house of the dragon: season 3, episode 2
i feel so bad for rhaena. i understand she needs some reason to go into hiding and eventually disappear, but i wish it wasn’t to avoid punishment for the death of her childhood friend/stepbrother/cousin/almost-brother-in-law.
on a related note: alyn is going to be legitimized! presumably, addam will too. and now he’s met his future wife. i was mortified when baela tried to explain corlys’ abandonment/neglect as a side effect of his epic love for rhaenys. like sure, it’s true i guess, but you shouldn’t say it out loud. i’m sure he doesn’t want to hear excuses for his mother being tossed aside after giving the man two children.
i wasn’t sure what to expect from rhaenyra grief-wise, but it was executed so painfully and so well. she is obviously saddened by the news of his death but her anger was keeping her afloat in that moment. she only falls apart later, in the privacy of her chambers. she also (rightfully) points out that she was defied not just by jacaerys but her entire court. no wonder she’s losing it.
lady arryn’s riding clothes were immaculate.
i was pissed off at daemon for enjoying a bit of karaoke with black aly & oscar while everyone else is in misery. i know he didn’t know but i still hate him. i have no patience for him this season.
on the bright side, he does tell off a lot of people for being disobedient or disrespectful to rhaenyra. it’s his only redeeming factor in my eyes.
hugh said “maybe” alys is a witch. i’m pretty sure she explicitly said that’s what she was, you big dummy. ulf is clearly rubbing off on him. and the seeds of betrayal are germinating as we speak.
okay onto the daemon/mysaria/rhaenyra situation: i love it. i also love the fact that daemon seems somewhat aware of it. “not everything is about you, daemon” TRUTH NUKE “would that pain you?” HUHHH “i hope you will send for me. remember which one of us has been faithful” ‼️ “she has done much for us. for me” “so i gather.” “i have no need of your approval” 😬
it seems rhaenyra knows about sheepstealer, but baela didn’t tell her who the rider was. i’m so scared for my dear rhaena.
daemon brings up the song of ice and fire again. i’m sure fans will react normally to this. but hey, whatever gets my babygirl out of bed. now isn’t the time, i know, but i had forgetten how sexy rhaenyra looks with her hair down🫦
ALICENT: scurrying around, giving orders, hoping to get helaena and jaehaera far away. the almost-rape scene was painful to witness. i hate you lord jasper. i do wonder how many others know about her affair with criston, though.
helaena asking alicent if there would be battle and seeming surprised at the news that rhaenyra was coming. i suppose i thought she knew everything at this point, but maybe it’s just the broad strokes. she definitely seemed more vibrant this episode. she wants chickens :(
“i will not have any beast harmed🙂” and looking to her mama for approval. i love you alive girl
another targaryen wreaks havoc at harrenhal. YAWN. at least we got to see aemon stumble and crawl to alys my beautiful witch queen and beg for her help.
“where is aegon? i have business with him.” understatement of the century.
i forgot big daddy hightower was still alive in the black cells!!
rhaenyra + her sword: god, i love that she takes jacaerys’ weapon for her own. i don’t love that the immediate reaction was laughter. daemon charges her to take off otto’s head, but instead of jace’s blade she uses dark sister, one of the ancestral weapons of house targaryen. another sign of legitimacy. he presses her to do it, despite the protests of her and otto. he said she would become queen in that moment and i suppose she truly did. it was half-botched and she had snot leaking out of her nose the whole time, but she did it. her first time inflicting deadly violence up close. and then she stepped over his head and made her way to the iron throne, leaving a trail of bloody footprints, and then we see her reflected in the pool of his blood. poetic cinema.
i know alicent has gotten into the habit of sneaking around, but surely she didn’t think the black court would allow her to go unaccounted for. that’s TWO queens and a princess. no way that was going to happen.
alicent and rhaenyra united once again, but at what cost? that eye contact was really something.
