Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Ser Criston (Fabien Frankel) focus on nation issues.
HBO
cover caption
toggle caption
HBO
Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Ser Criston (Fabien Frankel) focus on nation issues.
HBO
This recap of Home of the Dragon‘s sixth episode incorporates spoilers for … nicely, for Home of the Dragon‘s sixth episode. That is just about what a recap is. Proceed accordingly.
Should you’re simply becoming a member of us, listed below are recaps of episodes one, two, three, 4 and 5.
That wind you felt whooshing previous your face as this episode opened is 10 years of story time, through which developments massive (a complete new era of privileged aristocratic jerks have arrived!) and small (Larys is keepin’ on creepin’ on) have come to move. Daemon continues to be smirking his approach via life, although he appears to have softened a bit, now that he is a household man, whereas Rhaenyra and particularly Alicent have hardened — or not less than, grown extra resolved. Distilled, in a approach.
Would it not have been good to see that course of occur? To spend extra time with Rhaenyra and Alicent as they discovered their new degree, had their first youngsters? Possibly. There is definitely a way that each of them have shifted from specializing in themselves and their respective stations to worrying about their youngsters. It is smart, given how precarious the conditions they’ve put themselves in stay; fear is the value of energy. However I am unable to assist feeling we have been denied the possibility to see them develop into adults in their very own proper, as an alternative of solely in relation to the lads of their lives.
It is astounding; time is fleeting
Open on: Princess Rhaenyra’s bedchamber. She’s having her third child. All boys. First there was Jacaerys (he goes by Jayce). Then there was Lucerys (he goes by Luke). Now comes li’l Joffrey (he goes by Braden). (Kidding! He is Joff. It is simply humorous how George R.R. Martin’s high-fantasy monikers at all times appear to get become names you’d discover on a varsity-lacrosse staff roster. Welcome, Ser Cody! To arms, Ser Eli! Lord Zeke, hail!)
All three of Rhaenyra’s youngsters have brown hair, which is notable as a result of each Rhaenyra and her husband Laenor sport the platinum wigs, er, hair that testifies to their Previous Valyrian bloodlines.
Additionally notable: Household buddy Harwin Sturdy, captain of the Metropolis Watch, is a burly brown bear of a person who hangs round Rhaenyra and her youngsters an amazing lot, buying and selling lengthy, smoldering (foreshadowing!) appears together with her.
Laenor would not appear to thoughts, as he is preoccupied together with his new horseplay-twink Ser Qarl Correy, and with being a hilariously awful husband when Queen Alicent requests (learn: calls for) to see Rhaenyra’s latest child moments after he is born. “Was it … terribly painful?” Laenor asks of the beginning, which in his thoughts probably counts as empathy. (Actor John MacMillan is having a ball because the useless, feckless Laenor, who is not the type of character who tends to hold round lengthy in brutal Westeros; get pleasure from this efficiency whilst you can, as a result of I certain am.)
Such a … sturdy resemblance: Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Ser Laenor (John MacMillan) current “their” child to the queen.
HBO
cover caption
toggle caption
HBO
Such a … sturdy resemblance: Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Ser Laenor (John MacMillan) current “their” child to the queen.
HBO
It is a lengthy, painful stroll up a crowded staircase to ship the child to the king and queen — in a receiving room embellished with tapestries that, I am blissful to report, don’t function any genitalia in any respect.
Grownup Alicent is one shaaaaady queen, greeting Rhaenyra with feigned shock to see her, then calling everybody’s consideration to Laenor’s resolution to call the child Joffrey (after his pummeled-into-puree old flame, the Knight of Kisses) and at last remarking to Laenor that if he retains making an attempt, he’ll ultimately get a child who appears like him. I do know drag queens who could not work in three such sick burns in so brief a time.
A pair different issues to notice on this scene: Ser Criston Cole is not rotting in jail for the very public homicide of Joffrey final episode; in truth, he is been promoted to the queen’s private guard. This bugs me greater than it does any of the characters — together with Laenor, mystifyingly sufficient — so I suppose I’ve to let it go.
Additionally: the king’s well being is failing. All these Iron Throne cuts have led to the amputation of his left forearm, he is taken on a shuffling gait and a grey pallor Additionally his hairline has retreated; it is at present holding at “Riff-Raff from Rocky Horror” standing.
The children are all unsuitable
Minimize to: The Dragonpit, the place Jayce and Luke, together with Aegon and Aemond Targaryen, the platinum-tressed sons of Alicent and the king, are LARPing Methods to Prepare Your Dragon.
Particularly, younger Jayce is studying to manage his dragon. Welcome to the stage: Vermax! The present’s fifth dragon! (Aegon’s dragon Sunfyre will get a passing point out, however you understand the foundations: We do not rely our dragons till we truly see them within the scaly flesh.)
There’s meant to be some pressure, right here, as Jayce ought to be carrying the dragonriding gene on each his X (Targaryen) and Y (Velaryon) chromosomes; however his father’s a Sturdy. Seems, nonetheless, that mother’s blood is nice sufficient, and Jaecerys manages to get Vermax to make himself roast mutton for dinner.
Jayce, Luke and Aegon play a prank on glum Aemond, who doesn’t but have a dragon of his personal. They…gown up a pig. No, it is not a very good prank, nevertheless it succeeds in sending younger Aemond down into the bowels of the Dragonpit, the place he is confronted by a dragon (sorry; could not inform which one — let me know when you might) who almost immolates him.
Alicent listens as her daughter Helaena nerds out over some bugs; the queen is clearly bored foolish. She has the look on her face my mother would get every time I might excitedly begin explaining the distinction between Sindar and Noldor elves to her. However as they’re organising Helaena as dreamy and prophetical, we should always maybe be aware of what she whispers to herself as Alicent berates Aemond for happening into the Dragonpit, and assures him he’ll get a dragon sooner or later. Particularly: “The final ring has no legs in any respect,” and “He’ll have to shut an eye fixed.” Clip and save on your information.
Helaena (Evie Allen) says creepy issues whereas holding creepy issues because the queen (Olivia Cooke) appears on.
HBO
cover caption
toggle caption
HBO
Helaena (Evie Allen) says creepy issues whereas holding creepy issues because the queen (Olivia Cooke) appears on.
HBO
Viserys is engaged on his fashions as Alicent complains to him about Jayce and Luke, and wonders aloud why their dragon eggs hatched in any respect. The king would not wish to imagine that his daughter and inheritor would step out on her husband, so he tries to pawn Alicent off with a flimsy piece of horse-breeding mansplaining earlier than warning to not repeat her allegation to anybody else.
Minimize to: Alicent repeating her allegation to Criston Cole. Who compares Rhaenyra to a spider who “sucks her prey dry” and manages to sound each bitter and wistful as he says it.
“I’ve to imagine that in the long run honor and decency will prevail,” says Alicent, as a result of she hasn’t learn these books. (That is the second time the queen has invoked the lofty notion of “decency” — maintain that in thoughts once we see the place issues stand on the finish of the episode.) She mentions their must “hew” to that perfect, and to one another.
We don’t witness them sweatily hewing to one another, nonetheless. Not but, not less than. As a result of lord is aware of in the event that they had been gonna hew, we might see it. In sluggish movement.
In a window that appears rather a lot just like the one which, in 300 years’ time, King Joffrey would offrey himself from, and the one which Queen Cersei would usually gaze out whereas cradling a goblet of wine, we discover younger Aegon, pleasuring himself. Completely different strokes.
The queen confronts him in regards to the porcine prank, and has to remind him (and us, within the course of) that their household wants to stay collectively, in the event that they’re to outlive.
Daemon sits via a timeshare presentation
Minimize to: Town of Pentos, throughout the ocean from King’s Touchdown. Above a mansion on a seaside cliff, two dragons zoom about. There’s Daemon Targaryen, astride good ol’ acquainted Caraxes, and instantly…there is a big, wrinkly outdated geezer of a dragon flying above him.
Welcome to the stage, Vhagar! Ridden by Laena, spouse of Daemon!
Now. I mentioned final week that Laena’s dragon was an enormous deal, and right here’ why. Vhagar was one of many three dragons that the unique Targaryen king Aegon I conquered Westeros with, over 100 years previous to the occasions on this present. She’s the oldest, largest and fiercest dragon at present in existence. You would possibly recall the then 12-year-old Laena asking the king about her whereabouts, on their cringey date again in episode two.
So whereas they do not present us how Laena turned her dragonrider, they do make an enormous factor of it. We see Laena and Daemon utilizing their dragons to flirt with one another mid-air, with a little bit pyromaniacal foreplay.
Later, at a lavish dinner, the Prince of Pentos gives to let Daemon, Laena and their twin daughters Baela and Rhaena dwell within the mansion they’re now visiting in change for defending Pentos with their dragons, ought to the Triarchy search to overcome it. (He mentions that the Triarchy have joined with Dorne, the southernmost of the Seven Kingdoms; this can probably turn out to be essential later.)
Laena hates the concept, and longs to return to her ancestral dwelling on Driftmark. Daemon severely considers the provide, as he is evidently had his fill of shifting loyalties and countless scheming. He fancies himself a person of motion, not phrases, however he is sorely tempted by the prospect of turning into a person of inaction.
“… the Aristrocrats!” Prince Aegon (Ty Tennant) leaves Ser Criston (Fabien Frankel) unimpressed.
HBO
cover caption
toggle caption
HBO
“… the Aristrocrats!” Prince Aegon (Ty Tennant) leaves Ser Criston (Fabien Frankel) unimpressed.
HBO
Again in King’s Touchdown, Criston Cole is coaching the royal twerps in sword fight because the more and more wizened king appears on. Cole favors Aegon and Aemond whereas treating Jayce and Luke cruelly, which is one thing their true father Harwin Sturdy notices, and takes subject with. When Cole not-so-subtly hints at Jacye and Luke’s true parentage, Harwin proceeds to offer Cole a small style of the face-punchy medication Cole gave to Ser Joffrey, years earlier than.
When Rhaenyra learns of this, she avails herself of her bedchamber’s secret door to eavesdrop upon Lyonel Sturdy berating his son for opening himself, and his Home, to vile accusations.
Again in her bedchamber, a drunken Laenor stumbles in with Qarl and, after demonstrating an summary and scientific understanding of feminine anatomy (get it?), declares that his intention to return to the ocean to combat the Triarchy, who’ve began making hassle within the Stepstones once more.
Rhaenyra, understanding precisely how weak Harwin’s actions have made her, forbids Laenor from leaving her facet. We be taught that Laenor is aware of precisely who the children’ actual father is, regardless that Rhaenyra retains mendacity to him. I do not love Rhaenyra’s line about she would not need Laenor “waggling his sword and winking at his sailors”— it is a little bit low-cost; I wish to suppose my gal Rhaenyra’s classier and extra intelligent than that.
The king might actually use a Hand
Again in Pentos, a really pregnant Laena visits her daughter Rhaena, whose dragon egg nonetheless hasn’t hatched. We get a little bit of enterprise in regards to the distinction between bonding to a dragon at beginning, as Rhaena’s twin Baela did, and bonding with one afterward in life, as Laena did to Vhagar. We additionally get a glimpse of Daemon and Laena’s relationship, which is not nice — as Daemon has taken to getting drunk and surly and holing himself up within the mansion’s library, studying about historic dragonlords.
“You are higher than this,” Laena tells him; to Daemon’s credit score, he appears even much less satisfied of this than I’m.
In King’s Touchdown, on the Small Council, Rhaenyra and Alicent tangle over issues of state, together with the destiny of the Stepstones, which have been left undefended. It has been 10 years since we sat at this desk, and a fast go searching reveals that Tyland Lannister continues to be officious and squirrelly, whereas outdated Lord Beesbury is nicely into his dotage and operating on a 10-second Zoom lag.
Rhaenyra acknowledges the pressure between herself and Alicent, and gives to marry her son Jaecerys to Alicent’s daughter Helaena, uniting their households. The king loves this concept. Alicent doesn’t.
(I confess I do not know what narrative work the present thinks it is doing by giving Rhaenyra’s leaking breasts a complete second on this scene.)
Ser Lyonel Sturdy makes an attempt to resign as Hand of the King, however will not come out and say why, the place “why” equals “as a result of my son is boning your daughter on the common and everybody is aware of it however you.” Alicent, cannily, pleads him with him to return out and say it, however he refuses, so the king insists he keep on. Lyonel asks for go away to take Harwin to the seat of Home Sturdy, the huge, haunted, cursed and partly-in-ruins fort known as Harrenhal. (We visited it approach again to start with of episode one — it is the place the inheritor to King Jaeherys was determined.)
Ser Larys (Matthew Needham) simply creeps getting higher.
HBO
cover caption
toggle caption
HBO
Ser Larys (Matthew Needham) simply creeps getting higher.
HBO
A pissed off Alicent arrives late to her common dinner with Ser Larys Sturdy, who appears to have moved up on the earth, and made a place for himself because the Queen’s unofficial spymaster, gathering intel on buddy and foe alike.
“The reality has many flavors,” he tells her, whereas stuffing his face. Alicent complains that if her father Otto Hightower had been nonetheless the King’s Hand, he’d have the ability to inform the king the reality about Rhaenyra and get via to him. (This conviction of hers is totally undercut by the truth that a pair episode again, she overheard Otto making an attempt to persuade the king about Rhaenyra and Daemon, and completely did not get via to him then.)
Alicent complains of getting nobody on her facet, and that is all Larys wants to listen to. He is off to the dungeons to recruit “a assassin, a deviant and a traitor to the crown” — that is three totally different prisoners, by the way in which, not one notably achieved and versatile unhealthy man. We get a shot of a logo on Larys’ strolling stick, which appears to me like a cicada, perhaps?
In change for his or her freedom, they have to do a job for him. To make sure their secrecy, he cuts out their tongues. However he follows this up by giving them brooches that match the cicada image on his strolling stick, so mainly his safety protocols are simply all over the rattling map. To say nothing of his symbolism, as a result of cicadas usually are not precisely recognized for his or her stony silence, you understand? Famously chatty bugs, they. So this entire plan wants a top-down rethink, actually. Rent an out of doors guide, Larys. Get an goal view, you may see what I am speaking about.
Burnt-out ends of smoky…minor characters
Again in Pentos, Laena is in labor, and it is going very poorly. Gerardys, the maester of Dragonstone, is taking care of her. (The guide inform us Daemon flew him in from Dragonstone on Caraxys; Pentos will need to have a very awful HMO.) He provides Daemon the identical terrible alternative his brother was given, again in episode one: The kid or the mom.
Someway (and that is by far the least convincing growth to this point, on a present that options fire-breathing dragons), within the six seconds Daemon and the doc are conversing, Laena manages to get off the bed and go away behind the numerous attendants who had been swarming about her.
So I suppose I am unable to actually name them attendants, as they weren’t actually in attendance. Absentants, perhaps.
In nice ache, she stumbles out to the dragon…steady? Pen? Roost? The place the place Vhagar is resting, anyway.
She instructions the wheezy, rheumy outdated gal to burn her up with dragonbreath. Which she does, ultimately, simply as Daemon steps outdoors in time to look at the entire unhappy enterprise go down.
Again within the Purple Preserve, Harwin says goodbye to his sons, considered one of whom — Jayce— realizes the reality.
Rhaenyra tells Laenor that she needs to depart King’s Touchdown’s pit of vipers and dwell on Dragonstone for good — and that he can carry Qarl alongside for the experience.
Lyonel and Harwin Sturdy arrive at Harrenhal, adopted intently by Larys’s Cicada Taskforce. Who proceed to lock the 2 lords of their rooms and burn the entire place down.
Rhaenyra and Co. arrive on Dragonstone whereas Larys will get an prolonged voiceover about how kids are “a weak spot, a folly, a futility” and the way “love is a downfall,” and the way a life unencumbered is the life for him. However the man’s such inveterate creep that I’ve no confidence he is talking from a place of authority as regards to relationships, you understand? Like, this isn’t the man to be giving that specific TED Speak.
RIP Harwin Sturdy (Ryan Corr). His appears smoldered, now he does too.
HBO
cover caption
toggle caption
HBO
RIP Harwin Sturdy (Ryan Corr). His appears smoldered, now he does too.
HBO
A montage of photos performs below this speech: Troopers fishing Lyonel and Harwin’s burnt our bodies from the rubble, Baela and Rhaena mourning over their mom’s burnt skeleton as Daemon (comprise your shock) fails completely to consolation them; Viserys mourning over the marriage ring of his first spouse, Aemma, whereas a rat scuttles over his fire mantel.
As Larys explains that he was merely performing on Alicent’s request, and that Otto will now be reinstated as Hand of the King, she makes a present of pretending to be shocked and appalled. Decency, schmecency.
Parting Ideas:
- I do like all of the nitty-gritty dragon-logistics enterprise we’re lastly getting right here: Coaching, bonding, their use as in-flight by-proxy foreplay between loving {couples}. Talking of:
- Welcome, Vermax and Vhagar! The official Dragoncount leaps to 6! And within the course of we get two ends of the draconic life-cycle: Petulant, snot-nosed whelp Vermax, and drained, cranky, over-it outdated gal Vhagar.
- One factor to remember: With Laena’s demise, Vhagar, the biggest and fiercest dragon on the earth, is now riderless. That is the type of energy vacuum that nature, and Westeros, abhors.
- Sure, the rats within the Purple Preserve are a factor. There might be a payoff.
- Within the guide, Laena dies shortly after delivering a stillborn son, collapsing as she’s making her strategy to experience Vhagar one final time. Her suicide by dragon right here is clearly a deliberate alternative on the a part of the showrunners, and it does lend her extra company than the guide does, however holy cow that is some fairly darkish company, proper there.
- Should you had been hoping to search out, among the many subsequent era of Targaryens and Velaryons, a fair vaguely sympathetic character who is not an hermetic argument in opposition to the aristocracy, maintain trying. Although I suppose Helaena’s okay, in a moony Luna Lovegood kind of approach.
- The ten-year bounce introduces us to Olivia Cooke’s grownup Alicent and Emma D’Arcy’s grownup Rhaenyra, and it feels like a bounce. This Alicent is rather a lot much less placid and soft-hearted than the one we met over the primary 5 eps — a lot in order to look a completely totally different character. Do not get me unsuitable, I really like a personality who acts as an alternative of merely reacts, and 10 years in King’s Touchdown little question modifications an individual, however there’s some critical narrative whiplash occurring, right here.
- Equally, Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra has misplaced the cool, patrician haughtiness Milly Alcock served up. However then, we do meet her within the throes of labor, which isn’t a second in a single’s life traditionally marked by impassivity. Because the episode progresses, nonetheless, and he or she’s constantly set upon by the willful, inconsiderate actions of the lads round her, we watch her struggling to return to the standing she is aware of she ought to maintain as inheritor to the Iron Throne. Her resolution to depart King’s Touchdown behind reminds us that the one strategy to win the sport she’s taking part in is to not play it in any respect.
- The bloody demise of Joffrey final week got here in for on-line dialogue, because it ought to have. “Kill your gays” is a uninteresting, incurious, maddeningly persistent narrative trope. However this isn’t a universe through which any characters might be meaningfully anticipated to return to blissful ends. The present did not do an satisfactory job of organising Cole’s assault on Joffrey, which is one motive it got here of as gratuitous because it did; this episode’s treating the entire incident with a shrug solely compounds that feeling. I get that. However when you’re now hoping that by some means Laenor and Qarl will efficiently navigate this brutal, savage world unscathed in a approach that actually no different couple has, cease watching now.
