House of the Dragon episode 8!

2022 - 10 - 10

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Image courtesy of "NPR"

'House of the Dragon' episode 8: A family dinner becomes a last ... (NPR)

On HBO's Game of Thrones spin-off, a question of succession turns the show into Succession.

He talks of Aegon the Conqueror, and the dagger, and the prophecy of The Prince That Was Promised. Viserys stands — sort of — and makes an emotional entreaty to his family to get along, for his sake. Rhaenyra goes to the bedridden Viserys and tearfully asks him to defend her against Vaemond. Daemon tries to shame Alicent for administering "milk of the poppy" to the king for his pain, but she's not having it. (Side note: If you believe that Rhaenyra knows that Laenor is still alive, there's no reason in the world for her not to come out and say as much to Rhaenys in this scene. Rhaenyra swears she didn't have Laenor killed — which is technically true — and that she was not complicit in it — which is a lie. She's the family member who's charged with daily care of the loved one with failing health, and he's the know-it-all brother-in-law who never calls but just breezes in once a year to complain. But listen: In the book, Rhaenyra's naming her first son with Daemon "Aegon" is a big deal, one that Alicent takes as an insult to her eldest son, Aegon. So for the repellent, older Aegon, son of Viserys and Alicent, let's go with Aegon the Aess. Daemon and Rhaenyra worry about Vaemond's petition to the Iron Throne, and wonder if Rhaenys will back him, because her true allegiance is a mystery. Aegon is a monster, yes, we get it, but reducing rape to a device that exists solely to remind us of that is just lazy, cynical writing. Corlys' younger brother Vaemond knows that Corlys wants Driftmark to pass through his son Laenor and his wife Rhaenyra to their second son, Luke (their oldest son Jace is still officially the heir to the Iron Throne, remember).

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Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

'House of the Dragon' Season 1, Episode 8 Recap: Calamitous ... (The New York Times)

This week brought the end of an era as the second sons, those overshadowed, resentful men of Westeros, instigated most of the action.

[last week](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/02/arts/television/house-of-the-dragon-season-1-episode-7-recap.html) about the grace and gravitas with which Considine has anchored “House of the Dragon” from the beginning, so I won’t belabor it again here. (Might as well lean into the name confusion.) He seemed almost gleeful, as if relishing the thought of facing off with a worthy adversary. When Viserys sat back down and took a gulp of wine, I half-expected it to shoot out of his head in a dozen different places. “The crown cannot stay strong if the House of the Dragon remains divided,” he said. The upshot was that Vaemond got to keep his tongue and the Sea Snake, wherever he is, got to keep his succession plan. Whatever it was, it set up one of the more memorable executions in “Thrones” history. As for his besmirching the king’s daughter and grandsons to his face (or the half that remained, anyway) … There are also a couple of new heirs, courtesy of Rhaenyra and Daemon: a new Viserys to replace the one we just lost, as well as yet another Aegon to keep track of, curse the gods. But “he’s got a strange moral compass of his own,” the actor said. I had a similar feeling watching this week’s “House of the Dragon,” when Daemon helped Viserys up the steps to the Iron Throne. Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson) lit the fuse on everything with his strategic, if ultimately unsuccessful (and then some) petition to subvert his older brother’s wishes and gain control of his house, castle and throne. It’s a subtle reminder that whatever its other failings and prejudices, the human heart tends to be forgiving and sympathetic in the face of suffering and love.

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Image courtesy of "Esquire.com"

House of the Dragon Episode 8: The Vibes Couldn't Be Worse (Esquire.com)

Sure, it may have seemed odd when House of the Dragon replaced the roles of the young Princess Rhaenyra and Queen Alicent with older actors, while characters ...

The little shit Prince Aegon turns and whispers to Lady Baela that he would satisfy her should his nephew, Jacaerys, fail in his duties as a husband. He tells Alicent about Aegon the Conqueror's dream and the whole Prince Who Was Promised prophesy, which kind of comes true at the end of Game of Thrones. hey all start having a nice time again, then the King is removed from the room and Aemond instigates another fight. Of course, the main succession problem for the Iron Throne is still in play, but Driftmark is sort of like a mini-game. I wouldn't be surprised if the character hissed a little whenever he spoke an "S," to sound like a snake-human hybrid. Back in the throne room, the King stumbles to the Iron Throne as Daemon helps him up. The princess introduces her father to his two new grandchildren (which she had with her new uncle-husband): another baby Aegon and Viserys Jr. In his absence, Corlys's younger brother, Ser Vaemond, seizes the moment and declares that he should be granted the claim to Driftmark over " [House Strong](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a41278220/house-of-the-dragon-larys-lionel-strong/)'s pups." Meeting with Rhaenyra and Daemon, Queen Alicent explains that she and her father, Otto Hightower, are not ruling the kingdom, but merely "following the King's wisdom." [House of the Dragon](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a40897130/house-of-the-dragon-hbo-release-schedule/) Episode Eight. [King Viserys](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a40999968/will-king-viserys-die-house-of-the-dragon-got-prequel/) is downright skeletal and bedridden when Rhaenyra arrives, resembling the horrifying visage of a vampiric Prince Philip. It's a dreadful declaration for viewers who are still trying to resettle into the Game of Thrones prequel following the [massive cast changes we've seen](https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/a41387548/house-of-the-dragon-actors-change/) since Episode Six.

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