This episode of House of the Dragon exhibits the best and the worst of the series. On one hand, the action set piece that caps the entry will go down in history as one of the franchise’s best. On the other hand, the story’s nature remains as predictable as ever. Anyone wondering who will win a conflict in this franchise need only ask themselves which party has the most terrible people. They’ll almost always run away with the crown, as things tend to get worse without fail. This episode claims the life of one of the show’s finest characters in its best action scene.
Alan Taylor returns to direct “The Red Dragon and the Gold.” He previously helmed the second season premiere, which also shares its writer with this episode. Showrunner Ryan Condal has a writing credit on many episodes of the series, placing him in charge of both vision and execution. They’ve proven themselves to be a great team. While Taylor won’t be back this season, Condal is always on the team.
How is the fight for Harrenhal going?
|
Title |
“The Red Dragon and the Gold” |
|---|---|
|
Director |
Alan Taylor |
|
Writer |
Ryan Condal |
|
Release Date |
July 7, 2024 |
Harrenhal is the subject of some conflict throughout the first movements of the Dance of the Dragons. Daemon claimed the legendary cursed castle without resistance last week, but Aegon is furious to see it under enemy control. Criston Cole’s plan to knock over every noble family in the Riverlands is going great. Conversely, sleeping in Harrenhal is gradually driving Daemon mad. He opens the episode with a dream in which he decapitates young Rhaenyra for daring to call him on his jealous rage. That morning, Daemon sits down with Oscar Tully. Oscar’s grandfather is Grover Tully, the local lord paramount, but he’s too old and sick to offer much assistance. Yes, the representatives of House Tully are named after Muppets. Daemon is struggling while Cole is dominating, prompting Daemon to call the Blackwoods to his aid. Daemon also officially meets Alys Rivers, the castle’s unofficial witch. After taking a drink from her, he wakes up mid-meeting, an untold number of hours later. His presence on the show is currently more about confronting his old actions than developing new ones.
Cole’s campaign is going well, but the perceived victories only irritate King Aegon. Aemond, Cole, and Aegon’s other advisors ignore the young king’s input, leading him to lash out. It’s even worse, as everyone else’s plans seem to go off without a hitch. Aemond is still fuming after Aegon humiliated him in the brothel last week, leading him to embarrass his older brother in front of the small council. Alicent, a bit distracted by the contraceptive tea she has to consume to prevent her trysts with Cole causing even more pain, offers Aegon little help. In a chat with Larys Strong, she admits that her husband’s judgment died the moment he no longer drew breath, happily abandoning any appearance of legitimacy. She sits her oldest son down and calls him out for his entitlement, as if she didn’t work overtime to guarantee that response in her kid who would be king. She encourages him to do nothing and learn from his advisors. Aegon isn’t much of a listener, and calls to sit quietly will almost certainly spur him into action.
How does Rhaenyra find Dragonstone upon her return?
Rhaenyra’s secret mission to speak to Alicent didn’t work out as she’d hoped, but it did finally compel her to act. Baela calls Rhaenys back to Dragonstone, letting her briefly lead the council in Rhaenyra’s absence, but the true heir returns quickly. Everyone takes a moment to call Rhaenyra’s infiltration a terrible idea, further driving a wedge between the queen and her supposed supporters. Luckily, they have an idea. Jacaerys knows that Cole will be eschewing Harrenhal for a moment and pursuing an easier target. The Greens’ host is heading for Rook’s Rest, a small coastal castle with connections to Rhaenyra’s inner circle. Jace proposes sending a dragon to meet them on the field and end their successful campaign. Rhaenyra jumps at the opportunity, immediately volunteering to ride in and do the deed herself. Jace demands his opportunity, but it’s Rhaenys who takes the initiative and leaps into the saddle. Rhaenys will ride Meleys to check Cole’s advance, hopefully ending the Greens’ successful run.
What happens at the Battle of Rook’s Rest?
At long last, it’s time for a dragon war. While Rhaenys dons her armor and sets out from Dragonstone, Aegon II prepares to join the fray. Sick of being ignored, Aegon rides Sunfyre into battle. The presence of dragons immediately alters the context of the ground war. While most soldiers instantly lose their minds as they see Meleys’ approach, Criston Cole remains eerily calm. It turns out, Cole only attacked Rook’s Rest to draw out a dragon rider and launch an ambush. Aemond sits upon his massive dragon, Vhagar, the one he lost his eye to claim, and waits for his cue. As Cole sends up the flares, Aegon arrives on Sunfyre to join the fray. Rhaenys is in a bad spot, but Aegon’s position isn’t ideal either. Rhaenys guides Meleys to deal a brutal wound to Sunfyre, but Aemond swoops in to save the day. In a burst of flame, Aemond torches Aegon and Sunfyre. It’s left cleverly ambiguous whether Aemond intended to kill Aegon or to treat him as collateral damage.
In the tragic exchange, Aemond launches a surprise attack that kills Meleys in the air, sending Rhaenys crashing to her death at Rook’s Rest. Cole suffers a nasty fall from his horse, which leaves him limping and struggling to see straight. As the rest of his army forces their way back towards Rook’s Rest, he finds Sunfyre half-dead in a bloody heap. Aegon’s unconscious body lies underneath the beast’s broken wing. The show is doing everything in its power to hide Aegon’s status from the audience. Anyone with experience watching this franchise knows his fate.
Game of Thrones taught us that any character with an ounce of honor or decency will suffer a terrible on-screen death. Rhaenys was one of the best voices on the show. It also consistently reinforces the power of terrible people. As Alicent struggles with the knowledge that every aspect of her complicity in the Dance of the Dragons came from a misunderstanding, she finally admits that she never cared what the king had to say. The Greens are almost comically evil in their presentation. As usual for this franchise, the villains win. Look forward to the Blacks embracing the same lesson before they can put any meaningful points on the board.
Leave a Reply