Since the first episode of Season 1 of House of the Dragon, it has been clear that a major change is coming, and the series will begin when it does. House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 5, altered the dynamics between every character and prepared us for the carnage. We have now hit that major turning point.
While some of the episodes up until this point have been very exposition-heavy, things are finally moving. So we can definitely brace ourselves for a much faster pace heading forward. To make the characters' plans clear, it was crucial to focus on their connections and desires.
Alicent never considered the big picture since she was so focused on Rhaenyra. Due to their strong friendship, Alicent and Rhaenyra have been able to go over many obstacles, but it appears that Alicent is tired of just receiving information about her closest friend that is necessary for her to know.
Alicent sought proof regarding whether Rhaenyra and Daemon did indeed share a bed. However, she received far more details than she anticipated. We might presume that by attending the festivities, donning a green dress, and interrupting the King's speech. She was demonstrating her readiness to respond. Her family acknowledged this and offered assistance as needed, which ought to make things clearer in the second half of the season.
The problematic part of this is that, if her former buddy had been forthright and truthful about everything, Alicent would have likely sided with Rhaenyra. Ser Criston was obviously too consumed by his love for Rhaenyra to see the larger scheme of things. Yet, he wanted to escape to Essos with Rhaenyra.
It nearly sounds like a dream, but it demonstrates how much he thought about Rhaenyra. Additionally, it's important to keep in mind that Rhaenyra and Ser Criston began a covert connection, making her somewhat accountable for the impending events. Ser Criston felt deeply deceived by the events that took place, and Ser Joffrey Loudmouth's attempts to talk to him didn't help.
Ser Criston was certain to strike out in some way, but I didn't anticipate him to bash Joffrey's head. Although it was unexpected, It was a powerful method for him to express his wrath. Ser Criston hated the idea of anyone else playing him because he was ashamed that Rhaenyra had performed him. He was aware that questions would be raised regarding his violent outburst, therefore he saw no other way out of this predicament but to kill himself.
These two have more in common than we initially assumed. While the appearance of Alicent just in time suggests that, they may end up becoming one of the most formidable teams in Westeros. Now that Alicent is aware of what she wants and what needs to be done to obtain it. It will be interesting to observe this aspect of her.
Depending on how it is handled in House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 6, Viserys collapsing while Ser Laenor and Rhaenyra were getting married was yet another bizarre development. Rhaenyra made it clear that she was considering what she needed to do immediately in order to live her life according to her principles later on. After realising that her cousin wasn't interested in her sexually.
Viserys spent so much time trying to outwit Corlys that the Sea Snake went to the King's adversaries that Corlys and Rhaenys should have been more wary of this alliance. In principle, uniting the houses makes sense, but do we really believe Corlys and Rhaenys will permit Rhaenyra and Laenor's offspring to claim the Targaryen surname as their own and sit on the Iron Throne?
I was surprised to feel Rhaenys' warmth when Viserys had a coughing attack earlier in the episode. It caused me to question if she was more concerned with finishing the wedding before Viserys passed away than with Viserys.
Anyone can see that his health is deteriorating and that his death is imminent. It's painful to consider, but if he dies, Westeros will come to an end. Especially if Alicent is now considering putting Aegon in position to take the throne.
Whatever your opinion of House of the Dragon, it resembles Game of Thrones more than Game of Thrones did. The quantity of plotting that goes on just to claim a throne is unimaginable.
Daemon lighting flames and watching things burn down, is a typical thing for us to now expect in an episode of House of the Dragon. In this situation, his wife felt his frustration, and honestly, he may not look the wisest, but he's thinking about the long game here. That was perfectly demonstrated by the verbal abuse he gave Gerald. On the strength of this murder, he stands to gain some influence.
Also telling was his conversation with Rhaenyra at the wedding. He believes they will function better together as rulers, which is why he chose to leave Rhaenyra after their tryst. Rhaenyra's remarks about taking her to Dragonstone to become his wife gave no doubt that she would be receptive to the idea. Rhaenyra aspires to be a free spirit like her uncle, a conquistador of uncharted territories. The fact that her life is currently pretty well planned out is what scares her the most.
We Light The Way has been one of the best episodes so far in this first season. It has been the major turning point, and now the land has been laid for a more dramatic rest of the season. I’m excited to see how the season now develops after this very strong episode. We can expect more deception, lies, and surprises.
Performance | 4.6/5 |
Enjoyment | 4.7/5 |
Overall Rating | 4.7/5 |