Ol Jock 99 said:

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While part of my was disappointed tonight, another part remembered the failing of the original serious when Dany broke bad without warning or explanation. Rhaenyra's descent will be better documented.

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Yep I will give them that for sure.

As annoying as it is to watch her make so many mistakes that will obviously cost her the throne, it's way better than Dany's heel turn in S8.

I'm really surprised by the lack of conversation. This season has been great, as has the show in general.

Thinking more on last night, Rhaenyra is in huge danger of cracking up. Grief, no money, pressure of being queen, no guards (wandering around the Keep at night alone is dicey at best), her current councilors are a, umm, madame, her slightly crazed warlord husband who could turn on her, and an old warlord sailor who she really ticked off for no good reason. She has no Otto, no Tywin. And there are effing rats everywhere!

I was a huge fan of the first book series, the first TV series, and read Fire and Blood happily; and was excited for the first season. I found the second season so dull and misguided that by the time the third season began ,I I couldn't remember if I had actually watched the second season, and was only reminded that I did watch when it when the recap made me visit Matt Smith's endless summer vacation to Harrenhahl.

Right now I'm simultaneously watching the original series with one of my kids, and finally watching AKOTSK which I missed last year, and House of the Dragon is a distant third.

My biggest complaint is that I'm not really rooting for any of the characters. Everyone is very dour and very bleak among the Targs. The newer dragon riders are fun, but they get very little screentime. I get that it's a massive-scale Greek tragedy playing out, but only Rhaenyra seems a worthwhile person, although the gleam in her eyes at the end of the last episode speaks to that being a short-lived thing.

Loved this episode. The POV of Rhaenyra taking over and immediately seeing how overwhelmed she was. I kept asking myself when she was going to break. Emma D'Arcy was outstanding!

#1 said:

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Loved this episode. The POV of Rhaenyra taking over and immediately seeing how overwhelmed she was. I kept asking myself when she was going to break. Emma D'Arcy was outstanding!

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I also thought the final scene with her and Corlys was just outstanding. Him calling out her hypocrisy was so great and really went to reinforce how tenuous her reign already is. Who does her reign serve? Family, allies, the nobility, the church, the people? Alicent explaining the difficulties of ruling was also great. The cracks are forming before they can even get the old banners burned.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown indeed.

The biggest thing to me is her struggle on her memory of her dad and trying to do things she thinks he would appreciate.

It mirrors so many in real life. First by making their memories of their parents more positive than reality and then living their life to appease them instead of doing what is probably best for them and their family.

Max Power said:

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#1 said:

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Loved this episode. The POV of Rhaenyra taking over and immediately seeing how overwhelmed she was. I kept asking myself when she was going to break. Emma D'Arcy was outstanding!

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I also thought the final scene with her and Corlys was just outstanding. Him calling out her hypocrisy was so great and really went to reinforce how tenuous her reign already is. Who does her reign serve? Family, allies, the nobility, the church, the people? Alicent explaining the difficulties of ruling was also great. The cracks are forming before they can even get the old banners burned.

Heavy is the head that wears the crown indeed

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Corlys won the episode with his truth dealing at the end. He would be an ideal hand if she wasn't blind to the issues of his sons. He has military might, has dealt with lots of different houses, and owes his position entirely to her.

She's sort of like a nicer version of Robert Baratheon - so obsessed with winning the throne that once she has it, she has no idea what to do next. Unfortunately she doesn't have a Jon Arryn and a Ned Stark laying around to keep it secure for her.

Quote:

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He would be an ideal hand

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Disagree, and we saw why earlier in the episode. She legit needed advice and all he had to offer was "I defer to the queen". He's an old warlord, not a master bureaucrat and politician.

She DEFINITELY didn't need to alienate him though. He's a worthy and powerful ally, a good small council member. But she needs a real hand.

Ol Jock 99 said:

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Quote:

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He would be an ideal hand

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Disagree, and we saw why earlier in the episode. She legit needed advice and all he had to offer was "I defer to the queen". He's an old warlord, not a master bureaucrat and politician.

She DEFINITELY didn't need to alienate him though. He's a worthy and powerful ally, a good small council member. But she needs a real hand.

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She doesn't have anyone that's a decent advisor. Otto, self serving as he was, was an efficient administrator. The Strong guy, Harwin's dad, he was a good hand to Viserys as well. Viserys was blessed with competent counsel.

Rhaenyra has Daemon, who seems to be fully loyal now but has one solution to everything (kill it), Corlys, who isn't that great of an advisor, seems to be more of a stabilising force than anything (Rhaenys was clearly the brains) and those two schmucks on Dragonstone that weren't here this episode.

Mega Lops said:

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The Mysaria actress is so bad.

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Did you like her better when she was a robot in Ex Machina?

canadiaggie said:

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Ol Jock 99 said:

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Quote:

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He would be an ideal hand

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Disagree, and we saw why earlier in the episode. She legit needed advice and all he had to offer was "I defer to the queen". He's an old warlord, not a master bureaucrat and politician.

She DEFINITELY didn't need to alienate him though. He's a worthy and powerful ally, a good small council member. But she needs a real hand.

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She doesn't have anyone that's a decent advisor. Otto, self serving as he was, was an efficient administrator. The Strong guy, Harwin's dad, he was a good hand to Viserys as well. Viserys was blessed with competent counsel.

Rhaenyra has Daemon, who seems to be fully loyal now but has one solution to everything (kill it), Corlys, who isn't that great of an advisor, seems to be more of a stabilising force than anything (Rhaenys was clearly the brains) and those two schmucks on Dragonstone that weren't here this episode.

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I asked my wife what would Tyrion do as the hand during this time.

That dragon, Sheepstealer, looks like the dork fish by Bill Engvall


Bill Engvall - Dork Fish

#1 said:

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canadiaggie said:

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Ol Jock 99 said:

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Quote:

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He would be an ideal hand

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Disagree, and we saw why earlier in the episode. She legit needed advice and all he had to offer was "I defer to the queen". He's an old warlord, not a master bureaucrat and politician.

She DEFINITELY didn't need to alienate him though. He's a worthy and powerful ally, a good small council member. But she needs a real hand.

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She doesn't have anyone that's a decent advisor. Otto, self serving as he was, was an efficient administrator. The Strong guy, Harwin's dad, he was a good hand to Viserys as well. Viserys was blessed with competent counsel.

Rhaenyra has Daemon, who seems to be fully loyal now but has one solution to everything (kill it), Corlys, who isn't that great of an advisor, seems to be more of a stabilising force than anything (Rhaenys was clearly the brains) and those two schmucks on Dragonstone that weren't here this episode.

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I asked my wife what would Tyrion do as the hand during this time.

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Get her to fly north of the wall and catch a zombie to show everyone down south the true concern of corse.

I think a plague is coming with all the rat references.

Regarding Ep 1 (sorry, I just caught up and am late), I was happy to watch the nautical battle. Made me regret that there weren't more Master and Commander movies. Sad that so many here didn't like it.

That third episode bored me to tears.

Watching her slowly start to spin out of control was a smidge entertaining, but other than that, Alicent seeing the boy and revealing that it wasn't her son, was really the only entertainment.

Stive said:

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That third episode bored me to tears.

Watching her slowly start to spin out of control was a smidge entertaining, but other than that, Alicent seeing the boy and revealing that it wasn't her son, was really the only entertainment.

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Interesting. For me it felt like a top tier old Thrones episode

Yeah not sure how that can bore anyone who enjoyed the first few seasons of GoT.

Plus the season needed to slow down after the first two episodes.

Yeah I was telling my wife he's got one helluva underbite.

Cletus the slack jawed dragon

Loved the episode and man - that's three bangers right out of the gate - hope they can keep it up!

Only question was why leave the dragon behind? Maybe a book reader has some insight - but if I'm taking the dragon rider kid, then I'm damn sure taking the dragon. I'm sure the dragon would go with his rider right? I'm not as versed in lore as most though, so I could be wrong.....

Phrasing said:

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Loved the episode and man - that's three bangers right out of the gate - hope they can keep it up!

Only question was why leave the dragon behind? Maybe a book reader has some insight - but if I'm taking the dragon rider kid, then I'm damn sure taking the dragon. I'm sure the dragon would go with this rider right? I'm not as versed in lore as most though, so I could be wrong.....

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I found that really confusing as well, especially with Daemon probably knowing more about dragons than anyone alive, he would surely have some plan for transporting the dragon, unless he just assumed it would follow wherever the kid went?

I really thought the fake prince was a girl pretending to be a boy the whole time. I was hoping for someone to shoutout Tywin Lannister at Harrenhahl when he sees Arya and says, "This one's a girl, you idiot."

Phrasing said:

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Loved the episode and man - that's three bangers right out of the gate - hope they can keep it up!

Only question was why leave the dragon behind? Maybe a book reader has some insight - but if I'm taking the dragon rider kid, then I'm damn sure taking the dragon. I'm sure the dragon would go with his rider right? I'm not as versed in lore as most though, so I could be wrong.....

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My only guess is that Daemon figured the dragon was no harm without the rider (doesn't seem that large?).

Team Green has Vhagar and this dragon and nothing else, though Rhaenyra seems to think Sheepstealer is on Aegon's side.

Team Black has Caraxes, Vermithor and Silverwing - all three massive - and two medium size dragons in Syrax and Seasmoke and then Baela's smaller dragon, plus whatever baby dragons might still exist (I don't remember if the surviving Strong son has a dragon)

Anyone have a good 20-30 minute YouTube episode by episode recap? I love Alt Shift X but his is over 3 hours and ain't nobody got time for that……

good episode

Phrasing said:

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Anyone have a good 20-30 minute YouTube episode by episode recap? I love Alt Shift X but his is over 3 hours and ain't nobody got time for that……

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I like Screencrush. Just got to FF thru their add in the middle of their recap.

Heavy Spoilers is better than screen crush imo

Daeron is gonna be a pretty compelling character to watch with Ormund's manipulative tactics

A tad slow but good groundwork laying episode for the second half of the season

Wow it was quite a strange feeling to almost root for Aegon. The guy can act.

Halaena is pregnant? So this is some sort of Westerosi version of "Precious."

The writers botched the entire black Velaryon thing so badly, I couldn't recall who Sheepstealer's rider was in relation to the family for a sec.

That was still a pretty solid episode.

Ormund's weakness is odors. I can't help but think that will come into play soon.

I've been trying to guess who will wind up on the throne by the time it's all said and done.

My thinking was it had to be one of the white haired kids, since the white hair continues for many generations. I figured it would be either of the two young kids Rhaenyra sent East last season. (Aegon or Viserys)

Now I'm thinking it's gonna be the baby Haelena is currently pregnant with. Don't see the point of introducing yet another heir this late into the game otherwise.

And judging by this last episode, we're gonna be getting a Theon-style redemption arc for Aegon, where we welcome him getting the throne back if/when he eventually does.

For the Zelda fans, the actor playing Daeron was cast as Link in the Legend of Zelda.

I know they leave it up to question whether Sunfyre is still alive or not but if it is, how would it live without eating or drinking anything? It seems like quite a bit of time has passed and it hasn't moved and they have made a big deal on GoT and HotD about how much food it takes to keep a dragon fed.