One of my ongoing complaints about HOUSE OF THE DRAGON has been that it doesn’t have enough dragon action, and EP8 doesn’t remedy that. Where it did win me over is how it wonderfully mixes family and political drama. And in the incestuous line of royal succession that is the Targaryen family, the two are always tangled and messy.
Aegon, Aemond and Helaena, Rhaena and Baela, Lucerys and Jacaerys, Aegon and Viserys. If you’re having difficulty keeping track of the many characters with the same or similar names, you’re not alone. And I only mentioned the various Velaryon/Targaryen children as currently seen on the show. I bet you didn’t even notice I left out poor Joffrey, Princess Rhaenyra’s 3rd child! I remember having a hard time remembering who was who on the first season of GAME OF THRONES, but this is on a whole other level. And we’re all on board with the fact that Aemond looks way older than his older brother Aegon right? It must be the eye patch.Â
THE LORD OF THE TIDES refers to Corlys Velaryon, aka the Sea Snake, and the succession of Driftmark. What a time to gather the families again in Kings Landing and visit the king. Paddy Considine’s performance as the aging King Viserys cannot be understated. I am absolutely sold that this handsome 49-year-old man is really this decrepit old man whose body has been eating him alive from the moment we met him in the premiere. The real magic of this episode is that the viewers are meant to believe there’s some importance in whoever rules Driftmark should Corlys pass away. It’s a fascinating watch as Velaryon and Targaryen go head to head once again. But, the Iron Throne is the only thing that matters. When thinking of all the great houses that vie for the throne less than 200 years later, House of the Dragon feels during times like this much more intimate, more personal. It’s not just politics, it’s family.
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON airs on Sunday nights on HBO and streams at the same time on HBOMax.
