WARNING: This review contains spoilers for Episode 6 of ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2.
I’ve expressed my disinterest in Team Black in my past reviews of season 2, but the sixth episode turned that around. Rhaenyra’s faction sending food to King’s Landing’s starving smallfolk felt like the show’s PR team was giving us a tasty installment to win us back. But more on that later.
Aemond being Aemond
The episode opens with Jason Lannister and his troops arriving at The Golden Tooth on their march to Harrenhal. He demands that Aemond and his dragon, Vhagar, assist in taking the stronghold. This doesn’t sit well with Aemond — because, of course, our boy doesn’t take orders so easily. He channels his frustration into a heated Small Council meeting, where he instructs Tyland Lannister to forge an alliance with the Triarchy to break the Velaryon blockade that’s been depriving the capital’s smallfolk of decent food.
He then dismisses his mother, Alicent, from the council in an emotional scene that made me empathize deeply with her as she seemingly questioned her ability to be a good mother. This crisis of confidence is magnified during a poignant conversation with her brother, Gwayne. He reassures her that despite barely raising her youngest son, Daeron, he has grown up kind and decent, a stark contrast to his more ruthless brothers.
Aemond then visits the bedridden Aegon, pressing on his wounds and demanding to know what he remembers from the dragon battle that nearly killed him. Aegon claims he doesn’t remember anything, but we all know he does.
Larys Strong, still smarting from being passed over by Aemond for Hand of the Prince Regent in favor of Otto Hightower, also visits the fallen king. He warns Aegon about the dangers posed by his ambitious brother. Larys is clearly placing a significant bet on the severely wounded Aegon by aiding in his recovery and supporting his bid to reclaim the throne. This scene stands out as one of the episode’s highlights, where the show finally turns political scheming from mere information overload into something genuinely exciting and intriguing.
Rumor has it
Mysaria is quickly proving to be Rhaenyra’s greatest asset with her ability to deliver effective results. After her spies uncover the contrast between the royals’ opulence and the smallfolk’s suffering, Mysaria sends food-laden Targaryen boats to the capital, leading to chaos as desperate citizens fight over supplies, sing Rhaenyra’s praises, and riot against Alicent and Helaena. This brilliantly executed sequence should be enough to restore the audience’s faith in the series. But wait, there’s more!
Just when you think the episode has delivered its most thought-provoking, Mysaria reveals a more vulnerable side to Rhaenyra, sharing that she was sexually abused by her father. Their heartfelt conversation leads to a passionate and controversial kiss. The scene didn’t shock me, nor did the homophobic and misogynistic reactions that followed on social media. However, I am excited to see how this development will affect Team Black in the episodes to come.
Viserys visits
I am at a stage where the only part that excites me about Daemon’s relentless dreams is the possibility of seeing cast members from the first season. This week, the show brought back Paddy Considine to reprise his role as Viserys in Daemon’s hallucination. Of all Daemon’s dreams, I consider this the grandest, as his previous ones have always boiled down to his unresolved issues with his brother. He then threatens Ser Simon Strong while giving the mysterious Alys Rivers the trust she doesn’t deserve. The episode implies that Alys killed Grover Tully, the Lord Paramount of the Riverlands who has been sick throughout the season. With him gone, Daemon’s Riverlands conquest becomes more viable.
Amidst their quest to find new dragon riders, Rhaenyra and Jace recruit Ser Steffon Darklyn, who might have enough Targaryen blood in his lineage, to claim Seasmoke, the dragon that once belonged to Laenor Velaryon. The dragon incinerates the poor knight during his gripping claiming test.
Meanwhile, Corlys finally accepts the position of Hand of the Queen. Still reeling from Rhaenys’ death, he appoints his bastard son Alyn as his first mate. Tensions rise between Alyn and his brother, Addam, as they clash over their roles as the Sea Snake’s sons. Later, we see Addam on Driftmark being pursued by Seasmoke. They dramatically stare at each other and make it clear that he is now the dragon’s new rider. When Rhaenyra hears about it, she quickly mounts Syrax and sets out to confront them.
Episode 6 is hands down the best of the season, and I’d even argue it’s the most impressive episode of the entire series so far. It perfectly balances gripping family drama, sharp political moves that actually drive the story forward without feeling like filler, and action that thoughtfully highlights the human characters caught in the dragon chaos.