House of the Dragon's "We Light the Way" changes the political landscape and brings closer to the Dance of the Dragons! Re:cap - “King of the Narrow Sea”, late at night after Viserys leaves Alicent, Lord Hightower brings him to see a messenger. They see the boy who has the White Worm’s message. In the morning, Daemon wakes up after the night he almost spent with Rhaenyra, Mysaria is there. She has given him a room to sleep off his night. Otto Hightower is alone, contemplating, he enters the king’s room. He tells Viserys about seeing Rhaenyra and Daemon at the pleasure house. They were not hiding their identities on purpose as Hightower puts it “coupling.” Viserys wants to know the spy and Hightower adds the servants saw her leave dressed as a page boy. He sees Hightower as a threat to himself. All of the Hightower cards have been played out! Viserys turns to see Alicent. Rhaenyra gets a message from the queen delivered by her love, Ser Criston. The aftermath of a crazy night!
She walks over to the weirwood grove to see Queen Alicent. Rhaenyra is asked about her night, where to start?, but Alicent brings up her uncle. Alicent puts it rather bluntly about what she did. She also knows about the Targaryen ways. Rhaenyra pleads innocence, oh that innocence has long since been gone. Alicent says her father was told which Rhaenyra says was from a spy. Rhaenyra gives the half truth story saying they took in a show, drank, and Daemon left with a woman. She even adds that she swears on the memory of her mother. Liar, liar, dress on dragon fire. Ser Harrold and the Kingsguard take the still drunk Daemon, dragged really, to see the king. He is dropped before the Iron Throne. Viserys walks in while Daemon is still on the floor and kicks him. He wants to know what he has done to his daughter. Daemon says they visited many brothels when they were younger. Viserys, this is him truly acting as king, says they were just young men, and Rhaenyra is a girl.
The king begins to choke him saying that no lord would marry her now, Daemon says that his brother can get them married in the Targaryen tradition. Daemon adds he could have another wife like Aegon the Conqueror, Viserys has a dagger put to his brother’s throat, and realizes that Daemon just wants the throne. He sends Daemon to the Vale or doesn’t care what he does unless he leaves for good. Alicent talks with her husband, thinks Rhaenyra has told the truth, and Daemon is known for lies. Rhaenyra is taken to Viserys’ room by the Kingsguard. She reaches for the dagger of Aegon the Conqueror, told about it by Viserys, and it also later is the killer of the Night King. Her father shows her the blade that has the prophecy written on it. He brings up her “desires”, she counters with the truth, but Viserys that it doesn’t matter only the perception. Viserys says she will marry Ser Laenor Velaryon. Rhaenyra brings up Otto Hightower, who was pushing for his son, Aegon, to be king and had her spied upon. She agrees to the marriage with one condition. Hightower is summoned to the Small Council.
Viserys brings up that his father died five days after he named Jaehaerys as his Hand. Jaehaerys named Hightower to be his Hand. Viserys takes away his Hand symbol! I like that Viserys put together, finally, the manipulations on his own. Grand Maester Mellos brings Rhaenyra a tea ordered by the king. It is a morning after tea! Lady Rhea (Rachel Redford) in armor rides through the hills. She sees on the road, in a cloak, her husband, Daemon! She is attractive and assertive, Daemon must fold at strong women. Rhea brings up the rumors, Daemon silently reaches out, and the horse retreats. She wonders if he will kill the child, she reaches for her bow, the horse rears and throws her down! Rhea whimpers as Daemon is about to walk away, she mocks him, and Daemon returns with a large rock! At sea, a servant brings the sea sick king a bucket, but he waves it away. Viserys wretches over the side. The new Hand, Lord Lyonel Strong, tries to help him. Ser Criston takes Rhaenyra to see the Driftmark! Castle of House Velaryon. It is raining, Queen Alicent meets with her father before he leaves.
He faults her for believing Rhaenyra and the queen counters saying that he backed Aegon as heir. He says the king will likely die (treason!), and if Rhaenyra takes the throne, this will cause war. Otto says Rhaenyra will have to kill her children. Not the best farewells by a father. She cries as he hugs her and then he leaves on his horse. Viserys is sickly with Rhaenyra in the wagon to the castle. Leonor and another man (Solly McLeod) are sparring with swords and then the king’s entourage arrives. Lord Strong wonders at the greeting without Lord Velaryon (and really Princess Rhaenys). They are greeted by the older Laena Velaryon (Savannah Steyn) whose hair looks more natural than her younger self with the bad wig. She explains her father has been on a “long journey” and she will take them to the Hall of Nine. At the bleeding tears of the heartwood tree face, Alicent is there, but interrupted by the ultra creepy Lord Larys Strong. He pays no homage to the queen who is alone. Lord Larys, hobbling on his cane, says he has listened to the rumors and offers to be the queen’s ally. He is no Littlefinger, but seems to know what is going on everywhere, a spy! Dangerous.
At the House of Nine, Laena takes away Rhaenyra, Viserys coughs, and on the Driftwood Throne, Lord Corlys meets with the king and the new Hand. He bows and then Rhaenys enters, it has been a long time seeing these two characters. Corlys gives congradulations to Lord Lyonel, former Master of Laws, for becoming the new Hand. Lord Coryls and Rhaenys mention the hunting accident of Lady Rhea. No connection that Daemon was sent there? They mention that she was known as a horse rider. Viserys brings up the marriage of Rhaenyra and Ser Leonor. The couple wants to know how Viserys’ heir will work. He says that when he dies everything passes to his daughter, a heir of the marriage, any gender, love it!, will become the next king or queen. Corlys mentons that the child may take the father’s name. Viserys takes his suggestion as the ending of the Targaryens’ rule. He has another coughing fit. Then, Viserys declares that the child will have a Velaryon name, but take a Targaryen name becoming ruler. I think this was already run by the Master of Laws. On the beach, Rhaenyra walks with Leonor, she cleverly brings up they have different preferences, Leonor favors men, using food analogies! She tells him that they perform their duties and afterwards go their own way.
Rhaenyra’s dress, House of the Dragon: The Targaryen Dynasty exhibit, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, author’s photo.
Rhaenys says to her husband that they are walking on the beach, he is happy that they will fancy each other, but his wife points out “his true nature.” Corlys says he will “outgrow it.” Master of Ships, but that’s about it. She worries about the situation, but Corlys says that the merging of his fleet and the dragons will destroy any dissent. Rhaenys denied the throne, still is conditioned that there will be no female ruler. She says she no longer thinks about it, but you know it haunts her everyday so Rhaenys should ally with Rhaenyra. Leonor is reassured by his lover, Joffrey Lonmouth. They start wrestling and then kissing, Joffrey offers to be his bodyguard. This arrangement kinda works out, but this is the world of Game of Thrones, you know it won’t end happily. On board the ship back to King’s Landing, Rhaenyra is looking out to sea, as Ser Criston joins her. He says she always wanted to be away from all of the burdens of court life, and offers her an escape to Essos! Rhaenyra would be free to do anything, including marrying him. I think she has more ambition.
Rhaenyra tells him of the understanding with Leonor. Poor Ser Criston falls back on his knight’s oath and wants to make good on his family name. She tries to explain that the Iron Throne is bigger than her, but Ser Criston just walks away. Alicent watches the return of the king, ha!, but he falls. The call is made for the Grand Maester. Ser Criston, now in his Kingsguard armor, walks up steps, but a messager tells him that he is summoned. It is the queen. Alicent is trying to eassure her crying child, daughter Helaena, but then hands to the midwife. Ser Criston sats across from her as she heard rumors of Rhaenyra. He admits to the sin, Alicent didn’t mention it was him!, he asks not to be gelded, removal of his important part!, and tortured. Instead, he just wants to die. Alicent has him leave. Grand Maester Mellon tells Viserys that he is going to bring the leeches. Viserys asks Lord Lyonel about the queen and he says that she is busy. He wonders to the Hand how he will be remembered, he has “no control who lives, who dies, who tells his story.” Viserys thinks about who he would be if he was tested. The royal wedding has begun, uh oh, George R R Martin has a serious problem with weddings. "We Light the Way" is a turning point for House of the Dragon and also the departure of actresses Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as their characters grow up into other actresses!
Four Dragon Saddles out of Five!
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