User Reviews

This is easily the best episode of the entire season. (so far) The buildup and interactions we've seen from the first 6 episodes are paying off significantly in episode 7. We're able to learn so much about the characters and their personalities and aspirations during the funeral without much dialogue. Aemond getting his dragon is well done, and this kid appears like he will be the Daemon Targaryen-type character for the Greens. The dialogue was fantastic, and the characters don't feel like characters in a TV show but real people in a world that actually exists. The fight scene with the children was suspenseful and Aemond saying, "mother, I lost an eye but gained a dragon." showing that he knows what's going on behind the scenes and is getting prepared for it. He took a risk, and it paid off for him, and Otto gave him a smirk when he said this shows Aemond will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. The writing for this show is too good, and I believe that everything the characters say is in line with their feelings, and nothing feels out of place or awkward.

All the pieces are on the chessboard perfectly positioned for tactics to emerge. In this episode the death and funeral of Laena Valaryian creates a crucible of emotion and conflict between all the characters, leading to wild and unexpectedly beautiful moments, too many to count. Young Aemon finally becomes a dragon rider; Raenyra and Daemon finally unite with a shared goal; Alicent's suspicion and treachery brings the two families to the brink of war. Great performances especially by Emma D'arcy and Olivia Cooke. It felt like the grand conclusion to the second act of a Shakespeare play, setting up the chaos to come in act three.

Damn!! House of the Dragon delivers once again with a great episode! Last episode was my least favorite so far and i was a bit shocked with the change of actors and time jump, but after this episode, Emma and Olivia are justified! I will go as far as to call them almost Emmy-worthy performances! You can feel the tension and emotions! Amazing drama and great dialogue!

The child actors also really surprised me and Aemon turned out to be the star of the episode! I feel like todays episode gave us the story and drama we have been waiting for and the events that took place, have me very excited to see what comes next!

Some people are dissapointed by the show, but after this i am PLEASENTLY surprised!

Well, it took 7 episodes, but we finally got the first amazing episode. I had mixed feelings about last episode due to the jarring time-skip, so I did not expect it to be this good.

The first 20 minutes take place during the aftermath of after Laena's death. There aren't really any stand out scenes that I can remember of, but it was still enjoyable, especially Viserys and Daemon's interactions with each other.

However once this episodes gets going, the momentum doesn't stop. Suddenly, Rhaenyra does what she's always wanted to do since she was a teenager, and she sleeps with Daemon. Before we've had time to recover from that scene, Aemond steals Vhagar and is able to tame it. I gotta mention that the visuals in the Vhagar scene look great.

The next scene is where things really get intense. Daemon's kids and Rhaenyra's kids find out that Aemond stole Vhagar, which leads to a fight scene that was extremely hard to watch. I honestly don't know who I was cheering for, I just wanted it to be over. Before the fight is able to be interrupted, Aemond's eye gets sliced.

Somehow the scene after the fight scene is even more intense! The kids blame Aemond and Aemond blames the kids, so obviously Rhaenyra and Alicent side with their own children. This whole scene reminded me a lot of Arya and Joffrey accusing each other back in Season 1 epsiode 2 of GOT. Viserys desperately trying to stay neutral is so hard to watch. You gotta pick a side, you oblivious old man!

So Alicent gets mad that Viserys doesn't let Ser Criston mutilate his own grandson (man that woman is insane, she was actually nice in the beginning, what happened?), so she decides to take matters into her own hands and almost kills Rhaenyra. I was honestly hoping that the two would get into a fight so that Rhaenyra would have an excuse to kill Alicent lol.

After that whole ordeal, Otto... congratulates Alicent for her behavior (wtf, insanity must run in the family) and the two implicitly convey to each other that they're both ready to commit horrendous crimes to Rhaenyra and her family. Geez, Viserys was right to remove Otto as his hand.

Rhaenyra and Laenor share a surprisingly wholesome scene together. I knew something was off when two characters in the ASOIAF universe shared a nice moment together. I was right, cause two seconds later Rhaenyra tries to have Laenor killed. Man, I seriously did not expect that from Rhaenyra. Before this scene, she had done some questionable things, but I didn't know she had the capability to try and murder her own husband to secure her role as a tyrant! Come on, now I don't know who to root for. Viserys is like the only morally good character in the show at this point :( At least Laenor was able to escape, but I'm still mad at Rhaenyra.

Daemon and Rhaenyra finally get married, and now both sides are prepared for war. With a family like this, I'm honestly surprised the Targaryens lasted for so many generations. If I hadn't seen GOT, I would've assumed that the Targaryen family would have torn itself apart by the end of the show and everyone dies.

Overall, this is the first amazing episode of the series, and I'm happy to say that I'm back to being super excited for new episodes again. 9/10.

That quote really struck a chord with me. So profound.

Probably my favorite episode in the season so far. There are very few (if any) funeral scenes in the Westeros cinematic universe, and this one felt so real. The music was beautifully dreary, and the way everyone acted toward each other was also realistic. It's one of the quietest moments in the show, but once the actual drama picked up, things just got better.

Aemond gaining the dragon and taking it for a ride was awesome. I had initially felt bad for the kid in the last episode. I must also say the way the flying was shot and photographed was breathtaking. The fight between Aemond and the other kids was surprisingly brutal! I wasn't sure who to root for!

The confrontation scene and meeting between all of the family was perfect. Daemon leaning against a wall quietly, Rhaenyra and Alicent exchanging not-so-nice words and then shedding some blood, Viserys' own son getting blunt with him in front of everybody, I loved all of that.

I also loved the wholesome scene between Laenor and Rhaenyra. I wasn't expecting that but it was so nice. And I'm glad he ended up somehow getting away, rather it be because he bested the other swordsman or because it was planned. Not sure where he'll go from here though.

All in all, another great House of the Dragon episode. I'm excited for whatever else is to come!

This is up there with some of the best episodes in the entire series of HOTD and GOT combined. Truely a masterclass in storytelling, every scene is captivating. Kudos to the writers and showrunner, amazing work by all involved and what a way to end Miguel's run (So far) with this universe. He will be missed, but Showrunner Ryan condal has my trust, he and his writing team and directors have earned it. I adore this show, it is MUST WATCH tv. Many may find my statement a bit much, but it is my opinon. This episode is a masterpiece, in storytelling, acting and direction. I've seen complaints of the darkness, much of the ep being at night. I have watched this episode multiple times on various devices because of this critisism, and I have to say that everything was perfectly clear to me. I could see it clearly even if it was night. I however understand completely if others took issue with it. It is not however anywhere near the darkness of "The long night" ep.

F me, I love this show so much man. We finally get the wedding between Rhaenyra and Daemon, the show has built to this since episode 1 and this time, it is Rhaenyra who comes clean with her affection for Daemon, played incredibly by Emma D'arcy, they are owning this role and Matt smith is... Matt smith. Their chemistry is amazing.

Without a doubt this is the best episode of the season so far. Just amazing! Right from the first scene, it's packed with tension, good dialogue, and a LOT of foreshadowing. And the dragons look so so good. There were several scenes where I was just sitting there like "wow this is awesome".

For me, the best part of this episode though was when Rhaenyra, after telling Daemon she wants to marry him, admits she's okay killing Laenor to achieve her goals and secure their safety. It was such a classic GOT moment where the directors/George RR Martin are constantly reminding us virtually no characters are black and white but almost always have murky moral codes. It was a perfect time to demonstrate this character complexity and hypocrisy but the directors failed us. Instead, they let Laenor live, which is not how it unfolds in the book. Letting Laenor live doesn't make any sense. You're telling me that after having a big emotional reveal where Laenor says he's finally committed to Rhaenyra and being the husband she deserves and the father the boys need that he just runs away when daemon offers him money to go elope with his lover?? It's just ridiculous and bad writing. If he would have been killed like he was in the book it would have been perfect. Equal parts tragic (as we lose an awesome character) and complex (as we see how hypocritical Rhaenyra is-and anyone in power for that matter-as she was intended to be by George RR Martin in the books). I'm so upset that the directors changed this. It was as if they were afraid to make Rhaenyra seem "bad" and unintentionally confuse the viewership as to which side they should be supporting in the show. It was literally a perfect episode up until the very end. Nonetheless, still a 9/10.

Also, I have to give a quick shoutout to the kids. The tense dynamics between the two factions were amazing and their acting was superb.

I absolutely loved this episode. I enjoy episodes when all of the characters interact like this one. The funeral for Leana was so touching. The music once again was perfect. Daemon and Rhaenyra have now joined together. They will be a formidable force to deal with going forward. The greens are also getting stronger with another Dragon in their fold. Otto is now back as the Hand and in a very powerful position. Alicent also has Cole and Larys (what an evil man) on her side.

While I admired Ameon's scene with the dragon (it took a lot of guts to do what he did -- he looked so tiny compared to the size of that dragon) I thought he should not have stolen that dragon from the daughters of Leana. My heart went out to them especially the one without dragon. I think he is going to be more of an issue then Ageon.

The CGI work was outstanding as it has been throughout the show. The story is getting better and better each week as we see it all unfold.

Finally the surprise!! It was a great twist to see that the show decided to allow Leanor to live and find a life with his partner. I loved it.

Can't wait until next Sunday to see where it all continues to progress. I predict that in typical GoT fashion episode 9 is going to be unbelievable!

Bravo to the producers, writers, HBO and George for such an entertaining show.

To all the complainers- I had no issues seeing what was going it looked fine on my TV's. More than fine it was great. Also if you don't like the show why do watch it? I mean we have 30 mil per episode we don't need you. Thank goodness the majority of the people that watch have taste and love the show.

The dance is coming!

It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. What an explosive episode this was, I don't even know where to start,

I think that Laenor Velaryon was not meant for the Game of Thrones. He may be a warrior, but I don't think he was ready to deal with the monsters of House Targaryen (and I am not talking about the dragons), so he took the best decision and ran away.

But I was cringing throughout this whole episode watching Daemon and Rhaenyra profess their love for each other, they are more formidable together, and there is a strength that can only come through inbreeding with these people.

But the biggest loser as always is House Hightower, it is unbecoming for Alicent to show her rage in public, and the children fighting is just the beginning of a war that is brewing, a war of Fire & Blood.

This was hands down the best episode of the series I got real Game of thrones vibes and thats a huge compliment. Thanks for not killing Leanor. The first 5 minutes of the episode is amazing the awkwardness at the funeral is perfection. Alicent losing her mind is brilliant and the Black wedding was magnificent. Its been a very long times since ive watched something as good as this it was a game of thrones classic and this was probably the best ive seen in a long time the directors did an amazing job with this and they should be very proud of their work. Lets hope the next few episodes are even better and better, good luck.

The side eyes, the catty remarks, the dementia dead wife mention, the Jon Snow reference, the darkness where we all were squinting to see what was happening. Hahaha I loved the first 20 minutes. It was so awkward, as it should be.

The dragon scene was really fun to watch and seeing it from a child's point of view added to the magic. It was surprising to see Daemon and Rhaenyra hooking up in an actual tender way.

The childrens fight scene was handled very well but I was annoyed they didn't tell the adults what started it all. I understand why they focused on the children's birth story and the reveal of the dragon at the end, but kids would have blabbed it all outright.

This episode reminded me a lot of Dragstone from S7 because the chess pieces are all being put into place. I expected Rhaenyra to end with 'Shall we begin' because that's what's happening now. She's made her moves, Alicent already has been, and with her father back, even more so. However this story will span another decade, and I'm pretty excited how it will all play out.

Driftmark is the best episode the Game of Thrones Universe has produced since The Spoils of War period. It is fantastic in every aspect possible. Emma D'Arcy, Matt Smith and Olivia Cooke are still at the top of their game, and so are all the other actors !

Seeing Aemond riding Vhagar was masterfully done. The night time cinematography in this episode was elite stuff all the way through. The tension and the stakes have never been higher. War is about to erupt. I didn't expect all the kids to basically have a knife fight and go at it, but oh was it an absolute spectacle.

You're on the edge of your seat the whole way through, and then the Great Hall scene is a formidable feat in itself. Just Wow. The dialogue is absolutely riveting and well thought. So many memorable lines, from the leech one directed at Otto to the line about people seeing Alicent as she is, to the one about losing an eye but gaining a dragon.

Every conflit happening in this episode felt organic and well written, as opposed to some of the other episodes where they either felt rushed or not developed and shown enough. Daemon and Rhaenyra contemplating the sea and talking about strenghtening Rhaenyra's claim is something to witness. The whole thing plays out, and you get the feel that Rhaenyra has sunk to an all time low, allowing Ser Qarl to kill Laenor, but they get rid of him a whole other way, where he can actually find happiness, as discussed prior.

The dread, the emotion, the feelings and not knowing where you stand. You feel for Aemond, but totally feel for Laena's daughter as well, because it was developed in the last episode. And at the same time, you care for Jacaerys and Lucerys. You do understand why Daemon and Rhaenyra would wed and are attracted to each other, but you still feel uneasy, and then you care about Corlys, Rhaenys and Laenor, and even more after Laena's unfortunate passing. Well done.

The dance of dragons is here and it's blowing up. I cannot wait to see the repercussions, because this changes everything. So many reveals and twists well executed, mixed with great writing and cinematography bring an edge of your seat type of wonder that'll stay with you for the remaining episodes of HOTD.

I would like to address this episode in conjunction with the previous one, as I think both reflect the same in my opinion.

The previous episode served the purpose of character development after 10 years. Although other things took place, it essentially focused on Alicent, Daemon and Rhaenyra.

Daemon was firstly introduced as progressive, initiative and bold. Him and Rhaenyra are purposefully the most complex characters in the series, due to their similar beliefs, their upbringing etc.

Last episode, we saw that Rhaenyra was submissive and accepting of her situation, and similarly, Daemon didn't take any initiative or have any specific strategy in mind, throughout the span of 10 years. We saw a form of maturity and change of heart, up until now. These characters are constantly fluctuating, which is not necessarily a bad thing, since we can assume a depth on these figures/timing was essential, which seemed to be the case.

This depth however, doesn't apply on every character equally, which is seems like a natural approach to stories like this one, "lesser" characters can also shine more light on others who are more complicated.

Although I'm not against this approach, there is a clear difference between forcing this pattern, and taking a more natural and logical course.

There are three major characters who I think lack this justification.

Viserys, who is stubborn, clueless, holds very strong and traditional beliefs, and constantly uses anecdotes.

Alicent, who used to be a very dear friend of Rhaenyra, was basically forced by her father to fulfill the duty that was placed upon her, was portrayed as someone who the audience would expect to have depth, deeply rooted morals and other positive attributes like high emotional intelligence and capable of logical thinking. Now she is hateful towards Rhaenyra, and I struggle to find a good reason to Alicent's lack of understanding and maturity to have a conversation with her for 10 whole years to settle the dispute.

Criston was portrayed differently as well, and holds the same stance as Alicent towards Rhaenyra, he instead feels betrayed and used.

All of these characters have unjustified characteristics, beyond the tradition, power and love respectfully. These attitudes should not have solidified, nor should they be so simplistic for the sake of plot progression. For Alicent and Criston, these changes need to be gradual, and not sudden, something that an insight on these 10 years would have helped, so as to see how they came to be, instead of just accepting that this is the way they are now.

As a result, this dissatisfactory justification detaches you from the characters, who some right now seem artificial and NPC like.

You are urged to make a decision about who you root for, without having a real choice.

At least this episode had more events taking place, more action and suspense, but I can't ignore how we got to this point and not criticize it.

Hopefully the series will continue with this tone, and not focus on the characters on a surface level.

Man this episode had so much going on! We had a fire Targaryen wedding (pun intended) and a funeral, We had uncle and niece incest, We got a kid who learned how to train his dragon, We got a gang fight, a chick fight, We got a guy who went into the witness protection program, good stuff !!

The only thing which isnt making any sense here though is Ser Crispy Cole and his bitterness over a rejection a whole long 10 years ago. A knight of the kingsguard should not be indulging in such political matters anyways, and I am absolutely hating why he is given such importance limelight in the current circumstances thats being portrayed.

One again Viserys proving he possesses a gentle heart and thats exactly his weakness. The way he stands up for his grandchildren was everything. Too bad that no one in his family sees it that way.

I especially feel bad for Rhaenys and Corlys. Its pretty cruel to leave them thinking that right after their daughter's funeral, their only son also "died"?

Although this episode still had minor plot holes, I appreciate how many different emotions this one evoked, the excitement of claiming Vhagar, the tense and emotional confrontation of the mothers, the satisfaction of Rhaenyra finally marrying her beloved uncle.