House of the Dragon: 2.05 - Regent
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ctg
weaver of the unseen
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- Aug 21, 2007
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So we are back in low 8's, making 9's anomaly and not a consistent mark. House of the Dragon is definitely a good show, with occasional episodes that strike the viewer with a total awe. We know that getting multiple dragons in screen isn't exactly a cheap thing. Another thing is that it wouldn't have been possible to use the content creating Ai to bring down the costs, as all things looked as if they'd been touched by human hand and had an artistic flair behind it. Like, for example, Vhagar's dog like attitude when Aemond said "No."
It definitely deserves an Emmy, even if the CGI creatures don't have their own category. The thing is that they all showed life, not just a skin build upon a digital frame. Those dragons were as much alive as their riders, which in this season have shot up in quality, as in the first one we didn't see the seat or even the fact that they'd extra straps for the security.
A little, minute detail that adds up so much to the dragon riders. It's the whole package, from mounting to flying to battling to coming down and dismounting. It adds up so much and the important detail is that those dragons only allow Targarians to ride them, to dominate them as if really there is a blood bond between the species.
So why is that there's no more of them? Just a few and selected individuals instead of a whole tribe. I mean hundreds, if not thousands. Another little detail is that Targarians prominently stay at the Seven Kingdoms instead of conquering the whole planet with their dragons. It is almost as if they haven't had anyone since the days of Aegon I that has united them under totalitarian leadership. Instead of being the ultimate, top-of-the-foodchain-pyramid, Targarians are fighting each other on who's the boss.
Well let's see who's going to get the throne, because Aegon II is definitely in bed, if he's still alive...
Man, I feel you, because I'm still there, five years after the passing, while he's just getting custom to the idea that her queen isn't there any longer. All that was to be said and done is gone like dust in the wind. It is a hard place to be a widower, and he's meant to be the head of the house, when honestly he's just crumpling in the inside. The tears are just too hard to keep back, as the torment of absence keeps them flowing.
I just wish I could give him a hug and tell him that I know how it is to be in his shoes. But what's done is done and there's no way to get it back. TT doesn't exists in this part of George's universe, even if I was convinced last week that Cruel Prince saw the Dragon Queen.
That same misery was touching young Rhae. So many people that she has lost recently that it is a wonder how she's holding Black's united and her war hot instead of giving up and spending long time in grief.
It surprised me that Ser Cole dragged the "traitor dragon" back to King's Landing and lied about who took down Meleys and her rider. All show and glory for the literally starving little people. They just stared at that well cooked piece of meat and called it, "A black omen!" And Ser Cole wondered hearing that why people weren't buying his propaganda?
Maybe it is because he's not master of lies, and their country isn't North Korea.
Inside the castle the mood was deep as the King Aegon II was brought in clandestinely inside the Red Keep and then carried upstairs inside a ventilated coffin. All followed by the King's Guard. Then came the maesters to carry the sack of meat to bed, followed by the Green Queen to watch as they stripped Aegon's Armour off from the boy. Nothing had happened to the Valeryan Steel, instead the boy had turned to shish kebab. All cooked inside the metal shell.
Then Aemond walked into the room, full of might as he stopped to lean at the end of the bed to state, "Someone will have to rule in his stead!" All out loud for the King's Guard, Maesters, the Green Queen and myriad other servants to hear. That wasn't going to be kept secret as all in the King's Landing was going to know in three days that the King took a beating and nobody wasn't winner except the regent!
When the Green Queen went to ask Lord Hand about the account of battle, Ser Cole valiantly lied and tried to hide the fact that they'd lost 2/3 on their men in a matter of minutes in that battle. Or the fact that what he left behind were racked band of men that would die horribly once the Black's would get another dragon rider over there. Or at least that's what I except Daemon to do once he hears that Older Rhae were lost in the battle.
The mood inside the DragonStone Council chambers weren't much better, as the members were reeling on the fact that they'd lost two castles and allegedly their "biggest dragon." All because the riders didn't all go together and have done with George's drama with one big barbecue. And some rum.
Ser Alfred particularly was miffed that it all happened because of "some marital spat." He boldly stated that he was loyal, but equally boldly as well that the Black Queen didn't have deep knowledge on strategies or battle tactics. Her defence was on Vizerys defence. The Westeros had been in peace for 70 odd years.
The problem for the Council was that they wanted to strike, and they knew Vhagar was "depleted" thus leaving an opening at the King's Landing defences, but they weren't prepared to send their queen into the battle, because of the rules. Elsewhere in the castle, Jace was feeling pangs of quilty and he bled to Baele that he wanted to act, and thus he was going to Harrenhall to have words with dad.
Except Dad wasn't there as he was doing Dragon Negotiations with the Brackens. "The hour is late and my dragon is hungry. You have no choice but to submit. Our terms are simple, Lord Bracken. Renounce the false king Aegon as a usurper, and bend knee to me ... or your house burns."
Simple but effective or so he thought before Lord Bracken replied boldly, "I would sooner be Lord of House of Bones and Cinder than before bent my knee before some heathen Blackwood c-u-n-t ... and his hired dragon."
It did not end well, for Daemon as he didn't tell his dragon to grill them, instead he let them go as he was there "to raise swords and not corpses." Except he wasn't willing to give up yet, as he made the Blackwood lord to commit to yet another plot, while the Black Queen went to vent to White Worm. She was reeling from the fact that she recognized the need to fight, but Vizerys had not prepared her for the war. She didn't even think herself as a regent, even though she was the one the Old King had chosen.
And yet, she'd sent one of her daughters to secure "15 000 swords from Eyries." That's ten times the number that invaded Rook's Crest. All she could feel was being powerless. So White Worm instructed her to be her, the Chosen Queen while she would feed the small people the truth about what happened and make King's Landing be her subjects. A different strategy, same fight. Brilliant.
"There is more than one way to fight the war," White Worm said.
All while at the Harrenhall, Daemon's bed was filled with his mum ... or apparatus of her. It is clear to me that the gods are speaking to Cruel Prince, telling him to be the king, so much so that he makes Harrenhall retinue to call him as such. And the fact that he was going to put up the cost of repairs from his own purse.
The Grand Master told the Green Queen that the King was beyond his repair skills, and he was now resting in the hands of gods. And the Queen in return gathered together Small Council and instructed them to choose a regent, because it was only a matter of time before the small people would know the state of their faux king. She told them "Aemond is too young," and that she was the right choice, but she lacked experience in war. It didn't go down as she expected, as all around the table voted for "Prince Aemond."
And so the Hightowers lost last of their power in the castle after 70+ years. First the Dad and now the Daughter. All to golden haired young man, who had taken down dragons and their riders one after another, like a king. And he handled the Council business like one, leaving Alicient wordless and powerless. Almost as if it all had been planned.
At the streets of King's Landing Hugh, the b*st*rd son of Targarian's fun nights, were feeling the brunt from desperation as his wife was becking them to flee North. To leave King's Landing because Rhae's wrath was going to reach them sooner or later. In those same streets Alicient shought out Lord Hand and asked if he was still her sausage. The man said no and talked about what he'd seen in the battle. But the Green Queen wasn't interested as that has been Ser Cole's doings and not hers. And then the man told her that a dragonrider should lead them and not her. So no more sausage hiding for the Lord Hand.
Then, just as Hugh was fleeing with his family, the Gold Cloaks locked down the gates and announced Aemond's rule. You could see the desperation in the eyes of those hundreds of hungry people as they shouted, "Meat! We want meat!"
Jace talking to Frey's at the Gates. They told the young prince Tully's had not chosen one way or the other. They honestly feared Vhagar more than Jace's own one sitting just outside the gates. But Jace was cunning as he negotiated Frey's to bend knee if he'd give them dad's Harrenhall. All since Cruel Prince allegedly would still listen to Black Queen wishes.
Only dad was knee's deep on making Harrenhall great again. So much so that he was splitting firewood amongst the people instead observing subjects from balcony with his witch Alys. When he had a break, Alys pulled him aside and told him that he was not a man wield an axe, but a sword. And then he told him directly that the gods were carrying with the winds the cries from crimes commited all around the RiverLand. But instead of telling him to go out there to do some policing, she indirectly begged him and then brought out the queen. The Cruel Prince was still crossed with her and only commited to his thing and his thing alone.
He even told the witch that he would go and take over the King's Landing and Rhae would be welcome to come there to rule as King and Queen. Then he heard the good news, Brackens had fallen to Blackwoods and bent their knee to him.
Back at the High Mark Corlys was still feeling the empty halls. Everything that he'd done for her. And he told so to Baela, before she revealed that Rhae had made him the Hand. He told her to get lost. So Baele told him to bend the knee to King's Landing and that made Corlys bring out the plan, "to sail West and get lost." Only Baela told he'd done that before and it was no good.
The women, they never give up. You either do as they wish or suffer the consequences. So Baela did told granddad her piece and what she believed Older Rhae had done before she handed him the box and told him to as he wished. All while Rhae met again with Ser Alfred and told him to go to Riverlands to negotiate with hubby. Ser Alfred chuffed about the duty almost forget to ask for the message, and she told him, "Tell him I'd like finish the conversation."
Man, the choices you make to escape "the conversation." LOL.
Indeed the Cruel Prince was cursed as he was woken at the "Hour of Wolf." And the reason, to be summoned by the RiverLord to only be told that they'd not raise their banners for a tyrant. So the dream of man, dragon and castle came to end. Especially as the gods came to haunt him in the form of his dead wife, asking him, "Have you looked after our girls?"
To be or not to be? Stakes has been set high.
7/10 - too much talk
It definitely deserves an Emmy, even if the CGI creatures don't have their own category. The thing is that they all showed life, not just a skin build upon a digital frame. Those dragons were as much alive as their riders, which in this season have shot up in quality, as in the first one we didn't see the seat or even the fact that they'd extra straps for the security.
A little, minute detail that adds up so much to the dragon riders. It's the whole package, from mounting to flying to battling to coming down and dismounting. It adds up so much and the important detail is that those dragons only allow Targarians to ride them, to dominate them as if really there is a blood bond between the species.
So why is that there's no more of them? Just a few and selected individuals instead of a whole tribe. I mean hundreds, if not thousands. Another little detail is that Targarians prominently stay at the Seven Kingdoms instead of conquering the whole planet with their dragons. It is almost as if they haven't had anyone since the days of Aegon I that has united them under totalitarian leadership. Instead of being the ultimate, top-of-the-foodchain-pyramid, Targarians are fighting each other on who's the boss.
Well let's see who's going to get the throne, because Aegon II is definitely in bed, if he's still alive...
Man, I feel you, because I'm still there, five years after the passing, while he's just getting custom to the idea that her queen isn't there any longer. All that was to be said and done is gone like dust in the wind. It is a hard place to be a widower, and he's meant to be the head of the house, when honestly he's just crumpling in the inside. The tears are just too hard to keep back, as the torment of absence keeps them flowing.
I just wish I could give him a hug and tell him that I know how it is to be in his shoes. But what's done is done and there's no way to get it back. TT doesn't exists in this part of George's universe, even if I was convinced last week that Cruel Prince saw the Dragon Queen.
That same misery was touching young Rhae. So many people that she has lost recently that it is a wonder how she's holding Black's united and her war hot instead of giving up and spending long time in grief.
It surprised me that Ser Cole dragged the "traitor dragon" back to King's Landing and lied about who took down Meleys and her rider. All show and glory for the literally starving little people. They just stared at that well cooked piece of meat and called it, "A black omen!" And Ser Cole wondered hearing that why people weren't buying his propaganda?
Maybe it is because he's not master of lies, and their country isn't North Korea.
Inside the castle the mood was deep as the King Aegon II was brought in clandestinely inside the Red Keep and then carried upstairs inside a ventilated coffin. All followed by the King's Guard. Then came the maesters to carry the sack of meat to bed, followed by the Green Queen to watch as they stripped Aegon's Armour off from the boy. Nothing had happened to the Valeryan Steel, instead the boy had turned to shish kebab. All cooked inside the metal shell.
Then Aemond walked into the room, full of might as he stopped to lean at the end of the bed to state, "Someone will have to rule in his stead!" All out loud for the King's Guard, Maesters, the Green Queen and myriad other servants to hear. That wasn't going to be kept secret as all in the King's Landing was going to know in three days that the King took a beating and nobody wasn't winner except the regent!
When the Green Queen went to ask Lord Hand about the account of battle, Ser Cole valiantly lied and tried to hide the fact that they'd lost 2/3 on their men in a matter of minutes in that battle. Or the fact that what he left behind were racked band of men that would die horribly once the Black's would get another dragon rider over there. Or at least that's what I except Daemon to do once he hears that Older Rhae were lost in the battle.
The mood inside the DragonStone Council chambers weren't much better, as the members were reeling on the fact that they'd lost two castles and allegedly their "biggest dragon." All because the riders didn't all go together and have done with George's drama with one big barbecue. And some rum.
Ser Alfred particularly was miffed that it all happened because of "some marital spat." He boldly stated that he was loyal, but equally boldly as well that the Black Queen didn't have deep knowledge on strategies or battle tactics. Her defence was on Vizerys defence. The Westeros had been in peace for 70 odd years.
The problem for the Council was that they wanted to strike, and they knew Vhagar was "depleted" thus leaving an opening at the King's Landing defences, but they weren't prepared to send their queen into the battle, because of the rules. Elsewhere in the castle, Jace was feeling pangs of quilty and he bled to Baele that he wanted to act, and thus he was going to Harrenhall to have words with dad.
Except Dad wasn't there as he was doing Dragon Negotiations with the Brackens. "The hour is late and my dragon is hungry. You have no choice but to submit. Our terms are simple, Lord Bracken. Renounce the false king Aegon as a usurper, and bend knee to me ... or your house burns."
Simple but effective or so he thought before Lord Bracken replied boldly, "I would sooner be Lord of House of Bones and Cinder than before bent my knee before some heathen Blackwood c-u-n-t ... and his hired dragon."
It did not end well, for Daemon as he didn't tell his dragon to grill them, instead he let them go as he was there "to raise swords and not corpses." Except he wasn't willing to give up yet, as he made the Blackwood lord to commit to yet another plot, while the Black Queen went to vent to White Worm. She was reeling from the fact that she recognized the need to fight, but Vizerys had not prepared her for the war. She didn't even think herself as a regent, even though she was the one the Old King had chosen.
And yet, she'd sent one of her daughters to secure "15 000 swords from Eyries." That's ten times the number that invaded Rook's Crest. All she could feel was being powerless. So White Worm instructed her to be her, the Chosen Queen while she would feed the small people the truth about what happened and make King's Landing be her subjects. A different strategy, same fight. Brilliant.
"There is more than one way to fight the war," White Worm said.
All while at the Harrenhall, Daemon's bed was filled with his mum ... or apparatus of her. It is clear to me that the gods are speaking to Cruel Prince, telling him to be the king, so much so that he makes Harrenhall retinue to call him as such. And the fact that he was going to put up the cost of repairs from his own purse.
The Grand Master told the Green Queen that the King was beyond his repair skills, and he was now resting in the hands of gods. And the Queen in return gathered together Small Council and instructed them to choose a regent, because it was only a matter of time before the small people would know the state of their faux king. She told them "Aemond is too young," and that she was the right choice, but she lacked experience in war. It didn't go down as she expected, as all around the table voted for "Prince Aemond."
And so the Hightowers lost last of their power in the castle after 70+ years. First the Dad and now the Daughter. All to golden haired young man, who had taken down dragons and their riders one after another, like a king. And he handled the Council business like one, leaving Alicient wordless and powerless. Almost as if it all had been planned.
At the streets of King's Landing Hugh, the b*st*rd son of Targarian's fun nights, were feeling the brunt from desperation as his wife was becking them to flee North. To leave King's Landing because Rhae's wrath was going to reach them sooner or later. In those same streets Alicient shought out Lord Hand and asked if he was still her sausage. The man said no and talked about what he'd seen in the battle. But the Green Queen wasn't interested as that has been Ser Cole's doings and not hers. And then the man told her that a dragonrider should lead them and not her. So no more sausage hiding for the Lord Hand.
Then, just as Hugh was fleeing with his family, the Gold Cloaks locked down the gates and announced Aemond's rule. You could see the desperation in the eyes of those hundreds of hungry people as they shouted, "Meat! We want meat!"
Jace talking to Frey's at the Gates. They told the young prince Tully's had not chosen one way or the other. They honestly feared Vhagar more than Jace's own one sitting just outside the gates. But Jace was cunning as he negotiated Frey's to bend knee if he'd give them dad's Harrenhall. All since Cruel Prince allegedly would still listen to Black Queen wishes.
Only dad was knee's deep on making Harrenhall great again. So much so that he was splitting firewood amongst the people instead observing subjects from balcony with his witch Alys. When he had a break, Alys pulled him aside and told him that he was not a man wield an axe, but a sword. And then he told him directly that the gods were carrying with the winds the cries from crimes commited all around the RiverLand. But instead of telling him to go out there to do some policing, she indirectly begged him and then brought out the queen. The Cruel Prince was still crossed with her and only commited to his thing and his thing alone.
He even told the witch that he would go and take over the King's Landing and Rhae would be welcome to come there to rule as King and Queen. Then he heard the good news, Brackens had fallen to Blackwoods and bent their knee to him.
Back at the High Mark Corlys was still feeling the empty halls. Everything that he'd done for her. And he told so to Baela, before she revealed that Rhae had made him the Hand. He told her to get lost. So Baele told him to bend the knee to King's Landing and that made Corlys bring out the plan, "to sail West and get lost." Only Baela told he'd done that before and it was no good.
The women, they never give up. You either do as they wish or suffer the consequences. So Baela did told granddad her piece and what she believed Older Rhae had done before she handed him the box and told him to as he wished. All while Rhae met again with Ser Alfred and told him to go to Riverlands to negotiate with hubby. Ser Alfred chuffed about the duty almost forget to ask for the message, and she told him, "Tell him I'd like finish the conversation."
Man, the choices you make to escape "the conversation." LOL.
Indeed the Cruel Prince was cursed as he was woken at the "Hour of Wolf." And the reason, to be summoned by the RiverLord to only be told that they'd not raise their banners for a tyrant. So the dream of man, dragon and castle came to end. Especially as the gods came to haunt him in the form of his dead wife, asking him, "Have you looked after our girls?"
To be or not to be? Stakes has been set high.
7/10 - too much talk
I've not been posting in each episode thread but I think they are getting steadily better. I had forgotten what happened last season for a while, so it took me a while to get into this season. And that may have affected my enjoyment of the first few episodes (and why I rated Ep. 3. However, the story is now unfolding and in full swing. No, you can't have dragon-on-dragon fights in every episode, or gratuitous sex scenes and blood lusting. However, I actually most enjoy the Machiavellian schemes and cunning plans that fail miserably (the too much talk parts.). I'm quite happy with an episode that has no dragon flames, although it does have toasted King!
Culhwch
Lost Boy
Me too! And I had to keep an online family tree open on my phone to remind myself how all of the characters were related to each other. Usually through blood and marriage...
I've noticed (particularly on Reddit) there's a bit of tribalism around the Greens and the Blacks, with Aegon and Aemond and Daemon having devoted fanbases. I don't quite understand this because I find them all abhorrent, honestly. I find Jace to be about the only sympathetic character in the whole bunch. Oh, and Rhaenys, too. Maybe it's the fact that they're both a little removed from the rampant incest.
ctg
weaver of the unseen
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I know, but the thing with me is that Finnish Education system never mentioned Machiavellian. At least not to me, making it a bit foreign concept whenever (rarely) it comes up. With this series, the scheming is never ending. It's happening with all characters.
I just keep the cast list open on IMDB page.
Culhwch
Lost Boy
ctg
weaver of the unseen
- Joined
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No it doesn't, the context does it for me. And with SeaSnakes it's easy, they are all black with golden hair. Greens are mostly Hightowers, and Blacks are Rhae, Cruel Prince and the kids, in which Jace only has black hair.
Sounds like they are about to release a whole lot of new characters when they put the Dragon flying out to tender. I'm surprised really, that there has been such a limited number of characters compared to GoT and that so few of them have died yet. It has been close, even if Aegon survives he will be crippled and disfigured. However, there was a mention of death by Dragonfire as an admirable way to die. Did I imagine that? Does being struck by Dragonfire give you some superpower benefits, or is it just very heroic?
ctg
weaver of the unseen
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That would be fanaticism. I cannot think of anyone other than the Dany from the GoT, who got consumed by fire and resurrected as the Dragon Queen.
ctg
weaver of the unseen
- Joined
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I just checked IMDB score for this episode, and it's standing at 7.2 with 16k votes. Nearly a whole point dropped in about a week. I guess other people felt the same way as I did.
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