The sixth episode of House of the Dragon takes a ten-year jump into the future, with a number of developments at King’s Landing. The episode is now available to stream on HBO Max.
Recap
Rhaenyra gives birth to her third child, Joffrey, who is quickly summoned by Queen Alicent moments after his birth. An annoyed Rhaenyra decides to take her child to the Queen herself.
Rhaenyra’s husband, Laenor, joins her on the way. Alicent comforts Rhaenyra, asking her to rest while she meets the prince, along with King Viserys, who has managed to live after collapsing at Rhaenyra’s wedding ten years ago.
Apart from Rhaenyra and Alicent’s strained relationship, the former is also disappointed by Laenor, who for most of his life has stayed away from her and their children.
Ser Harwin Strong, the Commander of City Watch, who saved Rhaenyra at the wedding, is rather more interested in Rhaenyra’s sons.
Rhaenyra’s children now include Jacaerys Velaryon, Lucerys Velaryon, and Joffrey Velaryon. Alicent, on the other hand, has an elder son named Aegon, a daughter named Halaena, and her youngest son, Aemond.
Alicent’s boys don’t get along well among themselves, with Aegon playing pranks on his brother Aemond from time to time. She wants her kids to stand together, believing that a day will come when Rhaenyra’s elder son will ascend the throne.
Alicent’s kids will then be a threat to them. So they have to protect each other. At the same time, Alicent also despises Rhaenyra’s children, as their real father is Ser Harwin, the Commander of City Watch.
King Viserys, over the years, has been quite oblivious to all of this.
While Rhaenyra got close to Ser Harwin, Alicent found an ally in the form of Ser Criston Cole, who was left heartbroken by Rhaenyra at the wedding.
As the tensions boil in the King’s Landing, far away in Pentos, Daemon is spending a life away from the throne with Laena Velaryon and their two daughters, with another child on the way.
They are offered a permanent residence in Pentos in exchange for protection against the Triarchy and Dorne. Daemon has spent years reading and away from the thought that he would ever claim the throne.
Laena often thinks about going back to Westeros, as she misses her brother dearly and knows that somewhere Daemon feels the same. She also wants their daughters to be raised in their homeland.
Meanwhile, a conflict breaks out at King’s Landing during a training session. Ser Criston Cole instigates Ser Harwin for siding with Jace, stating that the love he emits towards him probably comes from a father.
After hearing that comment, a furious Ser Harwin attacks Ser Criston Cole before they are separated.
Lyonel Strong later confronts his son, Ser Harwin, for his actions and their consequences. Rhaenyra overhears their conversation about the rumors at King’s Landing.
She later proposes to mend her relationship with Alicent by having her elder son Jace marry Alicent’s daughter Halaena. Alicent sees this as Rhaenyra’s desperate move to save her reputation.
After that meeting, Lyonel Strong tries to resign from his post due to his son’s actions during the training sessions, but Viserys rejects it.
Strong mentions that there is a reason he is opting to resign, as he believes he can no longer be impartial.
Alicent knows it’s the intimacy between Rhaenyra and Ser Harwin, but Viserys ignores it and stays adamant on his decision. Instead, he allows Strong to escort his son to the seat of House Strong, the cursed Harrenhal.
Viserys keeping Lyonel Strong as his Hand irks Queen Alicent, who later confesses this to Ser Larys. He listens, and decides to do her favor.
He arranges for an army of prisoners to attack Lyonel Strong and Ser Harwin at Harrenhal. They burn down the whole place, leaving the father and son to die.
Ser Larys removed an obstacle from Alicent’s way by finishing off his own father and brother. Everyone knows the seat of Harrenhal is cursed, so no one would suspect or try to investigate.
Amidst all of this, Rhaenyra decided to go back to Dragonstone as she knew Alicent won’t accept the marriage offer.
Laena had a hard time giving birth to her third child. The maesters had an option to use knives to cut the womb, which may have resulted in Daemon losing Laena. At the same time, the maesters were not sure whether the child will live or not.
Laena was not ready to die that way and walked up to her dragon and commanded him to kill her.
Review
- The episode presented a lot of complications after the time jump, so it was pretty difficult to keep up with the family tree and who is up to what.
- Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke are still getting comfortable in the shoes of Rhaenyra and Alicent. The viewers will take some time to grow on them.
- Ser Larys is a character to look out for after his big move in this episode. He might be the game changer moving on from here.
House of the Dragon season 1 episode 6
Director: Miguel Sapochnik
Date Created: 2022-09-26 06:30
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