GKJ
Global Moderator
- Feb 27, 2002
- 188,765
- 40,750
feel like daemon was explicit that the person they were to kill only had one eye.
those dudes could’ve tried a bit harder
those dudes could’ve tried a bit harder
TV: House of the Dragon (HBO) - Season 2 - Summer 2024, please use spoil tags where it makes sense
- Thread starter Tuggy
- Start date
SwordsgoneWild
WhenyougazeintotheabysstheBuffaloSabresgazeback
Cole is a horrible Lord Commander. Priorities my guy! No Kingsguard posted anywhere around.
I will say that the book did it better , impact wise. They made her choose and she picked the younger one then they immediately decapitated the heir right after. And I'm not a fan of the whole Cole/Alicent thing but it was still a amazing episode.
I will say that the book did it better , impact wise. They made her choose and she picked the younger one then they immediately decapitated the heir right after. And I'm not a fan of the whole Cole/Alicent thing but it was still a amazing episode.
Last edited:
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
GKJ
Global Moderator
- Feb 27, 2002
- 188,765
- 40,750
Blender
Registered User
- Dec 2, 2009
- 51,624
- 45,437
Yea between that and when they were in the bedroom and the one suggested to kill the queen and the response was "a son for a son" made it clear that it was Aemond or Aegon's son.
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
They also needed to go back to daemon to get the rest of their gold with proof.
They 100% didn't do anything daemon didn't sanction
Sombastate
Registered User
Emperoreddy
Show Me What You Got!
It was interesting to see Aegon isn't just a Goffery rehash.
Him trying to get court rulings right and help the smallfolk despite Otto being cranky about it. Him enjoying his son bugging the Lannester. Drinking with his bros.
Also wanting his son to witness the small council already seems to be more then Viscerys ever did for him.
Him trying to get court rulings right and help the smallfolk despite Otto being cranky about it. Him enjoying his son bugging the Lannester. Drinking with his bros.
Also wanting his son to witness the small council already seems to be more then Viscerys ever did for him.
Great start. Just random thoughts
I'm rewatching already with my SO after watching with my brother. Cool to start in Winterfell. The Stark theme is such a great piece of music. Just thought it was funny that Jacerys looked more like a Stark than Cregan but that's probably more that Jace's hair is looking Jon Snow adjacent. I guess Cregan did look a bit like Benjen.
Good set up of multiple plot lines.
Was not expecting the season to start with THAT incident.
I thought scorpions were invented in the SOFAI time period.
I'll echo that it's cool to see that Aegon (the magnanimous) is not a Joffrey-esque shithead as king. I only half paid attention to the fire and blood audiobook so maybe I missed if he becomes one but at least he's not totally cruel. He's not at all really. Ruthless when it comes to Rhaenyra, but he wants to be good to his people.
You could tell me Tyland Lannister is Dave Portnoy's brother and I'd believe you.
The scene with Rhaenyra reuniting with Jacerys was so emotionally strong.
In general, the episode is largely slow on action and exciting moments but it does such a good job of continuing where the second half of the first season left off with showing how errors in judgment, emotion, etc. human decisions can light a powder keg to start an all out war. Whatever dim hope there was for a peaceful resolution died, largely as a result of Aemond and Daemon's lack of emotional restraint. It was so hard to imagine that a spin off to Game of Thrones could find ways to be as compelling, even with completed source material from GRRM, but this show has done a really good job with it.
The season preview had me so hyped. I'm back to looking forward to Sundays again.
Edit: two years later it's still funny to me that this show's amalgamation of Littlefinger and Varys is named Larys.
For only having one line, Emma D'Arcy was outstanding this episode. Impressive to convey so much saying so little. People complained for nothing. Terrific casting.
Also eternally hilarious that Criston Dickhead, who constantly talked mad shit about how impure Rhaenyra let security be so lax in the Red Keep
I'm rewatching already with my SO after watching with my brother. Cool to start in Winterfell. The Stark theme is such a great piece of music. Just thought it was funny that Jacerys looked more like a Stark than Cregan but that's probably more that Jace's hair is looking Jon Snow adjacent. I guess Cregan did look a bit like Benjen.
Good set up of multiple plot lines.
Was not expecting the season to start with THAT incident.
I thought scorpions were invented in the SOFAI time period.
I'll echo that it's cool to see that Aegon (the magnanimous) is not a Joffrey-esque shithead as king. I only half paid attention to the fire and blood audiobook so maybe I missed if he becomes one but at least he's not totally cruel. He's not at all really. Ruthless when it comes to Rhaenyra, but he wants to be good to his people.
You could tell me Tyland Lannister is Dave Portnoy's brother and I'd believe you.
The scene with Rhaenyra reuniting with Jacerys was so emotionally strong.
In general, the episode is largely slow on action and exciting moments but it does such a good job of continuing where the second half of the first season left off with showing how errors in judgment, emotion, etc. human decisions can light a powder keg to start an all out war. Whatever dim hope there was for a peaceful resolution died, largely as a result of Aemond and Daemon's lack of emotional restraint. It was so hard to imagine that a spin off to Game of Thrones could find ways to be as compelling, even with completed source material from GRRM, but this show has done a really good job with it.
The season preview had me so hyped. I'm back to looking forward to Sundays again.
Edit: two years later it's still funny to me that this show's amalgamation of Littlefinger and Varys is named Larys.
For only having one line, Emma D'Arcy was outstanding this episode. Impressive to convey so much saying so little. People complained for nothing. Terrific casting.
Also eternally hilarious that Criston Dickhead, who constantly talked mad shit about how impure Rhaenyra let security be so lax in the Red Keep
while he was busy blowing out Alicent's back
Last edited:
If I have one complaint
I do think the Blood and Cheese incident could've been directed better. Getting in the Queen's chamber was laughably easy. Which is understandable considering the circumstances but there was something else so blunt and un-sinister about it. Like an objectively awful thing to happen and quite a powerful ending to kick the season off, but Game of Thrones' big death moments, Ned, the Red Wedding, Oberyn, Jon, Myrcella, Shireen, even Tywin, they all had this fitting quality that even Lucerys' death had. Something about Aegon's heir's death, even with all the circumstances around it (Aegon getting pissed drunk, Cole completely failing at security of the royals, etc.), something about it felt less dark and impactful than it could have been. The big "oh shit" effect that comes from it is, yeah, the war is definitely on.
CokenoPepsi
Registered User
- Oct 28, 2016
- 5,142
- 2,587
Liked the episode.
Found it a little odd they would just let her leave at the end with the kid
Found it a little odd they would just let her leave at the end with the kid
Bakayoko Ono
Registered User
BrindamoursNose
Registered User
- Oct 14, 2008
- 20,212
- 14,330
BrindamoursNose
Registered User
- Oct 14, 2008
- 20,212
- 14,330
Very happy with the start of the season...I think they did a good job of setting up the season, which is the main objective of course in Ep 1, but I have to say...I was disappointed in Blood & Cheese.
In the books, it's WAY more brutal and the show took out the most heart-wrenching part of it (other than the actual death of course):
Of course I know they couldn't put ALL of this in the show since it's pretty egregious at points, but I think we could've instead had Alicent be there for it, or included the second son (which is the biggest deal to me), Intentionally seemed to lessen the impact of this scene when it's supposed to be a HUGE scene.
In the books, it's WAY more brutal and the show took out the most heart-wrenching part of it (other than the actual death of course):
Reaching the Tower of the Hand, they crept up through the walls before slipping into the chambers of Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower. There, they bound and gagged her while Blood strangled her bedmaid to death. Blood and Cheese then waited for the arrival of Queen Helaena Targaryen and her children, as the two assassins knew that it was the queen's custom of taking her children to see their grandmother before putting them to bed every evening.
That night, when Helaena arrived with her three children, Blood killed her guard before proceeding to grab her eldest son, Prince Jaehaerys, while Cheese took hold of her younger son, Prince Maelor. Though Blood warned Helaena that she and her children would die if she screamed, it is said that the queen remained calm. When she demanded the identity of the two assassins, Cheese stated that he and Blood are debt collectors and that a debt has been owed; an eye for an eye, a son for a son. But he assured Helaena that neither she nor anyone else would be killed. When he asked her on which of her sons she wanted them to kill, the queen pleaded with them to kill her instead, which was turned down and Blood reminds her that it has to be a son. Cheese warns Helaena that Blood will rape her daughter, Princess Jaehaera, out of boredom if she doesn't make a choice soon. When she was once again forced to make an impossible choice under the threat that all of her children will be killed, the queen tearfully chose Maelor.
It is unknown why Queen Helaena chose her youngest son over the eldest. She believed that Maelor was too young to understand, or maybe it's because Prince Jaehaerys is the king's firstborn son and heir. Seeing that she had chosen Maelor, Cheese whispered into the boy's ear, saying, "You hear that, little boy? Your momma wants you dead." He then grins at Blood, which signals the hulking man to kill Prince Jaehaerys, in which he decapitated the boy with a single swing of his sword, to Queen Helaena's horror, and she began to scream.
That night, when Helaena arrived with her three children, Blood killed her guard before proceeding to grab her eldest son, Prince Jaehaerys, while Cheese took hold of her younger son, Prince Maelor. Though Blood warned Helaena that she and her children would die if she screamed, it is said that the queen remained calm. When she demanded the identity of the two assassins, Cheese stated that he and Blood are debt collectors and that a debt has been owed; an eye for an eye, a son for a son. But he assured Helaena that neither she nor anyone else would be killed. When he asked her on which of her sons she wanted them to kill, the queen pleaded with them to kill her instead, which was turned down and Blood reminds her that it has to be a son. Cheese warns Helaena that Blood will rape her daughter, Princess Jaehaera, out of boredom if she doesn't make a choice soon. When she was once again forced to make an impossible choice under the threat that all of her children will be killed, the queen tearfully chose Maelor.
It is unknown why Queen Helaena chose her youngest son over the eldest. She believed that Maelor was too young to understand, or maybe it's because Prince Jaehaerys is the king's firstborn son and heir. Seeing that she had chosen Maelor, Cheese whispered into the boy's ear, saying, "You hear that, little boy? Your momma wants you dead." He then grins at Blood, which signals the hulking man to kill Prince Jaehaerys, in which he decapitated the boy with a single swing of his sword, to Queen Helaena's horror, and she began to scream.
Of course I know they couldn't put ALL of this in the show since it's pretty egregious at points, but I think we could've instead had Alicent be there for it, or included the second son (which is the biggest deal to me), Intentionally seemed to lessen the impact of this scene when it's supposed to be a HUGE scene.
Last edited:
Great episode, I was completely enthralled the entire hour and the last 10 minutes was some high level tension. The show just has that epic feel to it that early Game of Thrones did.
On a side note, I like that they expanded the HoD universe to show Winterfell and The Wall and lots of Dragonstone scenes. Last season was very Kings Landing heavy which I'm not complaining about but it was nice to see a more broad of view of Westeros in this episode.
On a side note, I like that they expanded the HoD universe to show Winterfell and The Wall and lots of Dragonstone scenes. Last season was very Kings Landing heavy which I'm not complaining about but it was nice to see a more broad of view of Westeros in this episode.
John Price
Bet
- Sep 19, 2008
- 376,498
- 26,088
Haven't quite caught up my re-watch to start season 2
But one thing that I am noticing in my rewatch is a little sympathy for Alicent for not wanting to marry her daughter to such an obvious bastard (especially after it is all but confirmed in the training scene in the courtyard with the boys true father).
But one thing that I am noticing in my rewatch is a little sympathy for Alicent for not wanting to marry her daughter to such an obvious bastard (especially after it is all but confirmed in the training scene in the courtyard with the boys true father).
Bounces R Way
Registered User
HBO really does it so much better than everybody else.
Kind of wishing I hadn't read the book before they announced this show. Don't remember everything but the major plot points I can already see coming. Do wonder when we'll get our first dragon battle.
Kind of wishing I hadn't read the book before they announced this show. Don't remember everything but the major plot points I can already see coming. Do wonder when we'll get our first dragon battle.
I was looking forward to the season, but I wasn't super excited or anything. Very early into the episode, though, I realized that I underestimated HBO again. Sometimes, I forget what true prestige TV feels like. The writing, production quality and immersion, especially, are unmatched. It makes The Acolyte, which I'm also currently watching, feel like a live action cartoon in comparison. This is truly a show written for adults and serious fans of the genre.
Admittedly, I didn't pick up right away on the implication of "what if we don't find him?", but I love that it's cryptic and realistic and forces you to think about the dialogue. I'd rather miss something like that because the writers hope that we're smart enough to pick up on it than for them to assume that we're not and add dialogue that removes any mystery, interpretation and doubt.
I do share the criticism that the infiltration at the end looked far too easy, especially since you'd imagine that security would be heightened after the previous episode, and it took some of the impact away, but it was still a tense and engrossing sequence of scenes and my only criticism in an overall very good episode.
Admittedly, I didn't pick up right away on the implication of "what if we don't find him?", but I love that it's cryptic and realistic and forces you to think about the dialogue. I'd rather miss something like that because the writers hope that we're smart enough to pick up on it than for them to assume that we're not and add dialogue that removes any mystery, interpretation and doubt.
I do share the criticism that the infiltration at the end looked far too easy, especially since you'd imagine that security would be heightened after the previous episode, and it took some of the impact away, but it was still a tense and engrossing sequence of scenes and my only criticism in an overall very good episode.
Fripp
Registered User
This is one of those where, if I don't let all the episodes build up and start with maybe a week or two till the finale, I'll get frustrated I can't binge it. See you in about 5-6 weeks.
To be fair, Viserys never planned on Aegon taking the throne so it's not really the same thing, he had Rheanyra in the small council room even if it was just serving drinks at first she was still learning.
