House of the Dragon: Driftmark-Recap

credit: House of the Dragon

It’s already been established that the Targaryen line is composed of fire and madness, among other things, but this episode kind of made it even clearer how the earlier days of their reign in Westeros gave so much truth to the legend. One would think that a funeral would be a great time for family to come together and mourn the loss of one of their own, right? But really, think about it, when was the last time you attended a funeral where everyone kept their composure one hundred percent of the time? The tension that could be felt throughout this episode was a character in its own right, ever-present and ready to rise and even break in the worst of ways when given the chance. Simply watching how each character interacted with those around them was enough to make it clear that while civility was the order of the day, it came at the price of anything resembling the grief that’s shared by kin when one of their own falls. If anything, the king was the only one who tried to be anything other than polite, as he actually took the time to speak to his brother Daemon, though it was easy to assume that Daemon would only listen with a quarter of his attention, if that much. 

credit: House of the Dragon

Rhaenyra’s position, and that of her sons, might actually be in danger. 

Before the time jump, it felt as though Rhaenyra was still secure enough in her position and wouldn’t have to worry nearly as much about her position as she does now that Aegon and Aemond are coming of age. The security of her sons, and herself, is now in question, however, especially given that Alicent and the princess have been at odds for so long. How this has been allowed to fester for so long is bound to come up in the book, but as some writers have mentioned, it’s fair to assume that a lot of people who are watching this show have not taken the time to read the book. Even so, it does sound as though the series is deviating from the book, which is rather common. 

Leave it to a royal family to try to hide the obvious. 

The discussion of parentage when it comes to Rhaenyra’s sons is one of those secrets that a lot of people tend to simply overlook, even if it’s like trying to keep one’s composure when a foul smell has been detected within the room. This secret, which is not a secret but a truth that many have been polite enough not to speak aloud, is more akin to a cancer that has been building within the family for many years now and is splitting people apart despite the wishes of the king. The fact that Viserys sticks up for his daughter, despite the growing fury of his queen, proves that he likely knows that everyone knows, but he has no desire to see his family split before he dies. There’s no doubt that the moment is coming since Viserys does not look well and could possibly take a bow before the season is over. Of course, it’s far more likely that his end could come during the finale, which would kick off the war that many fans have been waiting for since the series began. 

credit: House of the Dragon

Is Alicent really a snake, or has she simply been pushed too far? 

Most fans saw the rift between Alicent and Rhaenyra happen before the time jump, but things have become steadily worse as Alicent appears ready and willing to harm a child for the sake of her own son, who did manage to bond with the greatest dragon in the lands. It’s definitely suspect how he did it and that he did it at all, but the fact is that no one else was bold enough to make the move, and as we’ve seen, Alicent’s sons are just about as ruthless as she is, but are lacking grace and even good sense most times. One could say that Aemond paid for his arrogance, but Alicent’s refusal to let the matter be, especially after it’s revealed that her son now has access to the strongest weapon around, makes it clear that power has gone to her head just a bit, and has heightened the need to defend her children to manic levels. 

The Targaryen family is obviously one of the most unstable in the realm. 

This was known before the series even started, but the madness is pulsating and spreading with each episode as things continue to fall apart. Seeing the two factions of the family standing on opposite sides of the room after Alicent’s outburst is enough to see how things are going to play out initially. Despite the fact that Aemon now rides and controls the largest and most powerful dragon, the boy is highly inexperienced, and it feels as though this will be a serious hindrance in the days to come. One could say that the Targaryens helped to write the book when it comes to dysfunctional families, and it wouldn’t be out of line.