Alicent definitely threw up in her mouth a little bit when she realised

I think more shows now days need to take notes on cinematography from HotD

I really like this format of discussion. Keep it up guys, love your appreciation of all elements of the show despite this one being a slow episode.

That coin is extra cool because its a coin of the seven gods and he held in front of his eye. What a shot!!

I think maybe because the plan to sneak into the sept was so obvious that’s why it worked. Rhaenyra would be the absolute last person you’d think would show up in kings landing dressed up as a septa. It was so foolish it was foolproof. lol 🤣 and there was set up for it. Throughout the episode we can see that there’s not really anybody keeping security tight. Otto is gone. Sir Criston is leaving to go to Harrenhal with some of the best knights to back him up. And Aegon just appointed a bunch of lazy oafs to the Kingsguard. Plus no one would really expect or really know what Rhaenyra looked like in the sept. She doesn’t believe in the faith of the seven so she wouldn’t be praying as a teen/adult. There’s not a lot of realistic self portraits in a Game of Thrones so it’s possible people don’t know what she looks like or would suspect her. And Alicent either by honor or smarts wouldn’t alert anyone about Rhaenyra because it would probably make things worse than better. The blacks council was willing to go to war without her and this would just hasten their blood lust. A bit heisty but I think it wasn’t that unthinkable of an action. Plus it really solidified how despite having lost a child, Rhaenyra still really wanted to try for peace before going nuclear. I think people just have PTSD from Jon and Dany trying to bring a wight to Cersei. Now that was dumb AF.

I really like this format of having that sort of ASOIAF/Fire and Blood nerd and a more casual viewer that doesn't really pick up on the details as much and lore talking about the show. This was quite enjoyable.

6:51 Tyrion had a similar necklace when he was hand

Can't wait to say I was here before you guys blew tf up in the fandom. I love this format and the filming.

Otto wanted to send all the kingsguard to kill Rhaenyra before she was even aware that Viserys was dead, therefore less guarded. There's a difference betweem that plan and Cole's plan to send one guy alone to a highly guarded island whilst they're on the brink of war.

I think while on one hand some people don't get why we like 'consistent/realistic worldbuilding' there is also a faction that is too married to 'internal realism' out of principle. The Rhaenera & Alicent conversation in reality would likely have been secret letters. Yes. But how much better, how much more impactful and interesting is that confrontation for us the viewer? What people who are super sticklers for 'realism' tend to neglect is that 'outcome matters'. If both Alicent & Rhaenera being in the same place would have massively shifted the story it would likely have been a questionable call. But the way they did it was the same result as if they wrote letters but MUCH more interesting from a character perspective and for us as viewers. And thus imo it is the correct choice to bend disbelief slightly for the same outcome but a much better way TO that outcome 🤔

Granted - if Rhaenyra was killed it would not really accomplish any thing for the Greens - but a hostage would have been a huge asset. Yes the biggest flaw in this show so far is this whole scenario.

I really really loved the Aegon confusion on the deathbed, it's a nice extra detail to the book and grrm's private suggestion as to why Aegon the conquerer started the conquest. Having them meet and discuss it tarnished the what if tragic nature of it a touch. The acting was on point so it was entertaining

*Fans saw the opening scene with Blackwoods & Brackens taking everybody's lives & leaving no winners & were like "anyway! When are the main characters gonna start killing each other??"* Starting by showing the human cost of war should’ve been enough to grasp why a peaceful solution should be sought after to the extreme...& yet. Multiple characters all thru the episode comment on how cyclical violence begets violence & perception of blame is manipulated. Like Lord Simon says "the reason is lost to time". Rhaenyra wears Jaehaerys the Conciliator's crown: Rhaenys is literally spoonfeeding the theme in a way GoT never bothered to do! If GoT came out today ppl would be crying about Tyrion giving Cat Ned's bones & trying to negotiate Jamie for the girls! “Why they still trying to prevent a war & seek peace!! Bad writing!" All of GoT s2 would be considered filler! Ofc the Sept meeting didn't make sense to Targ stans, Daemyra shippers & "I want Aegon vs Rhaenyra war movie" Greens. Cause they're so adamant in not understanding the focal point of this adaptation : Rhaenyra & Alicent being torn apart by feudal patriarchy. That despite everything, they still care for & value each other. You don’t even have to perceive their love as romantic. But outright denial, letting your prejudices dumb you down & make you refuse to even engage with what the story has made abundantly clear is wild!The complain about logistics is hypocritical as Daemon goes to KL in ep1. Daemon is a man so when he does crazy things it’s awesome & cool! But Rhaenyra goes off the deep end & it's weak, passive & dumb! "What happened to her rage?" A six year old child was murdered in her command. God forbid she goes thru internal conflict after that. Or think of Alicent's arc as a man : *"a boy who was raised to always do his duty no matter how high the price; has a moment where he mistakenly believes all his sacrifice might've been worth it for the realm, then slowly realizes there's too much blood on his hands to stop." Ppl would be obsessed.* But a complex female character gets "she's so dumb" or "she's a b word". *Alicent didn’t place Aegon on the throne cause she misunderstood the prophecy; the prophecy simply gave her an acceptable justification for doing what she had to do. It was a tool of self-deception. Which was made clear when Alicent brilliantly used the "I swear on my mother" line which Rhaenyra used as a lie in s1.* Alicent’s wants were of no relevance. *Aegon would've been placed on the throne with or without her support. Her placing him there just granted her a degree of influence over him.* Hotd acknowledging men's violence isn't "gender essentialism". These men are violent cause they were taught that they have the right to be. Nothing sexist about the two female characters pondering the reality of a brutal war as they've been subjected to this everyday violence the most. "But Alicent & Rhaenyra's kids should come before their love". Exactly...they have the most at stake. Have you considered the best way to protect their kids is to stop killing each other? The kids are already dying. Aegon is about to be disfigured & paralyzed. Ofc Alicent would want to do anything she can to stop this. But she is destined to fail. Which is the tragedy. Many women tend to be in denial about the harshly realistic portrayal of Alicent & Rhaenyra's every walking moment being a struggle against misogyny (like Rhaenyra's sexist council) cause they have the girlboss fantasy of how they would've "done things differently" if put in these situations.

The best episode of the season by far! I really wish the writer of this one wrote every episode. Every scene had a purpose. I loved Ulfs introduction. It was memorable and wasn't just shoe horned in like Alyn, Addam and Hugh's scenes. I cringed when they decided to have Rhaneyra go to King's Landing but the resulting scene was so good as they needed to address the whole Alicent is doing this because she thinks Viserys wanted it. Now she knows he didn't and she is complicit going forward.

Terrion had the necklace in the show for Blackwater Bay

Great talk.

The way you are dressed right now my man totally convinces me that you read the books.

the fancy lad school of westeros - I'm opening this school - it's on my TODO list

Otto was going to send multiple men (“take your best men to Dragonstone”) to assassinate them. Arryk was sent on his own. Rhaenys was right, Otto wouldn’t have been so stupid. Otto even called it a “prank” when he had a go at Aegon in the previous episode.

Hey before I watch: do these have any spoilers beyon episode 3?

Great video

Next episode is gonna be 🤌

Aren’t the wives of Kings called your Grace? Wouldn’t it be the same for Daemon, being that he is married to the Queen? That is how I took that, if Rhaeneyra is the Queen, both of them should be addressed as your Grace.

Imo idle characters is the BEST thing HoTD can do. It was some of the biggest issues in GoT with Jamie Lannister/Bron/Sansa ect if they have nothing to do for a bit, sweet let them sit in the background until they do. I don't want them doing little side adventures haha

The Burning Mill cut scene was immaculate & got the point across about the brutality of war...Feast for Crows. It was also baiting & switching the audience for the actual battle next episode. GoT did it constantly in s2 before Blackwater. Overloading with battles takes away the novelty. Let the casuals who complained about it stick to their mindless action flicks. Meanwhile targ stans mad about Ulf & Baelon? Oh no, a royal prince sired a bastard & water is wet! Where did they think those dragonseeds came from? Look at the timeline even in the book & it's clear some rather recent Targaryen in KL was fooling around. Helaena's "I forgive you" is a prophetic present tense literary device. She's talking about something that hasn't happened yet...the window. Brilliant writing! Just like groomer Daemon's ideal vision of Rhaenyra being stuck at 15 year old. Scary. The "I swear to you on the memory of my mother" clapback is the best line of the series so far. Finally, Rhaenyra is not whitewashed. Her treatment of Rhaena was a sign that Rhaenyra will ultimately be submerged by the system she's trying to change. She will leave everyone disillusioned, which is the point they're making about the immutability of autocracy. Rhaenyra's subtle selfishness & ego has been so beautifully characterized. Placing her sons & heirs above all, asking her own orphan step child to play surrogate, all in the place where said child lost her own mother. No remorse & a complete cognitive dissonance. Rhaenyra is such a triumph of adaptation I have so much faith they’re going to manage to successfully pull off her tragedy. She hypocritically outsources motherhood to Rhaena & assigns her that passive feminine role. As a character Rhaenyra is most fascinating when she's forced to navigate & perpetuate the gendered structures she despises & wishes she could transcend. Rhaena is clearly straining against the fact that if she has no dragon she is to be relegated to childcare while Baela gets at least some freedom (or the illusion of it). It’s a nuanced situation & I'm thrilled that they've given Rhaena the dimension to be dissatisfied with this position (the book doesn't give her much of anything). Conflict is good! & Rhaenyra’s central conflict- that to gain & retain power within a violent system one must perpetuate those violences, no matter one’s honorable intentions- having its seeds sown here is just really smart writing.

It's funny that in the "behind the scenes/inside the episode" stuff they said they didn't want to do the old good guy vs bad guy story, but by going out of their way to make Rhaenyra more likeable, that's the end result. I enjoy the show for the entertainment value but it's almost as dumb as seasons 7 and 8 of GoT.

The more mistakes we’re seeing, the more scared I get that we’re going to get another GoT season 8 . Also did you say “Not to Mauler it” as in MauLer and EFAP??

To those of us who read, with book being an unreliable narrator perspective, it totally makes sense that private conversations would be unrecorded by maesters.

Gods eye is a lake, not a river

all throughout season 1 people call alicent your grace, its not at all ridiculous for daemon to expect the same

Erm, excuse me: Rhaenyra does what with her *Uncle*s* ??😳 No,no, that's too dark even for Targaryen standards. Bad Freudian slip! Shame! 🔔

I honestly don’t think that sleeping with 4 men in the span of your life makes you a whore, but even if it did, how is that an issue to become a ruler?

THANK YOU! I was disappointed in how Rhaenys was giving such dumb advice, and how naive she sounded about Otto. Telling Rhaenyra to speak to Alicent because she could help bring peace, how?? In the same sentence she told Rhaenyra that Alicent lacks power to stop the actions that she permits. Also, Rhaeny’s herself failed at convincing Alicent back when the coup started. I thought that they really dumb down her character, trying so hard to not go to war, like if they were dealing with good faith actors! 🙄🙄

Nothing makes me feel more sick to the pit of my stomach than HBO robbing us Dreamfyre being the mother of Danny's eggs. We may as well say Jon Snow is a Lannister, or Robert Baratheon is Arya Stark's son. Stupid changes for the sake of stupid changes. Before anyone says "they never flat out confirm those were Dreamfyre's eggs in the books", they don't flat out confirm 95% of the plot, that's how George's writing style works. I'm absolutely horrified that HBO have totally spoiled a massive part of the franchise that I adore. Thankfully, with a Seasnake show hopefully being green lit, which will take place during the time of Elissa Farman, there's still AMPLE opportunity for HBO to retcon and correct this. And before anyone quotes a stinking director, the director is wrong. To make Danny's eggs anything other than Dreamfyre's eggs, stolen by Elissa Farman, is to proverbially wipe one's backside with the entire franchise. The director is either lying, working the audience, or flat out wrong here. #JUSTICEFORDREAMFYRE

I think it's very ignorant whenever youtubers say "this doesn't happen in the book" with personal scenes. Book is written as propaganda, political piece very green, citadel-sided. Measter are not supposed to know about personal "undercover" conversations, if they knew, it would be because Rhaenyra was caught by trying to communicate with Alicent. So for me that definitely works, especially be you see the real Alicent. Book is written in a way that allows freedom of interpretation to directors.

all throughout season 1 people call alicent your grace, its not at all ridiculous for daemon to expect the same