The Rogue Prince – As the second episode of House of the Dragon begins, we see dead and dying people on the beach. King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) talks about Ser Ryam who was a strong Lord Commander of the King’s guard and recently passed. He is told about the succeeding commander Ser Harrold who wants to make haste in finding Ser Ryam’s replacement. Ser Harrold (Graham McTavish) says the Kingsguard must be reduced to its full complement of seven. With help from the Hand, he has invited a number of fine candidates to court. All have passed fair trials. Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) interrupts to say they’ve lost more ships. The Stepstones have now grown into a conflagration while they sit there and dither about court business. Corlys wants to know what is going to be done about his ships and men.

Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) says the crown will give compensation for his ships and men while offerings will be made to the men’s families. Instead of compensation, Corlys wants to seize the Stepstones by force and burn out the Crabfeeder. King Targaryen admits he isn’t ready to start a war with the Free Cities. Lord Beesbury (Bill Paterson) reminds them that the Seven Kingdoms have never entered war with the Free Cities. If that happened, the losses would be incalculable. Corlys asks what reason the Crabfeeder has to fear them. He goes on to mention that the King’s brother has been allowed to seize the Dragonstone and fortify it with an army of his gold cloaks. Daemon has squatted there for over half a year without any protest from the crown. Otto cautions him that a seat at the King’s table doesn’t make him equal to the King. Then, the King says he has acted by sending envoys to Pentos and Volantis to see if they can find common cause.

Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) reminds her father that he has Dragonriders so he should send them. Although she says it would be a show of force, the King doesn’t think it is that simple. Otto believes there could be better use for the Princess’s talents. The Lord Commander is asked to take the Princess to see about the new Kingsguard posting. The knight will protect her as well so she should choose. Harrold and Rhaenyra go through the possible knights. The Princess asks if any of the knights have combat experience. Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) is finally brought forward. He is the son of the steward of the Lord of Blackhaven. He explains he was part of the Dornish marches and fought for a year as a foot soldier against the Dornish incursion. When the Princess picks Cole, Otto asks her not to be too hasty. Rhaenyra argues that her father should be defended by a man who knows real combat.

Once Otto agrees, she says they should plan Cole’s investiture. The King tells Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey) about the Valyrian capital which was built into a volcano. She tells him it is wondrous what he has built, but he says he only pores over the histories and provides the plans. The stonemasons built the structures. Alicent asks if he believes Westeros can be another Valyria. He says that depends on if she is talking about the Freehold at its height or fall. The glory of Old Valyria will never be seen again. He drops the dragon and breaks it. He asks about his daughter who only says a few words to him these days. Alicent explains it’ll take time for her to discuss personal matters since it did when she lost her mother. He’d sometimes rather face the Black Dread than his own 15-year-old daughter. He wants to make sure she doesn’t mention their talks to Rhaenyra since he doesn’t think she’d understand them. She says no.

Later, the Princess complains to Alicent that they’ve already tried to replace her as heir. She is told not to worry about the matters of lords and kings. Alicent reminds her that her father loves her and picked her as heir although she thinks he only did it to spurn Daemon. Alicent admits she finds that this is a way to be with her mother. She thought the Princess might try it. Rhaenyra is told to say whatever she wishes since it is between her and the Gods. She’d like her father to see her as more than his little girl. Alicent says her father doesn’t know the language of girls either. When she wishes to talk to him, she knows she has to make the effort. Later, the King meets with Corlys and Rhaenys (Eve Best) to tell them how much he values the bond between their houses.

Corlys apologizes for what happened during the small council today. The King thinks it is his duty to avoid war until it becomes unavoidable. Corlys is concerned that the eyes of their enemies are presently fixed on the Red Keep. He mentions that the King’s brother has claimed the Targaryen seat on Dragonstone without challenge and a foreign power has established a colony in their most critical shipping lane. Rhaenys believes the Crown is perceived as being vulnerable at the moment. The King asks if a blind incursion into the Stepstones is the only way to show that they’re not. Corlys tells him that you can sail into a storm or around it to elude it, but they must never await its coming. When the King asks if he has a specific course of action to propose, Corlys recommends joining their families. He is asked to do it with their daughter Laena to unite the two great surviving Valyrian houses.

Once he does that, Corlys believes he can show that the Crown’s strongest days are ahead. The King admits he hasn’t given marriage much thought. They expect him to take a mate eventually and he couldn’t ask for a stronger match than Laena. Later that night, the Princess tells her father that they haven’t spoken much. Viserys admits it is a regret of his since they should be free to speak their minds to one another. She reminds him he is the king so he can say whatever he wants. They talk about how much they loved her mother before she tells him about the knights. She found that Criston was the only one among them with true battle experience. When she brings up what happened during the small council, he says she is young and will learn. After that, the King uses maggots to try to save his finger. He tells Otto about meeting with Corlys and Rhaenys earlier today. Otto learns about the proposed marriage to Lady Laena as well.

Otto believes Corlys has overreached since it should’ve been discussed with the small council. When Viserys asks for his advice, Otto says Laena is young. Grand Maester Mellos (David Horovitch) says it could help mend the wounds made by the Great Council. Uniting the two great houses would signal unity throughout the realm. The King fears what his daughter might think. Otto admits he loved his wife and her passing still haunts him. He doesn’t envy the King for having to replace his wife for duty’s sake. The next day, Viserys walks with Laena (Nova Foueillis-Mose) who asks what it was like flying the Black Dread since she knows he was the Balerion’s last rider. They also talk about Vhagar who is too big for the dragon pit. He says the Dragon keepers believe she made a home somewhere on the coast of the Narrow Sea. Laena stops to say it’d be a great honor to join their houses as they were in the Old Valyria. She would give him many children of pure Valyrian blood.

The King suggests her father told her to say that. She was told she wouldn’t have to bed him until she turns 14. Rhaenys notices Rhaenyra watching nearby so she asks if it bothers her. She tells Rhaenys about the politics of it before asking if it bothers her since Laena is her daughter. Rhaenys admits it does, but she understands the order of things. She isn’t sure the Princess does. Rhaenys insists the King will remarry soon whether it is to her daughter or not. His new wife will produce new heirs and there is a chance that one of them will be male. He will eventually be expected to become heir instead of her. That is the order of things. Rhaenyra insists she will create a new order when she is Queen. She is told that the men already had an opportunity to appoint a ruling Queen to the Great Council and they denied it. Rhaenyra says they denied Rhaenys who is known as the Queen Who Never Was. Yet, they bent the knee to her and called her heir to the throne.

Rhaenys mocks her for carrying the men’s cups. She goes on to say the hard truth that no one else is willing to tell her is that men would rather burn the realm than see a woman ascend the Iron Throne. Her father is no fool. The King talks to Alicent about the council wanting him to remarry. She says a good, kind Queen will bring comfort to his subjects. When she asks if the Council has a lady in mind, the King tells her about Lord Corlys Velaryon offering the hand of his daughter. Although she calls it a strong match, the King confesses that he doesn’t know Laena very well. She thinks Laena will enjoy his company as she has. She gives him a gift that turns out to be the dragon he broke earlier. Alicent reveals she had the stonemasons mend it. Otto interrupts to tell the King he called the Small Council to an emergency session, but he won’t tell him what it is about. During the meeting, a Dragonkeeper tells them that a dragon’s egg was stolen from them.

He insists it was Daemon. He left a missive that might explain it. In the note, Daemon (Matt Smith) calls himself the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. He is taking a second wife in accordance with Old Valyria tradition. She will assume the title Lady Mysaria of Dragonstone. Since she is with a child, they want to place the dragon’s egg in the babe’s cradle. The King has been invited to the wedding in two days. Once Corlys asks about Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuo), Otto calls her Daemon’s wh0re. They call it sedition, but Vierys doesn’t want to give his brother what he wants. The Dragonkeeper tells the Prince that he took Dreamfyre’s egg, the same one that she chose for Prince Baelon’s cradle. The King tells Otto to assemble a detachment. The King suggests going himself, but Otto thinks he should go instead. Otto tells Alicent she is the most comely girl at court so he doesn’t understand why she destroys herself. She says she can see the King tonight if he wishes.

Ser Criston enters to say he has assembled 20 of the best household guards. Daemon meets Otto and his men a bit later. Otto tells him that his occupation of this island is at an end. Daemon talks to Ser Cristol Cole. Otto insults Daemon and Mysaria. Otto confronts the City Watch about aiding Daemon in his treason. He warns Daemon that choosing violence here would be declaring war against the King. He asks if he’d do that even if it ends in the death of his future wife and unborn baby before they all pull out swords. Daemon’s dragon perches on the ledge above them. Princess Rhaenyra arrives on her dragon, dismounts, and approaches Daemon. She tells him that the King named her Princess of Dragonstone so he is living in her castle. He argues it isn’t true until she comes of age and he doesn’t know why he angered the King. It is a time to celebrate since he is supposed to wed. She asks him about stealing his brother’s egg so he explains that she shared a cradle with a dragon when she was born. After he says he is going to have a child one day, Mysaria walks off.

Rhaenyra tells him that she is the object of his ire and the reason he was disinherited. If he wishes to be restored as heir, he will have to kill her. While walking away from her, Daemon throws the dragon egg and she catches it. Rhaenyra returns the egg before flying away on her dragon. Daemon returns to Mysaria who doesn’t seem to like that he announced they were getting married and having a child. He suggests they can make the latter true after they get married though. She ensured long ago that she would never be threatened by childbirth. He promises that Dragonstone is secure, but she worries that’ll change when the King decides to reclaim his ancestral seat. She wonders what they’ll do with her. Daemon says no one will harm her. She came to him to be liberated from fear. The King approaches Lord Lyonel (Gavin Spokes) because he wants his opinion. They talk about Laena. Lyonel mentions all the good things about her while Viserys says she is 12.

Lyonel admits he can’t put off marriage for long so Viserys contemplates rejecting his proposal. Lyonel doesn’t think he’d take it well because nothing short of a direct line to the Iron Throne would satisfy him. He also thinks it is important to remember that they’re on the verge of war in the Stepstones. The Sea Snake holds claim to nearly half of the realm’s ships. The King doesn’t think he’d withhold them when the realm is in need. Lyonel believes he should marry Laena, state Lord Corlys, and fix him at his side as an ally. Then, the King gets word that the Princess has returned from Dragonstone. He confronts her for disobeying him and acting without the Crown’s leave. She reminds him that she retrieved the egg without bloodshed and Otto likely couldn’t have done that alone. The King says his wife’s absence is a wound that will never heal. Rhaenyra is glad that she is not alone in her grief.

They discuss the fact that the King is expected to take a new wife even though he knows he can’t replace his wife. Marrying again means he will be able to defend them better from whoever wishes to challenge them. The next day, the King meets with the Council to tell them he has decided to take a new wife. He surprises them by saying he intends to marry Alicent Hightower before spring’s end. Corlys gets upset and calls it an absurdity. He storms out with Rhaenyra following him moments later. Corlys talks about the history of his house and how they had to scratch out an existence from the sea because they were not dragon lords. He knew what he wanted when he took the Driftwood Throne. He went out and seized it. He built his house’s high seat with the strength of his own back. He always thought he and Daemon were made from the same cloth. He goes on to say they’ve been passed over too often. Daemon is asked if he has heard of the troubles in the Stepstones.

The Crabfeeder is backed by powerful entities within the Free Cities who wish to see Westeros weakened. Corlys argues that the King’s failures have allowed him to gain strength. His house will be crippled if the shipping lanes fall. He tells Daemon this is a chance to prove his worth since it is not given.

 

House Of The Dragon Review

The second episode of House of the Dragon followed the same pattern as the first. While there is a lot going on, there is little of importance happening and little pushing the story forward. The episode primarily focused on King Viserys being pushed to get married again and Princess Rhaenyra retrieving the dragon egg from Prince Daemon. The acting is mostly okay although the characters are hollow. While certain scenes should be intense, they’re just not.

It has been difficult to begin developing feelings for any of the characters at this point so the scenes are emotionless right now. The scenery stills look bad with some of the outside scenes looking like a bad video game. It is hard to fathom why they thought it was a good idea to add lens flare to a series set in this period since it doesn’t work and isn’t natural.

I keep waiting for something to happen and we’ve still got nothing spectacular so far. In fact, these episodes could easily be considered filler since the episodes were mostly nonsensical dialogue. The second episode was tedious to the point that it felt difficult to get through near the end. Something has to happen in the next episode because viewers will likely start tuning out otherwise. There is nothing grabbing me or convincing me that I need to watch the next episode.

The second episode of House of the Dragon scores a 5.5 out of 10. Recaps of House of the Dragon can be found on Reel Mockery here. Learn how to support our work at this link.