Welcome back to the blog readers. There is no doubt that House of the Dragon has taken its top spot back as the best show on television right now. Nothing has even come close to that title, and I do not think anything will after last week's episode. Aegon got his ass figuratively and literally violated by his brother Aemond, Rhaenyra has come to terms with the fact that war is here, and dragons kicked the shit out of each other! Yes please! Would we continue to get an increase in quality, or is this the point in the season where we start to get that dip? Stick around to find out in this episode, titled "Regent," written by Ti Mikkel, and directed by Clare Kilner.
NOTE: I will be using spoilers for my thoughts, so DO NOT read ahead if you have not seen the episode.
First off, I want to apologize for not having this review up sooner. The reason that is so is because I watched the episode Sunday night and the quality of the episode made it unwatchable and difficult to pay attention. I do have it now, so no worries. With that being said, on to the review. The first half of the season has basically been a slow burn the whole time, but I have loved every single second of it. This episode is no different, and major props have to go to Matt Smith's performance in this episode for being his best of the season thus far as Daemon. We are also getting some intriguing story threads and I cannot wait to see where they lead.
Matt Smith's reputation was kind of soured a bit when he starred in Morbius (2022), but he has completely turned it around by playing the role of Daemon Targaryen. In this episode, Smith has been selling the tension and the paranoia Daemon has been feeling during his journey at Harrenhal better and better every week. Smith has been incredible as this role as the seasons have been progressing, and I am loving what they are doing with this character by delving into his psyche and his consciousness. The first half of this season has been teasing the possibility that Daemon still held a grudge against Rhaenyra because he has been vying for the Iron Throne, something that his brother never looked his way regarding. In this episode, however, we learn that Daemon is actually using his time in Harrenhal to plot a course to take the Iron Throne for himself. I really wonder how this is going to change things, especially for Rhaenyra and her claim to the Iron Throne.
Speaking of her claim to the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra is reeling from not only the death of Rhaenys, but the fact that her small council has not wanted her to be really active in the war effort. I love how her struggles have been compared to those of Aegon; these are two people that want to be front and center in the war that is being fought in their name. Rhaenyra is being stifled by her small council mainly because she is a woman, and it frustrates her because now she is ready to fight this war and wants to be involved somehow, but Mysaria helps her to learn that fighting is not the only way to fight a war. I think this is going to come into effect later on, especially with Jacaerys taking it upon himself to court allies for his mother.
Since Aegon was critically injured in the Battle of Rook's Rest (and the aftermath of that was unsettling to say the least with the maesters having to take off each individual piece of his armor because it was stuck to his charred skin), his small council decided that Aemond would rule as King Regent of the Realm, something that did not sit well with his mother Alicent. She is feeling the same things that Rhaenyra was feeling about not being able to be put in a position of power because of the fact that she is a woman. I think that people being denied positions of power because of their gender is and always be wrong in my opinion, but it shows the divide that is present in worlds like this, and even in our world. And following this, Aemond decides to lock up the city, a move that the townspeople do not like at all, and I think this will have a devastating effect on Alicent and Aegon's bid to keep the throne (and parading the head of Meleys did not help their cause either).
I want to talk more about Daemon's escapades at Harrenhal a bit more. We already know that he has an inert desire to sit on the Iron Throne, and over the last three episodes we have been examining his psyche. The idea that he went to Harrenhal to raise an army for Rhaenyra but it seems like he is doing it for himself is a fascinating idea, and I am again curious to see where this goes. But this is not what I wanted to talk about. What I wanted to talk about is what he actually did this episode. He galvanized the Blackwoods to basically wipe out the Brackens and force them to pledge fealty to Daemon, but a group of lords from the Riverlands travel to Harrenhal and wake him up in the middle of the night to tell him that he is a tyrant. This is a brilliant dissection of his mind and what he is looking for, and you can see it because of the near panic attack that he has right after.
Next I want to talk about Lord Corlys Velaryon, also known as the Lord of the Tides, and his granddaughter Baela. Rhaenyra has been dealing with the death of Rhaenys in her own way, and wants to extend an offer of strength to her widow, the Sea Snake (who has been grieving his wife's death himself). I think it is a good character decision to have him initially scoff at Rhaenyra's offer because he has always tried to stay neutral but would always be roped in by Rhaenys. But now that she is gone, he realizes now this may be the genesis of a new purpose for him and accepts the deal, but offers Baela to be his heir. Baela declines, stating that she is a Targaryen and that Driftmark needs a Velaryon. "I am blood and fire, and Driftmark needs salt and water." Fuck, that is a badass line.
Finally, let us talk about the climax of the episode. Disclaimer here, it is not nearly as awesome as a climax as we have had the last four weeks. I mean, the bar was set pretty high with a baby getting decapitated, two brothers fighting to the death, Alicent helping Rhaenyra realize war is inevitable, and the thrilling Battle of Rook's Rest. This week, we had a simple conversation between Rhaenyra and her son Jacaerys about the loss of Rhaenys, the absence of Daemon, and the future of her bid to the Iron Throne. Rhaenyra winds up commending Jace's successful conversion of the Freys to her cause but continues to lament over her lack of input. Jacaerys eases his mother's mind and they go on to discuss how they have no shot at taking down Aemond's dragon Vhagar. He reinds her that they do have two bigger dragons but no riders, and they decide to look at people still in the Targaryen line but have married into other houses to find riders. While this climax is not as great as the ladt four, I believe it is essential to set up not only the remainder of this season, but to set up the remainder of this series. I am definitely looking forward to this Sunday's episode.
House of the Dragon is continuing to fire on all cylinders, with great character moments and awesome scheming in this episode to set up the rest of this season, and the rest of this series. Thank you all for reading, and I will see you for the next post.
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