Sunday night’s episode of House of the Dragon plunges us deeper into the tangled web of political intrigue and impending war. The episode opens with an age-old feud‑something that seems to be very common in the Game of Thrones world—between the Brackens and Blackwoods, two houses whose longstanding rivalry has now taken on new dimensions due to their allegiance to Rhaenyra and Aegon, respectively.
This post contains spoilers for “The Burning Mill.” You’ve been warned.
The opening scene, though short, effectively sets the tone for the rest of the episode. This conflict quickly escalates from heated words to a brutal offscreen battle, leaving the countryside littered with the corpses of both houses. The once peaceful field is now drenched in blood, signalling that the first real battle of the Dance of the Dragons has commenced, albeit offscreen. This choice to show the aftermath rather than the battle itself heightens the sense of impending doom.
Rhaenyra and Alicent Reunite
Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), determined to prevent further bloodshed, decides to confront Alicent (Olivia Cooke) face-to-face. With the help of Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), the White Worm, she learns of the one place the Queen Dowager visits in solitude: The Great Sept. Disguising herself as a nun, Rhaenyra approaches Alicent in a scene that mirrors Rhaenyra and Alicent’s Season One scene in the Sept.
Rhaenyra is hoping cooling heads will prevail, but unsurprisingly, Alicent lets her pride get in the way.
The conversation between the two former friends takes a surprising turn when they discuss King Viserys I’s dying words. It becomes clear that he was referring to “the prince that was promised” and the Song of Ice and Fire, not Aegon. However, Alicent, despite being shaken by this revelation, chooses to keep the bed she’s made and insists that war is inevitable.
Daemon’s Strategic Move
Daemon’s (Matt Smith) arrival at Harrenhal and subsequent anticlimactic taking of the fortress is surprising. Daemon is used to running in and cutting off heads, but instead he’s met with Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale) who seems happy enough to hand over the fortress and pledge allegiance.
Daemon wants to house the army he plans to raise at the castle, recognising its strategic importance in the Riverlands.
In a surprising turn of events, Daemon has a vision in which a young Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) is sewing on the head of the young Prince Jaehaerys. Following his vision, a witch tells Daemon “You will die in this castle.”
New Characters and Alliances
The episode also introduces new characters who are bound to play significant roles. Rhaenyra sends her youngest boys away with Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell), Daemon’s daughter, to the Vale, along with a clutch of unhatched dragon eggs. This gesture aims to mollify Rhaena, who feels left out without her own dragon, but also guarantees the survival of the dragons if things go south.
We meet Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), Alicent’s brother, who joins Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) as he brings an army to Harrenhal. When Gwayne and his retainers try to head to a tavern, Cole intervenes in an open field. Which is when Baela (Bethany Antonia) and her dragon, Moondancer, spot them. She descends and the pair gallop for their lives, managing to make it to the cover of the trees before Moondancer burnt them to a crisp.
The first note of Dragonseeds—Targaryen or Valyrian bastards fathered in the Blackwater Bay region. Ulf White (Tom Bennett) claims to be a child of Baelor, making him Daemon’s brother. The other Dragonseeds who have been introduced but not yet confirmed. Then there’s a mention of Alicent’s youngest, Daeron, and his dragon Tessarion, who we’ve yet to see.
After naming Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) his Master of Whispers, Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) slinks off to a brothel with his lackeys turned Kingsguard. He stumbles, drunk, into where his brother Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) is laying on the lap of an older prostitute and proceeds to mock him. We can almost see the moment that Aemond goes from self-loathing to a desire for revenge. Then he stands up, completely nude, and leaves.
Until Next Week
The show continues to build towards the inevitable clash, with each character’s decisions shaping the course of the impending war. Tensions are high and set to boil over in the upcoming weeks.
Random Thoughts
- While I appreciated the mention of the prophecy, it just made me remember how the end of Game of Thrones was mishandled, especially since their prophecy is playing such a large role in the Dance of Dragons.
- Helaena is a better woman than I for the forgiveness she offers her mother.
- Seasmoke has me questioning if Laenor has actually died, or the dragon smells war and has accepted its rider will never return.
- I’m not impressed by the way the introduction of Dragonseeds was handled, but I’m excited to see where it takes us.
