Titled “The Red Dragon and The Gold,” this episode will go down as one of the best episodes in the entire Game of Thrones universe. We start at Harrenhal where Daemon continues to struggle with both his past crimes and shifting reality. In between flirting with the woods-witch, Alys Rivers, and tripping on Weirwood paste, Daemon continues to terrorize the Riverland lords demanding fealty from both Oscar Tully and the Blackwoods. 

Back in King’s Landing, Alicent sips on her moon tea while searching for answers on the Song of Ice and Fire. Aegon and Aemond bicker about war strategy and Larys’ loyalty is questioned. On Dragonstone, Rhaenyra returns from King’s Landing to a divided council unable to proceed forward without her and struggling to defeat Criston Cole’s campaign throughout the Crownlands. Rhaenyra declares that she’s ready to send the dragons into battle as Rhaenys heads into battle on Meleys — not realizing Rook’s Rest is a trap for the Blacks and she is playing directly into the Green’s hands. 

Defending Rook’s Rest is already a lost cause when Meleys and Rhaenys arrive to aid Team Black. But before Rhaenys can even take out the Green’s army, she is attacked by King Aegon on Sunfyre — much to the surprise of Criston Cole. Meleys seems to be winning when Aemond and Vaghar enter the fray. Against two fully grown dragons, Rhaenys doesn’t stand a chance but she fights until her last breath. The episode ends with Cole and Aemond finding Aegon and his dragon badly injured, but still alive. 

We start off the episode with a centuries-old rivalry between the Brackens and the Blackwoods finally escalating to thousands dead as one swear for  Rhaenyra and the other for Aegon — war has officially started in Westeros. On Dragonstone, Rhaenyra urges caution with her counsel as she still hopes to resolve the war peacefully. She sends Rhanea to the Vale with her remaining children. 

In King’s Landing, Aegon and Criston Cole set in motion the first march towards battle with Criston taking the army in King’s Landing and Oldtown north to take Harrenhal to convince Lord Tully to bend the knee. Despite lacking any real command over his counsel, Aegon gets himself some new Valyrian Steel armor with his buddies cheering him on as they head out to brothel and find Aemond in the arms of his lover once again. In the tavern, we also meet our fourth dragonseed of the season — Ulf the White. 

In the Riverlands, Daemon has taken Harrenhall, but remains skeptical of its loyalty as he starts to go slowly mad in the haunted castle. The urgency for battle increases as Baela spots the Green army marching north. After hearing the news, Rhaenyra and Mysaria hatch a plan to talk to Alicent and push one last time for peace. Rhaenyra confronts Alicent in the Sept and tries to clear up the misunderstanding around Viserys’s last wishes. Despite realizing she made a mistake, Alicent says it is too late for peace, leaving Rhaenyra no choice but to go to war — where the dragons will dance.  

The episode Rollins has been waiting for! Cargyll Bowl where brother kills brother and are forever memorialized in Westerosi lore. But before we get to that brutal killing, we see the people of King’s Landing mourning the loss of Jaehaerys in their own ways. 

Aegon smashes everything he can touch. Alicent thinks the gods are punishing her for banging Criston Cole and Otto sees a “chaos is a ladder” scheme unfold. Helena and Alicent agree to a funeral procession with little Jaehaerys’ decapitated body through the streets of King’s Landing. 

Back on Dragonstone, Rhaenyra realizes that Daemon was behind the plot and finally confronts him about his years of treachery. Before we get to the big moments of the episode, we get a number of amazing insights into our favorite characters. Jace and Baela talk about their fathers. Aemond is seeking maternal comfort in a brothel. We see insights from Hugh the blacksmith’s family and the brothers Alyn and Addam of Hull reunited on driftmark. Finally, we get an intimate scene with our favorite Westerosi couple -  Rhenys and Corlys. But this is all leading up to two crucial plot points. 

First, Criston Cole sends Arryk to go kill Rhaenyra telling him to slip into the castle and pretend to be his brother. Before Arryk can finish the job, Erryk is tipped off my Mysaria. One twin kills the other and the survivor kills himself. Second, back in King’s Landing, Aegon fires Otto as Hand and replaces him with Criston. Once again, Otto finds himself kicked out of the Red Keep and venturing back to the Reach.  Lots to unpack. 

We’re back with Episode 1 of Season 2 and kick off with the melancholy tones of the Stark theme song — that can only mean one thing: winter and war are coming. Jace does his best to reinforce their alliance but Cregan doesn’t need reminding because the North remembers their oaths. 

This was a good way of reminding the rest of us that this isn’t just a story about the Greens v. Blacks, but a bigger threat is looming and at least the Starks and Team Black know the costs. We leave the North as Jace is told of the death of his little brother, Luc. 

Back on Dragonstone, Rhenys is doing everything she can to blockade the Greens main shipping channel while Daemon is stuck on Dragonstone trying to blame her for not killing Aegon when she had a chance. It doesn’t work because she reminds him that he’s not in charge and she’s still a badass. Her husband is also doing his best to prepare for war and confers with a character we will see a lot this season, Alyn of Hull.

Back in King’s Landing, Aegon is feeling fatherly when he comes to train his son to be a king (a training he never received) and his wife, Helena can’t find Jaherys, but prophetically tells us she is afraid of the rats. After a little afternoon delight between Criston Cole and Alicent Hightower, we’re taken to the small council meeting where the Greens prepare for war. Politicking ensues with no one quite sure how this new king will lead and who is really in charge. 

Across the Gullet on Dragonstone, Rhaenyra brings home evidence of her son’s murder and speaks four words all episode: I want Aemond Targaryen. Daemon reunites with the White Worm, Mysaria who gives him key intel to infiltrate the Red Keep with the help of a Gold Cloak named Blood and a ratcatcher named Cheese. The unlikely duo sneak into Queen Helena’s room and cut off the head of her son, Jaehaerys. Technically, it was “a son for a son” but at what cost? 

Welcome back! Season 2 of House of the Dragon premieres next Sunday night! To get ready for the season, The Dragonpit crew put together a quick recap episode where we talk about the cast of characters, the dragons, the alliances and the battles to come. No spoilers, just fun. 

 The episode starts and ends around the painted table as the Blacks prepare for war. Rhaenys brings news that Aegon has been crowned queen. Under the stress, Rhaenyra goes into labor and gives birth to a still born as Daemon prepares for war. At the funeral for Rhaenrya’s child, Ser Erryk arrives with King Viserys’s crown and Daemon crowns her queen. Otto then arrives on Dragonstone to give terms for surrender – Daemons is not having it, but Rhaenrya might consider. Corlys arrives and Rhaenys convinces him to support Rhaenrya’s claim. As they start to consider additional allies, Jace and Luc are sent out with messages to potential allies in Storm’s End and the Eyrie. We see Daemon singing to the dragons as the blacks know their biggest advantage are the dragons and they need more. Luc arrives on Storm’s End to a hostile Borros Baratheon who swears allegiance to Aegon. Instead of leaving it, Aemond chases Luc on dragonback. Vaghar doesn’t listen to Aemond and kills Arrax and Luc – killing the first Targaryen in the dance of the dragon. 

The episode opens with a servant discovering that Viserys has died in his sleep. Alicent and Otto quickly and quietly assemble the small council where Alicent discovers that Otto, Tyland Lannister, Jasper Wylde and the Grand Maester have been discussing how to put Aegon on the throne, usurping Rhanerya. Lord Beesbury objects to this and Criston Cole bashes in his head. Otto then instructs Lord Commander Westerling to go to Dragonstone and kill Rhanerya and Daemon, to which he also objects. After the meeting, Alicent and Otto discover that Aegon is missing and both send their most devoted fighters out to find him – Erryk and Arryk for Otto and Criston and Aemond for Alicent. Team Otto gets there first and makes a deal with the White Worm to release him. But it’s Aemond and Criston who finally seize Aegon and bring him to his mother. Alicent, knowing that she has the upper hand says that they will do the coronation her way – placing Ser Criston as the commander of the Kingsguard, sending terms to Rhanerya, treating with Rhenys, and gaining a powerful spy network by exploiting Larys’ foot-fetish. Ser Erryk, disgusted with Prince Aegon, helps Rhenys escape and they all make their way to the Dragonpit to see Aegon become king. The ceremony takes place, but is interrupted by Rhenys busting through the Dragonpit on her dragon, Meleys. In a powerful moment, she spares Alicent’s life and flies off. 

The episode opens at Driftmark where we learn that the Sea Snake is wounded in battle in the Stepstones. Corlys’s brother, Vaemond is telling to Rhenys that the line of succession should pass to him, rather than Laenor’s son, Luc. We then head to Dragonstone where Daemon has harvested a new crop of dragon eggs for his pregnant wife when he receives a note from Baela telling him of the challenge to Luc’s claim. Rhaenerya and Daemon decide to go to King’s Landing to petition the king that Luc is the rightful heir. We return to a King’s Landing that has changed much in the past six years — notably with the removal of the dragon sex tapestries have swapped out for the seven pointed star. Rhaenerya and Daemon go see a decaying Viserys to make their claim and try to talk sense into him. Unfortunately, Alicent and Otto have stacked the odds in favor of delegitimizing Luc and promoting Vaemond — a key ally they will need in the wars to come. The petitions are heard the next day in the throne room and all seems lost when a decrepit Viserys shows up to take the throne and question the entire proceeding. Pissed because he lost, Vaemond calls Rhaenerya a whore and Daemon cuts his head off. After the beheading, the whole crew gathers for supper and Alicent and Rhaenerya seem to make peace that lasts about 10 minutes before all of the kids start beating up on each other again. Alicent and Rhaenrya promise to work on their relationship, but Viserys dies leaving Alicent alone in King’s Landing with snippets of the Song of Ice and Fire. Next week will surely be the moment we have been waiting for. 

Like an episode of Downton Abbey, the show brings all of the main characters together for a big party with a lot of Dowager Countess side-eye — otherwise known as a Westeori funeral. Everyone is in Dirftmark for Lena’s funeral where the priest explicitly calls out bloodlines. After the drama, Daemon and Rhaenyra rekindle their love on the beach while Aemond goes to claim Vhagar. Upon landing from his first joy-ride, Rhaenyra’s children and Daemon’s children team up to gauge out Aemond’s eye. Chaos ensues when the parents get involved, and allegations are made about the lineage of Rhaenyra’s children. Alicent then demands justice for Almonds missing eye by asking Criston to maim a child. Viserys finally steps in, but not before Alicent pulls a knife on Rhaenyra. After the insane escalation Otto — back as the hand of the king — congratulates his daughter on putting up a fight. Rhaenyra and Daemon realize they belong together and help Laenor fake his own death to escape their loveless marriage. The episode ends with Daemon and Rhaenyra marrying each other in the Targaryen traditions. Three dragons with the three Hightower children ride off back to King’s Landing and the Brady Bunch of Rhaenyra and Daemon and their children head back to Dragonstone. 

The episode starts with a 10 year time-jump straight into Rhaenrya giving birth to her third “common” looking boy. Alicent demands to see the baby as soon as the boy arrives as she is convinced Harwin Strong is the father — a theme that plays out throughout the episode. The enmity between Alicent’s children and Rhaenrya’s is palpable as they try to tame dragons in the dragon pit and come to blows in the training yard with the help of Harwin Strong. The tension is even worse between their mothers as Rhaenrya and Alicent are constantly at each other’s throats, leaving a sickly Viserys to play peacemaker. We see Daemon and a pregnant Laena at Pentos with their twin daughters, seemingly happy and content until Laena dies a dragon rider death during child birth. Back in King’s Landing, Lyonel Strong tries to resign after his son’s honor is called into question and compromises on just taking his son back to Harrenhal — where they both are killed in a fire. We learn that Larys is responsible for their deaths and the connection between Alicent and Larys is now forged in blood.