The latest House of the Dragon episode featured many bold moves.
Episode: “Smallfolk”
Runtime: 68 minutes
Original Air Date: July 21, 2024
Written by: Eileen Shim
Directed by: Andrij Parekh
Plot (via HBO)
With few options left, Rhaenyra summons a trusted knight for a risky venture and plots with Mysaria to catalyze the smallfolk. Meanwhile, Daemon’s unease grows, and Aemond takes steps to reshape the Green Council.
Best Moment: The smallfolk riot
After Elinda Massey was previously sent into King’s Landing, her people fanned the flames of discord toward the Crown—with the example of Ulf (who, keep in mind, claims he is a Targaryen) listening to the tale of a feast in the Red Keep. Overall, the smallfolk are fully realizing that things were much better during the period of peace under King Viserys. Rhaenyra Targaryen wisely followed Mysaria’s lead and had boats with her red-on-black sigil sail onto the shore of the capital. The frantic response by the citizens showed how desperate people can get when they’re hungry, with Hugh—seemingly a good, standup guy—punching someone in the face and taking the food they got from the boats.
Meanwhile, the people had enough with the Hightower side, converging on Queen Alicent and Queen Helaena Targaryen while they were praying in the Great Sept of Baelor. This created an intense scene in which the mother and daughter barely got away from their rioting citizens. They may be winning on the battlefield to this point, but the Greens have lost control at home.
Best Quote
“You are not the player, but a piece on the board.” – Alys Rivers to Prince Daemon Targaryen
Notable Character Deaths
-Ser Steffon Darklyn
-Dragonkeeper
-Grover Tully
MVP: Mysaria
Just about everything had been going wrong from Rhaenyra since the start of the war, so it was huge for Mysaria to be able to deliver a win by riling up the people of King’s Landing against the Greens. “The White Worm” has become somewhat of an informal Hand to Rhaenyra, so she’s come quite a long way from her very tough beginnings that she shared with her queen. The two have become dangerously close—with that danger potentially only heightened by Mysaria’s past relationship with Daemon.
Everything Else:
-The episode starting with the theme for House Lannister and focusing on the Jason Lannister-led army was cool and another moment that draws a direct line to Game of Thrones.
-There were pretty strong hints throughout the season, but Alyn and Addam of Hull spoke more plainly about being the sons of Corlys Velaryon, which is massive considering The Sea Snake has lost all of his closest immediate family one way or another. At the end of “Smallfolk”, Addam claimed Seasmoke in a move the dragon clearly wanted to happen—so Addam has an easy episode MVP case as well. A flummoxed Rhaenyra went riding out with Syrax to check the situation out, and it’ll be interesting to see how everyone handles this situation.
-It was a bold move for Rhaenyra to suggest Steffon Darklyn attempt to claim a dragon, and it did not go well. Interestingly, Seasmoke faked like he would allow Ser Steffon to claim him before rising and setting him ablaze. Letting her frustration go following constant second-guessing from her Small Council, Rhaenyra slapped Bartimos Celtigar—and it’s hard to blame her. As she said later, he’s lucky she didn’t have his tongue.
-The side-quest-like season continues for Daemon Targaryen, who remains in a trance at Harrenhal. Paddy Considine was back to play Daemon’s brother King Viserys, the subject of the Targaryen prince’s latest visions. Daemon finally had enough and was set to leave the castle before Alys Rivers told him to wait and things will become more favorable. Sure enough, Ser Simon Strong later gave Daemon the news of Grover Tully’s passing (he was seemingly poisoned by Alys), which Daemon believes will make the Tullys easier to control. It was surprising to see Daemon then begin crying, but it’s been an uncomfortable stretch for him. Also, Alys delivered one of the lines of the season by telling Daemon, “You are not the player, but a piece on the board.”
-Say what you will about Aemond Targaryen, but he’s in total control and is ruling as he sees fit. That includes ordering his mother Alicent off the Small Council, simply believing she is not contributing much to it. Aemond sounds borderline obsessed with taking on his uncle Daemon, yet he became outraged at the idea that Jason Lannister called for him to join them with Vhagar before the Lannister army (which, it was cool to see, has a lion) marches on.
-Larys Strong attempted to pull a fast one and get Aemond to make him his Hand, but Aemond immediately shut that down and told him to send word to his grandsire Otto Hightower to come be his Hand. It’s a wise move by Aemond given Otto’s political ability.
-He said otherwise but based on his scared reaction to Aemond entering the room King Aegon does remember how he was put in his horrible condition. After striking out with Aemond, Larys told the story of his background and being discounted throughout his life—likely in part to genuinely encourage Aegon and partly to solidify his standing with someone that could still end up on the Iron Throne. But Aemond is not going to give up his regency easily.
-Alicent has not received any word from her father at High Garden or Oldtown, and neither has her brother Gwayne. We learned from Gwayne that Alicent’s fourth child Daeron Targaryen, who was sent to ward at Oldtown years ago, is a good and kind kid. Considering the state of her other two sons, Alicent was very heartened to hear that; and, in short, it sounds like Daeron would be a just ruler. Because we haven’t seen or heard anything from Otto since he was unceremoniously dismissed by King Aegon, it’s hard not to imagine he and the 16-year-old Daeron will play a big role soon if Otto is in fact OK.
-While taking a walk with little Joffrey Velaryon, Rhaena Targaryen came across what was unmistakably the scene of where a dragon has been setting fire to its food. Rhaena questioned Jeyne Arryn—who brought news that Rhaenyra’s two youngest sons Aegon and Viserys Targaryen can make the trip to Pentos—about why she was misled about the presence of a dragon at the Vale, and Jeyne revealed that they do have a dragon around—but that it’s wild. Rhaena almost certainly had it cross her mind that perhaps she could potentially claim this dragon.
-Rhaenyra’s sons playing with dragon toys while live baby dragons were walking around was cute but also gives a look at how dragons and children can grow up together without the need for a sudden dangerous claiming attempt of a dragon.