After Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) unsuccessfully tried to claim a dragon in last week’s episode, she confronts the new rider in the penultimate House of the Dragon Season 2 episode.
The sixth episode in the eight-episode season – entitled Smallfolk – found the dragon Seasmoke surprisingly choosing her new rider – Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty).
When Rhaenyra has been told that Seasmoke has been spotted with a rider, she finally decides to take action, taking off on her dragon Syrax to find this rider.
The trailer shows her squaring off with Addam, and she will clearly try to get him to fight for her in this war between the Targaryens and the Hightowers.
This episode will be followed by the highly-anticipated Season 2 finale, which airs on HBO Sunday, August 4 at 9 PM ET on HBO.
The episode begins with Rhaenyra squaring off with Addam and Seasmoke on a beach somewhere.
Addam starts to walk closer but stops as Rhaenyra says, ‘You stand before the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.. with a dragon of House Targaryen!’
Addam insists, ‘I had no design upon it!’ as Rhaenyra asks, ‘What do you want?!’
Addam of Hull says, ‘To learn the ways of dragonriders. And to serve my queen!’ as he kneels before Rhaenyra.
She approaches Addam and says, ‘You kneel quickly… For a man so suddenly elevated.’
He says, ‘This dragon came to me, not I to him. I have sweated blood in service of House Velaryon. I may appear lowborn… But I know much and more of service! And if the gods call me to greater things, who am I to refuse them?’
She asks what his parentage is and he says, ‘My mother was a shipwright. My father is… no one of consequence,’ as Addam refuses to tell her that Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) is his real father.
She asks, ‘Your ancestors, any of House Targaryen?’ He says, ‘We’re not the sort of family to keep annals, Your Grace.
He tells her his name is, ‘Addam… Of Hull,’ and she says, ‘You have done something… I feared impossible… Addam of Hull. I am glad of it.’
She asks if he get get the dragon Seasmoke to Dragonstone and he smiles and says, ‘I can try.’
The episode cuts back to King’s Landing where Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) says, ‘All my life… I have endeavored to serve both my house and the realm. And somehow none of it matters. We are cast aside. Or hated.’
She’s told by Ser Rickard Thorne, ‘You’ll have a scar… But… It will be easily hidden.’
Alicent says, ‘Nothing is clean here. I wish to go out, Ser Rickard. To the Kingswood, I think.
Ser Rickard says, ‘Then I’ll have the stewards prepare -a retinue,’ but she says, ‘No retinue. No handmaidens. Just you.’
Outside, Jasper “Ironrod” Wylde approaches Larys Strong, saying, ‘I have received word of a matter of great importance. Rumor of a sighting of the dragon Seasmoke… With a rider.’
Larys says, ‘A fine piece of intelligence, and now you seek favor by delivering it to Prince Aemond.’
Jasper says, ‘Actually, I thought I might seek your advice, Lord Larys. Whispers being your province.’
Larys insists, ‘Oh, but this is your whisper, Lord Jasper, not mine. But if you consider it valuable… Perhaps you could deliver it and find favor with Aemond yourself.’
While Aemond is swearing people in to the Night’s Watch, Larys asks, ‘Who is this rider?’
Ironrod says, ‘That is less clear, but it must surely be the Lady Rhaena. She has wanted for a dragon all her life.’
Larys says, ‘Indeed, but she tried already when she was four and ten. The beast Seasmoke very nearly devoured her. Who else?’ Where did you hear it?’
Jaspers says, ‘My squire. He heard it from a stablehand, who heard it from his father, a fisherman, whose shipmate claims he saw it.’
Larys says, ‘Oh. You are, of course, welcome to bring this news to the prince regent, but, um… Perhaps this is one of those whispers best left to the wind.’
The episode cuts to Dragonstone, where Corlys Velaryon asks, ‘What of the rider? Do we know who he is?’
He’s told, ‘He appears to be a shipwright in your employ, Lord Hand,’ as Bartimos Celtigar says, ‘A commoner? With respect to your workers, Lord Corlys, the lowborn cannot go around seizing dragons. Has the thief been secured?’
He’s told, ‘Her Grace has commanded that he remain here as a guest. She wishes him to be instructed in the art of dragonriding, and that I should teach him some High Valyrian.’
Bartimos says, ‘We know nothing about this man, save that he is lowborn. What say you, Lord Hand?’
Corlys says, ‘We will await the queen’s accounting… Before passing judgment.’
Rhaenyra meets with Mysaria, who says, ‘So he serves you and not himself. That is lucky.’
Rhaenyra says, ‘Lucky? Or somehow ordained? Seasmoke chose him. He surely has Targaryen blood in him somewhere. The dragon must sense it. There will be others. We will find riders for Vermithor and Silverwing.’
Mysaria says, ‘You trust this man?’ But Rhaenyra says, ‘What choice do I have? He has a dragon. Without him, I have only Syrax who may give Aemond a second thought. The question is where to look. Targaryen blood was perhaps too thin in Ser Steffon Darklyn. If I can find others with a more direct line of breeding.’
Mysaria says, ‘Forgive me, Your Grace… But you are better served looking under the sheets and in the woodpiles. I once worked in a pleasure house where generations of Targaryen princelings had their revels. There are four score of their bastard progeny at least, that are known to me. There are sure to be more. Perhaps some here, on Dragonstone, the misbegotten offspring of your house.’
Rhaenyra says, ‘You speak of the lowborn,’ but Mysaria says, ‘They are as like to serve you as highborn lords or ladies, perhaps more.’
Rhaenyra says, ‘But in the highborn houses there is… An ancient fealty. There is honor.’
Mysaria says, ‘Your royal half-brothers, Aegon and Aemond, whose blood is pure, who wage war against you for your throne, are they bound by honor? A common shipwright vows to serve you while your brothers seek to destroy you. The order of things has changed, Your Grace. Why not embrace it?’
Rhaenyra says, ‘For 20 years, the lords of this realm levied… Insults at my sons behind my back. Well then. Let us raise an army of bastards.’
Addam goes to Corlys and asks to take his leave as a shipwright in his service, adding, ‘There are good men and strong who can take my place.’
Corlys says, ‘Your leave is granted.’
Back in the Riverlands, Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale) tells Daemon (Matt Smith), ‘Lord Tully has answered your summons and brought the Riverlords, my king.’
Daemon goes to meet with them, saying first, ‘My condolences on the passing of your grandsire but the crown congratulates you on your ascension to the head of your house and Lord Paramount in the Riverlands. Truly glorious. Well done.’
Lord Tully’s grandson Oscar, the new Lord Paramount (Archie Barnes), insists, ‘I did nothing.’
But Daemon says, ‘Nevertheless, you are here, which is the important thing,’ as Oscar says, ‘You were quick enough to dismiss me before,’ but Daemon says, ‘You were of no significance to me then. I shall have my great host. You have a decision to make. I presume it is clear to you which is the right one.’
Oscar says, ‘You’ll forgive me, Your Grace. I am green in this sort of matter, as you so kindly point out, but… It does seem to me that you’ve made rather a mess here, countenancing barbarities in the queen’s name.’
Daemon says, ‘Whose side are you on?’ Oscar says, ‘The Riverlands are held together by oaths. House Tully swore an oath to King Viserys. We recognize the authority of the named heir, Queen Rhaenyra and your own… As her king consort.’
Daemon says, ‘Good. Then we shall go to face your vassals and you will call your banners to war,’ but Oscar says, ‘That might be difficult, my king.’
Daemon says, ‘Well… I was told they would come to heel when House Tully declared its allegiance,’ as Oscar says, ‘That may be the case, though it is yet to be seen that they will heed my authority as young as it is. And there is another problem. They all hate you.’
Daemon says, ‘I don’t need their love. I need their swords,’ as Ser Simon Strong says, ‘Your Grace, my lord. The Riverlords await. I fear we cannot delay them any longer.’
Oscar says, ‘In the deepest darkness comes the dawn. A new lord, a new beginning. Let us put all the old unpleasantness behind us. Be welcome, my lords… And you have my thanks for answering my summons. I know I’m not the man my grandsire was, but I hope to begin well, and go on from there.’
Daemon says, ‘Well said. One thing is clear, the Rivermen honor the old ways and abide by tradition. Here, then, is tradition. Grover Tully is dead. Lord Oscar raised up in his place. You have been summoned here to swear anew your fealty to him, and as his bannermen, answer his call. And what would that call be? In his wisdom, he has pledged his house, and yours, to me.’
Lord Piper says, ‘Lord Oscar, for generations we have been guided by the judgment of your forebears. Why should we now follow a boy, younger than my own sons, when you will align with one who will desecrate the innocent to reach his aims?’
Willem Blackwood says, ‘I did only what was necessary, my lord. And I now deliver to you the traitor Amos Bracken and his son.’
‘No more traitor to his land than you, Willem Blackwood,’ he’s told as Oscar says, ‘I take to heart your words, Lord Piper, and I agree, I am young. And I have no love for Daemon Targaryen. He has dishonored himself and the crown with his… Comportment here. Nevertheless, having so little experience to guide me, my best course is to defer to the oath my grandsire swore to King Viserys when he named Rhaenyra his heir. I see no reason to cast aside loyalty no matter how loathsome I may find her representative the prince.’
An angered Daemon says, ‘King. Mind your tongue, boy,’ but Oscar asks, ‘Will you have our army or not? I am, in the end, a Riverman and the word of my house stands, even if certain people are unworthy of it.’
Daemon says, ‘Your Lord Oscar is bold. But he is perhaps not wrong. I may have been a touch enthusiastic in pursuing my aims. But don’t allow my failings to… Keep you from supporting an upright man.’
Lady Mallister says, ‘Lord Oscar, we honor the old ways, as Prince Daemon says and the old ways call for justice to be done.’
A Riverlord says, ‘Yes! Justice has been done. They who bent the knee to the usurper have been brought to heel. And now, we unite before our liege lord… And our king consort.’
Oscar says, ‘I accept you as my vassal, Willem Blackwood… But… I am Lord Paramount of all River Houses. And there is only one answer for the crimes you visited upon your neighbors.’
Blackwood says, ‘I did only what His Grace the king required of me,’ but Oscar says, ‘It is true that he made clear his base desires, but you did not have to pursue such savagery. You did it… Because you wanted to.’
Another Riverlord says, ‘Our young lord speaks truly,’ as Oscar says, ‘Seize him,’ but Willem Blackwood says, ‘Don’t f***kin’ do this. Your Grace, command them. I’ve only served you.
Oscar says, ‘If His Grace wishes to show contrition for his acts and to prove himself deserving of our banners he must now rectify his grievous error. Denounce your crimes… And dispense justice.’
Daemon walks up to Willem Blackwood and strikes him down with his sword.
Later, Daemon has another vision with his dead brother, the former King Viserys (Paddy Considine), who tells Daemon of the crown, ‘What is this? I never wanted it. I was right not to. All that pain it caused. It crushes whoever wears it.’
Viserys adds, ‘You always wanted it, Daemon. Do you want it still?’
Back in King’s Landing, Grand Maester Orwyle is trying to help King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) walk.
He struggles to walk and then the cane he’s using shatters as he falls to the ground, screaming in pain.
Larys enters and tells the maester, ‘You really oughtn’t to be doing that alone, Grand Maester.’
Larys tells Aegon, ‘Your progress is impressive. But I’m afraid you must work harder. Your strength will return. There are… Adjustments to the gait and so forth that you will learn now that you are… As you are.’
Corlys approaches Alyn of Hull, saying, ‘I have tasks that need your personal attention. The queen requires ships at her service in King’s Landing. Charter fishing vessels. Pay whatever they demand but ensure their captains are dependable. Put trusted swords aboard. Have them wait just outside the harbor. And there will be a message to carry to one she will name. The queen has found a new rider for one of her dragons.’
Alyn says, ‘I’ve heard tell of it,’ but Corlys reveals, ‘The rider is your brother. She now makes the call for others.’
Alyn says, ‘Our people are of Old Valyria, but… We are no dragonlords,’ as Corlys says, ‘I confess, I knew little of your mother’s heritage. If it is… Something in the blood.’
Alyn says, ‘My brother was ever restless, yearning for some sign of his worth. I am of salt and sea. I yearn for nothing else.’
The episode cuts to the woods where Alicent tells Ser Rickard, ‘I will retire now,’ and he asks, ‘When does Your Grace mean to return to the city?’
‘I’m not yet certain I do. Good night,’ she says.
Back in Dragonstone, Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) tells Rhaenyra, ‘The lowborn claiming dragons, was it her idea? Lady Mysaria? You were enthusiastic enough when Ser Steffon made his claim. He was the Lord Commander of your Queensguard. Heir to the Dun Fort. These people are…’ as Rhaenyra finishes, ‘Courageous,’ but Jace says, ‘Mongrels.’
She says, ‘Jace. Think what is at stake,’ but he says, ‘I know well what is at stake. House Targaryen is the blood of the dragon. If any may lay claim to it, what are we then?’
She says, ‘The rightful rulers of the Seven Kingdoms,’ but Jace fires back with, ‘And what if one of your baseborn, silver-haired dragonriders decides he wants to rule the Seven Kingdoms? Did the Conqueror’s dream foretell that?’
Rhaenyra asks, ‘What else would you have me do? Prosecute a war, which we will lose, in which thousands will die. Or fly against Vhagar myself? Or perhaps you will fly against her on Vermax. Jace, with these riders, we can end a needless war. I may take my rightful place on my father’s throne.’
Jacaerys asks, ‘And when you die?’ Rhaenyra says, ‘You are my heir,’ as Jace fires back, ‘Did you think I would have dark hair? When you took Harwin Strong into your bed, did you think I might favor him, or did it not cross your mind? I’m no fool, Mother! The proof is here for all to see. Yet I may argue my legitimacy to succeed you because I have a dragon. And now you say you will strip that from me too.’
Rhaenyra insists, ‘I mislike all of this,’ but Jace says, ‘Then don’t pursue it,’ but Rhaenyra says, ‘But I cannot gainsay that which the gods have laid before me,’ Jace says, ‘Do whatever you must to see that it finds her.’
Back in King’s Landing, some men are talking when Mujja says, ‘You won’t believe this. Word is, Rhaenyra’s recruiting smallfolk to go to Dragonstone. They’re looking… For Targaryen bastards. Boats leave tonight. Hour of the bat.’
Ulf thinks he’s been ‘taken in,’ but Mujja insists, ‘The queen’s own handmaid is here, spreadin’ the word.’
Ulf says, ‘Well, that’s a shame ’cause I’d have been first in line if it wasn’t for my injury. Cause my leg hasn’t been the same since.
Mujja says, ‘He’s saying you can claim a dragon. The barkeep from the Seven Maesters is Goin’. And two of the girls from Mother’s. A chance to stick it to Aemond. And claim a dragon.
Ulf says, ‘I just… I can’t… I can’t be sure it’s all true. You can’t mean that you’ve been drinkin’ at the expense of all these, these good people for a fiction?
They all start chanting for Ulf the Dragonlord at the tavern before he Hugh goes and tells Kat that he’s going.
He tells her, ‘I never knew my father. That much is true. But I did know my mother. I hid it from you. And I’m sorry for that. She worked… In a pleasure house. She was granted more freedom than most because of who she was. And because rich men paid more to fuck a woman with silver hair. She used to tell me… I was no different to her brother’s boys Viserys… And Daemon. But I was ashamed of her. I tried to make my way with my own hands. I could not protect you. I could not keep our girl alive. And now… We would never want again. If I claimed a dragon… They’d make you a lady. ‘
Kat says, ‘I do not care to be a lady, Hugh. And neither do I want to be a widow,’ but Hugh says, ‘I have to do something.’
Back in Dragonstone, Rhaenyra tells the lowborn folk who came to her, ‘I used to think I knew what it was to claim a dragon, but… I understand now that what I thought I knew is… Ash in the wind. Perhaps it is blood. Or worth. Or perhaps it’s something else. Each of you… Has left behind a life to answer this call.’
She adds, ‘A life to which… You might never return. If you survive, you will be transformed. No man or woman can face a dragon and be otherwise. Some of you may welcome the prospect of change, even death, given the alternatives: Privation… Starvation, war. This is our purpose, to end those hardships. For you… For your kin, for all the realm. With these two dragons added to our number, the enemy will have no choice but to give way. And peace will be restored… Suffering will be ended, and without bloodshed… Gods willing.’
Rhaenyra says, ‘The dragon named Vermithor… Is the largest in the world after Vhagar, and… Perhaps, the most fierce. He’s called the Bronze Fury. We’ll go to him now. And… May the gods bless you.’
One steps up to the dragon and puts his hand to its face and Vermithor sets him ablaze, and many others in the area, pure chaos.
Hugh comes to and sees a woman still alive as he sacrifices himself to save her… as the dragon calms down in his presence.
He stands right next to Vermithor’s face and smiles as Rhaenyra smiles from a distance.
Then Ulf is seen using a torch to see is clearly lost in the dragon pit, barely able to walk, coughing, as he steps in some goo and awakens a dragon.
The man turns to face the dragon, dropping his torch, but the dragon just pushes him over with its mouth.
The dragon gets close to the terrified Ulf as he slowly gets up, realizing that he has claimed this dragon.
Back in King’s Landing at the small council, Aemond is told, ‘Lord Ormund Hightower makes slow progress. There is great concern that his host Is threatened on two fronts by armies allied with House Beesbury. However, in happier tidings, Prince Daeron’s dragon, Tessarion, has at last taken to wing. Your brother expects to join the fight soon. And when he does, the Hightower host will be unstoppable.’
People are heard yelling outside as they see see a dragon flying around the Red Keep, ridden by Ulf, who is having a blast.
The soldiers ready the massive dragon-piercing crossbow in case the dragon attacks, but it doesn’t, just flies around the city.
Aemond leaves the gates on horseback and gets to his own dragon and takes to the skies, heading to Dragonstone on his own, following Ulf… but he pulls back when he sees Rhaenyra has three dragons now.
Rhaenyra stands on the shores of Dragonstone, watching Aemond flee, as the episode comes to an end.
The preview for next week’s Season 2 finale finds Rhaenyra telling her new Dragonlords that she is entrusting them, ‘with a power only few have known,’ adding they need to, ‘strike when they have the advantage.’
Alicent confronts her son Aemond that he wishes to rule the Seven Kingdoms but he only brings, ‘ruin and death.
The series is set 200 years before the events that unfolded in HBO’s flagship series Game of Thrones, and 100 years into the rule of House Targaryen over Westeros.
By the end of Season 1, King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) had died, with his only son, Aegon II, taking claim to the Iron Throne.
Rhaenyra felt that she had a right to the throne, as House Targaryen became divided between factions led by Rhaenyra and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), Rhaenyra’s former best friend and wife of King Viserys.
The Season 2 premiere suffered a bit of a ratings hit, with 7.8 million viewers tuning in last week through all platforms.
That number was a 22% drop from the 10 million viewers that tuned in for the series premiere back in August 2022.
The drop was attributed to linear viewing, those who watched the episode live on HBO, which was 1 million fewer than the series premiere.
The second episode of Season 1 actually increased to 10.2 million, representing a series peak, with 9.3 million viewers watching the Season 1 finale.
The show’s season two debut was penned by showrunner Ryan Condal and directed by Alan Taylor, who previously directed episodes of Game of Thrones, as well as HBO staples such as Boardwalk Empire, Sex and the City, The Sopranos and its prequel film, The Many Saints of Newark.
The show’s second season kicked off with a revised opening titles sequence that was noticeably different than the one broadcast in the show’s first season.
The first season of House of the Dragon featured an animated opening that incorporated Old Valyria in a stone model.
It had been presided over by the late King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine). It included red blood streaming through Valyria’s streets, with symbolism alluding to the Targaryen leaders.
House of the Dragon returns for the Season 2 finale on Sunday, August 4 at 9 PM ET on HBO.
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Source: Tampa Bay Times
