiaccioedelfuoco

“We should start back” sono le primissime parole de “Le Cronache del Ghiaccio e del Fuoco” di George R.R. Martin e noi abbiamo pensato di fare esattamente così.Nell'immensa villa di Illyrio a Pentos, Viserys e Daenerys, gli ultimi eredi della casa del drago, attendono l'incontro con Khal Drogo, il più potente e forte tra i khal dothraki e futuro sposo della giovanissima principessa. Viserys è eccitato e nervoso, Daenerys è terrorizzata; eppure affronta la preparazione con quel poco di coraggio e dignità che le rimangono. Lo fa per suo fratello, il suo re, lo fa per avere la possibilità di tornare a casa… sì, ma quale? L'unica vera casa che conosce è quella dalla porta rossa a Braavos, con Ser Willem Darry a chiamarla principessa e la spensieratezza dell'infanzia ad accompagnarla.Lei non sa nulla dei grandi castelli grigi di Westeros, né delle imponenti mura di Dragonstone o delle sconfinate praterie verdi dell'Altopiano; l'unica cosa che sa, perché Viserys ne è ossessionato, è che devono necessariamente riconquistare il trono che è stato rubato loro dall'Usurpatore e dai suoi cani e che per farlo devono avere un esercito, e quale se non quello dei selvaggi Dothraki?Lo riesce a leggere negli occhi di Viserys, il grande desiderio di riconquista e vendetta, il sogno di una casa, la rivincita su Robert per avere ucciso il loro fratello Rhaegar, morto col nome della donna che amava sulle labbra… eppure per lei questo è nulla, non significa niente se non terrore e disagio.Perché deve farlo lei e perché Illyrio li sta aiutando di buon cuore? Cosa vuole in cambio che Viserys non riesce a vedere? Questo e mille altri dubbi le sorgono mentre viene preparata per la presentazione al khal.Il palazzo del signore dothraki è immenso e pieno di gente, ma Dany si rende presto conto che lei è l'unica ragazzina e che è circondata da predatori.L'unico uomo che desta la sua attenzione è un cavaliere di Westeros, un certo Ser Jorah Mormont, diverso dagli altri, regale, uscito quasi dalle fiabe… Non c'è tempo però di sognare, Khal Drogo è là e lei deve fare una buona impressione, a meno che non voglia risvegliare il drago, la minaccia Viserys.Ovviamente condividete su tutte le piattaforme, spargete la voce e mettete like al video. Potete trovarci su tutti gli altri social tramite i link qua sotto:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tronodispadepod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/tronodispadepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tronodispadepod/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4mdslx4Nd8vunpc7nP3B45Google Podcast: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3uZm0vcy81MDk3ZTk4OC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ilpodcastdelghiaccioedelfuocoKo-fi: https://ko-fi.com/ilpodcastdelghiaccioedelfuocoLinkt.ree: https://linktr.ee/ilpodcastdelghiaccioedelfuoco

Send us a textDaenerys openly flaunts her relationship with Daario, tells Quentyn Martell that he has come to late, and despite all kinds of misgivings, goes ahead and marries Hizdahr zo Loraq. Simon and Mackelly throw some confetti, half-heartedly.Chapter Review:Daenerys Targaryen spends her last nights as a single woman in the arms of Daario Naharis. Her looming nuptials strain their relationship. The Yunkaii continue to mass beyond her gates. She knows deep down that this will never be her city.She holds court and gets a coded lecture from the Green Grace about her infidelities. Then Daario presents the Westerosi he captured and convinced to come over to her cause. The last 3 are the contingent from Dorne and present her with the contract drawn up by Oberyn Martell and William Darry for Viserys to marry Princess Arianne. She correctly infers that Quentyn hopes that he and she can fulfill the spirit of the contract. She welcomes him, but reaffirms that it is too late.The next day she marries Hizadhr Zo Loraq in a long ceremony. She kind of hoped that Daario would rescue her from it.Characters/Places/Names/Events:Daenerys Targaryen - Last remaining descendent of the royal Targaryen line, Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, claimant to the Iron Throne of Westeros.Daario Naharis - Leader of the sellsword company the Stormcrows.Hizdahr zo Loraq - Noble of Meereen, betrothed to Daenerys. Betrothed to Daenerys.Quentyn Martell - Son of Prince Doran Martell. In Essos to offer his hand in marriage to Daenerys.Barristan Selmy - Lord Commander of Daenerys' Queensguard. Former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard in King's Landing.Reznak mo Reznak - Ghiscari seneschal of MeereenSkahaz mo Kandaq - AKA The Shavepate. Ghiscari noble of Meereen. Convert to Dany's cause. Despised by the Sons of the Harpy. Galazza Galare - The Green Grace, the high priestess of the Temple of the Graces in Meereen.Meereen - Largest city on Slaver's Bay. Support the showSupport us: Buy us a Cup of Arbor Gold, or become a sustainer and receive cool perks Donate to our cause Use our exclusive URL for a free 30-day trial of Audible Buy or gift Marriott Bonvoy points through our affiliate link Rate and review us at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, podchaser.com, and elsewhere.Find us on social media: Discord Twitter @GhostsHarrenhal Facebook Instagram YouTube All Music credits to Ross Bugden:INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M

Spoilers, profanity, Jaime x Brienne. We swore we'd never do this but we did. When your boat trip turns into a self-medicating nightmare. Is this Viserys's room? Let's set off everybody's claustrophobia. Don't eat the mushrooms, bro. A Song of Ice and Fire. A Dance with Dragons - Tyrion I. Close The Door And Come Here - Episode 585

To save on the event budget, we've combined a baby shower with a coronation. You're all invited but we have a special guest: It's Glidus, coming to join as another other one of your hosts to break down Dany's arc and the end of Viserys's. Where to find Glidus: YouTube—https://www.youtube.com/@Glidus Nebula—https://nebula.tv/glidus Patreon—https://www.patreon.com/glidus ASOIAF Jeopardy—https://nebula.tv/videos/glidus-asoiaf-jeopardy-except-the-questions-are-evil Listen to Glidus's band, Materia—https://open.spotify.com/album/4uaueffBjkor2A0GG1fqnv?si=zsEvh3XSQDuyYGEefxgQVA&nd=1&dlsi=fb1dac8f27ea49b3 Listen to Glidus's other music project, The Beggar King—https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZAvHTXVctNlZIcg_WqNv1w Sound credits: "Silver Flame" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Sound effects from https://pixabay.com/ --- Eliana's twitter: https://twitter.com/arhythmetric Eliana's reddit account: https://www.reddit.com/user/glass_table_girl Eliana's blog: https://themanyfacedblog.wordpress.com/ Chloe's twitter: https://twitter.com/liesandarbor Chloe's blog: liesandarborgold.com Intro by Anton Langhage

Send us a textTyrion meets Griff and young Griff. He has suspicions about who Griff might be, but Griff is plenty suspicious of Tyrion in return. Mackelly and Simon ponder the possibilities. Chapter ReviewTyrion is passed from Illyrio to Haldon the Half-Maester and Ser Rolly “Duck” Duckworth, along with letters, chests, and candy for young Griff. As they depart Tyrion sees Mopatis looking forlorn. Duck provides his life story, including being dubbed by Griff watched by Ducks, confirming his nickname. When they reach the Little Rhoyne at the ruined city of Ghoyan Drohe, they rendezvous with the riverboat, the Shy Maid. They are welcomed by Young Griff who dyes his hair blue in the Tyroshi fashion - after his mother - but Tyrion thinks that it won't fly in Westeros. Griff the elder is far from pleased to welcome Tyrion. A letter from Mopatis explains what is going on, but doesn't change his mood. He thinks Danaerys would be well advised to reject a kin and kingslayer from her service. But Tyrion catches him in several lies and suspects who Griff might truly be.Characters/Places/Names/Events:Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister whom he recently murdered. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Former Hand of the King.Illyrio Mopatis - Magister of Pentos. Former guardian of Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen. Friend of Lord Varys.Griff - red-haired sellsword in service to Illyrio Mopatis.Young Griff - Griff's son. Cared about by many.Haldon Half-maester - One of Griff's men.Ser Rolly “Duck” Duckworth - Westerosi knight, who serves Griff. Ghoyan Drohe - City in Essos destroyed by dragons centuries ago.Rhoyne River - greatest river in Essos. Flows south to Volantis.  Support the showSupport us: Buy us a Cup of Arbor Gold, or become a sustainer and receive cool perks Donate to our cause Use our exclusive URL for a free 30-day trial of Audible Buy or gift Marriott Bonvoy points through our affiliate link Rate and review us at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, podchaser.com, and elsewhere.Find us on social media: Discord Twitter @GhostsHarrenhal Facebook Instagram YouTube All Music credits to Ross Bugden:INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M

Send us a textTyrion and Illyrio Mopatis are trapped in a closed palanquin, hidden from the world, with just each other's voices for company. Mackelly and Simon try to imagine what that must be like.Chapter Review:Tyrion Lannister and Illyrio Mopatis leave Pentos in a closed palanquin. Nobody can know of Tyrion's presence or destination. He thinks that between the sailors and Mopatis' servants the word is already out. But his host is confident of their discretion. Tyrion is doubtful. Tyrion tries to unearth Mopatis' true motivations in helping Daenerys Targaryen regain the Iron Throne. The Pentosi claims that he just wants to help the young girl he fell in love with, that he was promised a Westerosi lordship and the role of Master of Coin. None of that convinces Tyrion. They're headed east toward the Rhoyne, where Tyrion will go south by river to Volantis. There Mopatis expects he'll rendezvous with Daenerys and her growing army. Tyrion will be accompanied by a sell-sword named Griff - who (again) Mopatis places an amazing amount of faith in.Characters/Places/Names/Events:Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister whom he recently murdered. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Former Hand of the King.Illyrio Mopatis - Magister of Pentos. Former guardian of Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen. Friend of Lord Varys.Lord Varys - Former Master of Whisperers in King's Landing, freed Tyrion from captivity at Jaime's instructions.Pentos - One of the free cities of Essos. Support the showSupport us: Buy us a Cup of Arbor Gold, or become a sustainer and receive cool perks Donate to our cause Use our exclusive URL for a free 30-day trial of Audible Buy or gift Marriott Bonvoy points through our affiliate link Rate and review us at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, podchaser.com, and elsewhere.Find us on social media: Discord Twitter @GhostsHarrenhal Facebook Instagram YouTube All Music credits to Ross Bugden:INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M

Send us a textTyrion arrives in Pentos wallowing in self-pity. His plans for revenge against his family are dismissed by Illyrio Mopatis who has a much better idea for the Iron Throne - a three-headed dragon. Simon and Mackelly say hello to their little friend.Chapter Review:Tyrion Lannister drinks himself into oblivion while confined below decks on a ship. He doesn't know where he's headed - his escape was orchestrated by Lord Varys, with no input from Tyrion. Eventually he's disembarked hidden in a wine barrel. The last half hour of the journey is the worst. When the barrel is opened he is face-to-face with Illyrio Mopatis. The magister welcomes him to Pentos. Tyrion explores the grounds of the manse - but he's not to leave.Over dinner Tyrion, increasingly drunk, shares his ideas to raise Myrcella's banners. Mopatis is not impressed, and instead suggests that Tyrion join him in supporting the better claim of the dragon with three heads.Characters/Places/Names/Events:Tyrion Lannister - Youngest son of Tywin Lannister whom he recently murdered. Brother to queen Cersei and Jamie Lannister. Former Hand of the King.Tywin Lannister - Tyrion's father, murdered by Tyrion.Shae - Prostitute and lover of Tyrion. Also murdered by Tyrion. Tysha - Tyrion's first wife. Raped by Tyrion and others at Tywin's command. Illyrio Mopatis - Magister of Pentos. Former guardian of Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen. Friend of Lord Varys.Lord Varys - Former Master of Whisperers in King's Landing, freed Tyrion from captivity at Jaime's instructions.Pentos - One of the free cities of Essos. By Its CoverSiblings, Katie Wright and Jacob Frederick, pick out books solely by the information...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showSupport us: Buy us a Cup of Arbor Gold, or become a sustainer and receive cool perks Donate to our cause Use our exclusive URL for a free 30-day trial of Audible Buy or gift Marriott Bonvoy points through our affiliate link Rate and review us at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, podchaser.com, and elsewhere.Find us on social media: Discord Twitter @GhostsHarrenhal Facebook Instagram YouTube All Music credits to Ross Bugden:INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M

This week on Game of Groans, Emily and Kate talk about the season finale Episode 10 of Season 1, The Black Queen.They discuss the infamous war table, the Olsen twins, a Dragonstone Hotel, Breath of the Wild, symbolism, how dragon bonding works, jade eggs, and Viserys as a Force ghost.Additionally, Emily thinks the finale was a little anticlimactic, Kate wonders if she should read the books, and they both have a bad feeling about Luke. New HOTD episodes will come back in the new year! Keep an eye out for non-GOT episodes in the last months of the year. Music is by Simon Daum.Support us on Patreon!  Become one of our Patrons at www.patreon.com/gameofgroanspod Emily's Socials - @koballabateman (Insta), @koballabateman (Twitter)Kate's Socials - @ophelia5wims (Insta), @ophelia5wims (Twitter)Instagram - @gameofgroanspodFacebook - facebook.com/gameofgroanspodTwitter - @gameofgroanspodWebsite - www.gameofgroanspod.comEmail - gameofgroanspod@gmail.comWant to reach out? Send us a text!Support the show

This week on Game of Groans, Emily and Kate are joined by Nav from A Song of Ice and Fire Symposium to talk about Episode 8 of Season 1, The Lord of Tides.They discuss the heavy Season 2 marketing, the war room table, too many swords, Aegon's dream, that there's only one drug in Westeros, fantasy politics, and that Viserys is a great grandfather. Additionally, Emily is uncomfortable saying she likes the series, Kate thinks Rhaenys should have been Queen, and Nav lost respect for Allicent.New episodes biweekly, the next episode is coming October 22nd. Music is by Simon Daum.Support us on Patreon!  Become one of our Patrons at www.patreon.com/gameofgroanspodA Song of Ice and Fire Symposium Website: https://popculturesymposium.buzzsprout.com/Facebook: A Song of Ice and Fire SymposiumInstagram: @popculturesymposium Discord: https://discord.gg/h8QBg3RGfx Emily's Socials - @koballabateman (Insta), @koballabateman (Twitter)Kate's Socials - @ophelia5wims (Insta), @ophelia5wims (Twitter)Instagram - @gameofgroanspodFacebook - facebook.com/gameofgroanspodTwitter - @gameofgroanspodWebsite - www.gameofgroanspod.comEmail - gameofgroanspod@gmail.comSupport the show

This week on Game of Groans, Emily and Kate talk about Episode 6 of Season 1, The Princess and the Queen.They discuss the Book of Mormon musical, GOT genetics, plain-featured children, female writers, that Alicent is still naive, that Criston Cole is the ultimate nice guy, and that Aegon sucks. Additionally, Emily realizes she has no favorite character, Kate assumes Viserys would have been dead, and they both question how Laena left her entire house while in labor.New episodes biweekly, the next episode is coming October 24th. Music is by Simon Daum.Support us on Patreon!  Become one of our Patrons at www.patreon.com/gameofgroanspod Emily's Socials - @koballabateman (Insta), @koballabateman (Twitter)Kate's Socials - @ophelia5wims (Insta), @ophelia5wims (Twitter)Instagram - @gameofgroanspodFacebook - facebook.com/gameofgroanspodTwitter - @gameofgroanspodWebsite - www.gameofgroanspod.comEmail - gameofgroanspod@gmail.comSupport the show

This week we've been back through Game of Thrones in our house. I haven't watched it again since 2011 when the series first premiered on HBO and took over popular culture for the next eight years. There's so much to be said about the characters in this show. Starks. Lannisters. Targaryens. Dothrakis. Baratheons. I'd forgotten how powerful this contest for control of Kings Landing and Westeros is. It's not my intention to dunk on House of the Dragon, the new spinoff series set generations before GoT during the reign of House Targaryen, but there wasn't much about the new series that left an impression or stuff to think about. King Viserys Targaryen and his willingness to let critics speak freely is one notable exception that we wrote about here on Geeky Stoics.Viserys hears that rabble-rousers are questioning his choice of royal heir, and his advisor urges him to have their tongues cut out. The king, very much not inclined toward violence, declines. “Tongues will not change the succession. Let them wag.” He sounds a bit like Cicero, the Roman senator who scribbled down “Let other people worry over what they will say about you. They will say it in any case.”“Those who can't talk about those who can” is what actor Denzel Washington once had to say about his critics in Hollywood.It's true. You must not distract yourself with the useless opinions of others. “A lion doesn't concern him with the opinions of the sheep” is what Tywin Lannister says to his son, Jaime, in Game of Thrones' first season.We have a balance to strike in our lives. Can we carry on with our work without reading the comments section or nervously checking on reviews? Can we be receptive to feedback and eager to learn or adjust without our entire existence hinging on the validation of others?The tricky thing about this scene between Tywin and Jaime Lannister is that they're the villains of this chapter in Game of Thrones.Tywin is a nasty man, but he's quite sane. In a Westeros full of madmen and murderers… controversial opinion here…but Tywin Lannister would be a decent king….simply because he is practical, understands power politics, and can be reasonable.We don't want to take advice from a bad guy, but not caring what people think about them is sort of their superpower. They are freed from self-imposed obligations to people around them whom they hold in contempt or see as lesser.Good people need to hear this sometimes. They tend to think about others more than your villains of the world, and then they get trapped by that sense of care. A time will come when doing good requires being at odds with those around you who have been deceived or caught up in evil.This little exchange between two Lannister men about the limiting effect of other people's opinions is worth remembering. There is real wisdom there. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com

Caroline and Gretchen continue their analysis with a The Dying of the Dragons: The Blacks and the Greens Part 1. When an unfortunate servant notices that Viserys is RIP, the Green council gathers to discuss very real and legitimate laws that exist and happen to support their position! And Alicent ignores the leopards preparing to eat her face.Join our Discord! Don't worry we're cool https://discord.gg/3XvvwpgQuestions or comments? Email us at houseoffireandbloodpodcast@gmail.com

Spoiler note: This House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 8 review discusses “The Queen Who Ever Was” in full, including the finale ending, Alicent and Rhaenyra's meeting, Daemon's weirwood vision, Aegon leaving King's Landing, Aemond and Helaena, Rhaena finding the wild dragon, and the Season 3 setup. Mary & Blake are TV-first viewers and avoid future Fire & Blood spoilers. In our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 8 review, we break down “The Queen Who Ever Was,” a finale that works beautifully as an episode of television but leaves the season ending more like a promise than a payoff. This is the hour where Daemon finally bends the knee, Alicent offers Rhaenyra the throne, Aegon escapes King's Landing with Larys, Aemond starts losing control, the armies move into place, and the season closes right before the war truly explodes. Mary gave the episode 4.9 flames. Blake gave it 4.9 flames as an episode of television, but much lower as a finale because the final montage builds toward catharsis without fully delivering it. That tension is the heart of the conversation: “The Queen Who Ever Was” is thematically strong, visually gorgeous, and emotionally rich — but it also feels like Episode 8 of a 10-episode season. Below, you can listen to our full podcast breakdown, watch the video version, read the recap, and follow our related House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage. Listen To Our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Finale Recap And Reaction Mary & Blake discuss the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale, Episode 8, “The Queen Who Ever Was,” including why the finale was nearly perfect until one crucial ending choice, why audiences need fitting denouements, whether Alicent or Rhaenyra is the main character of Season 2, Daemon's vision, the pirate chaos, and why George R. R. Martin needs to eat his vitamins. Subscribe To Get New House Of The Dragon Episodes APPLE PODCASTS YOUTUBE SPOTIFY House Of The Dragon Season 2 Finale Recap: What Happens In “The Queen Who Ever Was”? “The Queen Who Ever Was” begins by widening the map. Tyland Lannister travels to the Triarchy to secure help against Rhaenyra's blockade, only to find himself negotiating through mud wrestling, pirate swagger, monkeys, dyed beards, and Admiral Lohar's extremely chaotic vibe. In King's Landing, Larys tells Aegon that survival now means leaving. Aegon is broken, burned, and humiliated, but Larys sees him as politically useful precisely because everyone else has underestimated him. Together, they flee toward Essos, taking money and removing Aegon from Alicent's plan before she even knows the plan has failed. At Harrenhal, Daemon finally reaches the end of his haunted season. Alys Rivers leads him to the weirwood tree, where he sees images of the future: the White Walkers, dead dragons, the comet, dragon eggs, Daenerys, and Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne. The vision reframes his role in the war. This is not only about his ambition, his resentment, or his marriage. It is about something much bigger. When Rhaenyra arrives at Harrenhal, Daemon publicly bends the knee. But the most important part happens privately, when he speaks to her in High Valyrian and tells her the war is bigger than both of them. For once, Daemon is not trying to take the story from Rhaenyra. He is choosing to serve her part in it. Aemond, meanwhile, becomes more dangerous after realizing Team Black now has more dragons. He burns Sharp Point in rage and tries to force Helaena to ride Dreamfyre into battle. Helaena refuses and tells him what she knows: Aegon will be king again, and Aemond will die in the God's Eye. On Dragonstone, Alicent comes to Rhaenyra and offers her a path to King's Landing. She admits she was wrong about Viserys' final words, says Aemond is leaving for Harrenhal, and tells Rhaenyra she can take the Red Keep in three days. But Rhaenyra makes the cost clear: Aegon must die. Alicent resists, then accepts the price. The episode ends with armies, ships, dragons, and riders moving into place for Season 3. The Starks are marching. The Lannisters are moving. The Triarchy is coming. Criston Cole is on the road. Rhaena finds the wild dragon in the Vale. Otto Hightower is shown imprisoned. And Rhaenyra and Alicent end in mirrored positions: one crushed by duty, the other looking toward freedom. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 8 Review “The Queen Who Ever Was” is a difficult finale because the material inside the episode is often excellent. The issue is not that nothing happens. A lot happens. The problem is that almost all of it points forward. As an episode, it has some of the strongest character work of the season. Daemon's Harrenhal arc finally pays off. Alicent and Rhaenyra get another charged conversation. Aemond's fear and cruelty become clearer. Helaena's role as a dreamer becomes more active. Aegon's escape complicates the entire political plan. And the final montage is visually beautiful. As a finale, though, the episode is more frustrating. It gives us movement toward a battle, movement toward the Gullet, movement toward Harrenhal, movement toward King's Landing, movement toward Rhaena and the wild dragon — but very little final release. It feels like the season inhales and then cuts to black before the exhale. That is why Blake's central critique lands: if the show could not end with a major battle, it needed a stronger emotional denouement. It needed one final moment that closed the season's thematic loop rather than simply arranging the next board. Mary is more willing to accept the setup because the season has already delivered major events: Blood and Cheese, Rook's Rest, the Red Sowing, Daemon's transformation, and the shift in Alicent. For Mary, this is the Risk board finally getting good. For Blake, it is a strong episode that needed one more move to feel like a true finale. Why Is The Episode Called “The Queen Who Ever Was”? The title “The Queen Who Ever Was” echoes Rhaenys' old title, “The Queen Who Never Was,” but the finale turns the phrase toward both Rhaenyra and Alicent. Rhaenyra is the queen who ever was because her claim, her duty, and the prophecy are now fully pressing down on her. She is no longer only trying to protect her family, avoid war, or prove that Viserys chose her. By the end of the season, she has accepted that she must take the throne even if the cost is blood. Alicent is also part of the title's meaning. She was never queen in her own right, but she helped create a king, defended a false interpretation of Viserys' words, and spent the season realizing that the system she served would never truly give her power. By the end, she no longer wants the crown, the court, or the color green. She wants to be free. That is what makes the title so sad. The episode is about queenship as a trap. Rhaenyra accepts the trap because she believes her part was decided long ago. Alicent tries to step out of it only after the trap has already closed around everyone else. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Ending Explained The ending of House of the Dragon Season 2 shows every major faction moving toward the next stage of the war. Team Black is stronger than it has ever been. Rhaenyra has Daemon, the Riverlands, new dragonriders, Corlys' fleet, and a potential opening in King's Landing through Alicent. But she also has new risks: Ulf is unstable, Hugh is unknown, Jace is insecure about his legitimacy, and Rhaenyra's moral line has moved. Team Green is weaker and more chaotic, but not finished. Aemond controls Vhagar and the military machine, but he is increasingly isolated and reckless. Aegon is alive and escaping with Larys, which ruins Alicent's deal and creates a future problem for both sides. Helaena knows more than anyone around her understands, and Otto's imprisonment suggests another hidden power move is happening off the board. The final montage is meant to show that the war is now unavoidable. The North is marching. The Lannisters are moving. The Triarchy is coming for the blockade. Criston Cole's army is advancing. Rhaena has found the wild dragon. Every piece is in motion. The frustration is that the montage functions more like a trailer for Season 3 than a release for Season 2. The finale does not end with the war arriving. It ends with the war about to arrive. Alicent And Rhaenyra's Final Scene Explained The Alicent and Rhaenyra scene is the emotional center of the finale. Alicent arrives at Dragonstone with no army, no weapon, and no real protection. She comes with the only thing she has left: the possibility of surrender. Alicent admits that she misunderstood Viserys. She knows now that Rhaenyra was right about his final words. She also knows Aemond is dangerous, Aegon is damaged, and the war she helped unleash cannot be controlled from inside the Red Keep anymore. Rhaenyra understands the offer, but she also understands what rule requires. If she takes King's Landing and leaves Aegon alive, her claim will never be secure. So she tells Alicent the truth: Aegon must die. That is the scene's brutal mirror. At the beginning of the season, Helaena had to identify which child was her son. In the finale, Alicent has to choose which son she can give up. It is not the same kind of violence, but it rhymes. The war keeps forcing mothers to name the child who will pay. The scene works because both women have changed places. Alicent now wants escape, air, anonymity, and freedom. Rhaenyra cannot go with her because duty has swallowed her life. Alicent speaks as if from a distant dream. Rhaenyra is awake inside the nightmare. Did The Finale Fail Alicent? Blake's biggest issue with the finale is not simply that there is no battle. It is that Alicent's story does not get the final moment it needs. All season, Alicent has been losing power. She begins believing she can hold the Green cause together, then discovers she misunderstood Viserys, loses her place on the council, watches Aemond rise, and finally decides to trade the throne for a chance at peace. That is a real character arc. The problem is that the finale ends before Alicent can experience the consequence of her choice. She agrees that Aegon must die, but Aegon is already gone. That should be devastating. It should trap her between the bargain she made and the reality she can no longer control. Instead, Aegon's escape is folded into the montage. We understand the plot complication, but Alicent does not get the cathartic moment of returning to King's Landing and realizing her sacrifice cannot be delivered. That is why the ending can feel emotionally incomplete. Alicent makes the season's hardest choice, but the finale does not let the audience sit in the immediate fallout of that choice. Daemon's Weirwood Vision Explained Daemon's weirwood vision is the payoff to his Harrenhal story. After weeks of ghosts, guilt, dreams, Alys Rivers, and psychological torture, Daemon finally sees a future larger than himself. The images connect House of the Dragon to the larger Game of Thrones mythology: the White Walkers, the three-eyed raven, the comet, dead dragons, Daenerys and the dragon eggs, and Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne. The point is not only fan-service. The vision changes Daemon's understanding of power. He wanted the crown because he wanted recognition, love, status, and proof that he mattered. The weirwood shows him that the throne is not a personal prize. It is part of a story that stretches far beyond his resentment. That is why his reunion with Rhaenyra works. When he speaks High Valyrian to her, he is not simply apologizing. He is telling her that winter is coming, the threat is bigger than their marriage, and he now understands that his role is to serve her claim rather than consume it. Daemon kneeling publicly matters. But the private High Valyrian exchange matters more, because that is where he finally recognizes Rhaenyra as his queen. Is Daenerys The Prince That Was Promised? The vision includes imagery that clearly points toward Daenerys and her dragons, but that does not necessarily mean the episode is declaring Daenerys to be the Prince That Was Promised. Within the scene, Daemon sees fragments of a future he does not fully understand. He sees dragons return. He sees the threat from the North. He sees the comet. He sees the Targaryen line stretching toward a future war against death itself. For Daemon, the important takeaway is not a clean answer to the prophecy debate. The important takeaway is that Rhaenyra's claim is part of something bigger than his ambition. The vision gives him enough fear and clarity to bend the knee. So the safest read is this: the finale uses Daenerys to show the future of dragons and the long shadow of Targaryen history, not to fully settle the Prince That Was Promised question. Aegon And Larys Escape King's Landing Aegon's escape is one of the finale's most important plot turns because it breaks Alicent's plan before the plan even begins. Larys understands that Aegon is not safe in King's Landing. Aemond is too dangerous, Alicent is making moves of her own, and the court no longer has a stable center. So Larys offers Aegon survival: leave, hide, recover, and let everyone else underestimate him. Aegon agrees because he has very little left. His body is broken. His dragon may be dead or believed dead. His authority has been taken by Aemond. His future as a father and king is physically and politically damaged. But that is exactly why Aegon may still matter. A king everyone assumes is finished can become a problem later. Larys knows that. Aemond may not. Aemond And Helaena: The Dreamer Finally Speaks Aemond's scene with Helaena is one of the clearest signs that he is losing control. He wants Helaena to ride Dreamfyre into battle because Team Black's dragon advantage has scared him. He needs more firepower, and he treats his sister as another piece on the board. Helaena refuses. More importantly, she tells him what she sees. Aegon will be king again. Aemond will die in the God's Eye. She speaks about the future with a strange calm that makes Aemond's violence look even smaller. That scene matters because Helaena is no longer only whispering cryptic lines in the background. She is actively confronting Aemond with knowledge he cannot dominate. He can threaten her, but he cannot make her unsee what she has seen. Aemond has Vhagar, but Helaena has the one thing he cannot burn: the truth of what is coming. Tyland Lannister And Admiral Lohar Bring Pirate Chaos The Triarchy material is weird, funny, and intentionally disruptive. Tyland Lannister enters a completely different kind of world: mud wrestling, monkeys, dyed beards, pirate wives, shifting names, and Admiral Lohar turning diplomacy into a test of endurance. Mary loves this material because it expands the world. House of the Dragon can become claustrophobic when it stays locked between King's Landing, Dragonstone, and Harrenhal. The pirate scenes remind us that the war is pulling in people who do not care about Targaryen family trauma except where it creates opportunity. The risk is that the Triarchy plot arrives late in the finale, when some viewers are waiting for payoff from characters they already know. But structurally, it matters: the blockade has to be challenged, and the Battle of the Gullet is clearly being loaded for Season 3. Corlys, Alyn, And The Driftmark Problem Corlys remains one of Mary's biggest frustrations in the finale. He is Hand of the Queen, but he keeps hanging around the same dock, circling the same family secrets, and avoiding the plain truth about Alyn and Addam. Alyn finally gives the scene the energy it needs by telling Corlys what he has been refusing to hear: Corlys was not there. He did not claim them. He did not raise them. And now that his acknowledged line has been devastated, he suddenly has use for the sons he left in the margins. That confrontation works because Alyn refuses to make Corlys comfortable. Corlys may be grieving, legendary, and politically important, but that does not erase the damage he caused by keeping parts of his life hidden. The bigger issue is whether the show waited too long to make this material truly alive. Alyn's anger is compelling. It just needed to arrive sooner. Rhaena And The Wild Dragon In The Vale Rhaena finally finds the wild dragon in the Vale, but the path there is frustrating. She leaves the royal children behind, runs into the wilderness without supplies, and somehow no one seems very good at finding her. Still, the image of the dragon is powerful. Rhaena has spent the season feeling unwanted, dragonless, and sent away from the real action. Finding the wild dragon gives her story a clear direction heading into Season 3. The question is whether the payoff will justify the setup. If Rhaena claims the dragon, her frustration and isolation may become essential. If not, the finale spent a lot of time watching someone make a very poorly packed hiking decision. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Finale: What It Sets Up For Season 3 The finale sets up Season 3 as the season where preparation becomes open war. Rhaenyra has Daemon, the Riverlands, multiple dragonriders, and a possible path into King's Landing. Alicent has made a bargain she may no longer be able to fulfill because Aegon is gone. Aegon escapes with Larys, making him a hidden problem for both Team Green and Team Black. Aemond is more dangerous because he is scared, isolated, and still holding Vhagar. Daemon returns to Rhaenyra with a changed understanding of his role. Helaena becomes more important as her dreamer knowledge becomes clearer. Corlys sails toward the Gullet while his family secrets keep boiling underneath him. Tyland and Lohar bring the Triarchy into the war against the blockade. Rhaena stands on the edge of claiming or confronting the wild dragon in the Vale. Otto Hightower is alive but imprisoned, creating another mystery for Season 3. Related House Of The Dragon Coverage Continue through Mary & Blake's House of the Dragon coverage: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Recap And Episode Guide House Of The Dragon With Mary & Blake Podcast Hub Previous Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 — “The Red Sowing” Season 3: House Of The Dragon Season 3 Teaser Reaction More From Mary & Blake Subscribe to House of the Dragon With Mary & Blake for every recap, reaction, listener feedback episode, and deeper discussion as we continue through the Dance of the Dragons. Want bonus podcasts, extended reactions, and community conversation about House of the Dragon, Outlander, The Rings of Power, and everything else Mary & Blake are covering? Join the Nerd Clan community at JoinTheNerdClan.com and support everything Mary & Blake are building. Mary & Blake Media is not affiliated with HBO, Max, Warner Bros. Discovery, George R. R. Martin, or the House of the Dragon production.

You Promised Dragons and Gave Us Chattering Hens This Week on the Podcast, Brian and Darryl get around to reviewing the last 3 episodes of season 2 of House of the Dragon. Episode Index Intro: 0:07 Deadpool 3 Box Office: 10:05 Dragon Stuff Season 2: 17:03 House of the Dragon (Season 2) Season 2 Out of 10 Inconsistent Starts and Stops Darryl: 7/10 Brain: 6.78/10 Episode 6 Episode Title: “Smallfolk” Written by: Eileen Shim Directed by: Andrij Parekh Air Date: July 21, 2024 Summary: Jason Lannister leads his army to the Golden Tooth. Aemond refuses vassal Humfrey Lefford’s request to fly there and provide support. Aemond wants Tyland Lannister to ally with the Triarchy to break the Velaryon blockade. Aemond orders Criston to march on Harrenhal and dismisses Alicent from the Small Council. Ser Steffon Darklyn, a distant Targaryen descendant, attempts to claim Seasmoke and is incinerated. Daemon continues having disturbing dreams and irrationally believes he is being poisoned. Aemond orders Larys to summon Otto Hightower to court. Aegon, slowly recovering, tells Aemond he remembers nothing about the battle. Gwayne Hightower assures Alicent that her youngest son, Daeron, is kind, unlike his brothers. Corlys appoints his illegitimate son, Alyn of Hull, his flagship’s first mate. Meanwhile, Alyn’s brother, Addam, is pursued by Seasmoke. Mysaria’s spies spread rumors that the royals regularly feast while smallfolk starve. Mysaria sends food-laden Targaryen boats to King’s Landing. The grateful citizens fight over limited supplies, causing a riot that Alicent and Helaena barely survive. Mysaria tells Rhaenyra that her father sexually abused her and why she is loyal. They passionately kiss. Upon hearing Seasmoke has a new rider, Rhaenyra leaves on Syrax to confront them. Episode 7 Episode Title: “The Red Sowing” Written by: David Hancock Directed by: Loni Perstere Air Date: July 28, 2024 Summary: Rhaenyra confronts Addam of Hull, Seasmoke’s new rider, who pledges fealty to her. Dismayed at being removed from the Small Council, Alicent retreats to the Kingswood. Larys pushes Grand Maester Orwyle to accelerate Aegon’s recovery. While departing the Eyrie with the young princes, Rhaena leaves to find the wild dragon. Mysaria tells Rhaenyra to search for Targaryen dragonseeds (bastards with Valyrian blood) in King’s Landing as potential dragonriders. The new Lord Paramount, Oscar Tully, offers Daemon allegiance but denounces his nefarious behavior. He demands Daemon’s contrition and to mete out justice for allowing war atrocities; Daemon then executes Willem Blackwood for slaughtering the Brackens. Daemon has another vision of Viserys, who asks if he truly wants the crown and its burden. Jace confronts Rhaenyra, arguing that bastard dragonriders could challenge the Targaryens’ power and threaten the succession due to his illegitimate birth. At Rhaenyra’s command, Elinda and Alyn deliver the dragonseeds to Dragonstone, Hugh, and Ulf among them. Vermithor kills many dragonseeds until Hugh claims him; meanwhile, Ulf claims Silverwing and flies over King’s Landing. Aemond pursues him on Vhagar but nearing Dragonstone, he quickly retreats upon seeing Rhaenyra with Syrax, Vermithor, and Silverwing. Episode 8 Episode Title: “The Queen Who Ever Was” Written by: Sara Hess Directed by: Greeta Vasant Patel Air Date: August 4, 2024 Summary: Tyland Lannister allies with the Triarchy, but must first defeat Admiral Sharako Lohar in mud-wrestling; he wins, impressing her. Larys urges Aegon to exile themselves in Braavos where Harrenhal’s gold is stashed, then reclaim the throne following the war. After a long search, Rhaena finds the wild dragon. Gwayne challenges Criston, who regrets the war. A rage-fueled Aemond destroys Sharp Point with Vhagar. Rhaenyra, who hoped to have more dragonriders would deter conflict, declares war. Ulf’s boorish behavior angers Jace. Alyn rebuffs Corlys’s attempts at reconciliation. Rhaenyra and Addam fly to Harrenhal after Simon Strong sends a warning that Daemon may be traitorous. Alys leads Daemon to a weirwood tree where he foresees a future including a White Walker and Daenerys Targaryen; seeing himself as part of a larger story, he swears fealty to Rhaenyra. Helaena refuses Aemond’s demand to fly Dreamfyre into battle and foresees that he will die in the war. Alicent secretly travels to Dragonstone, offering to surrender King’s Landing to Rhaenyra in exchange for her and her family’s safety; Rhaenyra insists Aegon must die to ensure the transition. Otto is briefly seen captive in a cell. Westeros prepares for war. Infamous Shirts for Naked Bodies… You’ll feel “shirty” when you buy our gear from the Flying Pork Apparel Co. Contact Us The Infamous Podcast can be found wherever podcasts are found on the Interwebs, feel free to subscribe and follow along on social media. And don't be shy about helping out the show with a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help us move up in the ratings. @infamouspodcast facebook/infamouspodcast instagram/infamouspodcast stitcher Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Play iHeart Radio contact@infamouspodcast.com Our theme music is ‘Skate Beat’ provided by Michael Henry, with additional music provided by Michael Henry. Find more at MeetMichaelHenry.com. The Infamous Podcast is hosted by Brian Tudor and Darryl Jasper, is recorded in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show is produced and edited by Brian Tudor. Subscribe today!

Gretchen and Caroline are joined by friend-of-the-show Nick! Yay! The group continues their analysis with a Question of Succession Part 5. Viserys, the most indecisive king, weirdly keeps defending his daughter as heir, while Rhaenyra marries her uncle and has his kids (this is good I promise?). Join our Discord! Don't worry we're cool https://discord.gg/3Xvvwpg Questions or comments? Email us at houseoffireandbloodpodcast@gmail.com

Beyond Average Mick joins the pod this week to help breakdown episode 7 of House of the Dragon.

Spoiler note: This House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 review discusses “The Red Sowing” in full, including the dragonseeds, Hugh, Ulf, Vermithor, Silverwing, Addam, Jace, Alicent, Daemon at Harrenhal, Oscar Tully, Aemond, and the ending. Mary & Blake are TV-first viewers and avoid future Fire & Blood spoilers. In our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 review, we break down “The Red Sowing,” the penultimate episode where Rhaenyra finally gets the dragon army she needs — and maybe creates the next giant problem she cannot control. This is a huge episode for Team Black. Addam bends the knee, Hugh claims Vermithor, Ulf claims Silverwing, and Aemond suddenly realizes that Vhagar may not be enough anymore. But the episode also asks the obvious question: is giving dragon power to barely trained strangers a brilliant wartime gamble or the worst HR onboarding process in Westeros? Mary gave the episode 4.9 flames, while Blake gave it 4.85 flames. The dragon spectacle is massive, Alicent continues to get some of the show's strongest interior scenes, Oscar Tully finally gives the Riverlands plot real life, and the ending gives the season genuine momentum heading into the finale. Below, you can listen to our full podcast breakdown, watch the video version, read the recap, and follow our related House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage. Listen To Our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 Recap And Reaction Mary & Blake discuss House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 7, “The Red Sowing,” including why the dragon selection scene is compelling but light on tension, why Alicent continues to have some of the best scenes in the show, why Team Black needs a much better HR team, and why Hugh, Ulf, Addam, Vermithor, Silverwing, and Seasmoke change the war. Subscribe To Get New House Of The Dragon Episodes APPLE PODCASTS YOUTUBE SPOTIFY House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 Recap: What Happens In “The Red Sowing”? “The Red Sowing” begins with Rhaenyra meeting Addam of Hull after Seasmoke chooses him as a rider. Addam immediately bends the knee and declares himself loyal to her, even though his parentage and connection to Corlys remain publicly unspoken. At Driftmark, Corlys continues awkwardly circling the truth about Addam and Alyn. Everyone who matters seems to know what is happening, but no one is saying the full thing out loud. Addam has just had a life-changing event, yet Corlys still struggles to acknowledge him plainly as his son. In King's Landing, Larys continues helping Aegon recover while Aemond rules as Prince Regent. Aegon is badly wounded, but he is not useless. Larys understands that better than almost anyone, and he keeps pushing Aegon's body and mind back toward survival. Alicent removes herself from King's Landing and goes into the woods with Ser Rickard. She is not exactly roughing it, but she is away from the Red Keep, away from the council, and away from the system that has swallowed her power. Her lake scene becomes one of the episode's most haunting images. At Harrenhal, Daemon finally gets movement in the Riverlands. Oscar Tully arrives as the new Lord Paramount and forces Daemon to face the consequences of the violence committed in Rhaenyra's name. To win the Riverlords, Daemon has to let Willem Blackwood die. On Dragonstone, Rhaenyra follows Mysaria's idea and summons people with possible Targaryen blood from King's Landing. The dragonkeepers object and walk away, calling the plan blasphemy. Rhaenyra proceeds anyway, bringing a crowd of would-be dragonriders before Vermithor. The attempt becomes a massacre. Vermithor burns and eats many of them before Hugh steps forward and survives the encounter. Ulf, meanwhile, stumbles into Silverwing and accidentally becomes her rider. By the end of the episode, Team Black has three new riders: Addam on Seasmoke, Hugh on Vermithor, and Ulf on Silverwing. The episode ends with Ulf flying over King's Landing on Silverwing, drawing Aemond and Vhagar toward Dragonstone. But when Aemond sees Rhaenyra standing with multiple dragons and riders, he turns back. For the first time in a long time, Vhagar is not the only answer. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 Review “The Red Sowing” is exactly what a penultimate episode should be in this season: not necessarily the biggest battle, but the episode that changes the math before the finale. The strongest thing the episode does is make dragon power feel both miraculous and horrifying. Vermithor is spectacular. Silverwing is joyful. Seasmoke has personality. The final image of Rhaenyra with her dragons is powerful. But the process of getting there is ugly, reckless, and full of dead people who were treated more like applicants than human beings. That is the tension at the center of the episode. Rhaenyra needs riders. Vhagar has changed the entire war. Rook's Rest proved that Team Black cannot keep pretending restraint will save them. But Rhaenyra's solution is not clean. It is desperate, dangerous, and morally compromised. Blake's biggest critique is that the Vermithor sequence is incredible spectacle but not especially tense. The show has already spent too much time pointing at Hugh and Ulf for us to believe they are truly in danger. Once the crowd enters the dragon pit, the scene becomes less “who will survive?” and more “how long until the plot catches up to what we already know?” Mary responds more to the feeling of the dragon-bonding imagery: Rhaenyra reaching out, Hugh touching Vermithor, Ulf's chaotic joy, and the way the dragons finally seem to be choosing their people. The sequence may lack surprise, but it does not lack scale, awe, or personality. The episode also works because it is not only about dragons. Alicent's scenes are quiet but excellent. Oscar Tully gives Harrenhal the kick it badly needed. Jace finally says the thing that has been sitting underneath his story for years. And Aemond's retreat at the end gives the whole season a new tactical shape. Why Is The Episode Called “The Red Sowing”? The title “The Red Sowing” refers to Rhaenyra's attempt to find new dragonriders among people with possible Targaryen blood. She is not planting crops. She is planting power into people the old order never intended to elevate. The “red” part matters because this is not a clean recruitment drive. It is bloody. Many of the people who answer the call are burned, eaten, or trapped inside a ritual they do not fully understand. Rhaenyra gets what she wants, but the cost is enormous. The title also points toward the dragonseeds themselves: people scattered through bloodlines, secrets, brothels, bastardy, and forgotten branches of Targaryen history. Rhaenyra is harvesting that hidden inheritance because the war has made the old rules less useful. That is why “The Red Sowing” is such a strong title. It is about bloodline, bloodshed, and the terrifying idea that dragon power can move outside the royal family's clean little story about itself. The Dragonseeds Explained: Who Claims Dragons In Episode 7? The dragonseeds are people with possible Targaryen or Valyrian blood who may be able to bond with dragons, even if they are not part of the official royal line. In “The Red Sowing,” three riders matter most: Addam of Hull is chosen by Seasmoke before the mass claiming attempt begins. His connection to Corlys and Laenor gives the moment deeper family weight. Hugh Hammer survives Vermithor after stepping forward during the chaos. His Targaryen connection, grief, anger, and physical courage make him the most dramatically serious new rider. Ulf White stumbles into Silverwing almost by accident. His claiming scene is much lighter, stranger, and funnier, but it may also be the most worrying because Ulf is exactly the kind of person Blake does not want handed a dragon. The dragonseeds change the war because they solve Rhaenyra's immediate numbers problem. But they also create a much bigger question: if dragons can choose people outside the royal line, then what actually makes the ruling family special? Vermithor, Hugh, And The Dragon Selection Scene The Vermithor scene is the centerpiece of the episode. It is huge, loud, terrifying, and visually clear. The dragon is enormous. The crowd is completely outmatched. The sound design makes every scrape, breath, and movement feel dangerous. But the scene also has a tension problem. We already know Hugh has been built for something. We already know Ulf has been built for something. The anonymous people around them feel marked for death almost immediately. That means the scene works more as spectacle than suspense. Still, Hugh's moment lands because it tells us something about him. He does not simply hide. He steps forward. He protects someone else. He faces Vermithor with fear, anger, and need all moving through him at once. That is why Hugh feels like the right match for Vermithor. He is not polished. He is not noble in the traditional courtly way. He is wounded, furious, and desperate. Vermithor is not a gentle little symbol of legitimacy. He is raw power. Hugh meeting that power makes sense. Ulf And Silverwing: The Funniest Dragon Claiming Ulf's claiming of Silverwing plays like an accidental miracle. He is not noble. He is not prepared. He is not impressive in the way the dragonkeepers would want. He is terrified, scrambling, and very lucky. That is part of why the scene works. Silverwing feels different from Vermithor. Where Vermithor is all danger and domination, Silverwing feels curious and strangely gentle. Ulf becomes a rider almost by stumbling into the right place at the right time. The joy of Ulf flying over King's Landing matters because it gives the episode a burst of pure dragon fantasy. He is having the time of his life. The problem is that this is exactly why Blake is horrified. Ulf is the HR problem in human form. He gets a dragon and immediately turns into “Ulf the Dragonlord.” That may be fun for one episode. It may be a disaster for everyone later. Team Black Needs A Better HR And Onboarding System Rhaenyra's plan works, but the process is an absolute nightmare. Team Black gathers a bunch of people with possible Targaryen blood, ships them to Dragonstone, gives them almost no meaningful training, watches the dragonkeepers quit in protest, and then sends the whole group into a cave with one of the most dangerous creatures alive. Yes, the war is desperate. Yes, Vhagar is a massive problem. Yes, Rhaenyra needs riders. But this is still an onboarding disaster. The better version of this plan probably involves screening, training, smaller groups, clearer expectations, and maybe not throwing dozens of people into a dragon pit at once. Instead, Rhaenyra creates a “survive the dragon” workplace culture with a very poor benefits package. That is funny, but it also gets to the moral core of the episode. Rhaenyra is becoming more decisive. She is also becoming more willing to spend lives for the cause. That may make her more effective. It may also make her more dangerous. Jace Is Right To Be Worried Jace's frustration with Rhaenyra is not just whining. It is one of the smartest objections in the episode. Jace understands that his claim already depends on people accepting a story. Everyone knows the rumors about his father. Everyone knows he does not look like the old Valyrian ideal. His dragon has always been part of what makes him visibly Targaryen enough to survive the politics around him. Now Rhaenyra is handing that same symbol to common-born riders and unacknowledged bastards. From a wartime perspective, that may be necessary. From Jace's perspective, it undermines one of the few things protecting his future. That is why his question matters: what is he supposed to be after Rhaenyra dies? If dragonriding is no longer exclusive, then his legitimacy problem gets worse, not better. Jace is not wrong to see the generational consequence. Rhaenyra is trying to win the current war. Jace is thinking about the next reign. Alicent At The Lake Alicent's lake scene is one of the best quiet sequences of the episode. She leaves King's Landing, steps away from the Red Keep, and enters a space where she has no council table, no sons demanding power, no father answering her, and no clear role left to play. The image of Alicent floating in the water is beautiful because it is also frightening. For a moment, the show lets us wonder whether she is surrendering, cleansing herself, disappearing, or deciding what comes next. That ambiguity is what makes Alicent so strong this season. She is guilty. She is trapped. She is responsible for much of what happened. But she is also a woman who has watched the system she served strip her of usefulness the moment she became inconvenient. When she sees the bird and moves back toward shore, the scene feels less like an ending and more like a reset. Alicent may not know what she is yet, but she is not finished. Oscar Tully Finally Makes Harrenhal Matter Harrenhal has been weird, atmospheric, and full of strong images all season. But “The Red Sowing” finally gives that storyline a political jolt through Oscar Tully. Oscar arrives as a young lord everyone might underestimate, then immediately proves he understands the room better than Daemon does. He knows the Riverlords hate Daemon. He knows they are bound by oath but disgusted by what has been done in Rhaenyra's name. He knows Daemon needs them more than they need to like him. That is why the scene works. Oscar does not beat Daemon with strength. He beats him with leverage. Daemon has to let Willem Blackwood die because the Riverlords need proof that there will be consequences. It is a brutal public concession. It also may be the first useful thing Daemon has done at Harrenhal in weeks. Sir Simon Strong's reaction makes the whole thing even better. He looks like a man who dressed for a party and accidentally hosted a political execution. Daemon And Viserys: Does He Still Want The Crown? Daemon's vision of Viserys gives the Harrenhal story its emotional point. Viserys appears near the end of his life, broken down by the crown and by the burden of rule. He asks Daemon whether he still wants it. That question is the center of Daemon's whole story. He has spent so much of his life wanting recognition, power, love, and proximity to the throne that he may not know the difference between wanting the crown and wanting to be seen by his brother. Seeing Viserys in that state matters because it strips the crown of romance. The throne is not a prize. It is a burden that eats the person who carries it. The big question is whether Daemon has actually learned anything yet. The episode gives him insight, but insight only matters if it changes what he does next. Aemond Retreats From Rhaenyra's Dragons The ending of “The Red Sowing” is the episode's biggest power shift. Ulf flies Silverwing over King's Landing, and Aemond immediately reacts. He gets on Vhagar and chases the threat back toward Dragonstone. That reaction tells us something important: Aemond is still dangerous, but he is also impulsive enough to chase a provocation. Then he sees what Rhaenyra has built. Multiple dragons. Multiple riders. Rhaenyra standing in ash and confidence. Suddenly, Vhagar does not feel like an automatic win. Aemond turning back is a massive moment because it is one of the first times this season he looks genuinely checked. Not defeated, not broken, but checked. He came looking for prey and found a formation. For Team Black, that image is the victory of the episode. Rhaenyra did something dangerous and costly, but it worked. For now. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 Ending Explained The ending of “The Red Sowing” means Rhaenyra has changed the dragon math before the finale. Before this episode, Aemond and Vhagar were the overwhelming military problem. Team Black had dragons, but not enough effective riders to counter the largest dragon in the world. After the Red Sowing, Rhaenyra has Addam on Seasmoke, Hugh on Vermithor, Ulf on Silverwing, and her own Syrax in the field. That does not guarantee victory. It creates deterrence. Aemond sees the new reality and turns Vhagar around because the battlefield no longer belongs to him alone. But the ending also plants future danger. Rhaenyra has given enormous power to people she barely knows. Hugh and Ulf may be useful now, but loyalty, class resentment, legitimacy, and control are all still unresolved. The dragons may help her win the next move and complicate every move after that. What “The Red Sowing” Sets Up Next Episode 7 sets up the Season 2 finale by giving Team Black a dragon advantage and giving everyone else a reason to panic. Rhaenyra finally has the dragonriders she needs, but her methods are becoming more ruthless. Jace sees the long-term legitimacy danger in raising common-born dragonriders. Addam is now publicly tied to Seasmoke and privately tied to Corlys' family secret. Hugh becomes a serious new power by claiming Vermithor. Ulf becomes a chaotic new power by claiming Silverwing. Aemond learns that Vhagar can be deterred when Team Black has multiple dragons on the board. Aegon continues recovering with Larys close by, which may matter if Aemond overreaches. Alicent steps away from King's Landing, but her story clearly is not over. Daemon finally gains the Riverlands, though at the cost of another public compromise. Rhaena continues moving toward the wild dragon in the Vale. Related House Of The Dragon Coverage Continue through Mary & Blake's House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Recap And Episode Guide House Of The Dragon With Mary & Blake Podcast Hub Previous Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 — “Smallfolk” Next Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 8 — “The Queen Who Ever Was” Season 3: House Of The Dragon Season 3 Teaser Reaction More From Mary & Blake Subscribe to House of the Dragon With Mary & Blake for every recap, reaction, listener feedback episode, and deeper discussion as we continue through the Dance of the Dragons. Want bonus podcasts, extended reactions, and community conversation about House of the Dragon, Outlander, The Rings of Power, and everything else Mary & Blake are covering? Join the Nerd Clan community at JoinTheNerdClan.com and support everything Mary & Blake are building. Mary & Blake Media is not affiliated with HBO, Max, Warner Bros. Discovery, George R. R. Martin, or the House of the Dragon production.

THAT VERMITHOR CLAIMNG DRAGON SCENE!! House Of The Dragon Full Reaction Watch Along:  https://www.patreon.com/thereelrejects Get $5 off your MANDO Starter Pack Using Code: REJECTS at https://www.shopmando.com!!  Hugh Hammer & Ulf are called to Dragonstone as apart of the "Army of Bastards" to join Team Black on the fight against Team Green that leads into an epic Dragon Sequence involving the deaths of many, but Hugh claims Vermithor, Ulf claims Silverwing, leading to a beautiful closing shot of Aemond on Vhagar witnessing Rhaenrya with 3 dragons including Syrax. Before all that, Adam confronts Rhaenrya with Seasmoke joining her side, Alicent is on her own adventure, Daemon is paid another visit from Viserys due to Alys Rivers visions, while dealing with the Riverfolk with the newest lead member of House Tully. All in all, a beautiful episode leading us into Season 2 Episode 8 aka the Season 2 Finale! Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Music Used In Manscaped Ad:  Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor: https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO: https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM:  FB:  https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thereelrejects Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thegregalba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a Text Message.We're breaking down season two, episode six of House of the Dragon, "Smallfolk."The rising tension in King's Landing turns into chaos after Rhaenyra DoorDashes much-needed food, and Alicent and Helaena are caught in the crossfire. Aemond sends Criston Cole to Harrenhal and proposes an alliance with the Triarchy to end the blockade, setting us up for the Battle of the Gullet. Speaking of battles, the Lannisters reach Golden Tooth, meaning we *might* get the Battle at the Red Fork this season. Daemon reaches the final boss of his nightmare journey, Viserys, and learns of Grover Tully's death. Plus, we get two new dragon riders: Addam of Hull ... and Mysaria. Summon us @DTFaePodcast We like our coffee icy and our books spicy! Oh, and we're totally Down To Fae. A podcast for fantasy romance readers and fans of authors like Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Rebecca Yarros and Carissa Broadbent. Follow along as your delulu hosts discuss your favorite romantasy books in a chapter-by-chapter read, re-read or refresher.

SPOILER REVIEW FOR HOUSE OF THE DRAGON SEASON 2 EPISODE 6! HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Season 2 Episode 6 titled "SMALLFOLK" features the Greens dealing with life under Aemond's rule as he kicks Alicent off the Small Council, insults Larys, sends Criston Cole to certain death, intimidates Aegon into silence and disregards the smallfolk of King's Landing. On the Blacks side, Rhaenyra is restless to fight, tries to pair Sir Steffon with a dragon, and begins a romance with Mysaria. Meanwhile, Corlys accepts being the Hand while Addam accepts Seasmoke and Daemon sees more guilty visions as Alys Rivers works her magic in the Riverlands to help him succeed. John Rocha, Michael Vogel and Shannon McClung give you their spoiler filled thoughts on this episode and also talk any easter eggs and Game of Thrones references! __________________________________________________________________________________ Chapters: 0:00 Intro and Overall Thoughts on House of the Dragon S2 Ep 6 9:11 The Greens - Aemond's Decisions, Alicent Ejected, Cristen Cole 26:40 The Blacks - Rhaenyra's Dragon Scheme, the Smallfolk and Mysaria  44:09 Daemon at Harrenhal - Visions of Viserys, Alys Rivers Aid and Ser Simon Strong __________________________________________________________________________________ #houseofthedragon #gameofthrones #review  __________________________________________________________________________________ FOLLOW THE GEEK BUDDIES: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Geek_Buddies Follow John Rocha: https://twitter.com/TheRochaSays​​​​​ Follow Michael Vogel: https://twitter.com/mktoon Follow Shannon McClung: https://twitter.com/Shannon_McClung Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Το POP για τις Δύσκολες Ώρες σταθερό στο ραντεβού του σχολιάζει τα πάντα στο 6ο επεισόδιο της 2ης σεζόν House of the Dragon. Το εβδομαδιαίο αφιέρωμα του POP για τις Δύσκολες Ώρες στο House of the Dragon, το spin-off/prequel του Game of Thrones που δικαίωσε το HBO, συνεχίζεται! Σε αυτό το επεισόδιο σχολιάζουμε τα πάντα (τα πάντα!) για το έκτο επεισόδιο του House of the Dragon, το Smallfolk. Highlights, ένας δράκος που αναζητά αναβάτη και ένα απρόσμενο φιλί. Η Rhaenyra κάνει κινήσεις – άλλες με επιτυχίες κι άλλες όχι – πριν πάρει την κατάσταση στα χέρια της. Κι αυτό, την ώρα που στο King's Landing ο λαός είναι στα όριά του. Από τον ουρανό περιμέναμε τις εκρηκτικές εξελίξεις, αλλά μήπως έρθουν τελικά από το έδαφος; Γιατί ακονίζουν τις γκιλοτίνες στο King's Landing και γιατί η Rhaenyra με τη Mysaria μπορούν να καταλάβουν αυτό που ο Aemond αγνοεί; Τι θα γίνει με τον Daemon και τα οράματά του στο γκρεμισμένο κάστρο; Πόσο μας είχε λείψει ο βασιλιάς Viserys; Πόσο στα όριά του θα φτάσει ο Daemon και πόσο οι θεατές; Ποιας πλευράς οι δράκοι κερδίζουν τώρα; Και γιατί ο Aemond τα παίρνει στο κρανίο όταν του μεταφέρεται ένα ακόμα request για παρουσία του δράκου του; Θα τα βγάλει πέρα ο Aegon υπό την απειλή του οριακά ανεξέλεγκτου πια Aemond; Πόσες ακόμα «I've made a huuuuge mistake» στιγμές θα έχει η Alicent πριν κάνει κάτι δραστικό για να διορθώσει την κατάσταση; Πόσο απολαυστικά έπαιξε το Emma D'Arcy σε αυτό το επεισόδιο και πώς ερμηνεύουμε τη στάση της Rhaenyra σε κάθε στιγμή; Πόσο δύσκολο είναι τελικά να βρεις αναβάτη για ένα δράκο; Και πόσο δύσκολο να βρεις συναισθηματική στήριξη σε δύσκολους καιρούς; Αυτά και άλλα πολλά (πολλά!) ακόμη για την πρεμιέρα της σειράς στο POP για τις Δύσκολες Ώρες αυτής της εβδομάδας!

Spoiler note: This House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 review discusses “Smallfolk” in full, including Rhaenyra and Mysaria, Seasmoke choosing Addam, Aemond dismissing Alicent, Daemon's Harrenhal visions, Sir Steffon Darklyn, the King's Landing riot, and the ending. Mary & Blake are TV-first viewers and avoid future Fire & Blood spoilers. In our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 review, we break down “Smallfolk,” an episode that shows what happens when the people under Targaryen rule stop being background noise and start becoming political power. The episode does what House of the Dragon does best: intimate character scenes, sharp emotional reversals, visual mirroring, and power shifting through small choices. But it also exposes one of Season 2's biggest problems: with only two episodes left, some storylines still feel like they are spinning wheels instead of moving with urgency. Mary gave the episode 4.7 flames, while Blake gave it 4.4 flames. The high points are Seasmoke choosing Addam, Aemond becoming more terrifying in power, the smallfolk turning against the Greens, and Daemon being forced to confront his past. The bigger question is whether all of this setup is moving fast enough. Below, you can listen to our full podcast breakdown, watch the video version, read the recap, and follow our related House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage. Listen To Our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 Recap And Reaction Mary & Blake discuss House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6, “Smallfolk,” including why the show is great at character but shakier with plot, whether the Rhaenyra and Mysaria kiss works, Aemond's cold rise, Alicent's loss of power, Daemon's Harrenhal story, Seasmoke claiming Addam, and why Blake grew up thinking Tampax was candy. Subscribe To Get New House Of The Dragon Episodes APPLE PODCASTS YOUTUBE SPOTIFY House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 Recap: What Happens In “Smallfolk”? “Smallfolk” begins with the pressure inside King's Landing getting worse. The people are hungry, the blockade is working, food is scarce, and anger is beginning to point toward the royal family instead of only toward Rhaenyra. Aemond now rules as Prince Regent and immediately makes his authority felt. He orders Criston Cole toward Harrenhal, tells Alicent she no longer has a place on the council, and wants Otto Hightower brought back. The problem is that Aemond is not simply organized. He is cold, dangerous, and increasingly uninterested in anyone who cannot serve his purpose. At Dragonstone, Rhaenyra continues searching for new dragonriders. Sir Steffon Darklyn attempts to claim Seasmoke because of his distant Targaryen blood, but the ceremony ends in fire. Seasmoke rejects him and later finds Addam, choosing his own rider instead of waiting for one to be presented. Mysaria helps Rhaenyra attack the Greens from below by sending food into King's Landing and spreading rumors among the smallfolk. The plan works. The people turn their hunger into rage, Alicent and Helaena are nearly overwhelmed in the streets, and the Green regime looks weaker than ever. Meanwhile, Daemon remains trapped in Harrenhal's haunted psychology. He sees Viserys again, confronts old guilt, deals with Alys Rivers, and watches the Riverlands situation become more complicated as Lord Grover Tully conveniently dies and the path to moving that plot forward finally opens. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 Review “Smallfolk” is a strange episode because almost everything inside the scenes works, but the episode as a whole can still feel like it is moving too slowly for this late in the season. The character work is strong. Aemond and Alicent's scene is excellent. Larys and Aegon's bedside conversation is one of the episode's best surprises. Rhaenyra and Mysaria create a major emotional and political complication. Seasmoke chasing Addam gives the hour a needed burst of dragon personality. And the riot shows that the war is no longer only about kings, queens, councils, and dragons. But the plot still fumbles in places. Daemon has been at Harrenhal for a long time. The show keeps circling Hugh, Addam, Alyn, Ulf, and the dragonseed setup without always making those characters feel fully alive yet. And with only two episodes left in the season, some of the slow-burn storytelling starts to feel less like patience and more like hesitation. That is why Blake lands lower than Mary on this one. The episode is well made, well acted, and full of strong individual moments. But the larger season engine needs to start paying off the setup faster. Why Is The Episode Called “Smallfolk”? The title “Smallfolk” points to the ordinary people of King's Landing, who become impossible for the ruling families to ignore in this episode. For most of the season, the war has been framed around royal grief, succession, dragon power, and family betrayal. But “Smallfolk” reminds us that every royal choice has a cost below the council table. When the gullet is closed, the people go hungry. When the rich hoard food, the poor eat scraps. When dragons fight, ordinary people burn, starve, riot, and pay the bill. The title also matters because Rhaenyra and Mysaria understand something the Greens keep missing: the smallfolk are not just passive victims. They are a force. Feed them, anger them, scare them, or inspire them, and they can change the political weather of the city. Aemond, Alicent, And The Burden Of Authority Aemond's scene with Alicent is one of the defining scenes of the episode. Alicent tries to mother him, advise him, and remind him that power requires judgment. Aemond responds by making clear that he no longer sees her as useful. That is what makes the moment so cold. He does not explode. He does not need to. He simply removes her from the council and tells her to return to domestic life, as if all her years of political maneuvering were only ever temporary permission granted by men. Alicent helped build the argument that women should not rule. Now that argument has come back for her. She wanted Aegon over Rhaenyra because the realm would not accept a woman. But when Aegon falls and Aemond rises, the men around her do not suddenly make an exception for Alicent. The line about the indignities of Aemond's childhood not yet being sufficiently avenged cuts to the core of him. Aemond has power now, but he is still moving from old wounds. That makes him effective, frightening, and emotionally unreachable. Larys And Aegon Become A Dangerous Pair The Larys and Aegon bedside scene is one of the episode's most interesting surprises. Aegon is broken, burned, vulnerable, and trapped in a body that no longer lets him perform the role of king the way he imagined. Larys knows what that kind of humiliation can do to a person. He speaks to Aegon not only as a manipulator, but as someone who understands what it means to be looked at as damaged, cursed, or less than whole. That does not make Larys good. It makes him more dangerous. He sees the part of Aegon that Aemond underestimates. He knows that a wounded king with a working mind can still be useful. Maybe even more useful, because everyone else may stop looking at him as a threat. Aemond may have taken the regency, but this scene suggests he has made a serious mistake by leaving Aegon alive, underestimated, and emotionally available to Larys Strong. Rhaenyra And Mysaria: Does The Kiss Work? The Rhaenyra and Mysaria kiss is the most debated moment of “Smallfolk,” and Mary and Blake land on the same basic concern from different angles: the emotional need makes sense, but the timing and politics are messy. Rhaenyra is isolated. Daemon is gone. Her council doubts her. Her son challenges her. Her claim is under pressure. Mysaria offers something Rhaenyra has not received enough of lately: belief, attention, and a sense that someone sees her as the queen she wants to be. That emotional intimacy matters. A lingering hug would have made perfect sense. A charged moment where both women realize something is shifting would have made sense too. The kiss, however, creates complications the episode does not fully process yet. Rhaenyra is married. Mysaria is politically useful but not necessarily trustworthy. Rhaenyra's council already questions her judgment. If this relationship becomes known or if Mysaria feels rejected later, the consequences could be serious. That is why the kiss matters beyond shock value. It is not simply about romance. It may be a new vulnerability. Rhaenyra needs connection, but needing connection inside a war can become dangerous fast. Mysaria's Food Plan Turns Hunger Into A Weapon Mysaria's strongest move in the episode is not the kiss. It is the food. She understands the smallfolk because she understands need. She knows that hungry people do not think in abstract claims and royal bloodlines. They think about bread, meat, fish, safety, and whether the people in charge seem to care if they live. Sending food into King's Landing under Rhaenyra's banner is a brilliant political move because it turns the Greens' weakness into Rhaenyra's opportunity. The Greens have the city, but they cannot feed it. Rhaenyra is outside the city, but she can make herself feel present inside it. The riot shows how fragile royal power becomes when the people are hungry. Alicent and Helaena are not attacked because of one clean political idea. They are swallowed by fear, resentment, rumor, and desperation. That is the burden of authority Aemond does not yet understand. Seasmoke Chooses Addam The dragon material in “Smallfolk” works because it gives Seasmoke personality and agency. Rhaenyra tries to solve the dragonrider problem with genealogy. Sir Steffon Darklyn has distant Targaryen blood, courage, and loyalty. He wants the bond to work. The ritual feels sacred and serious. But Seasmoke says no, and the result is brutal. Then Seasmoke finds Addam. That reversal is important because Addam does not claim Seasmoke in the traditional heroic way. Seasmoke claims Addam. The dragon chases him, corners him, studies him, and chooses him. It is funny, terrifying, and much more interesting than a clean ceremony. The likely reason is blood. Addam is connected to Corlys, Laenor, and old Valyria in a way Sir Steffon is not. But the episode does not reduce the moment to math. It lets the dragon make the choice. Addam, Alyn, And The Dragonseed Problem Addam becoming Seasmoke's rider finally gives the Alyn and Addam material a clearer reason to exist. Until now, their scenes have often felt like setup without enough personality. “Smallfolk” changes that because one of them is now tied directly to the dragon war. That does not mean the show has fully solved the problem. Alyn is still mostly defined by silence, shaving his white hair, and carrying resentment around Corlys. Addam has the bigger moment because Seasmoke chooses him, but we still need the show to make him more than “the guy the dragon picked.” Still, the dragonseed lane is now alive. Rhaenyra needs riders. Seasmoke has chosen one. Hugh's hair, Ulf's talk, and the growing focus on smallfolk with possible Targaryen blood are no longer random. The season is pointing toward a much bigger shift in who gets access to dragon power. Hugh Hammer And The Cost Of Hunger Hugh remains one of the most interesting smallfolk pieces because the episode complicates him. Last week, Mary was more in on Hugh because he seemed like a hardworking father trying to care for his sick child. This week, he punches someone and steals food. That does not make him simple. It makes him desperate. Hunger changes people. A sick child changes people. A city under blockade changes people. Hugh is not sitting at a council table talking about sacrifice. He is living inside it. The dog helps his case, though. He pets the ratcatcher's dog, and that matters. In a show full of people who ignore suffering, anyone who is still kind to an animal gets at least one mark in the good column. But Hugh is not just a nice man. He may be someone with enough Targaryen blood to matter, enough anger to be dangerous, and enough experience with the machinery of war to become more than background. Daemon At Harrenhal Needs To Move Forward Daemon's Harrenhal story gives us great moments, but “Smallfolk” is where the patience starts to thin. Seeing Viserys again matters. Daemon being forced back into the throne room, back into the wounds with his brother, and back into the choices that shaped him is emotionally useful. The show is making him confront his original sin: his relationship with Viserys, his hunger for recognition, and his habit of running away from responsibility. Alys Rivers also keeps working as a strange, witchy pressure point. She knows too much, appears when she wants, and seems to understand Harrenhal as more than a castle. Whether she is guiding Daemon, poisoning him, helping him, or simply watching him break, she remains fascinating. But the story needs to connect more strongly to the main season engine now. Daemon's visions cannot stay weird for the sake of weird. They need to change what he does. The good news is that Lord Grover Tully's death may finally move the Riverlands plot into its next phase. Alicent And Helaena In The Riot The riot scene is where the title “Smallfolk” becomes physical. Alicent and Helaena are no longer protected by status, symbols, or the idea that the people will simply endure whatever the crown gives them. The scene has zombie-movie energy because the crowd is not one clean villain. It is hunger, fear, panic, and anger all moving at once. The guards make things worse. A hand gets cut off. Alicent is wounded. Helaena is overwhelmed. The royal family suddenly feels very small inside its own city. Alicent's arm wound also mirrors Rhaenyra's wound from Season 1, when Alicent cut her during the Driftmark confrontation. Then, Rhaenyra was protecting Luke. Now, Alicent is protecting Helaena. The show keeps placing these women in mirrored positions, even as their choices keep them apart. That is the tragedy of Alicent and Rhaenyra. They understand each other more than almost anyone else does. But the war they helped create keeps turning that understanding into pain instead of peace. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 Ending Explained The ending of “Smallfolk” matters because Seasmoke choosing Addam changes Rhaenyra's entire problem. At the start of the episode, Rhaenyra thinks she needs to find a person worthy of a dragon. By the end, the dragon has found someone himself. That means the dragonseed question is no longer theoretical. There are people outside the official royal line who may be able to ride dragons, and the dragons may have a say in who those people are. Politically, the ending is also dangerous. If Addam can ride Seasmoke, then Rhaenyra may have access to new power. But that power comes from outside the clean family structure she has been relying on. More riders could help her defeat Vhagar. They could also create new problems of loyalty, legitimacy, and control. For the Greens, the ending is bad news. Aemond has Vhagar and the regency, but Rhaenyra may finally have a path toward balancing the dragon math. What “Smallfolk” Sets Up Next Episode 6 sets up the final stretch of Season 2 by pushing the war below the royal family and into the people, the dragons, and the forgotten bloodlines around them. Rhaenyra gains political momentum with the smallfolk but creates a personal complication with Mysaria. Mysaria proves she may be Rhaenyra's most effective advisor and possibly one of her biggest risks. Addam becomes Seasmoke's new rider, changing Team Black's dragon problem. Alyn remains tied to Corlys and the Driftmark question, but still needs stronger characterization. Hugh becomes more complicated as hunger, family, and possible Targaryen blood keep circling him. Aemond rules with frightening calm and pushes Alicent further out of power. Aegon is wounded but not politically useless, especially with Larys now close to him. Alicent sees how quickly the people can turn when authority fails to feed them. Daemon may finally be forced to move forward after another round of Harrenhal visions. Related House Of The Dragon Coverage Continue through Mary & Blake's House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Recap And Episode Guide House Of The Dragon With Mary & Blake Podcast Hub Previous Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 — “Regent” Next Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 7 — “The Red Sowing” Season 3: House Of The Dragon Season 3 Teaser Reaction More From Mary & Blake Subscribe to House of the Dragon With Mary & Blake for every recap, reaction, listener feedback episode, and deeper discussion as we continue through the Dance of the Dragons. Want bonus podcasts, extended reactions, and community conversation about House of the Dragon, Outlander, The Rings of Power, and everything else Mary & Blake are covering? Join the Nerd Clan community at JoinTheNerdClan.com and support everything Mary & Blake are building. Mary & Blake Media is not affiliated with HBO, Max, Warner Bros. Discovery, George R. R. Martin, or the House of the Dragon production.

Spoiler note: This House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 review discusses “Regent” in full, including the aftermath of Rook's Rest, Aegon's injuries, Aemond becoming Prince Regent, Alicent's loss of power, Daemon's Harrenhal visions, Jace's dragonrider idea, and the ending. Mary & Blake are TV-first viewers and avoid future Fire & Blood spoilers. In our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 review, we break down “Regent,” a necessary reset episode that asks what happens after the dragons enter the war and everyone realizes there is no clean way back. After the catastrophe at Rook's Rest, the Greens have a broken king, a traumatized Hand, a terrified city, and Aemond standing closer to power than ever. Team Black has lost Rhaenys and Meleys, but Rhaenyra and Jace begin asking the question that changes the season: what if they need more dragonriders? Mary gave the episode 4.8 flames, while Blake gave it 4.55 flames. This is not the most explosive hour of the season, but it does important board-reset work after Episode 4 and gives the production team a chance to show off the editing, sound mixing, and visual storytelling underneath the political fallout. Below, you can listen to our full podcast breakdown, watch the video version, read the recap, and follow our related House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage. Listen To Our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 Recap And Reaction Mary & Blake discuss House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5, “Regent,” including the writer's unique journey, Aemond's rise, Alicent's humiliation, the spectacular craft work from the production team, Daemon's increasingly freaky Harrenhal story, and why creepy people belong together. Subscribe To Get New House Of The Dragon Episodes APPLE PODCASTS YOUTUBE SPOTIFY House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 Recap: What Happens In “Regent”? “Regent” begins in the aftermath of Rook's Rest. King's Landing receives the severed head of Meleys as Criston Cole parades the dead dragon through the streets, hoping to present victory. Instead, the smallfolk react with fear. Dragons are supposed to be gods, symbols, and power beyond ordinary men. Seeing one dragged through the city as meat changes the emotional temperature of the war. Aegon survives the battle, but he is horribly burned and barely alive. The maesters work on him as Alicent realizes that her son's body, the Green claim, and her own political influence are all breaking at the same time. Aemond moves into power. He does not sit the Iron Throne immediately, but he takes the symbolic place of rule and becomes Prince Regent while Aegon is incapacitated. Alicent argues that she should rule in Aegon's stead, but the men around the council table dismiss her. After everything she did to put a man on the throne, the same logic is now used to push her aside. On Dragonstone, Rhaenyra mourns Rhaenys and wrestles with the cost of restraint. Jace makes moves of his own, meeting with the Freys at the Twins and helping Rhaenyra think through the dragon problem. Team Black has dragons, but not enough riders. That leads to the season's next major idea: looking beyond the obvious Targaryen line for people with dragonlord blood. At Harrenhal, Daemon keeps spiraling through visions, Alys Rivers, old guilt, and the increasingly strange atmosphere of the castle. His attempt to command the Riverlands becomes more complicated when the local lords reject the violence done in Rhaenyra's name. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 Review “Regent” is a transition episode, but that does not mean it is empty. After the spectacle and tragedy of Rook's Rest, the show needs to breathe, reset the board, and ask what kind of war this has become now that dragons are fully in play. The strongest idea in the episode is that victory can still look like horror. The Greens technically won at Rook's Rest. They took the castle. Rhaenys and Meleys are dead. But Aegon is destroyed, the smallfolk are frightened, Criston Cole is shaken, and Alicent is losing the last pieces of control she thought she had. That is why the episode works better as fallout than forward explosion. It is not trying to top the dragon battle. It is trying to show what the dragon battle did to everyone left standing. The episode also does important structural work for Team Black. Rhaenyra cannot simply wait for Vhagar to dominate the battlefield. Jace's idea about finding other people with Targaryen blood gives the season a new tactical lane and turns the dragonseeds from background setup into the obvious next move. The weaker pieces are still the characters the show has been slowly seeding around the edges: Hugh, Alyn, Addam, Ulf, and the smallfolk threads. Some of that material is becoming clearer, especially with Hugh, but the show is still asking for investment before all of those people have fully earned it. Still, the craft is strong enough to carry the hour. Claire Kilner's direction, the sound design around Alicent's council scene, the editing between Rhaenyra and Daemon, and the horrifying physical reality of Aegon's wounds all make “Regent” feel more purposeful than a simple setup episode. Why Is The Episode Called “Regent”? The title “Regent” refers to Aemond becoming Prince Regent while Aegon is incapacitated. A regent rules in place of a monarch who cannot rule, either because the monarch is too young, absent, dead with an heir not yet ready, or — in this case — physically unable to govern. But the title also works because the episode is about who actually gets to rule once the fantasy of rightful succession meets reality. Aegon has the crown, but he is broken. Alicent has experience, but the council will not accept her authority. Aemond has Vhagar, discipline, and menace, so the room bends toward him. That makes “Regent” a title about power filling a vacuum. The war does not pause because Aegon is hurt. It simply chooses the next person ruthless enough to keep moving. Aemond Becomes Prince Regent Aemond's rise is the cleanest power move of the episode. He is quiet, controlled, and terrifyingly ready. He does not need to storm the room. He simply waits until the council's logic brings the crown's authority to him. The most important visual is Aemond taking the small council ball and placing it where the king would sit. It is casual, almost too casual, which makes it more unsettling. He already believes he should be the person making decisions. Now the room has caught up to him. What makes Aemond compelling is that he feels like a horror figure inside a political drama. He does not need to move quickly. He does not need to raise his voice. His stillness, eyepatch, posture, and silence all become part of the threat. That is why Blake is so in on Aemond as a character. He is not good. He has earned whatever comeuppance is coming. But as a piece of television, he has become one of the clearest engines on Team Green. Alicent Loses The Room She Helped Build Alicent's council scene is the heart of the episode. She believes she has a claim to rule as regent because she has experience, political knowledge, and years of service inside the system. But the men around her use the same argument that put Aegon on the throne to deny her power. They said Rhaenyra could not rule because she was a woman. Now Alicent discovers that the argument was never only about Rhaenyra. It was about women, power, and the rules men enforce when those rules benefit them. The direction and sound mixing make the scene land. As the men talk around Alicent, the sound narrows, her breathing becomes central, and the room turns into an emotional trap. She is sitting right there, being talked over, through, and around. That is why the scene works so well. Alicent is not innocent, but the humiliation is still real. She helped create the political logic that now erases her. Rhaenyra And Jace Start Looking For Dragonriders Team Black's most important development in “Regent” is the dragonrider problem. Rhaenyra has dragons, but not enough people who can ride them. Vhagar changes every military equation, and losing Rhaenys means Team Black has lost one of its most experienced riders. Jace becomes more than just Rhaenyra's son in this episode. He challenges her respectfully, takes initiative, negotiates with the Freys, and helps her think through the larger strategic problem. He is becoming a counselor and confidant, not just an heir. That leads to the ancestry question. If Targaryen blood is the key, then maybe the answer is not limited to the obvious royal family. Maybe there are people outside the immediate line who can claim dragons. This is where the season starts pointing hard toward the dragonseeds. Hugh, Ulf, Addam, and Alyn may still feel like slow-burn setup, but “Regent” makes the purpose of that setup much clearer. Hugh Hammer And The Smallfolk Food Thread Mary's “good” for the episode is food, and that is not a joke. The episode keeps showing food as a political pressure point. The smallfolk are hungry. The oranges are moldy. The soup is thin. Chickens and meat are expensive. The city feels squeezed. Meanwhile, the people at the top still have wine, tables, councils, and meat. Daemon can scoff at the food served at Harrenhal while ordinary people in King's Landing are desperate. That contrast matters because the war is not only being fought by dragonriders. It is being paid for by everyone underneath them. Hugh becomes more interesting in that context. He works. He has a sick child. He knows the machinery of war. He talks about dragons as meat while everyone else treats them like gods. And yes, his hair is clearly not an accident. Blake is not fully sold on Hugh yet because the show is still in setup mode. Mary, however, is all in. Hugh feels like someone who could matter because he lives closer to the cost of the war than the people making the war. Daemon At Harrenhal Gets Freakier Daemon's Harrenhal story continues to feel like its own strange horror movie. The castle, Alys Rivers, the weirwood imagery, the visions, and Daemon's own guilt all keep pressing on him. This episode pushes that weirdness into more uncomfortable territory with Daemon's vision of his mother, Alyssa. The scene is meant to be disturbing, but it is not only there for shock. It reveals Daemon's hunger to be chosen, loved, seen, and told that he should have mattered more than Viserys. That is the real engine underneath the weirdness. Daemon wants to be king because he still cannot separate love from power. He wants Rhaenyra, but he also resents her. He wants to serve, but he also wants to rule. Harrenhal keeps turning those contradictions into nightmares. The concern now is that the weird needs to start pushing the larger story forward. “Let's get weird” is always welcome, but the weird has to make Daemon do something. By the end of the episode, it does begin connecting back to the war when the Riverlords reject the brutality done in Rhaenyra's name. Alys Rivers Explained: Is She Helping Daemon Or Breaking Him? Alys Rivers remains one of the strangest figures in Season 2. She knows too much, appears at the right moments, gives Daemon things to drink, and seems completely comfortable inside Harrenhal's rot. The big question is whether Alys is causing Daemon's visions, guiding them, or simply watching what Harrenhal already does to people. The episode does not answer that cleanly, which is part of why she works. Mary and Blake both land on the idea that Alys is not simply Daemon's friend. She may be useful. She may be honest. She may even be right when she tells him things he does not want to hear. But there is no reason to trust that her goals and Daemon's goals are the same. By the end of the conversation, the best theory is also the simplest: creepy people belong together. If Aemond and Alys ever cross paths, the vibes may be absolutely cursed. Corlys, Baela, And The Driftmark Problem Corlys is grieving Rhaenys, but Mary is still not fully moved by him. The issue is not the actor or the grief. The issue is that the show keeps telling us Corlys is legendary without always showing enough of that legend in action. Baela's scene with Corlys helps because she is direct, grounded, and clear about who she is. He offers her Driftmark, but she reminds him that she is blood and fire. His heir needs to be of salt and sea. That answer matters because it keeps Baela tied to her own identity, not just the hole Corlys wants filled. She is not simply available to become the person he needs because his line is complicated. The problem, of course, is that Corlys' line is complicated because of choices he made. Alyn and Addam are clearly going to matter, and when that truth rises to the surface, it may change how Baela understands the story she has been told about her grandparents' love. Jace, The Freys, And The Twins Jace's meeting with the Freys gives the episode one of its best pieces of classic Westeros texture. The Twins matter because armies need to cross, and the North's support only matters if those forces can actually move toward the war. The Freys are instantly recognizable as Freys even generations before the Red Wedding. They are transactional, creepy, and very aware that their bridge gives them leverage. Jace offers protection and access to Harrenhal in exchange for support. It is a bold move, and it shows why he is becoming useful to Rhaenyra. He is not waiting around to be told what to do. He is acting like a future ruler. The question is whether those promises will come back to bite Team Black. If the Freys are taught that promises are disposable, this may be one of the places where the family becomes the family we know later. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 Ending Explained The ending of “Regent” matters because it points the season toward the dragonseeds. Rhaenyra needs dragons, but dragons are not enough. She needs riders. Jace's idea reframes the problem. If there are people with Targaryen blood outside the immediate royal line, then the war may not be limited to the same old players. The solution may come from bastards, forgotten branches, and smallfolk who have been sitting on the edge of the story. That ending also makes the earlier Hugh, Addam, Alyn, and Ulf setup feel more purposeful. The show has been slowly placing these people around the board. Now we know why. For Team Green, the ending is just as important. Aemond is now in power. Alicent has been pushed aside. Aegon is alive but broken. Criston knows what dragon war really looks like. The Greens may have won Rook's Rest, but the victory has created a more dangerous ruler. What “Regent” Sets Up Next Episode 5 sets up the back half of Season 2 by making the war less about rightful claims and more about who can survive the consequences of power. Aemond becomes Prince Regent and now has the authority to match his ambition. Alicent realizes the system she protected will not protect her power. Aegon survives, but his body and kingship are permanently changed by Rook's Rest. Criston Cole is shaken by what he saw when dragons entered the battlefield. Rhaenyra begins looking beyond the obvious Targaryen line for dragonriders. Jace steps into a more active political and strategic role. Daemon keeps unraveling at Harrenhal as his visions expose what he really wants. Hugh, Addam, Alyn, and Ulf move closer to the center of the season's dragonseed question. The smallfolk become harder to ignore as hunger, fear, and resentment build in King's Landing. Related House Of The Dragon Coverage Continue through Mary & Blake's House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Recap And Episode Guide House Of The Dragon With Mary & Blake Podcast Hub Previous Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 — “The Red Dragon And The Gold” Next Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 — “Smallfolk” Season 3: House Of The Dragon Season 3 Teaser Reaction More From Mary & Blake Subscribe to House of the Dragon With Mary & Blake for every recap, reaction, listener feedback episode, and deeper discussion as we continue through the Dance of the Dragons. Want bonus podcasts, extended reactions, and community conversation about House of the Dragon, Outlander, The Rings of Power, and everything else Mary & Blake are covering? Join the Nerd Clan community at JoinTheNerdClan.com and support everything Mary & Blake are building. Mary & Blake Media is not affiliated with HBO, Max, Warner Bros. Discovery, George R. R. Martin, or the House of the Dragon production.

Get bonus episodes on Patreon! Silence is the pervading theme of this episode. Throughout ‘Regent,' most of our lead characters are ignored, passed over, or lost for words. Our discussion looks at the many shades and colors of this strategic silence to uncover the subtle, insidious shifts happening as we shift into the back half of the season. Then we break out the Freud to unspool whatever the hell is happening inside Daemon's head and once again manifest our grand vision for a Viserys cameo. Finally, we examine a sharp, unexpected parallel between Rhaenyra and Aegon — and carefully consider Criston Cole's dire declaration about the future of the war. LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, Cam's stories Feedback & Theories: secondbreakfastpod@gmail.com

How to Train Your Dragon To Kill Other Dragons This week on the podcast, Brian and Darryl have News Bites about some disheartening X-Men ’97 news and the new Captain America: Brave New World trailer. Then reviews of House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 and the penultimate episode of The Boys season 4. Episode Index Intro: 0:07 X-Men ’97: 8:15 Captain America: 14:07 The Boys: 19:01 House of the Dragon: 37:00 News Bites Marvel Animation Taps Matthew Chauncey to Write Season Three of ‘X-Men '97' https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/marvel-animation-matthew-chauncey-x-men-97-season-three-1235944321/ Captain America: Brave New World Official Teaser, In Theaters February 14, 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_A8HdCDaWM The Boys (Prime Video) Out of 5 the Sister Sage Gets Arounds Darryl: 3.5/5 Brian: 3.8/5 Episode 7: “The Insider” Written by: Catriona McKenzie Directed by: Paul Grellong Air Date: July 11, 2024 Summary: Butcher bails Frenchie out of jail to assist Sameer with the virus. M.M. gives up leadership of The Boys, passes the baton back to Butcher again, and considers leaving with Monique and Janine; A-Train convinces him not to leave. The Boys discover a plan to assassinate Singer that will be carried out by a Supe shapeshifter. Homelander kills Webweaver, believing he is the mole. Hughie goes to Neuman’s house to convince her to stop everything, to no avail. Homelander sends The Deep and Black Noir II to kill The Boys, starting a fight with Butcher and Annie, who are saved by A-Train and M.M.. Infuriated, Homelander expels Sage from The Seven for hiding A-Train as the leak. Tired of being used by Vought, Ryan gets fed up, interrupts a live show to give a speech and leaves. Frenchie and Kimiko reconcile by telling each other what they blame themselves for before Sameer injects Kimiko with the dose of the virus he has prepared and escapes; Frenchie cuts off her leg so the virus doesn’t spread. Butcher passes out in a bar and Annie is chained up somewhere, having been replaced by the assassin shapeshifter. House of the Dragon (HBO) Out of 5 Dragon on Dragon Battles Rules Darryl: 4.12/5 Brian: 4.58/5 Episode 4: “The Red Dragon and the Gold” Written by: Ryan Condal Directed by: Alan Taylor Air Date: July 7, 2024 Summary: Daemon dreams that he decapitates a young Rhaenyra, who accused him of treason. Archmaester Orwyle prepares Alicent an abortifacient tea. He professes ignorance when she asks who Viserys named as heir. Criston beheads Lord Darklyn of Duskendale, who refused allegiance. Alys Rivers tells Daemon that Harrenhal is haunted. Her sleep potion causes him to hallucinate seeing his deceased wife, Laena Velaryon. Rhaenyra returns to Dragonstone and agrees to a war with dragons. Rhaenys volunteers herself and her dragon, Meleys. Aegon complains about Aemond and Criston planning the battle campaigns without him but Alicent calls him a weak king who should defer to his advisors. Frustrated and drunk, Aegon flies Sunfyre to Rook’s Rest. Rhaenys on Meleys burns Criston’s troops while Aemond and Vhagar are hidden nearby, ready to ambush her. When Aegon and Sunfyre approach, Aemond delays attacking. As Meleys mauls Sunfyre, Aemond flies in and Vhagar burns both dragons. Sunfyre falls with Aegon. Rhaenys and Meleys attack Vhagar, who also falls. As Rhaenys circles above, Vhagar suddenly rises and fatally throttles Meleys, causing Rhaenys to plunge to her death. Criston, knocked unconscious during battle, awakens and finds Aemond, sword in hand, standing near a prone Aegon and wounded Sunfyre. Infamous Shirts for Naked Bodies… You’ll feel “shirty” when you buy our gear from the Flying Pork Apparel Co. Contact Us The Infamous Podcast can be found wherever podcasts are found on the Interwebs, feel free to subscribe and follow along on social media. And don't be shy about helping out the show with a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts to help us move up in the ratings. @infamouspodcast facebook/infamouspodcast instagram/infamouspodcast stitcher Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Play iHeart Radio contact@infamouspodcast.com Our theme music is ‘Skate Beat’ provided by Michael Henry, with additional music provided by Michael Henry. Find more at MeetMichaelHenry.com. The Infamous Podcast is hosted by Brian Tudor and Darryl Jasper, is recorded in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show is produced and edited by Brian Tudor. Subscribe today!

If last week we had a whole new podcast, this week we have gone through a transformation and turned The Silent Sisters' into a D&D podcast! Just kidding! Though it almost did. Absent LittleWolfBird - who took a mental health day - Blue_Lemons and returning guest DM Steven Stark of Here Be Dragons! dive into House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 "The Red Dragon and the Gold" to discuss Dungeons & Dragons, power dynamics, and effective rulers; determining that good rulers must be decisive and be open to questioning. We've come to the conclusion - yet again - that Alicent (and Viserys!) are (were) shit parents and that Rhaenys is a boss ass bitch who should have been the Queen. Daemon be tripping, the writers make us feel for Aegon when we don't necessarily want to, Ser Willem Blackwood is awesome, Rhaenyra probably should have told someone where she was going last episode - just like Cole should have told someone about his ambush plan this episode (though we understand the need for secrecy at times), Alys Rivers ('nuff said), and we really want to know what Lord Larys Strong's motivations are because Power For Power's Sake in a character is, however realistic in our world, not very exciting in literature. Steven Stark: ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠Here Be Dragons! YouTube Channel The Silent Sisters Podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Tumblr⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠BSky⁠⁠⁠⁠ TheBlueLemonTree: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Tumblr⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠AO3⁠⁠⁠⁠ Recording, editing, and mixing were done by ⁠⁠⁠⁠LittleWolfBird⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Music by Mattstagraham⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Profile Art by Mondongo⁠⁠⁠⁠ Credit to George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, Fire & Blood, and related works; and HBO's Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/silent-sisters-podcast/support

Spoiler note: This House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 review discusses “The Red Dragon And The Gold” in full, including Rook's Rest, Rhaenys, Meleys, Aegon, Aemond, Vhagar, Sunfyre, Daemon's Harrenhal visions, and the ending. Mary & Blake are TV-first viewers and avoid future Fire & Blood spoilers. In our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 review, we break down “The Red Dragon And The Gold,” the episode where the Dance of the Dragons stops being theory and becomes full family tragedy. This is the hour where Rook's Rest changes the season. Rhaenys and Meleys enter the fight, Aegon and Sunfyre crash into the war, Aemond and Vhagar reveal the terrifying difference between power and control, and Criston Cole realizes far too late that dragon warfare is not the clean military solution he imagined. Mary gave the episode 4.9 flames, while Blake gave it 4.95 flames. The big reason: this episode makes the previous episode better, gives almost every major character a clear motivation, and turns the dragon battle into an emotional consequence instead of empty spectacle. Below, you can listen to our full podcast breakdown, watch the video version, read the recap, and follow our related House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage. Listen To Our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 Recap And Reaction Mary & Blake discuss House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4, “The Red Dragon And The Gold,” including Rook's Rest, Rhaenys and Meleys, Aegon and Sunfyre, Aemond and Vhagar, Criston Cole's terrible plan, Alicent's fallout from the truth about Viserys, Daemon's Harrenhal visions, and why this episode makes the whole season feel sharper. Subscribe To Get New House Of The Dragon Episodes APPLE PODCASTS YOUTUBE SPOTIFY The Red Dragon And The Gold Recap: What Happens At Rook's Rest? “The Red Dragon And The Gold” builds toward the Battle at Rook's Rest, where Criston Cole and the Greens make a calculated military move designed to draw out one of Rhaenyra's dragons. Rook's Rest itself may not be the most important castle in Westeros, but that is exactly the point. The castle is bait. On Dragonstone, Rhaenyra returns from her failed attempt at peace with Alicent and admits where she has been. She knows now that there is no clean path away from war. Her council needs action, her allies are being attacked, and Rook's Rest becomes the next pressure point. Rhaenys volunteers to go on Meleys. That decision defines the episode. She understands the cost of using dragons better than almost anyone on the board, but she also knows that if Team Black keeps refusing to act, its allies will keep paying the price. At Rook's Rest, Aegon arrives on Sunfyre after being humiliated by Aemond and dismissed by Alicent. Rhaenys and Meleys engage him, but the battle changes when Aemond and Vhagar enter the field. Aemond holds back, watches the situation unfold, and then uses dragonfire in a way that endangers both Rhaenys and his own brother. The battle ends with Rhaenys and Meleys falling after Vhagar attacks from below. Aegon and Sunfyre also fall, leaving Criston Cole walking through ash and ruin, unsure whether the king is dead, alive, or something worse. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 Review “The Red Dragon And The Gold” is the best kind of dragon episode because the spectacle only works because the character math works first. Aegon flies into battle because he feels small, humiliated, and useless. Aemond waits because he is strategic, resentful, and fully aware of his brother's weakness. Criston Cole pushes the plan because he thinks in military terms but does not fully understand what happens once dragons enter the field. Rhaenys returns because she knows she may be the only person who can stop the disaster from becoming worse. That is why the episode lands. The dragon battle is not just “cool.” It is the result of grief, ego, resentment, strategy, guilt, and bad leadership all colliding at once. The previous episode helps this one because “The Burning Mill” made clear that war was already spreading beyond the main players. This episode helps the previous one because it proves that the emotional and political buildup was not just stalling. It was loading the cannon. The weak spot is still the Alyn material, mostly because the show is making the audience care about him right as Rhaenys is nearing the end of her story. The Corlys/Rhaenys conversation has weight, but it also feels like the show is obviously closing a door. Still, this is a major Season 2 turning point. The motivations are clean, the visuals are huge, and the emotional loss is real. Why Is The Episode Called “The Red Dragon And The Gold”? The title “The Red Dragon And The Gold” points most directly to Meleys and Sunfyre. Meleys is the red dragon ridden by Rhaenys. Sunfyre is Aegon's golden dragon. Their fight at Rook's Rest gives the episode its title and its tragedy. But the title also works beyond the literal dragon colors. Red and gold are not just visual markers. They are symbols of two sides of the Targaryen family destroying itself with the very power that once made it untouchable. That is what makes the title so painful. This is not dragon versus dragon in a vacuum. This is family versus family, legacy versus legacy, and inheritance eating itself alive. Rook's Rest Explained: Why The Battle Matters Rook's Rest matters because it is the first major dragon battle of the season and the point where the war becomes impossible to pretend away. Criston Cole's plan is built around pressure. He attacks castles aligned with Rhaenyra, forces Team Black to respond, and creates a situation where a dragon is likely to appear. From a purely strategic perspective, the trap makes sense. From a human perspective, it is horrifying. The problem is that dragons are not normal weapons. Once they enter the field, the entire scale of war changes. Soldiers become ash. Horses become useless. Castles become temporary. Rulers become vulnerable. The battle at Rook's Rest makes clear that the Dance of the Dragons is not just a political crisis. It is mutually assured destruction with wings. That is why Criston's face after the battle matters. He thought he understood the move. Then he sees what the move actually costs. Rhaenys And Meleys: Raise A Glass Rhaenys is the emotional center of “The Red Dragon And The Gold.” She has been one of the only adults in the room for most of the series: clear-eyed, politically aware, emotionally steady, and honest enough to see the cost of power without pretending she is above it. Her final ride works because she understands the choice. She could leave. She could turn away. She could survive to fight another day. But she also knows she once had a chance to end this conflict before it grew, and she chose not to burn the Greens in the Dragonpit. At Rook's Rest, Rhaenys chooses to whole-ass one thing. She turns back because someone has to meet Vhagar. Someone has to show that Team Black will not abandon its allies. Someone has to take the full measure of what this war has become. Meleys' final look makes the loss even worse. The dragon is not just a mount or a weapon. She is a partner in the choice. When Meleys and Rhaenys fall, the episode gives Team Black its first truly devastating adult loss of the season. Aegon, Aemond, Sunfyre, And Vhagar Explained The Rook's Rest battle works because Aegon and Aemond both arrive with very different emotional needs. Aegon comes because he has been diminished all episode. He is embarrassed by Aemond at the council table, dismissed by Alicent, and treated like a problem to manage instead of a king to follow. Flying Sunfyre into battle is a reckless attempt to prove that he matters. Aemond comes because he understands the trap better than Aegon does. He waits. He watches. And when he acts, the episode leaves no doubt that his resentment toward Aegon is part of the fire he unleashes. That is what makes the moment so dangerous. Aemond is not simply fighting Rhaenys. He is also making a choice about his brother. Whether he intends to kill Aegon outright or simply accepts the risk, the result is the same: the Green family's internal rot becomes part of the battlefield. Vhagar, meanwhile, remains the terrifying advantage. She is old, massive, and patient in a way that makes her feel less like a creature and more like a natural disaster. When she emerges at Rook's Rest, the whole visual language of the episode changes. Everyone understands what has arrived. Criston Cole's Plan Was A Terrible Success Criston Cole's plan technically works. He draws out a dragon. He helps take Rook's Rest. He creates a battlefield where Team Green's hidden advantage can strike. But it is also a terrible success because Criston does not control what follows. He does not control Aegon showing up. He does not control Aemond's resentment. He does not control what Vhagar does to the battlefield. He does not control the human cost of introducing dragons into open war. That is why Mary's read is so sharp: Criston has a “milk was a bad choice” realization. The idea sounded great until he had to walk through the ash and see what dragon warfare actually means. Criston is still operating like a soldier who thinks the right move is the move that wins the field. The episode shows him that winning the field may still break everything around it. Alicent, Larys, And The Truth That No Longer Matters Alicent spends the episode living with the fallout of what she learned in the sept. She now knows that Viserys was not naming her son heir in his final moments. He was speaking about Aegon the Conqueror and the prophecy. That realization does not free her. It traps her. When she looks for histories and notes, she is trying to understand whether the story she built her life around has any foundation left. But the war is already moving faster than her doubt. Her conversation with Larys is one of the episode's best quiet scenes. He sees more than he says. He notices the cup. He understands vulnerability when it is sitting in front of him. Alicent may want to retreat into truth, history, and explanation, but Larys lives in the world of leverage. By the time Alicent says that Viserys' intentions no longer matter, she is not wrong. She is just late. The machine has already started. Daemon At Harrenhal Gets Even Weirder Daemon's Harrenhal material continues the season's haunted-house lane. Alys Rivers gives him something to drink, the castle keeps working on him, and his visions force him into places he would rather not go. The most striking image is Daemon beheading young Rhaenyra in the dream. It is a brutal way to externalize what the show has been saying about him all season: Daemon loves Rhaenyra, resents her, wants to serve her, wants to replace her, and may not fully understand where one feeling ends and another begins. The Harrenhal story works because it does not need to explain everything yet. The bed, the weirwood, Alys Rivers, the castle, and Daemon's own conscience may all be part of the same pressure system. What matters is that Daemon is no longer just fighting for control of the Riverlands. He is fighting the worst parts of himself. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 Ending Explained The ending of “The Red Dragon And The Gold” leaves the war transformed. Rhaenys and Meleys are gone. Aegon and Sunfyre have fallen. Aemond stands over the wreckage with Vhagar still alive. Criston Cole wakes to a battlefield that looks more like an apocalypse than a victory. If Aegon survives, he is no longer the same political figure. If he dies, the Greens face an immediate succession crisis. Either way, Aemond's role changes. He is no longer just the dangerous brother with the largest dragon. He is the person who may have helped bring down his own king. For Team Black, losing Rhaenys is catastrophic. She was a dragonrider, a counselor, a stabilizing force, and one of the few people who could speak to Rhaenyra with honesty and wisdom. Without her, Rhaenyra's side may become more aggressive and less balanced. That is why the ending matters. Rook's Rest is not just a battle. It is the moment the war starts consuming the people who thought they could direct it. What “The Red Dragon And The Gold” Sets Up Next Episode 4 sets up a more dangerous second half of Season 2 because every side has lost control in a different way. Rhaenyra loses Rhaenys, one of her clearest voices of restraint and wisdom. Corlys must live with his final conversation with Rhaenys and the truth she already understood about Alyn. Aegon is either dead, badly wounded, or politically changed forever after falling with Sunfyre. Aemond becomes even more dangerous because Rook's Rest exposes what he is willing to do. Criston Cole has to face the cost of the dragon war he helped unleash. Alicent knows the truth about Viserys, but the truth can no longer stop the war. Daemon remains trapped in Harrenhal's visions, guilt, and strange magic. The smallfolk and soldiers are now living under the reality of dragon warfare. Related House Of The Dragon Coverage Continue through Mary & Blake's House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Recap And Episode Guide House Of The Dragon With Mary & Blake Podcast Hub Previous Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 — “The Burning Mill” Next Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 — “Regent” Season 3: House Of The Dragon Season 3 Teaser Reaction More From Mary & Blake Subscribe to House of the Dragon With Mary & Blake for every recap, reaction, listener feedback episode, and deeper discussion as we continue through the Dance of the Dragons. Want bonus podcasts, extended reactions, and community conversation about House of the Dragon, Outlander, The Rings of Power, and everything else Mary & Blake are covering? Join the Nerd Clan community at JoinTheNerdClan.com and support everything Mary & Blake are building. Mary & Blake Media is not affiliated with HBO, Max, Warner Bros. Discovery, George R. R. Martin, or the House of the Dragon production.

Gretchen and Caroline continue their analysis with a Question of Succession Part 3. Viserys continues to DEFNITELY be an indecisive and weak king, while Rhaenyra tries 1-2 times to woo Criston Cole - but he's too honorable! And he sure did NOT start the rumor that she really wanted to sleep with him...Questions or comments? Email us at houseoffireandbloodpodcast@gmail.com

Caroline and Gretchen continue their analysis with a Question of Succession Part 2. Viserys names his daughter as heir and it DEFINITELY was only as a last resort AND because he was such a weak king! Also, where did Otto Hightower come from?The Easter Egg of this episode which is ** looks at notes ** a full half an hour long, is all about Bridgerton. If you care for that sort of thing lol.Questions or comments? Email us at houseoffireandbloodpodcast@gmail.com

Spoiler note: This House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 review discusses “The Burning Mill” in full, including Daemon at Harrenhal, the Bracken and Blackwood feud, Rhaenyra and Alicent's sept meeting, the dragon eggs, and the ending. Mary & Blake are TV-first viewers and avoid future Fire & Blood spoilers. In our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 review, we break down “The Burning Mill,” an episode that asks one brutal question: when a war has been building for generations, does anyone even know how to stop it anymore? This is the episode where House of the Dragon starts to feel more like classic Game of Thrones while also becoming its own thing. The opening Bracken and Blackwood sequence makes the war feel bigger than the royal family. Daemon's arrival at Harrenhal gives the show a haunted-house lane. And the Rhaenyra/Alicent sept scene gives Season 2 one of its strongest pieces of drama so far. Mary gave the episode 4.9 flames, while Blake gave it 4.72 flames. The big reason: the episode's craft, theme, and Rhaenyra/Alicent scene all work together to make the Dance of the Dragons feel inevitable. Below, you can listen to our full podcast breakdown, watch the video version, read the recap, and follow our related House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage. Listen To Our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 Recap And Reaction Mary & Blake discuss House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3, “The Burning Mill,” including why the show is starting to feel more like Game of Thrones, how it is setting itself apart, Daemon's weird Harrenhal story, the dragon egg Easter egg, and why the Rhaenyra and Alicent scene may be one of the best in the entire Game of Thrones universe. Subscribe To Get New House Of The Dragon Episodes APPLE PODCASTS YOUTUBE SPOTIFY House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 Recap: What Happens In “The Burning Mill”? “The Burning Mill” opens away from the main royal players, with young men from House Bracken and House Blackwood arguing over land, loyalty, and old hatred. One side calls Rhaenyra the rightful queen. The other backs Aegon. The scene begins as a local feud, then smash-cuts to the aftermath: bodies everywhere and the mill burning. That opening tells us exactly what the episode is about. The war is no longer just something Rhaenyra, Alicent, Daemon, Aegon, or Otto can control from a council table. The realm is already choosing sides, and smaller conflicts are becoming part of the larger Dance of the Dragons. At Dragonstone, Rhaenyra continues trying to prevent the war from becoming total destruction. Rhaenys urges caution and reminds the Black council that calm rulers can be valuable rulers. Rhaenyra also sends Rhaena away with her youngest children, young dragons, and dragon eggs, making Rhaena responsible for the family's future if everything collapses. Daemon arrives at Harrenhal expecting a fight and instead finds a wet, ruined, deeply strange castle that seems happy to accept him. He meets Simon Strong, sees the decay of the place, and begins experiencing visions connected to his past, including young Rhaenyra. On the Green side, Aegon wants to go to war himself, Criston Cole leads a military movement, Larys continues working his way into influence, and Aemond is publicly humiliated by Aegon in a brothel. The episode ends with Rhaenyra sneaking into King's Landing to meet Alicent in the sept, where both women finally understand the mistake around Viserys' final words — and why that truth may no longer matter. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 Review “The Burning Mill” is one of the strongest episodes of Season 2 because it has a clear thematic spine: no one can agree where the war began, and no one can stop it once the blood starts moving. The Bracken and Blackwood opening makes that idea concrete. We do not need to watch the whole battle. We only need to see the argument, the cut, and the bodies. The details of who threw the first blow matter less than the result. This is how wars become bigger than their causes. That same idea carries into the Rhaenyra and Alicent scene. Both women are trying, in their own way, to name the original wound. Was it Viserys? Was it the succession? Was it Alicent misunderstanding his final words? Was it Otto's long game? Was it Daemon? Was it Aemond and Luke? The answer keeps shifting because the war has too many beginnings. That is why the episode lands: it is about how sin begets sin, and how conflict becomes self-sustaining. Once that happens, even the people with the most personal reason to stop it may not be able to reach the brakes. The weakest material is still the new-character setup. Ulf, Alyn, and Addam are clearly being positioned for future importance, but the scenes can feel like the show tapping the glass and saying, “Remember these people.” That may pay off later, but right now it slows the hour down. The best material is everything with Daemon at Harrenhal and everything between Rhaenyra and Alicent. Those sections make the episode feel specific, strange, and dramatically alive. Why Is The Episode Called “The Burning Mill”? The title “The Burning Mill” refers to the Battle of the Burning Mill between House Bracken and House Blackwood. On the surface, it is a local fight in the Riverlands. Structurally, it is the episode's warning sign. The burning mill shows what happens when old grudges attach themselves to new political claims. The Brackens and Blackwoods do not need Rhaenyra and Aegon to invent conflict for them. They already have history, pride, resentment, and blood between them. The larger war simply gives that hatred a new banner. That is why the title works. The mill is not just a battlefield. It is a symbol of the realm catching fire in places the royal family cannot control. The Brackens And Blackwoods Show How Wars Really Start The opening scene is one of the smartest pieces of craft in the episode. We begin with a few young men arguing in a field. Then the edit jumps to death, smoke, and scale. The missing middle is the point. That cut says: this is how fast pride becomes violence. This is how fast a local argument becomes a battlefield. This is how fast people who barely understand the full political situation end up dying for it. It also makes the Dance of the Dragons feel more like Game of Thrones. The war is not only about the people with crowns. It is about houses, regions, ancient grudges, and small decisions that become impossible to undo. Daemon At Harrenhal Explained Daemon's Harrenhal story gives “The Burning Mill” its weirdest and most visually distinctive material. He arrives in the rain, on dragonback, expecting resistance. Instead, Harrenhal practically shrugs and says, “Fine. You have it.” That is the perfect punishment for Daemon. He wants a fight because a fight would let him feel powerful. He wants to take something because taking something gives him identity. But Harrenhal does not give him the clean conflict he wants. It gives him rot, silence, ghosts, and venison. The episode leans into haunted-house energy. Harrenhal is enormous, wet, ruined, and full of old history. Daemon sees young Rhaenyra, played again by Milly Alcock, sewing Jaehaerys' head back on. He meets Alys Rivers, who tells him he will die there. The castle feels less like a military prize and more like a psychological trap. That works because Daemon's real opponent is not Simon Strong or the Riverlands. It is himself. Harrenhal starts forcing him to confront ambition, guilt, resentment, and the part of him that still cannot accept standing beside a queen instead of above her. The Dragon Eggs And Rhaena's Future One of the biggest Easter eggs in the episode comes when Rhaenyra sends Rhaena away with her youngest children, young dragons, and dragon eggs. The podcast discusses the apparent connection between those eggs and the future of Daenerys Targaryen's dragons, which gives the scene a larger franchise weight. But the scene also matters for Rhaena. At first, being sent away feels like rejection. She does not have a dragon. She wants to be useful. She wants to belong in the fight. Instead, Rhaenyra makes her a protector of the future. That changes the meaning of the assignment. Rhaena is not being dismissed. She is being trusted with children, dragons, eggs, and the continuation of the family line. In a season obsessed with inheritance, that is not a small job. Aegon, Aemond, And The Brothel Humiliation The Green side of the episode keeps showing how unstable Aegon's rule is. Aegon wants to put on Aegon the Conqueror's armor and ride to war. Larys talks him out of it, not because Larys is noble, but because separating Aegon from Criston Cole gives Larys more influence. Then Aegon humiliates Aemond in the brothel. That scene is ugly because Aemond is already carrying shame, rage, and isolation. He is the quiet one, the dangerous one, the one with Vhagar. Aegon may think he is joking, but the episode makes it feel like another small wound that could eventually become a much larger disaster. That is one of the Green council's biggest problems: everyone is playing a short-term game around a family full of long-term emotional damage. Rhaenyra And Alicent's Sept Scene Is The Episode's Best Scene The Rhaenyra and Alicent scene in the sept is the reason this episode jumps to another level. Practically, yes, there are questions. How did Rhaenyra get there so easily? How did the disguise work? How did she move through King's Landing without being caught? But dramatically, the scene works so well that the logistics become secondary. Rhaenyra and Alicent needed one final private conversation before the war became unstoppable. The show needed them face to face, in a sacred space, surrounded by candles, history, and the memory of who they used to be. The scene is great because both women are right and both women are trapped. Rhaenyra is right that Viserys named her heir. Alicent is right that the machinery around Aegon can no longer simply be wished away. Then comes the devastating realization: Alicent misunderstood Viserys' final words. For one second, everything becomes clear. Alicent understands the mistake. Rhaenyra sees it too. But clarity does not create peace. It only makes the tragedy sharper. That is why this scene may be one of the best in the Game of Thrones universe. The writing, blocking, lighting, silence, performances, and subtext all come together. The scene lets us want peace while knowing peace is already gone. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 Ending Explained The ending of “The Burning Mill” matters because Rhaenyra and Alicent finally identify the misunderstanding at the heart of Alicent's claim — and it still does not stop the war. Rhaenyra comes to King's Landing hoping there may be a way to avoid total destruction. Alicent begins from certainty, then realizes that Viserys was not naming Aegon as heir. He was speaking about Aegon the Conqueror and the prophecy. Alicent's face changes because she knows, in that moment, that her moral foundation has cracked. But Alicent cannot undo what has happened. Otto is gone from court. Aegon sits the throne. Criston Cole is on the march. Aemond is dangerous. Daemon is at Harrenhal. The Brackens and Blackwoods are already killing each other. The war is no longer waiting for permission. That is the tragedy of the ending. The truth arrives too late to save anyone. What “The Burning Mill” Sets Up Next Episode 3 sets up the point where private grief becomes public war and public war becomes impossible to contain. Rhaenyra leaves the sept with less guilt and more certainty about her claim. Alicent knows she misunderstood Viserys, but she chooses survival and family over confession. Daemon is trapped in Harrenhal's psychological and supernatural weirdness. Aemond is humiliated by Aegon, which may make him even more dangerous. Criston Cole continues moving the Greens toward open conflict. Rhaena carries children, young dragons, and eggs toward the future. The Riverlands are already burning through old grudges and new loyalties. Related House Of The Dragon Coverage Continue through Mary & Blake's House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Recap And Episode Guide House Of The Dragon With Mary & Blake Podcast Hub Previous Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 — “Rhaenyra The Cruel” Next Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 — “The Red Dragon And The Gold” Season 3: House Of The Dragon Season 3 Teaser Reaction More From Mary & Blake Subscribe to House of the Dragon With Mary & Blake for every recap, reaction, listener feedback episode, and deeper discussion as we continue through the Dance of the Dragons. Want bonus podcasts, extended reactions, and community conversation about House of the Dragon, Outlander, The Rings of Power, and everything else Mary & Blake are covering? Join the Nerd Clan community at JoinTheNerdClan.com and support everything Mary & Blake are building. Mary & Blake Media is not affiliated with HBO, Max, Warner Bros. Discovery, George R. R. Martin, or the House of the Dragon production.

How art thy Broseth? It is part 2 of our recap of HoTD episode 3! In the conclusion, Rhaenyra sends Rhaenyra off with the children and the eggs to secure the future of House Targaryen (i.e. Danearys's dragon eggs...) Heleana forgives Alicent of boinking Criston Cole while Jahearys was slain, but in doing so also confirms that Alicent is in part to blame for what happened. Aegon prepares to fly off to war but Larys spins a quick rumor to persuade him otherwise, and he ends up going to a Brothel with his boys, aka the new knights guard, instead. We're introduced to Ulf, a bastard son of Baelon the Brave, which introduces the idea of Dragonseed's (Targaryen bastards). Aegon and co. enter a brothel and find Aemond laying with the Madame and we're shown that Aegon has never treated Aemond very well. Criston Cole and Gwayne are nearly taken out by Baela who nearly dracarys's them to death but shows restraint. Daemon has a supernatural experience at Harrenhall where he is met with the foreboding "you will die here" from a cloaked woman. In a last ditch effort to avoid war, Rhaenyra infiltrates King's Landing and speaks with Alicent face to face. In this scene, the discussion of what Viserys said on his death bed finally comes to light... And both sides were rattled to their core upon hearing it... Introducing BravBros Members! Offering exclusive access, bonus episodes, monthly Q&A zoom and more! Use the link below to join! https://thebros.memberful.com/join This episode is brought to you by Quince. Spruce up your wardrobe this summer without breaking the bank! Go to Quince.com/bravbros for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a Text Message.This week was all about old fueds and bad blood, especially with the opening scene between the Blackwoods and the Brackens. Not only are the feeding on a personal level, but it has heightened due to them being on opposing sides of the dance. Aegon is ready for war and willing to strike, while Rhaenyra is very hesitant, almost to a fault. This episode was less about action and more about revelation. We got conformation on Ulf the White, where Rhaenyra is sending her children, we got Alys Rivers, and the most important reveal was Alicent and Rhaenyra both finding out the truth of Viserys' last words....I think Rhae is going to be war ready moving forward.If you want to keep the fun going with us throughout the week, come join our Facebook group. THE WATCH DEM THRONES FACEBOOK GROUPhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/126567443834910/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBTTO WATCH AND SUBSCRIBE:Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/blackwithnochaser/Twitter:https://twitter.com/BeBlackNoChaser?t=pVFV06lBFdZRu72ot4uCjA&s=09Twitter:https://twitter.com/WatchDemThrones?t=q0ngrYPlugf0ttzM2jo39A&s=09Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watch-dem-thrones-by-black-with-no-chaser/id1641754247Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1qI1bJ1vIlobu502w6zrtN?si=mtsa3gZYRZW_3FmlCrv7UgBWNC RADIO: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bwnc-radio/id6443800363Amazon Musichttps://music.amazon.com/podcasts/45279c3a-c09f-47d1-a3a3-88e6e2507230/watch-dem-thrones-by-black-with-no-chaserIHeartRadiohttps://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-watch-dem-thrones-by-black-101286659/?cmp=android_share&sc=android_social_share&pr=false#gameofthrones #demdragons #blackwithnochaser #houseofthedragonhbo #dragonseeds #theblacks #thegreens #houseofthedragon #youtube #targaryens #podcast #podsincolor #applemusic #spotifymusic #podsincolor #starks #lannisters #Velaryon

Spoiler note: This House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 review discusses “Rhaenyra The Cruel” in full, including the aftermath of Blood and Cheese, the funeral procession, Criston Cole's promotion, Daemon and Rhaenyra's fight, and the Erryk and Arryk tragedy. Mary & Blake are TV-first viewers and avoid future Fire & Blood spoilers. In our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 review, we break down “Rhaenyra The Cruel,” an episode about grief becoming propaganda, guilt becoming strategy, and terrible men failing upward at exactly the wrong time. The episode is almost entirely a reaction to the horror of Blood and Cheese. Jaehaerys is dead. Rhaenyra is blamed. Aegon wants revenge. Otto tries to use the tragedy politically. Alicent keeps making choices that reveal how little emotional control she has left. And Criston Cole, somehow, becomes even worse and more important. Mary gave the episode 4.7 flames, while Blake gave it 4.6 flames. Both ratings keep the episode high, but the conversation turns on whether the hour successfully converts grief into momentum or slows itself down with side characters and setup. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} Below, you can listen to our full podcast breakdown, watch the video version, read the recap, and follow our related House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage. Listen To Our House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 Recap And Reaction Mary & Blake discuss House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2, “Rhaenyra The Cruel,” including why Ser Criston Cole is the absolute worst, why that also makes him dramatically useful, the visual grammar of the episode, Daemon's break from Rhaenyra, Aegon's grief, and the tragedy of Erryk and Arryk. Subscribe To Get New House Of The Dragon Episodes APPLE PODCASTS YOUTUBE SPOTIFY House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 Recap: What Happens In “Rhaenyra The Cruel”? “Rhaenyra The Cruel” picks up almost immediately after the murder of Prince Jaehaerys. The Red Keep locks down, bloody sheets are carried away, the royal household panics, and the Greens begin shaping the story before the full truth can matter. Rhaenyra is blamed for the murder, even though the episode makes clear that she did not order the death of a child. Otto understands that distinction, but he also knows the accusation is politically useful. The funeral procession turns Jaehaerys into a public symbol, and the phrase “Rhaenyra the Cruel” becomes a weapon. Aegon is devastated and furious. He orders the ratcatchers hanged after Blood is found, turning his grief into an act of collective punishment. Otto sees the political cost immediately, but Aegon is not thinking like a careful ruler. He is thinking like a father whose child has been murdered. On Dragonstone, Rhaenyra confronts Daemon over what he set in motion. Their marriage, trust, and political partnership all fracture as she recognizes that Daemon's hunger for action has damaged her claim and made the war uglier. Meanwhile, Criston Cole projects his guilt onto Ser Arryk and sends him to Dragonstone disguised as his twin brother, Ser Erryk. The mission ends with the brothers killing each other in Rhaenyra's chamber, turning the civil war into literal twin-against-twin tragedy. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 Review “Rhaenyra The Cruel” is a grief episode, but it is also a propaganda episode. The smartest move the hour makes is showing how quickly a private horror becomes a public story. Jaehaerys' murder is already awful. Otto's instinct is to make it useful. That is where the episode finds its engine. The Greens do not need the full truth to win the public narrative. They need an image, a procession, a dead child, a grieving mother, and a name that can attach the crime to Rhaenyra. The title of the episode is not just a description. It is political branding. The episode also keeps underlining the difference between grief and care. Rhaenyra hugs her children. Jace and Baela get one of the episode's few tender moments. Aegon sobs alone. Helaena is managed more than comforted. Alicent sees pain and keeps turning inward. That contrast is why Mary fully switches to Team Black in this episode. Blake's strongest critique is that the episode slows down whenever it moves to Hugh, Addam, and Alyn. Those characters clearly matter later, but in this hour, their scenes can feel like the show is tapping the audience on the shoulder and saying, “Pay attention to these people,” before the emotional story is ready for them. Still, the craft is strong. Ramin Djawadi's score stands out early as the castle absorbs the shock of the murder, and the direction gives the episode a clear visual identity: funeral imagery, dust settling, slow-motion grief, and the silent brutality of the twin fight. Why Is The Episode Called “Rhaenyra The Cruel”? The title “Rhaenyra The Cruel” refers to the story the Greens want the realm to believe after Blood and Cheese. Rhaenyra did not personally order Jaehaerys' murder, but that almost does not matter once Otto sees how the event can be used. The power of the title is that it turns Rhaenyra's political claim into a moral accusation. If the realm believes she is cruel, then Aegon is no longer simply a rival claimant. He becomes a grieving father defending the kingdom from a monstrous queen. That is the episode's sharpest idea: in war, truth matters less than the story that travels fastest. Rhaenyra may know she did not do it. Otto may know she did not do it. But the dead child, the public funeral, and the phrase “Rhaenyra the Cruel” are enough to reshape the board. Ser Criston Cole Is The Worst — And That Is Why He Works The clearest Mary & Blake take from this episode is simple: Ser Criston Cole is the worst. He should have been protecting the royal family when Blood and Cheese entered the Red Keep. Instead, he was with Alicent. Then he redirects his guilt outward, attacks Arryk's honor, and sends him on a mission that is basically a death sentence. That is why Criston is so frustrating and so dramatically useful. He began the series looking like a classic knightly hero, but every season has pulled more rot out of him. His obsession with purity, honor, and loyalty keeps collapsing under his own hypocrisy. His promotion to Hand of the King is terrifying because he is not a cool strategist. He is volatile, ashamed, self-righteous, and now closer to power. Otto is manipulative, but he understands statecraft. Criston understands resentment. That makes him dangerous in a different way. Aegon's Grief Changes The Green Council Episode 2 does something important with Aegon: it makes him pathetic, dangerous, and human at the same time. He is not Joffrey. He is not a brilliant ruler. He is an overwhelmed young king who was unloved by his father, poorly prepared for power, and now shattered by the murder of his son. That does not excuse what he does to the ratcatchers. It does explain why he does it. Aegon does not process Jaehaerys' death as a political event. He processes it as a wound, then makes the realm absorb that wound with him. Otto's confrontation with Aegon is one of the most important scenes of the episode because it reveals the limits of the old Hightower strategy. Otto wants control, optics, and patience. Aegon wants revenge and recognition. Once Aegon removes Otto and elevates Criston Cole, the Greens become much less stable. Alicent, Helaena, And The Failure To Comfort Alicent's material in this episode is uncomfortable because she can recognize grief without knowing how to meet it. She understands that the funeral must happen. She understands that appearances matter. She understands that Aegon is out of control. But when her children need actual comfort, she cannot quite give it. That is clearest with Aegon. Alicent finds him sobbing and walks away. Mary's read is that Alicent may simply not know how to mother in that moment. She was not cared for well, she has not cared for her own children well, and she retreats into her own needs rather than sit with his pain. That failure does not make Alicent boring. It makes her tragic and frustrating. She is trapped inside the consequences of the very system she helped protect, and she keeps trying to wash guilt off herself as if guilt works that way. Daemon And Rhaenyra Finally Break Open The confrontation between Daemon and Rhaenyra is the Team Black center of the episode. Rhaenyra knows what Daemon has done. She knows that Blood and Cheese has damaged her claim, handed the Greens a weapon, and revealed something ugly about the man she married. The fight works because it is not only about Jaehaerys. It is about years of resentment, trust, inheritance, and Daemon's belief that Viserys chose Rhaenyra partly to deny him. Rhaenyra calls out the part of Daemon that still sees her crown as an insult to him. That is why Daemon leaving for Harrenhal matters. It is not just a military move. It is a marital and political fracture. Rhaenyra needs Daemon's dragon, his experience, and his violence. But she also sees that his violence may be one of the greatest threats to her legitimacy. Erryk And Arryk Explained: Brother Against Brother The Erryk and Arryk fight turns the civil war into its most literal form: two brothers, identical in armor and face, killing each other because the realm has split around them. Criston sends Arryk to Dragonstone because he needs to redirect blame, guilt, and attention away from himself. The plan is cruel because it weaponizes the twins' identity. If Arryk can pass as Erryk, he might reach Rhaenyra. If he fails, the confusion itself still creates chaos. The fight is directed to make the audience feel that confusion. Mary and Blake both spend time wrestling with who is who, who lands the fatal blow, and who falls on his sword afterward. That confusion is the point. The war has made even brotherhood unreadable. The scene works best because it is not overscored. The fight, the breathing, the panic, and Rhaenyra's vulnerability carry the moment. We may not know the twins deeply enough for the full emotional devastation to land, but the mechanics of the scene are strong. House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 Ending Explained The ending of “Rhaenyra The Cruel” matters because it leaves both sides more unstable than they were at the start. Rhaenyra survives the assassination attempt, but the attack proves Dragonstone is not emotionally or physically safe. Team Black is wounded by Daemon's choices and by the cost of being blamed for Blood and Cheese. Team Green is also fractured. Aegon is grieving and furious. Otto has lost influence. Criston Cole has risen into a job he may be emotionally unfit to hold. Alicent remains trapped between guilt, desire, motherhood, and political survival. The biggest consequence is that the war has become harder to stop. Blood and Cheese created the public story. Aegon's reaction damaged the Greens' moral position. Criston's mission killed both twins. Every attempt to regain control creates another wound. What “Rhaenyra The Cruel” Sets Up Next Episode 2 sets up a season where the war spreads because the people in power keep mistaking reaction for leadership. Rhaenyra must repair the damage Blood and Cheese did to her image and her marriage. Daemon heads toward Harrenhal after a major break with Rhaenyra. Aegon becomes more dangerous because his grief is now tied to his authority. Criston Cole becomes Hand of the King, giving his shame and anger more institutional power. Alicent keeps losing moral and emotional control over the family she helped elevate. Mysaria may become more important after recognizing the danger around the twins. Hugh, Alyn, and Addam are clearly being seeded for larger roles, even if their scenes slow this episode down. Related House Of The Dragon Coverage Continue through Mary & Blake's House of the Dragon Season 2 coverage: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Recap And Episode Guide House Of The Dragon With Mary & Blake Podcast Hub Previous Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 1 — “A Son For A Son” Next Episode: House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 — “The Burning Mill” Season 3: House Of The Dragon Season 3 Teaser Reaction More From Mary & Blake Subscribe to House of the Dragon With Mary & Blake for every recap, reaction, listener feedback episode, and deeper discussion as we continue through the Dance of the Dragons. Want bonus podcasts, extended reactions, and community conversation about House of the Dragon, Outlander, The Rings of Power, and everything else Mary & Blake are covering? Join the Nerd Clan community at JoinTheNerdClan.com and support everything Mary & Blake are building. Mary & Blake Media is not affiliated with HBO, Max, Warner Bros. Discovery, George R. R. Martin, or the House of the Dragon production.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/castofkings today to get 10% off your first month. Help keep podcasts like A Cast of Kings going by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com. A Cast of Kings is back to cover season 2 of House of the Dragon! In this episode, David Chen, Jessie Earl, and Kim Renfro dive into House of the Dragon's season 2 premiere, "A Son for a Son." This episode shows us the immediate aftermath of the events from season 1's finale. Will Aegon be a better king than Viserys? Will Alicent be able to stem the bloodletting? Will Daemon's plans bring Rhaenyra to ruin? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!  Links: Email us at acastofkings(AT)gmail(DOT)com Subscribe to Decoding TV on YouTube Follow us on Tiktok Buy Kim Renfro's book about Game of Thrones Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube Learn more about Jessie Earl's movie, Identiteaze 

Brotherhood Without Manners joins the rest of the world as we discuss House of the Dragons.  Brotherhood Without Manners talks episode 5 of House of the Dragon, We Light the Way. We finally meet the wonderfully badass Rhea Royce, the woman who is married to Daemon. Otto has been replaced as the Hand by Lyonel Strong and says his goodbyes to Alicent. Viserys has had enough with trying to find a suitable partner for Rhaenyra and ask Corlys to unite their houses. Rhaenyra speaks with Laenor about their futures together. The welcome feast is one to be remembered, as Alicent appears in her new green dress... www.brotherhoodwithout.com Leave us a review! All Music credits to Ross Bugden INSTAGRAM! : https://instagram.com/rossbugden/ (rossbugden) TWITTER! : https://twitter.com/RossBugden (@rossbugden) YOUTUBE! : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M Intro Song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kthxycmF25M&list=PLoM4PBVG7m75ry-RP5wdZWhSHWVkXFLcz&index=2&t=0s

This week, Dave, Neil, and Joanna look ahead to Season 2 of ‘House of the Dragon.' They start with a quick recap of Season 1 (12:19). Then, they answer some listener questions (14:29) before talking about this week's poll: Who will fill the emotional void left by Paddy Considine as Viserys (53:46)? Later, they head into the Storm, where they discuss—in book-spoiling detail—what could be coming in the first few episodes of the season (1:02:48). Be sure to vote in this week's poll! Who will deliver the Paddy Considine-level performance in Season 2?? You can vote for the winner at TheRinger.com, on The Ringer's X feed, and in the Spotify app, where you'll find ‘Trial by Content.' The winner will be announced next week! Also, send your ‘House of the Dragon' questions to TrialByContent@gmail.com. Hosts: Dave Gonzales, Joanna Robinson, and Neil Miller Associate Producer: Carlos Chiriboga Additional Production Supervision: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

House of the Dragon episode 8, The Lord of the Tides did not disappoint. In this episode surrounding a smaller, but still important succession, we had two deaths AND we see Otto Hightower laugh, all in one episode. Get you a show who can do both. Paddy Consodine will forever be a thrones universe GOAT after this season and his portrayal of Viserys. Unfortunately, his efforts to unite the family at the Last Supper were all undone by a little too much milk of the poppy. WAR IS AFOOT. On to the penultimate! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After 10 years, we're back in Westeros! A lot has changed between this episode and last, and the enmity between Rhaenyra & Alicent has only become worse. Rumors circle around the Heir to the Throne, Criston Cole is still pouty, Daemon has gone off to Essos to sulk about marrying a beautiful woman, and Larys Strong continues to creep us out...but at least Viserys & Laenor seem like they're enjoying themselves! Join us as we break down everything that happened in this mid-season pilot!! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Game of Thrones is famous for its crazy Episode 9 for each season and boy did this episode deliver! In this Episode, Jimmy returns to the pod and joins the squad to breakdown episode 9 in its entirety. We discuss the aftermath of Viserys' death, give our thoughts on some of the key characters, give some theories, and as usual, talk about our MVPs, LVPs, and hot takes of the episode! You don't want to miss this one! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 1 of House of the Dragon rolls on and so does our coverage! Episode 3 gave us another time jump, which has resulted in a son for Viserys & Alicent with another baby on the way! Joyous news for the realm, but not so much for Princess Rhaenyra. Off the coast of Westeros, Corlys & Daemon are still at war on the Stepstones and things don't seem to be going well, until Daemon gets a little "inspiration" from his dear brother. Join Kyle, Luke, and Kathleen as they break down each scene, including book lore, character explanations, theories, easter eggs, and much much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a Text Message.The plot follows the aftermath of Viserys' death in King's Landing, starting with a discussion of Viserys' last words heard by Alicent in the previous episode regarding Aegon the Conqueror's dream, which she misinterprets as Viserys wanting their son Prince Aegon to be his successor. It ends with the coronation of Aegon, which leads to Rhaenys intruding the ceremony with her dragon Meleys.If you want to keep the fun going with us throughout the week, come join our Facebook group. THE WATCH DEM THRONES FACEBOOK GROUPhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/126567443834910/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBTTO WATCH AND SUBSCRIBE:Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/blackwithnochaser/Twitter:https://twitter.com/BeBlackNoChaser?t=pVFV06lBFdZRu72ot4uCjA&s=09Twitter:https://twitter.com/WatchDemThrones?t=q0ngrYPlugf0ttzM2jo39A&s=09Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watch-dem-thrones-by-black-with-no-chaser/id1641754247Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1qI1bJ1vIlobu502w6zrtN?si=mtsa3gZYRZW_3FmlCrv7UgBWNC RADIO: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bwnc-radio/id6443800363Amazon Musichttps://music.amazon.com/podcasts/45279c3a-c09f-47d1-a3a3-88e6e2507230/watch-dem-thrones-by-black-with-no-chaserIHeartRadiohttps://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-watch-dem-thrones-by-black-101286659/?cmp=android_share&sc=android_social_share&pr=false#gameofthrones #demdragons #blackwithnochaser #houseofthedragonhbo #dragonseeds #theblacks #thegreens #houseofthedragon #youtube #targaryens #podcast #podsincolor #applemusic #spotifymusic #podsincolor #starks #lannisters #Velaryon

Send us a Text Message.Viserys who is viSERIOUSLY ill and delirious, mistakes his wife Alicent for his daughter Rhaenyra; he appeals to his family to settle their differences for the good of the kingdom; Alicent has to deal with a crime in the house. Also, we have Vaemond who, even though he is right, loses his head...literally.If you want to keep the fun going with us throughout the week, come join our Facebook group. THE WATCH DEM THRONES FACEBOOK GROUPhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/126567443834910/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBTTO WATCH AND SUBSCRIBE:Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/blackwithnochaser/Twitter:https://twitter.com/BeBlackNoChaser?t=pVFV06lBFdZRu72ot4uCjA&s=09Twitter:https://twitter.com/WatchDemThrones?t=q0ngrYPlugf0ttzM2jo39A&s=09Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watch-dem-thrones-by-black-with-no-chaser/id1641754247Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1qI1bJ1vIlobu502w6zrtN?si=mtsa3gZYRZW_3FmlCrv7UgBWNC RADIO: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bwnc-radio/id6443800363Amazon Musichttps://music.amazon.com/podcasts/45279c3a-c09f-47d1-a3a3-88e6e2507230/watch-dem-thrones-by-black-with-no-chaserIHeartRadiohttps://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-watch-dem-thrones-by-black-101286659/?cmp=android_share&sc=android_social_share&pr=false#gameofthrones #demdragons #blackwithnochaser #houseofthedragonhbo #dragonseeds #theblacks #thegreens #houseofthedragon #youtube #targaryens #podcast #podsincolor #applemusic #spotifymusic #podsincolor #starks #lannisters #Velaryon

Prepare for your first full dose of Mushroom! Jim and A.Ron parse through the similarities and differences of the truth and Mushroom's version of events. Alicent's duty to the court, the brotherly relationship between Viserys and Daemon, and Rhaenyra's personhood all come into question. For this episode, Jim and A.Ron are covering pages 365 - 369 of the hardcover version of Fire and Blood corresponding to the episode King of the Narrow Sea. Send feedback to hotd@baldmove.com! Theme song: Game of Thrones (80's TV Theme) by Highway Superstar Support Bald Move:  Club Bald Move Leave Us A Review on Apple Podcasts Join the discussion:  Email  |  Discord  |  Reddit  |  Forums Follow us: Twitch | YouTube | Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prepare for your first full dose of Mushroom! Jim and A.Ron parse through the similarities and differences of the truth and Mushroom's version of events. Alicent's duty to the court, the brotherly relationship between Viserys and Daemon, and Rhaenyra's personhood all come into question. For this episode, Jim and A.Ron are covering pages 365 - 369 of the hardcover version of Fire and Blood corresponding to the episode King of the Narrow Sea. Send feedback to hotd@baldmove.com! Theme song: Game of Thrones (80's TV Theme) by Highway Superstar Support Bald Move:  Club Bald Move Leave Us A Review on Apple Podcasts Join the discussion:  Email  |  Discord  |  Reddit  |  Forums Follow us: Twitch | YouTube | Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get bonus episodes on Patreon! This third 'Targaryen Checkpoint' delivers a whole new level of prophetic, high-concept imagery for us to discuss. Maggie focuses in on Dany and Viserys as avatars of the House of the Dragon's simultaneous rise and fall, before diving deeper into Viserys' ghostly, almost undead turn in these pages. Cam finds a corollary for all the White Walker breadcrumbs we've been chasing in Dany's fiery dragon dream, which he analyzes through the lens of his beloved 'Doctor Faustus'. We close with an unexpected, possible Dune crossover as GRRM seems to tip his hat to Frank Herbert -- and remind us to always be on the lookout for aspiring tyrants. LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, Cam's stories Feedback & Theories: secondbreakfastpod@gmail.com

It's been three years since Viserys chose Alicent Hightower as his bride, The plot follows the second birthday celebration of Viserys and Alicent's firstborn son, Prince Aegon Targaryen; as well as Daemon and Corlys battling the Triarchy warriors at Stepstones, which led to the death of Craghas Drahar. This week we were joined by The Unapologetic Geek Jarreous Thomas, the host of U-GeekTV on Youtube. If you want to keep the fun going with us throughout the week, come join our Facebook group. THE WATCH DEM THRONES FACEBOOK GROUPhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/126567443834910/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBTTO WATCH AND SUBSCRIBE:Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/blackwithnochaser/Twitter:https://twitter.com/BeBlackNoChaser?t=pVFV06lBFdZRu72ot4uCjA&s=09Twitter:https://twitter.com/WatchDemThrones?t=q0ngrYPlugf0ttzM2jo39A&s=09Apple Music: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/watch-dem-thrones-by-black-with-no-chaser/id1641754247Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1qI1bJ1vIlobu502w6zrtN?si=mtsa3gZYRZW_3FmlCrv7UgBWNC RADIO: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bwnc-radio/id6443800363Amazon Musichttps://music.amazon.com/podcasts/45279c3a-c09f-47d1-a3a3-88e6e2507230/watch-dem-thrones-by-black-with-no-chaserIHeartRadiohttps://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-watch-dem-thrones-by-black-101286659/?cmp=android_share&sc=android_social_share&pr=false#gameofthrones #demdragons #blackwithnochaser #houseofthedragonhbo #dragonseeds #theblacks #thegreens #houseofthedragon #youtube #targaryens #podcast #podsincolor #applemusic #spotifymusic #podsincolor #starks #lannisters #Velaryon

In this episode we've got the scheming of Lord Donnel the Delayer, the end of Maegor and the reign of Jaehaerys and Viserys. Questions regarding the siege and death of Septon Moon, the voyage of the Sun Chaser and Prince Daeron the Daring. Of course there's some Otto, Alicent and Hoberrrt too!