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House of the Dragon (Game of Thrones prequel)

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theLibrarian Since: Jul, 2009
#401: May 15th 2024 at 10:21:44 AM

Not sure. We clearly see Rook’s Rest happening. But who knows what else will be covered.

BigBadShadow25 With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg. from Basement at the Alamo (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: Desperate
With my last breath, I curse Zoidberg.
#402: Jun 13th 2024 at 9:27:02 AM
HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#403: Jun 16th 2024 at 8:13:17 PM

Previously on House of the Dragon: Someone done fucked up.

Today: Bitches are gonna have to pay what they owe.

Edit: Episode 1 is done.

Somebody just paid that first bill, but there will be many more to come.

Ah Game of Thrones. Supporting brutal child murder since 2012.

Edited by HandsomeRob on Jun 16th 2024 at 9:10:35 AM

One Strip! One Strip!
blkwhtrbbt The Dragon of the Eastern Sea from Doesn't take orders from Vladimir Putin Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
The Dragon of the Eastern Sea
#404: Jun 17th 2024 at 8:46:43 AM

What an anticlimactic end. What a dull closing line. What an incredible survival instinct Helaena has! She knew she couldn't save her boy, so she immediately rescues her girl and flees

So like, do we just not get maelor or what

Edited by blkwhtrbbt on Jun 17th 2024 at 10:47:41 AM

Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you
king15 Have Faun Since: Mar, 2024
Have Faun
#406: Jun 17th 2024 at 12:08:38 PM

The new episode was fantastic! I had been spoilt about Blood and Cheese, but it was still exhilarating to watch. Glad Heleana survived, and was genuinely on the edge of my seat as she escaped with her daughter. I also loved how she accidently created a self-fulfilling prophecy. She clearly saw Blood and Cheese, one of whom is a ratcatcher, in the future (via dream), and was therefore scared of 'rats'. She then said so to Aegon, leading to him hiring rat catchers, allowing Blood and Cheese to enter the palace for their murder. Phia Saban gave an incredible performance.

I love how, for all his faults, Aegon is genuinely trying to be a good king. When I saw the supplicants, I expected a Joffrey moment, but instead he heard them out and (granted somewhat naively) tried to help them. It fits well with his development the last time we saw him: he only started liking the idea of being king when he saw how much the smallfolk 'loved' him. While there is likely some narcissism in his attempts to gain support from the common people, I also think part of it is out of a genuine desire to seem like a good king (likely to impress his mother who had disowned him only a few days/weeks ago). Tom Glynn-Carney gives a great, nuanced performance.

Emma D'Arcy had few lines, but killed it as always as Rhaenyra. Olivia Cooke was also great as Alicent (I was a bit worried from the trailers which made it sound like she'd abandoned the RP accent, but its clear she has kept it, which is good).

I loved seeing the infighting and intrigue amongst the Greens, with Larys slowly ingratiating with Aegon and clearly hungering for the role of Hand, and also subtly taking over the Keep by replacing many of Alicent's servants (something, I think the bath scene implies, Alicent is slowly starting to realise). I also love the relationship between Otto and Alicent, how it's on a lot more equal footing now and how they both undermine each other but also want to work together. The Green Council was one of my favourite episodes because of this intrigue amongst the Greens, and am glad to see more of it.

Alyn of Hull seems cool (Abubakar Salim is really taking off, between this and the game he made), though it does feel a bit strange hearing a character whose name sounds like 'Alan from Kingston upon Hull' in a fantasy work.

Ramin Djawadi's score was great as ever, loved hearing some of the great leitmotifs from the previous season return.

I had mixed feelings about the previous intro, but love the new one.

My only criticism so far is Alicent and Cole starting a relationship. I don't think its inherently wrong, I just hope they explore it soon to show why these characters would go against their morals to this degree (presumably grief). I knew they liked each other, but actively fucking is surprising. Still, I can imagine it being explained later on, so don't mind it at this point. I did love how Alicent, despite being caught in a compromising (in more ways than one) position, immediately checked to see if Helaena was ok.

Edit: It seems the portrayal of Blood and Cheese is very divisive amongst fans. I haven't read the book, but from the sounds of it there were aspects of it that seemed more interesting (such as a more sadistic choice), plus adding to Alicent's development by involving her more. However, at least conceptually (as I said, I haven't read Fire and Blood), I think I prefer the show version. Part of it might be down to the fact I really like Heleana, while apparently a lot of other fans don't really care about her, so I wanted to see her survive. I just adored the silent but tense scene at the end where she escapes with her daughter. I also see people complaining about how she didn't even try to save her son, which seems to me an intelligent decision as it allowed her to save at least one of her children. I also think that, if used correctly, this could actually remove some of the issues I had with Alicent and Cole getting together, by framing it as both of them entering a mutually healthy relationship after everything they've been through, but then the cost being the life of her grandson.

Edited by king15 on Jun 17th 2024 at 1:01:52 PM

Angelspawndragon King of the Seven Rhinos from That haunted house in your neighborhood Since: Nov, 2018 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
King of the Seven Rhinos
#407: Jun 17th 2024 at 9:37:15 PM

I low-key really like the look of "Shit, the kid's got a point," that Otto Hightower had when Aegon reminds him that if they plan on winning the war, they're going to need to give the smallfolk (especially the ones making their expensive ass non-dragon war machines) something in the way of compensation. For a brief moment, I saw the parts of Viserys that were a legitimately good king in him.

Even if it wasn't completely born out of a same sense of altruism or sense of honor, but rather mostly pragmatism.

Edited by Angelspawndragon on Jun 17th 2024 at 9:40:02 AM

Chain an angry nature god at your own peril.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#408: Jun 17th 2024 at 9:45:25 PM

In my Wraith Knight books, I had a very interesting character point out that being "good" was generally practical as honoring oaths, customs, and so on led to less revolt and higher morale. He then hilariously added, "So when you do something utterly terrible, hide it well."

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Angelspawndragon King of the Seven Rhinos from That haunted house in your neighborhood Since: Nov, 2018 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
King of the Seven Rhinos
#409: Jun 18th 2024 at 8:51:50 AM

It also never really occurred to me until now just how alike Aemond and Daemon really are.

It makes it all the more fitting that they’ll die at each other’s hands later on.

Chain an angry nature god at your own peril.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#410: Jun 18th 2024 at 11:36:28 AM

The changes to the succession and children involved also throws things for a loop as the male line of the High Towers would continue to Aemond now, which inherit after the female line in Westeros now. Which reminds me of King Stephen's claim to the throne in the Anarchy was notably through the female line.

You could still cite the bastardry issue for disclaiming Rhaenyra's line but its now a lot murkier.

Edited by CharlesPhipps on Jun 18th 2024 at 11:37:14 AM

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
king15 Have Faun Since: Mar, 2024
Have Faun
#411: Jun 18th 2024 at 11:40:01 AM

To be fair, I think they've implied Maelor will be born, just later. Still, things are murky for now (but not murky enough yet, since Aegon still has an heir via Aemond, and Aemond is about to be married).

[down]Oh, I thought males always took preference. Makes it a bit awkward if (though technically still in the laws of the realm) Jaehaera is the heir, since the whole point of this Civil War was to avoid a woman getting on the throne.

Edited by king15 on Jun 18th 2024 at 7:05:07 PM

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#412: Jun 18th 2024 at 12:01:57 PM

Daughters inherit before uncles in Westeros, I believe.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#413: Jun 19th 2024 at 11:35:30 PM

I'm glad they're filming A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS but I really hope they pay more attention to the subtleties of the story and let it breathe than rush through everything like they did on House of the Dragon.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#414: Jun 20th 2024 at 8:37:28 AM

My opinion on House of the Dragon is that it is better than some of Game of Thrones and worse than the best of Game of Thrones. The biggest problem with the show is the absolute rush to stop and do nothing. The actual War of the Dragons is the least interesting part of the Dance and HBO blazed through season one to get to it when that was never the point. Two seasons of season one or at least a couple of more episodes would have been fantastic. Instead, they feel like they give us the cliff notes version of what Game of Thrones knew to give small ad humanizing moments. It feels like HBO lost faith in Game of Thrones after Season 8 and HOTD was given a lot of money but not a lot of slack.

As such, we'll never care about Rhaenyra's children as much as the Starks or hate the Hightowers as much as the Lannisters.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
king15 Have Faun Since: Mar, 2024
Have Faun
#415: Jun 20th 2024 at 9:11:06 AM

I disagree with this criticism as I love the pacing of the first season, but given a main complaint of season 1 was that it was too slow, making the build up to the Dance any longer probably wouldn't have worked for most audiences.

I'm not familiar with Fire and Blood so can't comment on what was lost/changed, but for me, I felt the first season did a good job of introducing characters, making me feel invested in them, moving the plot along without moving too quickly and adding nuance to both sides of the conflict. Rheanyra, Alicent, Larys, Viserys, Daemon, Otto, Aegon and Almond easily meet the levels of the best GOT characters, for me at least.

Edit: I love autocorrect: All must fear Almond Targaryen!

Edited by king15 on Jun 20th 2024 at 4:15:22 PM

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Synchronicity (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#417: Jun 23rd 2024 at 8:36:01 PM

Props to the writers for finding new ways to make Criston unlikable every episode!

CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#418: Jun 23rd 2024 at 8:41:43 PM

I think that Cole sent him on a suicide mission and they both knew it. However, Arryk doesn't really have any option because it's a command from the Lord Commander and the other option is death via disgrace. So he goes and tries to do the plan as best he can, even though it is a fool's errand.

Honestly, I'm surprised that Daemon didn't point out that killing Aegon's son has done immense damage to the Green's position. He's now without an heir and while he has two brothers, their situation is immensely improved. I mean, that's psychopath logic but I assume Daemon is aware that this is a war of extermination just like Otto.

Otto kind of zig zagged throughout the episode and I believe that he finally showed that he's Alicent's father. Basically, he talks a good game about wiping out the Greens and being an evil mastermind but actually balks when the brutality of what he suggests is finally shown. Aegon is a monster and Otto only now seems to realize he's put an incompetent murderer on the throne who cannot be controlled. He also clearly doesn't believe Rhaenyra did order the murder of the baby (and probably would be surprised that Daemon did).

Helaena did a fantastic job showing that, no, public displays of mourning aren't fun.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
Angelspawndragon King of the Seven Rhinos from That haunted house in your neighborhood Since: Nov, 2018 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
King of the Seven Rhinos
#419: Jun 23rd 2024 at 9:47:19 PM

Honestly, I'm surprised that Daemon didn't point out that killing Aegon's son has done immense damage to the Green's position.

He probably assumed it wouldn't really help his position since Rhaenrya was arguing from a bit of a moral standpoint, and he possibly harbors a very small amount of guilt over it anyway, though obviously not enough to admit he screwed up.

I'm not so sure about Otto though. He is reticent about resorting to violence, but only as a first resort instead of a last resort, and it strikes me that he's more upset about having no say in what Cole ordered Erryk to do and the fact that he can't even try to manipulate it in a way that'll make the Greens look better in the eyes of the other Houses than the Blacks.

And as far as Aegon, I think Otto's more pissed that Aegon made the hangings public rather than doing it somewhere out of sight.

Edited by Angelspawndragon on Jun 23rd 2024 at 9:49:25 AM

Chain an angry nature god at your own peril.
CharlesPhipps Since: Jan, 2001
#420: Jun 23rd 2024 at 11:31:07 PM

I think Otto is appalled but it takes a secondary priority to the fact it's a public relations nightmare to winning over the Smallfolk.

Similarly, sending a member of the Kingsguard to murder Rhaenyra removes a lot of the moral high ground to the Green position that they'd had with other people. It's equivalent to sending a Holy Paladin to kill your kin.

It may not be as horrifying as the infant murder but it's horrifying enough.

Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.
theLibrarian Since: Jul, 2009
#421: Jun 24th 2024 at 4:38:54 AM

Eryk and Arryk are the two Kingsguard knights that killed each other, right?

Hawkeye86 Spirit of Battle from Classified (Searching for Spock) Relationship Status: You can be my wingman any time
Spirit of Battle
#422: Jun 24th 2024 at 5:24:52 AM

The twins, yes.

You and I remember Budapest very differently
HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#423: Jun 24th 2024 at 7:03:35 AM

To be honest, I wasn't sure which of them was still alive to kill himself after.

Like, it seems like it was the one loyal to Rhaenyra won the fight, but I could buy either brother saying nope, I'm done with all of this after being forced to kill the other.

I could even buy the assassin saying what he did to Rhaenyra after the fight before killing himself, since he really had zero desire to kill her.

Edit: Oh god. Aemond just made the dude who let his son die—since Cristen was having sex with Aemond's mom—his right hand man. That's a recipe for love and joy.

Edited by HandsomeRob on Jun 24th 2024 at 7:05:33 AM

One Strip! One Strip!
Synchronicity (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#424: Jun 24th 2024 at 9:07:45 AM

I liked the scene between Baela and Jace discussing their dads. Alicent's children feel like they're leaps and bounds ahead in depth of characterization compared to Rhaenyra's, who [shrug] seem like good kids with some daddy issues

Also, have they gone into the nature of dragon bonds yet? Is the show still doing "can only bond with one person at a time" because does Seasmoke lurking around Addam mean Laenor died offscreen?

Also also is the takeaway from the brothel scene supposed to be that "Aemond has insane mommy issues"?

Edited by Synchronicity on Jun 24th 2024 at 12:11:10 PM

blkwhtrbbt The Dragon of the Eastern Sea from Doesn't take orders from Vladimir Putin Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
The Dragon of the Eastern Sea
#425: Jun 24th 2024 at 10:22:49 AM

SEASMOKE 👀👀👀

This does a bit kill my theory that "Allyn" is just Laenor disguised as a Velaryon bastard

Also, yes absolutely. Alicent has many fine qualities and many questionable ones. One of her WORST qualities is that she is an absolute dogshit mother. Runs in the family I guess.

Edited by blkwhtrbbt on Jun 24th 2024 at 12:25:00 PM

Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for you

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