HOTD: A Son for a Son
Many television junkies have been waiting for the return to Westeros. Despite a drop in viewership it feels like much of the television world has been waiting for the classic return to Sunday night watching an HBO series.
A brand new title sequence begins the episode. A threaded tapestry that reminds us of Helaena Targaryan, tells the story of the Targaryan family leaving Old Valyria and making their way to Westeros to conquer and rule the secen kingdoms, ultimately ending on the tragic death of Lucerys Valyrion which concluded season one. And then what better way to return to Westeros than a narration about duty and honor given in the classic northern accent that reminds us of characters such as Jon Snow and Eddard Stark, as we follow a raven that shows us Jace is with Cregan Stark on the wall in the north. Looming over the boys, on Cregan’s back is Ice, the ancestral Stark sword we last saw with Ned Stark before he was (spoilers for season one of Game of Thrones) killed, and ice was melted down into two new swords that were held by Brianne of Tarth and Jamie Lannister. Then a raven appears, and we all know that it can only contain one piece of information, Luke is dead, and Jace must return home from his travels.
The next scene sets us in tone with the blacks. Rhaenys flies in from patrolling, letting us see a dragon dismount (which fans were begging for from season one). She swiftly begins arguing with Daemon over what Rhaenyra should be doing during her grieving period of losing Luke. Should she be going to Kings Landing and destroying the Greens with the full power of their dragons? Should she be taking time to consider and think and process her emotions? Is she in a deep denial over if her son is alive or dead because all she received was a raven, not even a sign of his body? The answer is yes to all things. And as Daemon leaves the conversation even more frustrated with their events, Rhaenys leaves him with the fact that he is not the king. Rhaenys was a hard won ally to Rhaenrya’s side, and now that she is there we see the power she posseses.
We briefly check in on Lord Corlys, who is introducing us to a new seafaring character who saved his life. But more importantly we see his response to Luke’s death as he looks at a blade he wanted to give him. It is not only Rhaenyra who is grieving the death of her son, but most of team Black in their own way.
On to Team Green.
There is something to be said that Criston Cole and Alicent Hightower both so crave a relationship with Rhaenyra that they ended up fucking one another. There is also something deliciously foul about the fact that Alicent became so upset with Rhaenyra over the concept of her having sex out of marriage, and Criston being so upset that he was her whore that the two of them started a years long fight with her, and now the two of them are doing precisely what they criticized her for, together.
We see Aegon’s small council notably missing a Lord of Whispers and Ships. And while he is doing something responsible by inviting his son to be with him, the rest of the meeting doesn’t go as smoothly. Aegon truly does not know how to be king, and it takes his mother and grandfather to calm him down. We are shown a map as team green talks of their battle plans reminding us of the size of the realm, and how important it is for each side to gather their allies.
Meanwhile as the men are quibbling, it is to note that the women of the greens also deserve attention. Helaena and her mumblings will continue to prove fruitful this season as they did last. Early in the episode she fears the rats, and while we get a comedic response from Aegon to it, “The queen is an endearing mystery is she not,” ultimately this will pay off at the end of the episode. Meanwhile alicent realizes that all of her handmaidens are Larys’s pick and reporting back to him. We see her send them all away as she takes a bath, and a continuation of her anxiety we noticed in season one, she scrubs manically at her skin. It’s clear this entire episode she is not only thinking about the oncoming war, but of her fondness for Rhaenyra, and the fact her son is now gone.
Aegon on the iron throne proves interesting. He has no idea what to do, but for a brief glimmer of a moment, there is a question if he will be known as Aegon the magnanimous. If he will do right by the small folk? But as Otto criticizes him, it’s apparent he’s in too far over his head. And maybe, calling him Aegon the dragon cock will in fact be more suitable.
Meanwhile. Emma Darcy gives a stunning performance this episode as they only have one line in the entirety of it. All of Rhaenyra’s pain can be seen on her face. From finding the remains of Lucerys and his dragon, grieving with Syrax,(we get another dragon dismount! Was not the best effects but still two dragon dismounts in one episode!?). to what might be one of the most powerful scenes in the episode, reuniting with Jace. Rhaenyra both gives him the space to be an independent young man and heir to the iron throne, while also being there for him as a mother and embracing him. What is most apparent this episode is the starch contrast between the family unit of the green and blacks. This is where Rhaenyra has always succeeded, as she has been the superior motherly figure, raising her boys to be well mannered and judicious, while also instilling in them how to be leaders.
Before the gruesome end of the episode, it is important to note a quiet moment with Alicent. She is in the sept, lighting candles for those that have passed. We know this is a sacred place for her as she took Rhaeynra here as a girl where they both mourned their mothers, and as she lights the candles, she lights one for Lucerys Velaryon. Finally recognizing Luke as Laenor’s son. Maybe if she had done this earlier, this war would not be happening. Too little too late for her sympathy.
The episode ends in telltale Thrones shocking manor. With Daemon having been given just an inkling from Rhaenyra, he uses his ex Mysaria and her connections to set assassins after Aemond, only for them the find Helaena and her children instead. In a far less brutal scene than its book counterpart, they ask Helaena to point to the male heir. She points to Jaehaerys and as we begin to hear the grinding of the blade on his neck, she runs off with her daughter. She runs the same route that Rhaenyra had to after birthing Joffrey, from the Queen’s chambers to where Alicent now stays (Rhaenyra’s old room) and after finding her mother in bed with Criston Cole again, she reveals, “They killed the boy.” And the episode ends.
As far as season openers go, this was a solid one. Both reintroducing us to the characters and doing what Thrones does best, shocking us with the brutal and honest violence. While nothing may beat the brutality of the Red Wedding the sound of the slicing will stay in my mind for the forseeable future. What seems to be the pros and cons of both sides is their family units. The blacks are mostly united, but have Daemon who is constantly throwing chaos into the mix. The Greens have much drama on their side with issues in communication and the shear fact that Aegon is not prepared to be a good king. While the show has been following main plot lines of the book, it has also taken it’s own liberties, and the next several weeks will surely continue this trend and keep not only tv watchers, but book readers on their toes.