(CNN) — In another cerebral episode of “House of the Dragon” heavy on the plotting and planning, Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) is having a bit of an identity crisis as she continues to find her way forward without her uncle/husband Daemon (Matt Smith) and with a depleted stock of dragonriders.
After the loss of Rhaenys (Eve Best) and the dragon Meleys, the priority for Rhaenyra is to find another dragonrider to add to her team. Among the unclaimed are Seasmoke – Rhaenyra’s late husband Laenor Velaryon’s (John Macmillan) dragon – plus Silverwing and Vermithor, among others.
Jacaerys (Harry Collett) and Rhaenyra’s seemingly genius plan to deep dive into the Targaryen family tree to find a suitable dragonrider to claim the unclaimed dragons turns into a fatal disaster.
They determine that Ser Steffon Darklyn (Anthony Flanagan) is their best bet and he takes on the dangerous task with pride, but it turns out that Steffon and Seasmoke are not a match – made clear by the gray-shaded dragon when it barbecues Steffon instead of serving him.
Seasmoke does eventually find its rider this week, though, with Corlys Velaryon’s (Steven Toussaint) illegitimate son Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty) being the chosen one.
Speaking of Corlys, the Sea Snake accepts Rhaeynra’s offer to be her Hand, a pairing that seems like it’ll be favorable for Team Black. He’s the first to show up to her small council meeting, donning his new hardware, and appears ready to serve.
It’s a win for Rhaenyra to have Corlys by her side, but she’s still challenged by her annoying small council who believes she can’t win this war without Daemon. Even Jacaerys expresses such doubt to his mother.
“It is my fault I think that you have forgotten to fear me,” Rhaenyra says, after slapping a member of her small council who chided her.
Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), however, believes that Rhaenyra has the guts to win the war without Daemon. She not only helps Rhaenyra carry out a successful plan to turn the small folk of King’s Landing against the Greens, but she also gives her Queen the encouragement she needs when she reveals the origin of her scars in a moving speech.
Rhaenyra and Mysaria then embrace for a hug… which then turns into a steamy, passionate kiss that we honestly did not see coming.
Daemon, meanwhile, is having an identity crisis of his own as he continues to wade through the worst acid trip of his life over at Harrenhal. He is growing increasingly paranoid and disturbed by his haunting visions, the latest one being an emotional reunion with his brother, the late King Viserys (Paddy Considine).
Paired with his frustration that he’s failing to procure the support of the River Lords, he turns to his own tormenter Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) for help.
“Do nothing now,” she tells Daemon. “In a few days time, the winds will shift.”
Elsewhere in Westeros
- King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is conscious but very unwell, covered in burns and bed-bound. He won’t be snitching on Prince Regent Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) anytime soon, either.
- Nobody has heard from Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) since he was banished, which is concerning to Alicent (Olivia Cooke).
- Prince Regent Aemond, on a monstrous power trip, kicks Alicent out of his small council, further adding to her own growing identity crisis.
- Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) learns there’s a wild, unclaimed dragon in the Vale and the wheels in her head seem to be turning.
- Alicent learns from Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) that her son Daeron, who she sent away as a young boy to Old Town, is a “kind” person – unlike his brothers. Wonder when we’ll actually meet this Daeron…
- Prince Regent Aemond wants his men to march toward Harrenhal to take down Daemon, and says he’ll turn up on Vhagar at the right time – a terrifying thought.
The one person who is not having an identity crisis is Prince Regent Aemond, whose confidence as his brother’s fill-in king has outgrown the massive size of his own dragon.
“House of the Dragon” airs Sunday nights on Max, which like CNN is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.
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