Home of the Dragon season one, episode 7: Darkish goals, darker screens

Final episode noticed the dying of Laena Velaryon by self-immolation, and Lord Larys’ entry into the historical past books as a ruthless manipulator par excellence. And if that wasn’t sufficient, Rhaenyra’s youngsters have all however publicly been slandered as bastards.

With all that in thoughts, what might presumably go unsuitable this episode? Strap in: it’s going to be a bumpy dragon trip.

We open with a really sombre scene: Laena’s coffin being dedicated to the ocean. Thankfully, it’s a closed casket, as she was immolated final episode by her dragon Vhagar.

Regardless, it’s a stunning do: the nice and good of Westeros stand at strategic intervals on the cliff rocks across the ocean like fashionable statues and everyone appears to be like very unhappy, together with Rhaenys, who wears a fetching veil.

Otto Hightower can be there. As he appears to be like on sombrely, he gently touches his Hand of the King badge… whaaaat? It appears to be like like our boy is again in favour, ten years later and looking out nearly as wizened as Viserys, who’s, astonishingly, nonetheless alive.

Because the casket is dedicated to the ocean – “Salt programs by means of Velaryon blood. Ours runs thick. Ours runs true. And ours must not ever skinny” – Daemon lets out a little bit giggle. Dangerous time for it – clearly, he’s not the flavour of the month, and on the following wake, he’s completely out within the chilly.

Snakes at a wake

Although we’re handled to a stunning shot of the Targaryen dragons clustering round Driftmark, the Velaryon seat, the temper on the wake is understandably moderately darkish.

When Rhaenyra seems, her eyes hone in on Daemon. Presumably, she’s nonetheless grieving – she’s misplaced Ser Harwin Sturdy within the hearth at Harrenhal – however she doesn’t present it, as a substitute strolling over to their son Jace (Jaecerys) and telling him to go take care of their traumatised cousins.

“I’ve an equal declare to sympathy,” he complains. “We must be at Harrenhall mourning Lord Lyonel and Ser Harwin.”

“It could not be applicable,” Rhaenyra says firmly, and places him in his place.

Subsequent, we meet Alicent’s youngsters. That’s, Aegon and Aemond are watching their sister Helaena sing creepy lullabies to a spider and discussing whether or not or not they might marry her.

“We have now nothing in widespread,” Aegon complains, whereas Aemond says he would. “We should strengthen the household. Hold our Valyrian blood pure,” he says. Although they’re clearly actors, it’s nonetheless deeply bizarre to see children discussing incest so casually – although possibly we should always rely our blessings. At the very least we’re not watching Aegon masturbate out of a fort window this time.

One other unwelcome sight greets us subsequent shot: Lord Larys, lurking within the nook and being roundly ignored by Alicent. As effectively she may – their dialog within the final episode received the Strongs killed. What nefarious scheme is he cooking up now?

Nevertheless, the main target appears to be firmly on the children this week. Jace (Jaecerys, Rhaenyra’s son) is reassuring Laena’s bereaved youngsters, whereas Corlys is speaking to Lucerys, the boy’s youthful brother.

“Each my seat and Excessive Tide might be yours at some point, Lucerys,” Corlys tells him. “Your brother might be king in fact.”

Lucerys replies, “Ser. I don’t need it.” Yikes. Corlys stares. “It’s your birthright, lad,” he says. Or is it? It appears to be like moderately like the difficulty of Rhaenyra’s youngsters’s parentage is changing into increasingly of an issue.

A way of unease may be very a lot pervading the whole wake: Rhaenyra and Rhaenys each appear to be consuming moderately lots, whereas Corlys immediately spots Laenor standing within the ocean and crying and snaps.

Muscling his manner by means of the gang he grabs the shoulder of Laenor’s paramour. “Retrieve your patron!” he snarls, to the shocked stares of the nobles.

In the meantime, Daemon – regardless of exchanging a number of charged appears to be like with Rhaenyra – continues to be on their own, staring moodily out on the sea (it’s so handy having it proper there, with all of the moodiness that goes on). It appears to be like like no one has approached him in any respect, till Viserys manages to stump over on his strolling stick.

“Your ladies are the very picture of their mom,” Viserys tells him. “A consolation and an anguish, as I effectively bear in mind. The gods might be merciless.”

“Appears they’ve been particularly merciless to you,” Daemon retorts. Undeterred, Viserys asks him to come back dwelling to King’s Touchdown. Daemon refuses, saying that Pentos is his dwelling now.

Daemon I do know we’ve had our variations however allow them to go,” he pleads. “There’s a spot for you in my court docket if there’ one thing it is best to want.”

Poor Viserys: ever the peacemaker. In a wholly predictable response, Daemon rebuffs him and makes his escape, swiftly adopted by Rhaenyra, who’s fervently being watched by Otto.

Maybe pondering he’s had sufficient for the night, Viserys heads off. “I’m going to mattress, Aemma,” he says. Awkward silence; Alicent appears to be like like she’s been slapped.

What, this once more?

Because the wake wraps up, the bereaved dad and mom, Rhaenys and Corlys, are sitting in entrance of the hearth and chewing over their grievances.

Rhaenys is fuming that Daemon didn’t let Laena come dwelling for her delivery, to be tended by the maesters at Driftmark; Corlys responds that Daemon did what he thought was greatest for her.

“Daemon solely does what’s greatest for Daemon,” Rhaenys says bitterly, including, “Mayhaps the gods have scorned us for our insatiable pleasure.”

The dialog then strikes onto well-trodden floor: Corlys complaining that Rhaenys was robbed of the crown by “these fools on the Nice Council.”

Rhaenys is having none of it. It’s not justice on your spouse driving him, it’s ambition, she says. It’s him that refuses to let the matter go, even at the price of their youngsters.

He protests: the worth of life is legacy, is it not?

For you, possibly, she replies. After a heavy pause, Rhaenys means that Laena’s daughter Baela inherit Driftmark as a substitute of Viserys. Corlys refuses – she desires to disinherit Laenor and his youngsters?

“Rhaenyra’s youngsters are usually not of your blood,” Rhaenys replies. “However Laena’s are.”

Historical past doesn’t bear in mind blood, Corlys replies. It remembers names. Very epic. Then he will get up and walks off.

Illicit liaisons

On the shoreline, Daemon and Rhaenyra are strolling collectively, swathed in darkness. It’s so darkish: darkish sufficient that this reviewer had appreciable hassle making out what was occurring. Thankfully, the Targaryen hair is blonde sufficient to behave as a nightlight.

Rhaenyra and Daemon appear to be speaking relationships, particularly Rhaenyra’s.

Her marriage to Laenor is a farce, however she retains up appearances, she says. She additionally confesses that she tried to conceive a toddler together with her husband, however to no avail. As a substitute, she received her “pleasure” elsewhere – that’s, with the now-deceased Ser Harwin.

However when Daemon means that Alicent could have a hand in his dying, Rhaenyra slaps him down.

“I don’t imagine Alicent able to chilly homicide,” she says.

Every of us is able to depravity, he responds. Can anyone say foreshadowing?

The dialog then strikes to juicier floor: Daemon and Rhaenyra’s relationship. They trade verbal blows – You deserted me, she says. I spared you; you have been a toddler, he replies – however Rhaenyra strikes nearer and begins fiddling together with his hair.

“I’m not a toddler,” she tells him. No, however you’re accosting your uncle on the day of his spouse’s funeral.

However Daemon doesn’t appear to thoughts: the pair then have intercourse on the seashore accompanied by arguably unjustified hovering strings.

Dragon-rustling and pig-riding

And who must be working throughout the seashore however Aemond – Alicent’s youngest son.

Has he seen Daemon and Rhaenyra? Truthfully, it’s too darkish to inform (viewers, be suggested that the brightness wants turning effectively up for a lot of this episode). However he does stumble throughout a dragon. It’s Vhagar, trying very unhappy after Laena’s dying.

Aemond promptly tries to make buddies with it. With a couple of phrases of Valyrian, Vhagar calms down sufficient to let him scramble on, after which scares the pants off him with a midnight joyride.

Sadly Laena’s youngsters have been watching, and Baela wakes up Rhaenyra’s son Jace with a whispered, “Somebody stole Vhagar!”

When Aemond will get in from his midnight run, he’s confronted by the 2 sisters and Rhaenyra’s boys. The cocky little shrimp says that Vhagar has a brand new rider now, and that Baela missed her shot at claiming him.

“Perhaps your cousins can discover you a pig to trip,” he tells her. “It could swimsuit you.”

Understandably, Baela’s sister Rhaena punches him within the face. A struggle ensues and all 4 cousins descend on Aemond.

He fights again and sneers that Rhaenyra’s youngsters are “bastards.” Jace then pulls out his knife and after a scuffle, Aemond is slashed throughout the face.

He screams; folks come working, and the harm appears to be like critical sufficient for Ser Harold Westerling, chief of the Kingsguard, to set free a “Gods be good!” That’s karma, child.

An eye fixed for an eye fixed

Within the reckoning afterwards, Viserys is livid.

“How might you let this occur?” he rages on the Kingsguard, who’re understandably moderately nervous. As one among them says, they’ve by no means needed to shield princes from princes earlier than.

It appears to be like moderately like Aemond goes to lose the attention, and as per ordinary, Alicent takes her anger out on Aegon for being “in his cups” whereas his brother was being attacked.

All of the adults arrive – Corlys and Rhaenys, Rhaenyra and Daemon – and the room descends into squabbling till Viserys summons up the final puff of air from his desiccated lungs to demand silence.

Unsurprisingly, Alicent and Rhaenyra face off. Alicent spits that Rhaenyra’s sons wished to homicide Aemond; Rhaenyra retorts that her boys defended themselves after Aemond’s slurs.

What slurs, asks Viserys.

Ah, that outdated bastardy declare: Rhaenyra calls for that this treason (ie. casting aspersions upon the inheritor to the throne) be investigated. The place did Aemond hear it from? Alicent protests – as effectively she may, on condition that she was in all probability the supply of the rumours.

Confronted together with his mom’s seen concern, Aemond blames his brother Aegon, who sounds nonplussed however tells his father: “We all know, father. Everybody is aware of.”

A leaden silence. Viserys storms. “This interminable infighting should stop!” he shouts. “We’re household.”

He calls for the pair make their apologies to one another and goes to depart, however that’s not sufficient for Alicent. She desires punishment; her son has been completely broken, and as recompense she desires Lucerys’ eye.

As you may count on, this goes down like a lead balloon, however Alicent is agency. If the king gained’t search justice, she says, the queen will, and he or she calls for Ser Criston fetch her the offending eye.

As Ser Criston demurs (understandably, he didn’t signal as much as mutilate youngsters), Alicent grabs Viserys’ dagger (Aegon’s dagger, no much less!) and launches herself at Rhaenyra. The pair wrestle in the midst of the room, their varied guards at an deadlock.

“You’ve gone too far,” Rhaenyra tells Alicent, who scoffs.  In her eyes, Rhaenyra has at all times taken what she happy with impunity whereas Alicent has to abide by the principles – and now that features her son’s eye.

“Exhausting, isn’t it? Hiding beneath the cloak of your personal righteousness,” Rhaenyra snaps again. “However now they see you as you’re.”

Alicent screams and leaps forwards; there’s a second of horrified silence after which Rhaenyra begins bleeding. Her arm has been slashed.

As Alicent sways, shellshocked, Aemond steps ahead. For someone who was stabbed a couple of hours in the past, he’s managed to plaster that smirk again on. “Don’t mourn me, mom,” he says. “It was a good trade. I’ll have misplaced an eye fixed however I gained a dragon.”

Within the crowd, Daemon additionally smirks barely. Truthfully, who wants him anymore? This lot are greater than chaotic sufficient by themselves.

The morning after

Subsequent morning (presumably nursing some critical regrets), Alicent is visited by Otto.

Say your piece, she tells him, twisting her arms collectively. She carried out herself in an unfitting method and gossip is spreading that she’s gone mad.

Extra worryingly: “I’ve disgraced myself and ensured my husband’s favour will perpetually relaxation on her.”

Sure, says Otto. And but, he says, he’s by no means seen that aspect of her earlier than.

“We play an unsightly sport,” he tells her. “And now for the primary time I see that you’ve the dedication to win it.”

The king will forgive her, Otto says. He has to: what else can he do? And in time the pair of them will prevail, as a result of now Aemond has managed to win Vhagar to their aspect: “It’s value a thousand instances the worth he paid.”

In the meantime Rhaenyra is getting her wound stitched up, watched goggle-eyed by her two sons.

With the world’s worst timing, Laenor strolls in. “I ought to have been there,” he says.

“These must be our Home phrases,” Rhaenyra says dryly.

Whereas her husband wallows in self-pity, Rhaenyra has extra urgent issues to fret about. The ‘bastard’ slur, as an example. Upon listening to it, Laenor beats himself up some extra. He tried, he says. And he loves the boys, however he hasn’t cherished them sufficient.

Clearly, they aren’t his children, and each of them are apparent about it. “Issues may need been completely different,” in the event that they’d managed to conceive a toddler collectively, she says.

“I hate the gods for making me as they did,” Laenor says.

“I don’t. You might be an honourable man with a very good coronary heart. It’s a uncommon factor.” Phew, tripwire prevented.

Laenor reminds Rhaenyra of the settlement they made initially, to be husband and spouse and pursue their bits on the aspect. However he appears to have had sufficient of this carefree way of life: his lover is returning to the Stepstones.

“I recommit myself to you,” he says. From now onwards, he’ll dedicate himself to supporting Rhaenyra and making certain the boys might be princes of the realm. We love a supportive husband!

Larys shoots his shot

Because the royal delegation leaves, Viserys appears to be like extra in poor health than ever. He waves away Alicent’s apology – leaving it unsure whether or not or not he’s actually forgiven her – and on the ship, Lord Larys lastly will get his second together with his beloved.

What occurred was a perversion of justice, he tells her, with pretend pet eyes. “If it’s an eye fixed you wish to steadiness the scales, I might be your servant.”

Maybe pondering of the Strongs, Alicent appears to come back again to her senses. “That won’t be mandatory,” she tells him. However his dedication has been seen, and he or she could name on his providers in future.

“I shall await your name, my queen,” he replies. Appears like a satan’s discount.

Nonetheless in Driftmark, Rhaenyra watches the dragons observe the royal ship again to King’s Touchdown and is joined by Daemon.

“I want you, Uncle,” she tells him. Yikes: no one wants reminding of the truth that they’re associated.

Regardless, Rhaenyra is sensible. She will be able to’t face the Greens alone, she says – she wants his assist. Ideally, she desires them to be married.

“We have now at all times been meant to burn collectively,” she tells him. Horny. However there’s an issue, in fact: Rhaenyra is already married, so for this to occur, Laenor would want to die.

Ever keen to do the soiled work, Daemon heads over to Laenor’s erstwhile lover, Ser Qarl, and offers him a bag of gold and the promise of an escape in trade for Laenor’s fast dying in a spot with witnesses.

Because the wheels of the plan are set in movement, Rhaenyra says in voiceover that she is unwilling to be a tyrant and rule by means of terror.

“If a king isn’t feared, he’s powerless,” Daemon replies. “In case you are to be a robust queen it’s essential to domesticate love and respect, sure, however your topics should concern you.”

After Laenor is brutally attacked in Driftmark’s Nice Corridor, Corlys and Rhaenys run downstairs to search out their son’s physique charred to a crisp within the Corridor’s hearth.

As Rhaenys screams, Rhaenyra admits that folks will whisper that she was concerned in her husband’s homicide. Allow them to whisper, Daemon replies. Their enemies will marvel what else they may be able to.

Actually seconds later, they’re getting dolled up and married beneath the baleful stares of their respective youngsters. Each adults appear very completely happy about it – as effectively they may.

And beneath the quilt of darkness, a rowing boat makes its escape into the evening. On it? None apart from Laenor himself, off to begin his new life together with his lover. Reward be! Rhaenyra isn’t a assassin in any case.

Verdict

The Targaryens and Velaryons assume they’ve every part. Wealth! Dragons! Titles! What they don’t have, sadly, is a secure dwelling life – and episode seven proves to be no completely different.

This episode confirmed each Rhaenyra and Alicent in a wholly new gentle. They’re extra ruthless than ever earlier than, and extra keen to harm others to get what they need. With Rhaenyra having killed Laenor, and Alicent participating the providers of Lord Larys, it appears to be like just like the prospect of all-out conflict between the 2 sides is drawing ever nearer.

Home of the Dragon is streaming on NOW and Sky Atlantic