HOTD: The Red Dragon and the Gold
Before the dance of the dragons begins this week, Daemon is really struggling with is sanity in Harrenhal. He’s seeing at a young Rhaenyra, who’s wearing the same clothing she was last season when he choked her, as well as her crown, and she’s speaking to him in Valyrian but he can’t understand. Eventually she gets to a point where she tells him, that he made her, and his brother loved her more than he loved him. He cuts off her head in a manner that reminds us of when in the middle of court he cut off the head of Vaemon Velaryon. He’s snapped out of his vision to learn Aegon’s army is making their way through the Riverlands, and their host is getting bigger than Simon Strong can hope to battle against. In a follow up from last week, they’re no longer calling Daemon the prince consort, but the King consort in Harrenhal as he meets a young Oscar Tully who is not able to help Daemon much. He asks for the Blackwoods and leaves.
We have another check in on Rhaenys and Corlys as it’s revealed she recognizes his bastard sons; our two new seafaring characters Alyn and Addam of Hull, are actually his kids. In a very unlike Catelyn Stark moment, she tells Corlys that they should be recognized for their lineage, and treated as such. Corlys’s debate of who will now be the heir to Driftmark seems to be answering itself as his wife is giving him permission to name one of these sons.
We see a reminiscing Alicent, playing with the very dragon piece she helped Viserys put back together that convinced him to ask her to marry him. This whole episode she is questioning herself and her conviction in Aegon and Viserys’s last words as she asks the Maester that brings her Westeros’s version of abortion medication, as she can’t be seen with Criston Cole’s child. She asks the Maester what he thought of Viserys’s wishes, to which he simply cannot answer her. And quite frankly why would he? If he announced Rhaenyra Queen within the halls of the Red Keep he would surely be killed.
Rhaenyra’s council is struggling without her. As they bicker over what they should be doing, not having heard from her or Daemon, Jace, Rhaenys, and Corlys keep them at bay. Reminding them that in the Queen’s absence they should not bet trying to seek power themselves. Jace’s anger has been a steadily growing presence the last couple episodes though, as seen through his stoic scowl and his posture of holding his sword.
But the Riverlands are at war. Cole is going around, adding to his army, and killing all that defy them. He is reminded that he is unfit for the white cloak, which surely struck a chord with him, and will ring even more true as the episode progresses. King’s Landing is having almost as difficult a time in their small council as Rhaeynyra, but not because of the absence of Aegon, instead it is his persistence to be involved in things he knows little about. Aemond and Criston Cole have been strategizing without the King’s knowledge. And in front of the whole council Aemond speaks to Aegon in high Valyrian, which Aegon understands, but knows so little of his mother tongue, Aegon can barely choke out a response to him. After embarrassing Aemond last week, this was coming for Aegon, but it is to note that every episode his small council is dismissing him, and playing into his worst insecurities of being considered weak and cowardly.
Alicent is beginning to feel unwell from taking the moon tea, and Larys walks in at just the right time to clock the empty container of the concoction. The dialogue between these two is always incredible as Alicent has grown more and more suspicious and distrusting of Larys. The two occasionally need each other, both for their skills and knowledge of what else is happening around the castle, but neither trust the other. He worms his way trying to get information out of her, does she worry for Criston Cole, the man he knows she’s been sleeping with? Is she beginning to regret putting Aegon on the throne? She simply states, “The war will be fought, many will die, and the winner will ascend the throne. The significance of Viserys’s intentions died with him.” Even now we can begin to peel back the psyche of Alicent realizing that, if she even finally comes to terms with the fact that Viserys wasn’t speaking of their son, there is simply nothing to do at this point to avoid war.
Daemon is having another trippy moment in Harrenhal as he runs after a figure that looks startling close to him, and it turns out it is him, dressed as Aemond. With him making the connection that in some way he made Rhaenyra the Queen she is, he must be taking some ownership at least subconsciously of creating Aemond. The two seem to be parallels of each other on both sides, both cunning and wicked and willing to go to hard means to accomplish their goals. Here he formally meets Alicent Rivers, the witch we were briefly introduced to last episode. He’s uncertain of her, but drinks what she gives him for sleep, to which he awakes in the middle of a conversation with Lord Blackwood who he summoned to build a host. It looks like over a whole day has passed and he has no recollection of any of it. His visions aren’t ending as he sees his late wife, Laena Velaryon pouring water. It’s clear that within the walls of this wretched castle he’s going to have to confront parts of himself and his past. Will we see Paddy Considine cameo in one of these moments? I surely hope so. And hopefully with less decaying makeup than when we last saw him.
In a flicker of a moment, it appears as if Alicent is going to finally be a mother to Aegon. She picks up on his body language swiftly, and cuts to the core of what is bothering him. He’s acting like a petulant child. His council bores him because they are not interested in him. As a king that was never raised for this position though, he has absolutely no idea what he’s doing. As people make plans around him, it makes him feel smaller and smaller and Alicent finally tells it to him straight. Much was lost to put him on the throne, and he should simply do nothing and follow his advisors. Her delivery however is cold and sterile, and we know Aegon cannot simply do nothing.
Rhaenyra is finally returning to Dragonstone, and is confronted by her heir, Jace. The look Emma D’arcy pulls as Rhaenyra wondering where the hostility of her son is coming from is hilarious. The face cards of Rhaenyra’s family are some of the best entertainment of the season. She reveals that she went to King’s Landing, and yes it’s time for war. It’s time to send dragons to Rook’s Rest where Cole’s army is going. After a debate between herself and Jace, Rhaenys offers herself up. She has the most dragon riding experience of all of them, and the largest dragon in their arsenal.
The following sequence leading to the war is absolutely harrowing. The cuts between each dragon rider, and the men on the ground as Rhaenyra begins to tell Jace the song of Ice and Fire is gorgeous. It reminds us of when Viserys told Rhaenyra this very prophecy and it cut between him telling her and her sitting upon the throne as heir. We see shots of the gorgeous Sunfyre and Aegon as he decides he wants to take part of the action and enter the war. And as the war plays out, Cole and Aemond’s plan is revealed as Aemond and Vhaegar wait in hiding to come out when a dragon comes into play. The thing that ruins this? Aegon shows up. Sunfyre didn’t even stand a chance as Meleys and Rhaenys rip it to shreds. There’s so much about this sequence that is incredible. The literal interpretation of the dragons dancing through the air as they cling to one another in a death spiral as dragon breath explodes from their jaws. Their massive legs are stomping on bodies, soldiers are turned to ash within their armor, blood is erupting from the dragons’ stomachs and burning the men below them. Criston Cole’s expression is incredulous as he comes to terms with the fact that as long as dragons are fighting, men are practically useless. Eve Best as Rhaenys displays a masterclass in acting as a rainbow of expressions comes across her face throughout the fight. The confidence of going after the usurper Aegon, the fear of seeing Vhaegar, the grief yet resilience of constantly pushing Meleys back into the battle knowing they are going to lose to that massive dragon. Rhaenys puts up a fight until the very end, and dying in a win that fit her, brave and heroic. The one good thing is that Aegon and Sunfyre are also down for the count as they plummeted to their doom.
As Criston runs to find the king, Aemond sheathes his sword? Was this now the second time in the day he was trying to commit fratricide? The bond between these two brothers has been surely broken. And as Cole looks at the remains of the king and his dragon, we are uncertain of what their state is and if they will recover from this. What is certain is that Cole and Aemond not speaking their plan to Aegon led him to make this decision, and that Criston Cole might be one of the worst hand’s of the king in all of Westeros history. Rhaenyra is now down a loyal ally, a dragon rider, and the largest dragon in their arsenal. But with a new righteousness of the Song of Ice and Fire flooding her and her son, what is she now willing to do to ascend to the irone throne?