I spend a number of time in these opinions begging for extra motion on this immensely talky present, however it’s not even essential to point out a full battle to present some impression of excessive stakes, momentum, and consequence to all this infinite plotting. Episode 3 of Season 2, thank goodness, realizes that. On an idyllic day within the nation, by a wood mill on a gently meandering river, we reduce from two posturing teams of teenage boys to the aftermath of a devastating battle. Hundreds lie lifeless, the mill is smouldering, and the stream is polluted with corpses and soot. There are our bodies so far as the attention can see.
This is the Battle of the Burning Mill, between the “Green” aligned Brackens and “Black” aligned Blackwoods. It’s a giant opening salvo within the Targaryen civil battle (a.ok.a. Dance of the Dragons), and but with none of our principals concerned it is smart to skip the element and simply remind us that these debates in council chambers we’ve been watching usually are not tutorial. It’s additionally value noting that this season’s new embroidered credit have been up to date, in order that the tapestry now reveals the funeral of younger Prince Jaeherys and the execution of the ratcatchers that adopted it. Why does it come this episode and never “Rhaenyra the Cruel”? No thought, however it’s one thing to look at for every week now.
Our important plot begins on Dragonstone, as Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), Jacaerys (Harry Collett), and Rhaenys (Eve Best) meet on the grave of the Cargyll twins. Rhaenys counsels Rhaenyra to sue Alicent for peace and gives clear-eyed evaluation of the comforting lies that either side inform themselves. Rhaenys has actually been given rather more to do that season, and he or she’s killing it. We additionally be taught that Mysaria did certainly attempt to warn Rhaenyra concerning the hazard of Ser Arryk’s (Luke Tittensor) assault final week, and Rhaenyra now rewards her with a spot in her court docket. Mysaria additionally has an odd fascination with the circling, crying dragon Seasmoke, and means that he’s lonely. Once once more, the present hasn’t actually made it clear if the dragons are principally beasts or clever beings; no-one within the House of the Dragon appears taken with discussing their relationships with their steeds/weapons of mass destruction.
Rhaenyra sends her youthful kids away: Joffrey Velaryon and his younger dragon to Lady Jeyne within the Vale, and the twins Aegon and Viserys to Pentos with Lady Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell). Rhaenyra sends Rhaena off with 4 dragon eggs that look pink, gold, blue, and black (or perhaps dragon inexperienced). Given that they’re going to Pentos, it’s important to surprise in the event that they’ll sooner or later be inherited by Daenerys, however these would look like the mistaken combine of colours.
Rhaenyra’s council need to ship her away too, urgent her endlessly for motion, motion. (I sympathize.) But with the worst of her grief over and Rhaenys counselling her extra carefully, it’s not easy inaction now: She’s actively in search of a manner by. That’s why she brings in Mysaria and asks the right way to meet with Alicent in secret.
It seems Daemon (Matt Smith) has flown Caraxes to the traditional, cursed fortress of Harrenhal, typically thought of key to the upcoming battle. He’s welcomed by its castellan, Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale) however the place is deeply haunted – and virtually too darkish to parse, within the Game of Thrones custom. Soon he’s having visions of the younger Rhaenyra (a welcome return for Milly Alcock, who was nice within the position) holding Jaehaerys’ tiny corpse. Is it the product of his personal responsible conscience, or the work of the mysterious and witchy-looking Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin)? She tells him “You’ll die on this place,” which isn’t the coziest opening line. It’s additionally attention-grabbing that Daemon insists on being addressed as “your grace,” like a king, and never “my prince,” just like the prince-consort he’s. He’s nonetheless not at peace with being dominated by Rhaenyra.
In King’s Landing, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) is pressured to tolerate King Aegon’s (Tom Glynn-Carney) appointing his toadies to the Kingsguard and defends himself over the lack of Ser Arryk. He insists that their troops should safe Harrenhal, that Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) shield the capital and that Aegon keep residence. Aemond primarily baits his brother to battle by agreeing that it’s a nasty thought for him to go; the youthful brother’s envy of the King is later fuelled to incandescence by a humiliating brothel encounter.
Cole rides out with a brand new Mark Antony haircut and Alicent’s newly arrived brother, Ser Gwayne (Freddie Fox), immediately hostile to the person who took his father’s job. In his absence, Aegon appoints Larys (Matthew Neehdam) as Master of Whispers, a job ultimate for his stage of creepiness. (Note that Larys can be lurking in that brothel.) The King goes consuming in a seedy bar the place we see the anonymous newcomer launched in Episode 2, now addressed as Ulf (Tom Bennett). It seems he’s a celebration man who claims Targaryen blood – however he shuts up about his claims quick-smart when the King arrives. Again, good to see some non-nobility on this present sometimes, and a reminder that you simply don’t want a fort to have a stake on the earth.
Cole and Gwayne are briefly chased by Baela on her dragon, Moondancer, and he or she stories to Rhaenyra that they’re headed for Rosby, her ally’s seat. Lord Staunton goes to fortify it, however Rhaneyra is targeted on a distinct mission. She sneaks into King’s Landing along with her Queensguard Ser Steffon Darklyn (Anthony Flanagan) to go to the Great Sept of Baelor and converse secretly to Alicent. She needs peace, however Alicent is adamant that she should bend the knee, that she can not resist the Greens, and that this was Viserys’ will, modified in his ultimate moments (which she truthfully appears to consider). On questioning her, Rhaenyra realizes (accurately) that what Alicent heard was Viserys’ cherished prophecy, the Song of Ice and Fire that led the primary Aegon Targaryen to beat Westeros. The undeniable fact that Alicent doesn’t know that convinces Rhaenyra that Viserys by no means modified his thoughts and that she’s the rightful inheritor. She shakes Alicent’s personal rigorously cultivated conviction that Viserys meant her son Aegon, however Alicent doubles down anyway. She leaves and Rhaenyra lifts her chin, decided eventually. It is on. Enough fretting about overreaction and peace overtures. Time for battle.
There are a couple of laughs this episode (Daemon’s “It’s a giant chair, manufactured from swords” is properly timed, and Rhaenyra’s “Oh, I’ve begun badly” makes even Alicent smile) and a shocking quantity of full-frontal male nudity, however this can be a lethal critical endeavor for essentially the most half – emphasis on the “lethal” provided that opening. Rhaenyra has lastly given up hope of averting this battle, and Alicent is all in. The result’s a genuinely thrilling installment of Season 2, one which lastly makes clear the lethal stakes of this household feud.
