House of the Dragon
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The books that make upA Song of Ice and Fireare famously long-winded.
So its no surprise that so many of the seriess established problems wrap up rapid fire.
King Viserys needed a new wife and bam, within a few conversations he proposed to Alicent Hightower.
The difficulty in choosing between appointing Rhaenyra or Daemon as heir?
Solved after one (extremely) offensive dead-baby joke.
Resolutions that might take seasons to play out inGame of Thrones(Cerseis second marriage to Loras, anyone?
Aryas three-season walk to find her family?
), are wrapped up here in 30 minutes.
At least three whole years pass by, rather unremarkably, between episodestwoand three ofHouse of the Dragon.
The existence of a male heir has reignited the same ol succession woes we went through in thefirst episode.
Envy, envy, everywhere.
What kind of (young) woman is Rhaenyra?
When Alicents delicate condition is raised in the carriage reasonably so!
Why is this woman bouncing around the rocky roads of Westeros at 4 centimeters dilated?
Rhaenyra practically faints with worry, most likely reliving the trauma of her mothers birthbed death.
Meanwhile, theres a sense that Viserys is slowly limping towards death.
These arent a people living in fearful awe of an Old Testament king.
Theyve had it (relatively, for a medieval peasant) good and winter isnt coming.
We are perhaps meant to ask ourselves: Did the Council choose the wrong monarch a decade ago?
Doubt is inherent in royal succession, doubly so when a king doesnt have the benefit of divine appointment.
Last episode Viserys got to yelp She is 12!
Can we blame Rhaenyra for avoiding marriage?
Can we blame the showrunners and writers for sending us through a giant revolving door around the same issues?
Well yes, we can.
People introduce themselves like theyre holding their resumes just off-camera.
The opening minute of this episode has just the right salty taste.
The last ten minutes, back on the Stepstones, return to that pitch.
Its been several years, dammit!
Its a trick, duh, but a beautiful one, and a testament to Daemons bravery and foolishness.
Doesnt a king have someone to do that for him?
Ser Cristan Cole gains a bit of backstory this episode.
He is, however, extremely ready to step in as a love interest.
Until Diana, that is.
