House of the Dragon: Smallfolk Show Only
July 22, 2024 5:15 AM - Season 2, Episode 6 - Subscribe
With few options left, Rhaenyra embarks on a risky venture while Aemond takes steps to reshape the Green Council.
"Imagine the unbridled joy (well, technically speaking, bridled joy) Addam experienced soaring through the air for the first time on the back of his dead brother’s steed — the restored inheritance of a long-suffering bastard of Driftmark. Now, keep imagining it. Like, in your own mind.”—from Amanda Whiting’s 3-star recap for Vulture
"Does Daemon want Rhaenyra? Does he want Laena? Does he want his brother’s love? His mother’s? Or is it truly only the crown he yearns for?”—from Riley McAtee’s (VERY BOOK-Y) writeup for The Ringer
"Imagine the unbridled joy (well, technically speaking, bridled joy) Addam experienced soaring through the air for the first time on the back of his dead brother’s steed — the restored inheritance of a long-suffering bastard of Driftmark. Now, keep imagining it. Like, in your own mind.”—from Amanda Whiting’s 3-star recap for Vulture
"Does Daemon want Rhaenyra? Does he want Laena? Does he want his brother’s love? His mother’s? Or is it truly only the crown he yearns for?”—from Riley McAtee’s (VERY BOOK-Y) writeup for The Ringer
That is a superb owl. I had to pause and tell people on discord how superb it was. I like owls.
Seasmoke is a cat. "Yes, you can rub my belly... HAHAHAHA, IT'S A TRAP!" followed by climbing in the lap of the person at the party who swears they don't want it to be in their lap.
I was thinking that that hug was going on for a liiiiittle bit too long. This is simultaneously a very understandable plotline, and probably a very bad decision for everyone involved.
I really liked the detail of Alyn having to shave his blond stubble daily, and the moment establishing the characterisation of the two brothers.
I guess the dragon CGI budget ran out five minutes before the end of the episode. Insert progressively worse horse drawing meme here, except the final part of the horse is 100% imaginary.
I'm not mad about any of the major changes from the book (they're doing some streamlining by smooshing two characters together, and that's fine).
posted by confluency at 1:34 PM on July 22 [4 favorites]
Seasmoke is a cat. "Yes, you can rub my belly... HAHAHAHA, IT'S A TRAP!" followed by climbing in the lap of the person at the party who swears they don't want it to be in their lap.
I was thinking that that hug was going on for a liiiiittle bit too long. This is simultaneously a very understandable plotline, and probably a very bad decision for everyone involved.
I really liked the detail of Alyn having to shave his blond stubble daily, and the moment establishing the characterisation of the two brothers.
I guess the dragon CGI budget ran out five minutes before the end of the episode. Insert progressively worse horse drawing meme here, except the final part of the horse is 100% imaginary.
I'm not mad about any of the major changes from the book (they're doing some streamlining by smooshing two characters together, and that's fine).
posted by confluency at 1:34 PM on July 22 [4 favorites]
The close up scream after the guy's arm was chopped off was pure Monty Python. The rest of that sequence I assume was just to show how useless Aegon's pals are in Kingsguard. Somehow the dumbest white cloak in this episode wasn't the guy who said "I did it" moments before getting burned alive because he had not, in fact, done it.
posted by Gary at 1:47 PM on July 22
posted by Gary at 1:47 PM on July 22
A vibe you can get off the subreddit is Seasmoke smiling gleefully and going “you wanna commit some crimes yes yes yes?”
posted by hototogisu at 2:09 AM on July 23 [1 favorite]
posted by hototogisu at 2:09 AM on July 23 [1 favorite]
Confluency, right there with you re: streamlining.
I did love the delicious irony of "fish queen" Alicent getting stabbed by the smallfolk in the EXACT SAME SPOT she stabbed Rhaenyra in the arm last season!
Looking forward to more Dragonstone Idol auditions next week, hopefully. We still need to meet the wild dragon that Rhaena clocked in the Vale this episode (because this one's a messy eater).
Vermithor still hasn't found a rider, and as the biggest of the beasts left on Team Black, getting him mounted again is critical for Rhaenyra to press forward. She cannot abandon that strategy now, it's all she has until Daemon stops playing mind games in Luigi's Haunted Castle.
Between the smallfolk saying "they're just meat" during the Meleys traitor parade and the rising tensions of keeping them trapped in KL while their children go hungry, it's just a matter of time before that powder keg goes up.
Aemond may have a mind for conquest and battle, but Team Green currently has 0 stars on Yelp for ruling/managing KL during the blockade. If Aemond doesn't get his collective shit together, he's going to be fighting 2 wars at the end of this season: one against Rhaenyra, and one against Team Green's unhappy subjects.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 7:34 AM on July 23 [2 favorites]
I did love the delicious irony of "fish queen" Alicent getting stabbed by the smallfolk in the EXACT SAME SPOT she stabbed Rhaenyra in the arm last season!
Looking forward to more Dragonstone Idol auditions next week, hopefully. We still need to meet the wild dragon that Rhaena clocked in the Vale this episode (because this one's a messy eater).
Vermithor still hasn't found a rider, and as the biggest of the beasts left on Team Black, getting him mounted again is critical for Rhaenyra to press forward. She cannot abandon that strategy now, it's all she has until Daemon stops playing mind games in Luigi's Haunted Castle.
Between the smallfolk saying "they're just meat" during the Meleys traitor parade and the rising tensions of keeping them trapped in KL while their children go hungry, it's just a matter of time before that powder keg goes up.
Aemond may have a mind for conquest and battle, but Team Green currently has 0 stars on Yelp for ruling/managing KL during the blockade. If Aemond doesn't get his collective shit together, he's going to be fighting 2 wars at the end of this season: one against Rhaenyra, and one against Team Green's unhappy subjects.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 7:34 AM on July 23 [2 favorites]
I was hoping for a wacky montage like Rick & Morty style of various deaths by dragon as multiple people try and fail to tame them; maybe set it to some Kenny Loggins.
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:12 AM on July 23 [4 favorites]
posted by Saxon Kane at 9:12 AM on July 23 [4 favorites]
I too was musing on the utter cat === dragon concept. dragons are 10000% cats. they are capricious and dangerous and I want to pet t hem.
posted by supermedusa at 9:13 AM on July 23 [2 favorites]
posted by supermedusa at 9:13 AM on July 23 [2 favorites]
If there’s one through line connecting all of the story arcs in the GoT universe verse it’s women putting their sons on thrones and then realizing the idiot should never have been allowed within shouting distance of power.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 8:39 PM on July 23 [6 favorites]
posted by Parasite Unseen at 8:39 PM on July 23 [6 favorites]
omg Ber, that's so interesting! thanks for sharing. Bisexuality is canon for SEVERAL characters in the GOT-verse, though, so it wasn't surprising to me at all to see the kiss happen.
But definitely nice, regardless, especially with all the icky Criston Cole sex scenes we've been subjected to in s2.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 7:41 AM on July 24
But definitely nice, regardless, especially with all the icky Criston Cole sex scenes we've been subjected to in s2.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 7:41 AM on July 24
Am I...the only person who presumed Alicent and Rhaenyra had been lovers?
posted by kittens for breakfast at 8:31 AM on July 24 [3 favorites]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 8:31 AM on July 24 [3 favorites]
oh my!! unscripted smooching. I love it but yeah it will probably end in (even more) tears.
posted by supermedusa at 9:09 AM on July 24
posted by supermedusa at 9:09 AM on July 24
My take on Rhaenicent was always that repressed young lesbian Alicent was desperately/obliviously in love with Rhaenyra and Rhaenyra was basically straight. But then S2 gives us Alicent choosing to have sex with a guy whose sole appeal is that he's really hot (if you're into dudes) and Rhaenyra gets the girlfriend, so that's the lesson to not get too attached to one's headcanons. (I would still argue that Emily Carey played S1 Alicent as infatuated with Rhaenyra.)
posted by grandiloquiet at 11:47 AM on July 24 [2 favorites]
posted by grandiloquiet at 11:47 AM on July 24 [2 favorites]
they are both so young when Alicent gets pushed into marriage with the king. lots of girls that age (15? 16?) might have latent attractions they have not realized fully. Obviously they both appreciate the D but that doesn't preclude either of them being attracted to a woman or like, falling in love with your best friend? I think it is a strong narrative driver of the utter bitterness between them. it's so sad :(
posted by supermedusa at 8:34 AM on July 25 [2 favorites]
posted by supermedusa at 8:34 AM on July 25 [2 favorites]
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posted by kittens for breakfast at 11:33 AM on July 22