As the king’s demise draws near, the House of the Dragon scramble to have their heirs and legacy on the Iron Throne.
The Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon takes us back 200 years before Daenarys vowed to “break the wheel” and shows the Targaryen family at the height of their power. Ruling over Westeros is King Viserys Tagaryan (Paddy Considine), his daughter Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) and the disgruntled brother of the King, Daemon (Matt Smith).
With so much treachery and dragons, sometimes you need a quick recap of the episode to remind you everything that happened in its nearly one hour length.
Episode seven, ‘Driftmark’ is the first episode to follow its predecessor nearly immediately and my golly, the wheel of power is spinning.
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Spoilers ahead!
“No matter how fat the leach grows, it always wants another meal,” says Daemon, after it is revealed Otto Hightower is once more the hand of the king.
With the passing of Laena, all the players have convened to allegedly mourn. However, there is no rest for the wicked in Westeros.
Daemon and Rhaenyra’s complex relationship goes where we all knew it was going. Though seemingly reluctant at first, Daemon succumbs to her.
Nearby, Aemond is up to mischief. Having not been granted a dragon, he takes one. This leads to an altercation with his cousins that ends in him losing an eye to Rhaenyra’s son, Jacaerys.
Naturally, this infuriates Alicent. In a fit of anger she goes to slash out Jacaerys eye in front of the entire family. Though failing, she slices Rhaenyra who warns her that she has just openly revealed the sinister person she truly is.
“We play an ugly game,” says Otto to Alicent. “And now, for the first time, I see you have the determination to win it.”
That determination is shared by Rhaenyra who now realises if she is to keep her right to the throne. She must play the game.
So, Dameon and her orchestrate a plan that sees Laenor’s secret boyfriend murder him. Then, they marry so they can strengthen their house.
But in the final moments we discover it was all a ruse and Laenor faked his death. However, whether it was always the intention for him to live remains unknown. But one thing is for sure, there will be consequences down the line.
With intentions now in the open, Alicent and Rhaenyra are truly enemies that will fight to the death for their family’s claim to the throne.
With the king’s inevitable doom approaching, the knives are well and truly out.
Check out the trailer for episode eight!
