I saw that in the same manner, at that point he wasn't addressing his king but his grandson

I think Aegon did exactly what Otto wanted.

Exactly. And a grandson for whom he has zero respect on top of that.

My stomach was in a knot the entire scene. Its so nice feeling something other than contempt and apathy, house of the dragon has me completely on board and locked in now. Im really enjoying this.

It’s so tragic that the one who won was the one who was sent to kill her only to come to realization that it was not worth it

@@justlivin2499 Erryk won, it was confirmed by Ryan Condall. Erryk is the twin sworn to Rhaenyra.

@@justlivin2499 Pretty sure it was Erryk who won, and fell on his own sword for grief of killing his own brother.

i mean... as soon as there was a guard for the queen present him shouting stop fighting back off and we talk it out.. would eventually solve it.. no? both step back.. wait more guards come.. but poth in shakles one steps back.. whats the other response?.. fleeing? end of fight.. going towards the queen.. 2v1... continue fighting only raises suspicion and we have the same situation...

If that were true then why does it show helaena walk down a flight of stairs to reach Alicent and Cole last episode?

It's in the same wing of the Keep, but one floor down. The path Helaena takes to get to Alicent's room is the exact same path that Rhaenyra walked with her newborn when Alicent asked to see the baby in season 1. Alicent's current room is the one Rhaenyra stayed in in season 1, and Helaena is in the Queen's room, where Alicent used to stay. You can actually track, shot for shot, that the path Helaena takes is the exact inverse of the one Rhaenyra took. This makes Cole's actions even more impactful....he's sleeping with Alicent in the same room that he slept with Rhaenyra. In the same bed, in fact.

I know right? I hate how a lot of shows over-explain things. Love it that this show keeps things subtle and hidden, for the audience to figure out.

Agreed. The problem I have with the show, and in general Martin's work, is the shock factor, perversions and gore. He writes in in a way where, to catch your attention, he must go over the top with brutality and outlandish behavior. I mean, is that what classifies as "adult content" today? It is not the show's fault, it is Martin's. He can't write a captivating story without those elements. We must have killing of pregnant women, decapitations of children, raping of sisters, graphic torture and any/all form of debauchery and decadence - otherwise, not adult enough? To the point where it became shock for shock's sake. And we must have one of those almost per episode, or we are getting bored. First episode, decapitation of a child. Second episode, brother killing a brother and then committing suicide. Third episode, if we don't get anything of similar weight, we're going to say that the episode was a filler, slow or some other euphemism for "boring". And that is what is increasingly annoying me with Martin's work on the world in general. He takes every taboo and dials it up to 11, and then we gather around to praise it as "adult series". Honestly, for me, it is more like edgy teen fantasy. Expertly put to screen, don't get me wrong, there is hardly anything out there that can compete (especially today), but is it adult? Not really. Just how The Boys need to go over the top to keep people interested. And remember the Herogasm episode and how the fans reacted? All involved talked how it was the most f-ed up thing the show did, that it is really something next level. Episode came and went, fans were like, "Huh?! I watch more HC porn on a daily basis!". What I am saying is, there is an overarching problem in modern adult media - it is not about adult topics, it is just pure shock factor, taboo and edgy teen fantasies, expressed in a very graphic way. And since we got desensitized a lot over the years, they need to bend over backwards with each new creation to make it even more wicked than before... or we consider it boring. I just want to point out, I don't have a problem seeing it - but it just seems it is there for pure shock factor and does not serve other purpose. Like jump-scares in horror films. It came to the point where it became obvious and stupid. At least for me. Compared to the Expanse series, which is also expertly done and tackles adult topics... but it never had the urge to go over the top with shock factor to convey all of that.

​@@Wustenfuchs109 as much as I love ASOIAF, you are right. Which is why Tolkien will always be my favourite.

Absolutely!

Its pure garbage

Yeah, I really don't like what they are doing with her in this season. She was one of my favourite characters in the first season, and my read on her was that she really loved her children, but was too focused and paranoid on keeping them safe, and had to rule the kingdom, so could not raise her children properly. But, this makes it look like she just does not care. I thought that she actually valued chastity, but now she is wh*re herself, and her distaste for Rhaenyra's actions now make her look hypocritical.

@@farididdinrahimov1050 She’s her Father’s daughter.

@@farididdinrahimov1050 Yeah, the whole affair with Cole thing does not make it better IMHO. Both would have been much more interesting antagonists if they actually had strong convictions and principles that drive them to do dark things. Turning them into unprincipled hypocrites is just a bit predictable and lazy. "They're the baddies, so they must be hypocrites, they can't have redeeming characteristics". It makes their characters feel more flat. Interestingly they did the opposite with Aegon and Otto and gave them a few positive attributes, and they became so much better characters because of it. So they know how to do this, they just chose not to with Alicent and Cole.

@@frankvandorp2059 Exactly! For me, they were not even antagonists. I felt like coup was more or less justified. Throughout the first season, I lent towards greens, but now they are portraying them as unlikable. So, now, I don't care much about either side, will grab a popcorn and watch them tear each other apart.

@@OlPalJoe This! For me, that scene was reminiscent of when Otto a was leaving Kings Landing, and he was saying farewell to Alicent. Although he was giving her useful advice, he couldn’t just say that he loved her and that he’ll miss her.

She asserted her dominance in a very dark way the next scene, when she sends Baela on a mission to patrol the Gullet, which is the exact mission Jace requested during the council meeting and Rhaenyra forbade him to do. So her own children are too valuable for Rhaenyra to risk on that mission, but Daemon's children are more expendable to her. It's weird how little people are talking about that scene.

I just wrote something similar. For me, it was a very powerful scene, the way he is curled in a fetal position, naked, with his head in the lap of a woman who looks similar to Alicent... And yeah, a good catch on the "Daemon is afraid of me" part, he really needed something to prop his ego with at his lowest moment.

Also, Otto has always been arrogant, which sometimes blinds him to consequences. Assuming Daemon would not use his dragon in Episode 2 of Season 1 for example

@@vanessalore9942 That on episode 2 went according to his plan, with the exception of Rhaenyra showing up, he wanted Daemon to attack, and provoked him to do it. If Daemon attacked, Viserys would be forced to send him to the Wall.

Strongest as in "loyal" or "powerful"? House Hightower is definitely the most loyal one, but most powerful (riches and army) are the Lannisters.

@@ile.spirkoski "Last to respond was Oldtown. The wealthiest of the great houses that had rallied to King Aegon II" Direct quote from Fire & Blood. By the time of AGOT the Lannisters are wealthier but not by the time of the Dance.

@@ile.spirkoski It has been nine days since you were corrected and you have yet to apologize and acknowledge your mistake.

More like missing a king that he could easily control.

@@InkyMuste That, definitely, but also possibly understanding, for the first time, that the patience and forbearance and kindness are things he took for granted, and when he says they are all the poorer for them no longer being there, he seems to mean it on a human level, not on the level of a political strategist.

@@melenatorr Yeah it’s funny because Otto’s machinations got the Hightowers to the top but these plans have eroded the realm so much that he can’t steer the ship and can’t enjoy being on the top

There is still an agenda bro, even if its subtle.

None of that is true. The royals are meant to be guarded personally 24x7. Generally, they will have knights or household guards follow them everywhere they go. The royal apartments still have servants who work upstairs, and royals would need personal guards to ensure those servants don't attack them, and to ensure any assassins who sneak in (like literally happened with Blood & Cheese) would be caught.

All hail the gloriius algorithm

Have larys pull up some bs evidense sighting treachery among guild as a whole, spread rumours of corruption and cruelty in its members, sight them having been paid for another assassination attempt otto is pissing and bitching over nothing

I believe he committed suicide for two reasons. He killed his brother whom he loved and he didn't want to force his queen to live with any doubt of ordering his execution because she wouldn't know if the 'good' one had won the battle...

dont you mean black instead of white?

See I feel the same way but instead of creating something new and interesting they chose to do a prequel. Even if it’s well written and well acted I never find myself interested since it’s already “spoiled” from the get go.

If someone was poisoning the king, how come they gave him the stuff that kept him alive long past his "best before" date?

@@Leo_ofRedKeep I don’t know. Maybe they stopped. But IMO the possibility of Viserys’ being poisoned was raised in several episodes, & EP1 is masterfully edited to point the suspicion at 1 particular person.

@@Number1OKKZfaqChannel Maybe the show laid a false trail for people to follow but the idea anyone was poisoning Viserys was contradicted in that he just kept on living.

@@Leo_ofRedKeep I can think of several reasons why the king kept living. For one, circumstances could change such that killing him (if that was the intent) would no longer serve a beneficial purpose. The particular suspicious person is revealed early on in the Season, but by the 2nd half there’s enough to explain how & why that person would poison the king, why that person would stop, and how it’s consistent with that person’s characterization. However, I cannot say for sure why the writers would establish this allusion. I could just be imagining here because, admittedly, it’s hard to see at best. It’s a Sneaky bit of editing. Plus it only comes in at certain points. But if they’re good (and I think/ hope they are), they did it because they can now write this character’s arc in a surprising yet plausible way, especially on a re-watch. (Maybe they’re learning from how GoT tv writers went wrong.)

Yes, but at that point the king just didn't care, he lashed out and just wanted to see the heads roll. If the Loris did not catch "Blood", king would have started chopping heads at random (as we see him not only rounding up the servants, but also accusing the Small Council members). Frankly, he didn't give a damn about who's really guilty, he just wanted to punish the whole world for it at that moment.

They didn't bother, they killed Blood before pointing the guilty one... why bother when it's so much easier to be incompetent and cruel. This is not GOT, all these things add up and the smallfolk will react in destructive ways all throughout the kingdom. Condal is much more careful to consequences than D&D.

And it is in line with the first season showing Rhaenyra's children as well adjusted kids, whereas Alicent's had tons of issues.

Why? It’s a beautiful model. I was dreading this moment. Can’t understand why so many people wanted to see it destroyed.

@@violator7964 because that walking corpse spent more time with that stupid miniature than with his kids who are not Rheaynera.

They are going for Aegon =viseris and Daemon=aemond. They even killed his son so aemond is now close to the throne

Aegon will try to make his daughter his heir.

There would've been an easy way to figure out which brother he was, just ask him about the going ons at Dragonstone, stuff only the "good" brother would know.

@@InkyMuste True but people that weren't present or have certain ulterior motives, could still possibly doubt him or spread doubt amongst others. It's fairly easy to implant a sliver of doubt in people's mind compared to convincing someone of the truth.

Maegor may have been cruel but he was crucial for the survival of House Targaryen. You can pull a lot of similarities with him and Daemon, both loved their brothers dearly.

@@vargr2089they are both still evil

@@Alex-bz8lj eh depends what you mean by evil.

daemon is not even close to maegor in terms of how evil they are. daemons vilest crimes are maegors daily routine, and no, he wasnt crucial for the survival of house targaryen, jahaerys was.

As best we can tell, Maegor's most evil acts may have come from brain damage. Daemon is probably manic, his evil being petty and pointless.

But if it's a common mistake... then isn't it plausible that in universe people would make the same mistake?

@@Bayard1503 It's a common mistake nowadays because we don't use this word like that very often. Here, in-world, it was a bit jarring. It's one of those "ignorance is bliss" things for me, because it didn't bug me before I learned about it.

You referring to Game of Thrones? Honest, I hated seasons 5 through 8 of that, but House of the Dragon S1 is definitely worth watching. It's also nearly a complete story, by itself, if you consider King Viserys the protagonist, like how Ned Stark was the closest thing to a protagonist in GoT S1. I say "nearly" because the last episode, or the last two episodes, are the groundwork for this season. Take it as a recommendation from someone who hates pretty much every show he watches.

I hated the last seasons of GOT and the signs were there even earlier... So as a hater of GOT I can fully recommend HotD. It's a much more difficult adaptation, everything is subjective, multiple stories, very little dialogue in the book, they can't just take amazing lines from the book and put on screen. GRRM didn't really bother even thinking things through, I'm sure in many cases he put all ideas he had in the book as different options.... And still, I was so impressed of Season 1, of the writing choices, of the things they added and changed (all the time keeping the plausibility, making sure they don't contradict the book outright, because historians can miss stuff, right?)

Fate