David Bridges
Welcome again to Westeros, the place everybody’s nonetheless reeling from the ultimate occasions of Home of the Dragon season one: the installment of King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) on the Iron Throne rather than designated inheritor Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy)—and the tragic dying of Rhaenyra’s son, Lucerys, due to Aegon’s brother Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) and his monumental dragon.
The warfare Sport of Thrones followers know as “the Dance of the Dragons” hasn’t totally damaged out but, nevertheless it’s definitely looming in the season two premiere, ominously titled “A Son for a Son.”
To begin with: a revamped opening sequence (identical acquainted music, although), exhibiting us Targaryen drama, each Inexperienced and Black, coming to life by embroidery moderately than as blood flowing by stone and metallic. There’s nonetheless loads of pink stuff oozing up by the material, nonetheless, in addition to fiery sparks dancing across the body—nodding to George R.R. Martin’s supply materials Fireplace & Blood in a inventive new method.
We open in a spot acquainted to Sport of Thrones trustworthy: Winterfell. Cregan Stark (Tom Taylor) is exhibiting Prince Jacaerys (Harry Collett)—who’s visited on dragonback to remind the Starks of their loyalty oath to his mom—that there are components of Westeros extra spooky and mysterious than he can comprehend. It’s a pleasant approach to open season two, and ties Home of the Dragon into Sport of Thrones in methods solely somebody from Home Stark can do. We get a reminder in regards to the Evening’s Watch, which has contemporary context due to Home of the Dragon’s season-one introduction of Aegon the Conquerer’s prophetic dream a couple of menace from the frozen north, and we even get a “Winter is coming.”
“Coming?” Jace jokes because the younger males experience the elevator to the highest of the Wall amid snow flurries. “What is that this then, that falls from the sky and shivers my bones?” All jokes cease when Jace beholds what lies past the Wall. Dragons are highly effective, however as we noticed on Sport of Thrones, there are issues much more highly effective than dragons on this world. “What does it hold out?” Jace asks. “Demise,” Stark tells him, then lets Jace know that whereas he can’t sacrifice his prime defensive forces with dying on the opposite aspect, he’ll ship “1000’s of greybeards” (translation: outdated dudes who nonetheless kick ass) to assist bolster Rhaenyra’s military. The convivial second ends when a raven arrives with information from Dragonstone—and that’s how Jace finds out his little brother Luke is gone.
Again in Dragonstone, Princess Rhaenys (Eve Finest) returns from patrolling the skies, in no temper to take orders from Prince Daemon (Matt Smith), who’s all sizzling to fly to King’s Touchdown and take out Prince Aemond and his dragon, Vhagar—the duo liable for Luke’s demise. “A son for a son,” he says. Rhaenys reminds Daemon {that a}) he’s not the king, and b) Queen Rhaenyra, who’s determined to seek out tangible proof of her son’s dying, wants area to grieve. Moreover, she’s not one to behave on vengeful impulses. Daemon snaps again that if solely Rhaenys had barbecued the usurper and his household when she had the possibility, they wouldn’t be having this drawback. Rhaenys, who has already made very clear that this warfare wasn’t hers to begin, walks away… however not earlier than reminding him that he can’t challenge instructions as a result of he’s not the king.
Down on the Driftmark docks, Lord Corlys (Steve Toussaint) is checking up on repairs being made to his fleet, and we meet a brand new character: Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim), who updates the Sea Snake on the progress. They’ve a pleasant rapport—Alyn provides condolences over the lack of Luke, who was Corlys’ inheritor to Driftmark—and Corlys thanks Alyn for rescuing him throughout season one’s (off-camera) battle towards pirates at sea.
In King’s Touchdown, members of the Kingsguard are maintaining a tally of the skies—“Dragonnnn!” is a really terrifying factor to listen to anybody yell—whereas contained in the fort, the royal household, together with married siblings Queen Heleana (Phia Saban) and King Aegon and their white-blonde kids, are going about their enterprise. Heleana is embroidering and when she tells Aegon she’s afraid—particularly of the rats within the fort—his awkward response to the maids gathered round is “The queen is a permanent thriller, is she not?”
In a close-by bed room, shock! Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Ser Criston Cole (Fabian Frankel) aren’t simply courtroom colleagues… they’re secret lovers, too! He has his head up her gown! That is clearly not the primary time they’ve been intimate, and clearly received’t be the final, regardless of Alicent guiltily muttering “we can’t… once more” as they reassemble themselves. As they head into the Small Council assembly, they move a rat catcher—a seemingly insignificant character, only a man you’d see doing his job within the Crimson Maintain—however one we’ll be seeing once more earlier than the episode is over.
Seems Aegon is now not a reluctant ruler. He’s having the time of his life being “in cost,” although Grandpa/Hand of the King Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) is clearly the one who’s truly operating the present. There’s loads to debate, being that Crew Inexperienced is making an attempt to determine which noble homes they will rely on within the looming warfare, however the assembly is nonetheless dominated by Aegon’s son Jaehaerys—who, being a toddler, is busily pestering Ser Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Corridor). The Grasp of Coin’s persistence is stretched skinny, particularly after Aegon mockingly asks “Is the inheritor to the throne bothering you?”
Aemond stalks in because the youngster is being escorted out, and the ability battle continues. Everybody thinks their method is the most effective one; when Otto advocates “persistence and restraint,” Aegon slithers down in his chair and sighs dramatically like a college child who’s simply realized there’s a pop quiz. Afterwards, Lord Larys Robust (Matthew Needham) materializes to bend Alicent’s ear. He’d tried to speak to her earlier than the assembly, he says, however her handmaiden mentioned Alicent was “indisposed.” (Needham’s impeccable line supply right here lets us know Larys is aware of precisely who and what Alicent was doing throughout that timeframe, and Cooke’s wordless response reveals us Alicent is aware of he is aware of, too.) Anyway, now that Larys has rooted out all of the “betrayers” within the fort, “I’ve chosen your new employees personally,” he tells her. In her chambers, Alicent shoos all her attendants away, preferring to do her personal scrubbing whereas taking a contemplative bathtub, totally conscious that any notion of precise privateness doesn’t exist.
On Dragonstone, there’s one other “Dragonnnn!” second as Rhaenyra swoops in to behold the terrible proof she’s been searching for: a severed dragon wing caught in a fishing internet, with what seems to be like Luke’s cape tangled alongside. As she sobs, her dragon, Syrax, lets out a mournful cry.
Again in King’s Touchdown, a self-satisfied King Aegon II struts into the nice corridor, able to perch on the Iron Throne and listen to from his topics. As he’s introduced, his typical array of titles (Sport of Thrones followers know the drill: “King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Males,” and so forth.) features a new descriptor: “Aegon the Magnanimous.” Even he finds that ludicrous, muttering “the magnanimous?” towards considered one of his sycophants. The smallfolk are in battle mode—their POV is one thing Home of the Dragon appears intriguingly serious about exploring this season—and Aegon has no understanding that his regime is the rationale why. He blithely tells a sheep farmer the crown will replenish the sheep they took from him, till a lurking Otto Hightower—who’s visibly dying inside, watching this child who is aware of nothing about management make random declarations—reminds him that sheep are required to feed hungry dragons now that all-out warfare is imminent. And he reminds Aegon to watch out earlier than he opens his mouth: “When the king speaks, Your Grace, all hear it.”
The ever-present Lord Larys has some reminders to move alongside, too. King Viserys had a fame for being “pliable,” he tells Aegon, and factors out how controlling Otto has at all times been. Perhaps a change is so as? Perhaps it’s time to face aside out of your father and discover a new Hand? As Aegon ponders this, the implication for the viewer is evident: who’s pliable now?
This leads right into a loaded assembly between Otto and Alicent, the place they agree they’ve the identical endgame (they need to see Rhaenyra bend the knee), however they’ve been touring opposing paths to get there. Alicent would love Otto to help her on the Small Council; Otto is near boiling over with frustration over the whole lot that’s occurred since Viserys died. “Should you undermine my voice, each these boys will develop deaf to it,” she tells him, that means her sons Aegon and Aemond. Otto considers this, however he additionally reminds her that the best way issues at the moment are, “The trail to victory is considered one of violence.”
Off Dragonstone, a ship being looked for stowaways yields a well-recognized face: Daemon’s outdated pal, Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), also called the White Worm. There’s no pleasure of their reunion; he’s livid that she revealed a then-reluctant Aegon’s hiding place earlier than the usurper’s coronation, however she tells him her secret-selling methods are purely transactional. They’re a way for survival in a world the place she’s going to be stepped on in any other case, and he or she doesn’t care who sits on the Iron Throne so long as she will get paid for her providers. Ser Erryk Cargill (Elliott Tittensor)—the Kingsguard twin who took Rhaenyra’s aspect and is now Crew Black; his brother, Arryk (Luke Tittensor), is on Crew Inexperienced again in King’s Touchdown—stands up for the imprisoned Mysaria. Daemon is in a Very Dangerous Temper and barely listens, criticizing how Erryk/Arryk dealt with themselves in King’s Touchdown, however you must really feel for Ser Erryk when he factors out that when your complete gig is defending the royals, issues get difficult when the royals begin turning on one another.
Talking of royals, Rhaenyra lastly reveals up for a council assembly, however she’s not serious about listening to in regards to the Sea Snake’s blockade or Daemon’s plans to fly to Harrenhal. She has one factor on her thoughts: “I need Aemond Targaryen.”
That’s all she says, no specifics—however we lower to Daemon pestering Mysaria to make use of her distinctive information of the Crimson Maintain to assist the trigger. “Scheme with another person, Daemon,” she groans, however he tempts her by providing to set her free in alternate for info. Fireplace & Blood followers can start to get an inkling of what’s coming… however earlier than we get to Blood and Cheese, Home of the Dragon takes a beat to let the emotional weight of what’s occurred thus far actually sink in. As Rhaenyra and her household maintain a fiery Dragonstone funeral for Luke, we cross-cut to Alicent lighting candles within the sept at King’s Touchdown—together with, with seen emotion, one in tribute to Luke.
Then it’s proper again to Daemon, now in full-on scheming mode, carrying his scheming disguise and scheming his method into King’s Touchdown. He meets with a hulking member of the Metropolis Watch who nonetheless addresses him as “Commander.” (The massive dude additionally says “Fuck the Hightowers!”, so we all know the place his loyalty lies.) Then they discover the rat catcher we noticed earlier within the episode; for a bag of gold he’s persuaded to share his personal distinctive information of the Crimson Maintain and its many tunnels (he is aware of them “higher than the form of my very own cock,” he brags). Daemon lays it out plainly: “Discover and slay the Prince Aemond Targaryen. He has silver hair and one eye… must be straightforward sufficient to seek out.” Women and gents: Blood and Cheese have arrived.
At that very second, the truth is, Aemond is discussing warfare methods with Cole—two individuals who don’t have any authority to debate warfare technique, and Otto is very displeased when he discovers what they’re as much as. After Cole leaves the room, Otto expresses his concern—politely however firmly. “There are many items at play right here, a few of which you’ll be able to’t but see,” grandfather reminds grandson; one other motif of Home of the Dragon season two that’s already coming into focus is that sure characters have issues envisioning the massive image. “You have to hold a grip in your impulses,” Otto says. “We each know that your brother can’t.”
And certainly, as the 2 assassins enter into the fort—it have to be famous that Crimson Maintain safety is awfully porous—we get a glimpse of a tipsy Aegon perched on his Iron Throne. “Nobody is aware of what magnanimous means,” he says to his gathered cronies, and guffaws on the suggestion he must be known as “Aegon the Dragon Cock” as an alternative. The intruders sneak their method upstairs, however they will’t discover their supposed goal. However going from room to room, they do discover… Queen Heleana and her kids. Figuring if they will’t discover the prince they’ve been tasked to kill, any prince will do, they power Heleana to level out which of her equivalent kids is Jaehaerys, the child who brought about such a scene within the Small Council assembly earlier within the episode. (Now we notice why Home of the Dragon needed us to take particular discover of him.) Whereas the present does use some tact and lower away whereas the deed’s being carried out, the sound of muffled screaming after which sawing that accompanies the elimination of a small youngster’s head from his physique is unmistakably terrible.
A terrified Heleana grabs her different youngster and runs into her mom’s room, the place she doesn’t react in any respect to the sight of a unadorned Alicent in mattress, having her method with a unadorned Cole. (The queen is a permanent thriller, in spite of everything—and he or she was proper to be afraid of the rats!) As a substitute, all she says, very matter-of-factly, is: “They killed the boy.” The final shot closes in on Alicent’s horrified face. Although the homicide didn’t fairly go off as deliberate, effectively: “a son for a son,” mission completed.
New episodes of Home of the Dragon arrive Sundays on HBO and Max. Compensate for season one right here.
Need extra io9 information? Take a look at when to count on the newest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on movie and TV, and the whole lot it’s essential to learn about the way forward for Physician Who.
Ethan Carter
Daniel Mercer
