Episode 6 of House of the Dragon picked up with a ten-year time jump that gave the feel of another pilot episode for the second half of Season 1.
Episode: “The Princess and the Queen”
Runtime: 67 minutes
Original Air Date: September 25, 2022
Written by: Sara Hess
Directed by: Miguel Sapochnik
Plot (via HBO)
Ten years later. Rhaenyra navigates Alicent’s continued speculation about her children, while Daemon and Laena weigh an offer in Pentos.
Best Moment: Courtyard scene
The ending of the episode has a case for best moment of “The Princess and the Queen”, but the tense courtyard scene—with Ser Criston Cole training the grandsons of King Viserys, who was watching from above—did a great job of showing where things stood for Cole ten years after the banquet outburst. After having his heart broken, Cole has become incredibly cold, at least toward Rhaenyra Targaryen’s children—then he baits Ser Harwin “Breakbones” Strong into an outburst of his own that makes it difficult for people to deny rumors that he’s the father of Rhaenyra’s children. This also put in motion the rest of the episode and the deaths of Lyonel and Harwin Strong at Harrenhal.
Best Quote
“Truth has many flavors.” – Larys Strong
Notable Character Deaths
-Laena Velaryon
-Lyonel Strong
-Ser Harwin “Breakbones” Strong
MVP: Rhaenyra Targaryen
The episode begins with Rhaenyra in childbirth, and Queen Alicent immediately called to see the new baby—named Joffrey by Laenor Velaryon—a call that is answered by Rhaenyra showing her strength by personally bringing the baby to the Queen. Alicent makes it known that she is aware of the parentage of Rhaenyra’s children, which is a dangerous situation for the princess, Harwin Strong, and the realm. Despite Alicent basically wanting to destroy or at least cut Rhaenyra off, the Targaryen princess proposed a marriage between her son Jacaerys and Alicent’s daughter Helaena. Finally, sensing the brewing storm, Rhaenyra decides to leave King’s Landing and take her family to Dragonstone. At this point, Rhaenyra clearly looks to be on the “good” side, and she’s the MVP of the episode by showing that she was strong yet open to compromise while Alicent seems only interested in winning the power struggle.
Everything Else:
-It was obvious that Larys Strong was a schemer in the mold of those we saw in Game of Thrones, but he really emerged as a definite villain in “The Princess and the Queen”. Larys decided to hire trash from King’s Landing to pull off an assassination, and he had the tongues cut out of the men, presumably so that they cannot speak of the deed—though he also appeared to take pleasure in watching it happen. Someone that would have his own father and brother assassinated to help his own future standing can do just about anything. Larys appears ruthless and power hungry.
-The events in Pentos with Daemon Targaryen and his wife Laena Velaryon and two children (it appears he can have children, after all) gave insight on what the rogue prince has been doing over the years, seemingly giving up politics yet reading about the exploits of legendary Targaryens of the past. Unfortunately, Laena fell victim to childbirth, which was very dangerous in this period—but she went out like a warrior, with a Dracarys call to Vhagar, the biggest known living dragon. It remains difficult to get into Daemon’s head, but he’s now freed up to some extent—he’s perhaps also headed to Dragonstone, and a potential pairing with Rhaenyra, who lost Harwin and still has a mutual understanding of free reign with her husband, feels like a possibility.
-As for Daemon’s two daughters Baela and Rhaena, they do not appear to have a natural connection with their father—nor do they have a natural connection to their homeland after being raised away from home. Rhaena’s dragon egg has not hatched, which apparently causes her not to be as close to Daemon, so her lack of a dragon is something to watch—maybe Vhagar will become hers.
-The insight to the training of dragons and the dragon pit was interesting, as is the fact that Aemond also currently does not have a dragon—and was teased about it by Aegon, Jacaerys, and Lucerys.
-Aegon (the son of Viserys and Alicent) appears to be becoming a skilled fighter, but he seems a bit aloof and cruel—we’ll see if he can grow out of that and live up to his namesake.
-The princess and the Queen are obviously not friends anymore after being so close growing up. Otto Hightower being let go as Hand of the King along with Rhaenyra’s behavior that was looked down on by Alicent seemingly led to the cold relationship, with the turning point from the previous episode when Alicent entered the wedding banquet wearing a green dress and calling her former best friend “stepdaughter”, making it clear where she stands.
-I thought the black-haired children of Rhaenyra would be from a continued relationship with Criston Cole. I’m looking forward to the conversation if and when Criston and Rhaenyra ever discuss the past in future episodes. And we’ll see how Rhaenyra and her sons handle the sudden death of Harwin.
-It’s notable that people didn’t want to actually speak it plainly that Rhaenyra’s sons are bastard sons of Harwin—and that helps Viserys willfully ignore it. And Lyonel Strong would not speak the truth and was kept on as Hand, while Otto Hightower previously did try to tell the King the hard truth and was let go as Hand.