Small Details You Missed In House Of The Dragon Season 1

After a final season that crept to its conclusion with its tail between its legs, HBO's "Game of Thrones" expanded universe roars back with "House of the Dragon." The prequel series, which takes place roughly 175 years before the events of its predecessor, is a mostly faithful adaptation of George R. R. Martin's 2018 book "Fire & Blood," beginning about halfway through its sweeping narrative. That volume is intended to be the first half of Martin's complete history of the Targaryens. "Fire & Blood" is written in the style of nonfiction informed by two very different witnesses to the Targaryen dynasty. Because of its dispassionate, fast-moving, and not-too-descriptive third person voice and its focus on one family, the text translates well to the small screen. 

As such, the series is chock full of meaningful moments, word-for-word lines of dialogue, and dramatic details that will delight book readers. But fans of "Game of Thrones" who haven't ventured into Martin's supplemental material will still pick up on plenty of connections to the world of Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow. And it's propulsive and straightforward enough to be accessible even to those viewers who might be tuning in to watch a Westeros-set show for the first time. "House of the Dragon" can certainly be enjoyed for its plush design, palace intrigue, and promise of big-budget dragon battles, but Martin's lore is so dense and rich, some extra context makes following the series a more satisfying experience. 

Spoilers ahead for every available episode of HBO's "House of the Dragon." 

Part of the appeal of "House of the Dragon" is the chance to see King's Landing at a time of relative peace and prosperity. The Red Keep is brand new and the Dragonpit is in its heyday, with ten adult specimens kept within its cavernous walls. This is the same Dragonpit we see during "Game of Thrones" in utter ruin as Daenerys, Jon, and Tyrion reveal their captive wight in an attempt to convince Cersei to join their fight against the White Walkers. The Dragonpit ruins are also, symbolically, where the series finale takes place, during which a newly-formed council nominates their next ruler, putting the final nail in the coffin of the dragonriding family's domination. 

That they're ruins in "Game of Thrones," however, means the Dragonpit fell into disrepair while the Targaryens still occupied the throne. Depending on how closely "House of the Dragon" hews to the books (and how many seasons it runs), we may eventually get to see its demise play out in live-action. But its existence was controversial, even at the peak of Targaryen power. Its prime hilltop location was once occupied by the Sept of Remembrance. When a religious order rose up against the crown, King Maegor I used the fire of his dragon Balerion to burn the Sept to the ground. He began construction of the Dragonpit in its place, a project that took two kings' reigns, ten years, and vast fortunes to complete. Additionally, some hypothesized that this great stable for the royal family's dragons actually stunted their growth and led to their near extinction. 

Out of all the iconography that came out of "Game of Thrones" — each house's sigil, the Hand of the King's pin, the White Walkers' swirling symbol — none was as iconic as the coveted Iron Throne itself. While most kings' and queens' seats in history and fantasy literature are grand and luxurious, the seat of power in the Seven Kingdoms was threatening-looking, and occupying it was an act of bravery in both the figurative and literal sense. That was by design. The throne wasn't meant to be a place of comfort befitting a royal; it was a reminder to all in the realm that the Targaryens ruled absolutely. They'd conquered Westeros once. If anyone challenged their supremacy, they could do it again, thanks to their belief in their own exceptionalism and their dragons. But as cold, hard, and pointy as the Iron Throne was in "Game of Thrones," it wasn't depicted as George R. R. Martin imagined. 

Martin described the throne as "ugly," "asymmetric," and "huge." In his lore, it was made of the swords of 1000 enemies vanquished by Aegon I and melted by his dragon, Balerion. As impressive and intimidating as the one in "Game of Thrones" was, it wasn't a "monstrosity" that sprawled all over the throne room the way it does in "House of the Dragon." There's another detail later in the episode that speaks to Martin's world-building as well. King Viserys has a gangrenous wound on his back that he attributes to the Throne, and when we see him actually sitting in it, he cuts his hand on the armrest. There's a superstition in-world that any ruler who sheds blood on the Iron Throne is cursed. 

Rhaenyra clearly wants to lead, but she seems more interested in making her own history on the back of her dragon than she is in studying the history of those who came before her. Her companion, Alicent Hightower, implores her to recite back the story of Princess Nymeria to please the septa. At first, Rhaenyra bluffs her way through it, but when pressed, she effortlessly rattles off the bullet points. Nymeria, she says, fled her Valyrian pursuers with 10,000 ships across the Narrow Sea, arrived in Dorne, and destroyed her own fleet to "show her people they were finished running." She married Lord Mors Martell to unite Dorne under one flag for the first time. 

Nymeria, and perhaps her legend, may sound familiar to fans of "Game of Thrones." Arya Stark named her direwolf Nymeria after the Warrior Queen. While few women inherited thrones on the mainland, Nymeria saw to it that lines of succession were gender-blind. After her death, her daughter ruled. That "House of the Dragon" chose to highlight the tale of Nymeria is no accident. Her strength and ambition not only mirror Rhaenyra's, her husband also mirrors one of Rhaenyra's will-be suitors. During the name day tournament, the Princess asks Ser Harrold about Ser Criston Cole, who only knows he's low-born but handy with a morning star. When Ser Criston wins and asks for the Princess' favor, he reveals himself to be Dornish, which is surprising enough to elicit a reaction from the young women. 

Speaking of demagogues, when Otto Hightower brings up the issue of succession at the small council following the tragic deaths of the king's wife and day-old son, he warns that the presumptive but not uncontested heir, Prince Daemon, should never sit the Iron Throne. He fears he could be "a second Maegor ... or worse." Only one episode in, it's painfully clear that the Hand of the King and the Prince are bitter rivals, so his input should be taken with a grain of salt. But to truly understand Otto's comparison, we must delve into one of the darker chapters of Targaryen family history. 

Maegor I (or Maegor the Cruel) is the second son of King Aegon I (or Aegon the Conqueror) and the third Targaryen King of Westeros. He instilled fear even in his youth due to his massive size and unforgiving nature. It's believed he slew animals and even other children as a boy. In his adulthood, like Henry VIII, he went against the church and took six wives, though he didn't dissolve one marriage before taking on another. He came to power after the death of his weaker older brother, who'd tried to co-rule alongside him. He murdered his own nephew to prevent his claim to the throne. After the Red Keep was finished, Maegor had all the workers killed to preserve the secrets of its blueprints. By the end of his six tyrannical years in power, he'd managed to unite almost the entire realm against him. Daemon is an opportunistic and violent womanizer, but it remains to be seen if he can live up to Maegor's deranged awfulness. 

Princess Rhaenyra is frustrated by her father's obsession with producing a male successor, and she seems ambivalent at best about her future as a wife and mother. She laments that no matter what she does, she'll never be a son, and when a son is imminent, Alicent asks her if she's worried about her position. She says no, but it's obvious the real answer is yes. So when Viserys summons her to tell her he's decided to name her his heir, she's genuinely taken aback. The King even apologizes to her for wasting many years wanting for a son when she was already worthy of the crown. Viserys warns her that the Iron Throne is the most dangerous seat in the Seven Kingdoms before he holds a ceremony to officially deem her Princess of Dragonstone, during which the lords bend the knee. 

In both "Fire & Blood" and "House of the Dragon," Rhaenyra serves as cupbearer for the King's small council. This position might seem like a task that would be given to an intern, but it's actually a place of honor and a show of trust that's bestowed upon noble boys and girls. It's more explicit in the book, but by keeping Rhaenyra around him as he conducts his business, Viserys is exposing her to what's essentially classified information as well as to the daily goings-on of a monarch. A disguised Arya Stark (in another parallel to Rhaenyra) served as Tywin Lannister's cupbearer (on the show, not in the novels) because he recognized that she was high-born and he enjoyed her wit. 

In the final moments of the "House of the Dragon" premiere, King Viserys makes sure that his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra, understands just how precarious and loaded with responsibility her role as Queen will be. He describes Aegon the Conqueror's vision, in which a coming cataclysm will begin with a long, harsh winter and bring with it a threat from the North like the world has never seen. He tells her that for the Seven Kingdoms to survive, a Targaryen must remain on the Throne, presumably to fight the dark force with their dragons. At this point, he reveals the Valyrian steel blade at his hip. 

While all Valryian steel can kill White Walkers (the threat to which King Viserys was referring), this isn't just any Valyrian steel dagger. It's the Valyrian steel dagger. A would-be catspaw assassin uses it to try to murder Bran Stark in "Game of Thrones." When he just barely fails, the weapon ends up in the Starks' possession and it follows them throughout the show. Catelyn takes it to King's Landing to try and solve the plot against her family. Its ownership, however, remains a mystery. It could've been Littlefinger's or Tyrion's; the former says he lost it to the latter in a bet. Bran eventually gives it to Arya, who famously wields it in the Battle for Winterfell to finish off the Night King, about whom Aegon's dream warned him. It's she who holds it still, as far as we know. But nearly two centuries earlier, it was the property of King Viserys I. 

History buff King Viserys is building (or at least commissioning) an elaborate model of Valyria, the home of the Targaryens and the other now-extinct dragonriding families. During one of their visits, he mansplains his project to the young lady who's obviously been sent to seduce him. Viserys waxes poetic about how Valyria was built into a volcano, like Dragonstone, so its people could be close to the source of their magic and power. He tells of blood mages and a civilization that was 1,000 dragons strong. Alicent asks Viserys if he thinks Westeros could be another Valryia. He answers that that depends on whether she means Valyria at its peak or at its fall. 

Viserys is referring to the Doom of Valyria. Though Martin has not yet written a definitive account of exactly what happened, Valyria suffered some apocalyptic event about a dozen years after the Targaryens fled, thanks to the prophetic vision of Daenys Targaryen. Some characters speak of the Doom as if it was an unavoidable natural disaster, but the strong implication is that the Valyrians brought collapse upon themselves with their lust for said magic and power. Viserys considers his own kingdom with 10 dragons, already falling into disrepair after 100 years, and says "The glory of Old Valyria will never be seen again." Maybe not the glory, but perhaps the hubris and ruin. Viserys thinks ruling over peace means throwing feasts and tourneys, not making difficult but necessary decisions. Meanwhile, the seven hells are about to break loose. It's incredibly symbolic when he drops and breaks a dragon figurine and mistakes Alicent's ambition for kindness when she has it fixed. 

Showrunners have promised that we'll see at least 17 dragons throughout the run of the "Game of Thrones" prequel, including at least nine in the first season. So far, we've gotten glimpses of Rhaenyra's elegant mount, Syrax, and Daemon's fierce red steed, Caraxes, also known as the Blood Wyrm. We've also heard about Balerion, the Black Dread, whose skull now rests in the cellars of the Red Keep, and Dreamfyre, whose egg was chosen for her brother, then stolen by Daemon. 

On his walk with Laena Velaryon, the tween Princess asks the King what it was like to ride Balerion. Some backstory: Viserys was the last of the Targaryen kings to ride the Black Dread, and he never bonded with or rode another dragon afterwards. That means it's been quite some time since the King was on dragonback, which is itself a symbol of his supposed weakness. Then, Laena inquires about Vhagar who she says was too big for the dragonpit. Viserys retorts that she was perhaps too big for this world. 

Vhagar was a female dragon, almost as large as Balerion, who was ridden by one of King Aegon's sister-wives, Visenya. Long story short, Vhagar — the biggest dragon in the world — is still out there, and no one knows for sure where she's nesting. This conversation isn't just scene filler. Vhagar is basically Chekhov's dragon, certain to show up at some critical moment in the future. 

As Daemon, Corlys, and their forces are dealing with the Crabfeeder militarily, the landed gentry of King's Landing discuss the matter, first over a pre-journey pig roast at the castle, then in the Kingswood before the hunt as camp is assembling. The ladies of some of the Seven Kingdoms' great houses are gathered in the main tent, and when Rhaenyra joins them mid-conversation, they're gossiping about someone named Lady Johanna Swann. The women say she was abducted from one of the ships sailing through the Stepstones. When Queen Alicent wonders what will become of Lady Johanna, they say that if rumors are to be believed, she'll be sold to one of the pillow houses in the Free Cities. 

To those unfamiliar with the book, this might seem like filler dialogue. However, Lady Johanna Swann is very specifically mentioned in "Fire & Blood." Hers is a story that could be spun into its own series, though Martin himself hasn't yet explored it to the extent it deserves. In the text, the people of the Seven Kingdoms become increasingly perturbed by the Triarchy's occupation of the Stepstones because the Crabfeeder isn't just stealing their goods and coin — he's human trafficking their women and children into the pleasure houses. In Lady Johanna's case, her cheap uncle the Lord of Stonehelm refused to pay their tolls, so they took his niece instead. Martin writes that, "she rose to become the celebrated courtesan known as the Black Swan, and ruler of Lys in all but name." "Fire & Blood" doesn't elaborate on that rise, as it doesn't tie back into the central Targaryen-heavy narrative. 

Episode 3 asks a pair of deeply related questions — will King Viserys decide to name Aegon II his heir instead of Rhaenyra, and who will the princess marry? Based on his comments to his daughter in the carriage and on the glance he exchanges with Ser Jason Lannister, Viserys seems to have made an informal agreement prior to the hunt. But, besides the fact that Jason is doing a terrible job wooing the princess and schmoozing the king, he's got competition. Viserys complains that he's drowning in marriage offers; thus far, the show has given Rhaenyra six possible suitors. 

Besides Jason, who blows his chances with his treasonous assumptions, Otto Hightower suggests 2-year-old Aegon II, which even the king thinks is gross. Meanwhile, Lyonel Strong argues that Laenor Velaryon is the wisest choice. It's obvious that Rhaenyra prefers the company of Ser Criston Cole. She's creating opportunities to be alone with him, and the princess and her sworn protector openly flirt with each other. Criston even asks Rhaenyra if she wants him to kill Ser Jason. Audiences may have also picked up on some romantic tension between Rhaenyra and her uncle Daemon, and the ladies at court are aware of their mutual affection, too. 

But there's one more player in the game for Rhaenyra's heart. When Lyonel Strong asks if the king wishes to hear his opinion, Viserys guesses he's about to propose his elder son, Harwin, the strongest knight in the Seven Kingdoms. Harwin is the man who caught the brown stag and the man with whom Rhaenyra exchanges her own glance as he processes its meat, and she parades bloody through the encampment. 

Near the end of Episode 3, King Viserys promises Rhaenyra he won't supplant her and says he's only wavered once in his decision to name her heir. We get to see that crisis of conscience play out as he wonders aloud to his wife whether he made the right decision. A drunk and tired Viserys tells Alicent that there have been many dragonriding Targaryens but few dreamers among them. Viserys wasn't much of a dragonrider, but he desperately wants to be a dreamer. The king needs his vision of a son inheriting the Iron Throne to come true, not because he cares that much about a boy ruling the Kingdoms instead of a girl, but because he wants to be special like Aegon the Conqueror. He wants his dreams to mean something. 

The dichotomy between dragonriders and dreamers that Viserys sets up will become thematically important as the series continues. Viserys finds comfort in the power of dreams because they represent a kind of predestination. That makes sense, as the king is indecisive to the point of cowardice during Aemma's labor and in dealing with the Stepstones. He makes a hasty and arguably poor decision in marrying Alicent. But the characters who surround him are all either actual dragonriders who happily take matters into their own hands like Rhaenyra and Daemon, or people who don't wait for signs and seize control of their own destinies like Corlys, Otto, and Alicent. Corlys advises Viserys that sailors can go around storms or through them, but they should never wait for storms to come. In a voiceover in a trailer, Daemon insists that, "Dreams didn't make us kings; dragons did." Viserys would do well to listening to these warnings.   

At the end of Episode 3, Viserys tries to make amends by telling his daughter to choose a husband who makes her happy. Episode 4 starts with the tour he's arranged to introduce her to more suitors. Rhaenyra isn't interested; she dreamily fiddles with the necklace Daemon gave her and sits cozily next to Ser Criston. But at least a dozen candidates line up to state their cases, the first of whom is Lord Dondarrion. Rhaenyra remarks that he's old enough to have known her great-grandmother Queen Alysanne when she was a great beauty. The Dondarrions (from whom Beric of "Game of Thrones" hails) are loyal to the Baratheons, which might be why Boremond Baratheon admonishes her for the insult. 

Next is a boy from House Blackwood. He touts his ancient bloodline and promises that, with him, her days will be easy and her nights will be safe. Of note: in the books, the Blackwoods support Rhaenys and Laenor's claim to the throne at the Great Council. Rhaenyra likes the boy's bravado, but she's not going to marry him. Another hopeful taunts young Blackwood and calls him craven, which compels the proud tween to slay his heckler by cutting him open and spilling his guts. Martin's writing alludes to a Samwell Blackwood who engaged a rival for Rhaenyra's hand in a duel, so this may be the show's dramatic reinterpretation of that sentence. In "House of the Dragon" as in "Fire & Blood," marriage is as dangerous a game as war. 

It's obvious that Alicent isn't having as grand a time at Daemon's welcome home banquet as she was during the hunt. She steals a moment alone with Rhaenyra, in part to convince her to marry and in part because she's lonely. Their girl talk has the opposite effect, however. Rhaenyra snipes back, "How romantic it must be to get imprisoned in a castle and squeeze out heirs." At first, she seems unaware that she's just described her former best friend's situation. A sheepish Alicent then confesses, "I find I have few friends lately," before the Princess admits she misses her, too.   

The middle part of the episode flashes back and forth between Alicent and Rhaenyra's very different nights. "Who knows when I'll next taste freedom?" the latter says as she's running through the streets (and bumping into a discreet Harwin Strong). Meanwhile, the queen is trying to calm her crying infant as she stares out from behind a barred window. It's intentionally meant to look like a gilded jail cell. Moments later, Daemon, in his seduction of his niece, explains that "marriage is duty," but that it doesn't have to stop them from doing what they want. At the same time, Alicent is called to her husband's bedchamber for sex. She lies there emotionless, unable to refuse her king. Alicent has attained the highest position available to her, but — especially as a pious noblewoman and mother — she has no say in how she spends her days. It's one endless slog of attending to babies, attending to an ailing older man, and always being on her best behavior. 

A door creaks just as Rhaenyra and Ser Criston are in the throes of passion. For a moment, the audience thinks they've been caught, but it's a purposefully misleading edit. Otto Hightower practically rushes into the king's bedchamber at the crack of dawn with "discomforting news." He tells Viserys that Rhaenyra was spied the pleasure house with Daemon, coupling, as he puts it. Viserys finally has the sense to question Otto's motives and loyalty to the Crown, but the Hand insists this source has yet to lead him astray. That source is the White Worm, who uses a boy spy and messenger to practice her trade, and the White Worm is revealed to be Mysaria when that same boy comes to her later for payment. 

Since what exactly happened at the pleasure house is still a mystery, we can't be sure if Mysaria's spy actually saw what he reported or if she's now in cahoots with Otto Hightower after what Daemon put her through on Dragonstone. After all, the spy followed Rhaenyra as she ran after Daemon, not as they were in the act. Ironically, Daemon is with Mysaria when she pays the boy. She says she's gotten out of the skin trade, since it could only take her so far. Daemon thinks this means she's making money from boarders. He doesn't know that she's actually gotten into the business of selling secrets —  or does he? It's also possible she's still on his side, since getting caught might've been Daemon's plan all along. If he marries Rhaenyra, as he proposes once Viserys thinks he's "defiled" her, he'll be closer to the throne than he ever could be otherwise. 

Throughout "Fire & Blood" and "House of the Dragon," Prince Daemon Targaryen calls his wife, Lady Rhea Royce, his "Bronze b*tch." The meaning of the second part of that regrettable pet name is clear to audiences. Daemon and Rhea's marriage isn't a happy one, to say the least. It's not even much of a marriage; we find out in Episode 5 they are yet to consummate their union and Daemon spends little to no time in his wife's homeland, the Vale. The meaning of the first word, though, might've been less clear. 

Bronze doesn't refer to Rhea's skin or hair color — it's an allusion to her family crest and her people's royal lineage. House Royce can trace its roots all the way back to the First Men; they ruled as "Bronze Kings" until House Arryn assumed power during the Andal Invasion. House Royce became loyal vassals of the Arryns and remained in their seat at Runestone, which Rhea and her potential offspring stood to inherit. Their flag is a bronze square framed by ancient runes, and they wear bronze armor, as does Rhea when she goes hunting in Episode 5. Daemon's insult is meant to demean her and her house's standing. 

Why Daemon dislikes her so is left to the reader's imagination, as are the circumstances of her death. In Martin's writing, she dies nine days after hitting her head against a stone when she's thrown from her horse during a falconry hunt. Here, Daemon causes her horse to rear up and finishes the job with a stone after she mocks him for his impotence (which is becoming a running theme when it comes to the Rogue Prince). 

King Viserys is looking worse for the wear with each passing week. What started out as a single (but still pretty concerning) seeping wound has turned into a host of various infections and afflictions. Actor Paddy Considine commented that, for the show's purposes, Viserys is suffering from a form of leprosy (let's hope for Queen Alicent's sake it's non-communicable). Eagle-eyed viewers could've seen in previous episodes that the king had lost the fingers that turned gangrenous after he sliced them on the throne, but in Episode 5, his cousin Rhaenys notices too. Otto Hightower is even more acutely aware of the situation; he assures his daughter that her husband will not live to be an old man. 

In the book, Viserys brings most of his medical problems on himself because of his vices (too much fondness for food and drink, as well as a lack of physical exertion). However, "Fire & Blood" and "House of the Dragon" do have something in common when it comes to the king's failing health. On several occasions in the show, a younger Maester has attempted to either improve the king's condition or relieve his suffering. Most of the time, the more senior Maester Mellos rejects that advice, as he does when he uses leeches instead of the purple poultice on his Majesty's arm. In "Fire & Blood," the post of Grand Maester is of great political importance. Rhaenyra insists he follow the treatment of her choice, Maester Gerardys, while Alicent wants him to rely upon Hightower's Maester Alfador. The larger point in both versions, however, is that the king's rapid decline could've been prevented or alleviated with the right Maester in charge. 

As previously mentioned, "Fire & Blood" is a fictional collected history compiled from different sources who were privy to different events in different ways, and who each had their own political point of view and allegiances. The narrator whose accounts are often the most detailed and scandalous is Mushroom, a dwarf who served as fool to King Viserys' court. His physical appearance and position (he was three feet tall with an oversized head) led many in the nobility to assume that he was intellectually disabled. Because of this, it's been speculated that perhaps people let their guard down and spilled their secrets in front of the "lackwit" (who was, in truth, savvy and observant), which would've allowed him to provide the most accurate history of the time leading up to the Dance of the Dragons and of the Dance itself in "The Testimony of Mushroom." 

Fans of "Fire & Blood" have had their fingers crossed that we might get to see Mushroom as a character in "House of the Dragon." No announcements to that effect have been made and an actor does not appear to have been cast in the role; however, there is a background character who fits Mushroom's description during the beginning of Rhaenyra and Laenor's wedding festivities. He's wearing Targaryen colors and playing music with the rest of a band, which is close enough to a court jester. He's even featured in the teaser for Episode 5. This is probably just a wink to book readers, but our mystery man could come back to record his story. It's worth mentioning that Mushroom was quite fond of Rhaenyra, and thus his version would be inclined to put her in a more favorable light. 

For several weeks in a row, various rodents have scurried in and out of frame on "House of the Dragon." There was one on a bedpost in Episode 4. In Episode 6, Viserys spots a mouse on a mantle as he's alone in his bedchamber while Larys performs his monologue about the weakness of children to Queen Alicent. But the most overt inclusion of a rat is the one that drinks the recently deceased Ser Joffrey Lonmouth's blood as Rhaenyra and Laenor exchange their vows. 

Book readers felt smug about this reference, which is a not-very-coy indicator of a coming plotline that involves two characters who go by the names Blood and Cheese. What Blood and Cheese get up to exactly is a huge spoiler, so we'll say no more about them here. There's also a ship named Mouse that factors into the Dance of the Dragons much later on. Still, King's Landing's prominent vermin problem might have another decidedly non-metaphorical explanation. Though there's no textual evidence of this theory in Martin's writing, Reddit moderator and YouTuber Joe Magician has laid out the possibility that a character on "House of the Dragon" could be a greenseer like Bran Stark. If so, the mice and rats (as well as the weirwoods, where conversations frequently take place) could be used to spy and gather information.  

After Rhaenyra wills herself to the queen's private quarters, she presents the newborn prince to Alicent, who's basically become her evil stepmother, and her father King Viserys, who's shockingly still alive (though just barely). Viserys is genuinely happy to meet the child and remarks that he thinks the boy has his father's nose. When the queen asks what they'll call him, Rhaenyra begins to say they haven't decided, but Laenor bursts out with the name Joffrey. Alicent quips, "That's an unusual name for a Velaryon." 

With this polite-enough sounding comment, Alicent is actually making two accusations. Though we only met him briefly, Joffrey was the first name of Laenor's lover — Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, the Knight of Kisses — who was brutally murdered by Ser Criston Cole at the welcome feast in Episode 5. Laenor and Joffrey's relationship was an open secret, at least at Driftmark and probably even at King's Landing; still, for the queen to underscore the fact that the future king consort wants to name his purported son after his stricken-down boyfriend is remarkably bold. Alicent is also implying that she knows this child, like the previous two, isn't really Laenor's, since she's well aware of his sexual preferences. She follows up her jab about his choice of a name with the advice, "Do keep trying, Ser Laenor. Sooner or later, you may get one who looks like you." 

In "Fire & Blood," Prince Daemon Targaryen is implicated in all sorts of scandals and crimes, but readers rarely get confirmation that he's done wrong. "House of the Dragon" has shown the Rogue Prince stealing a dragon egg, corrupting his niece, and killing his wife. But he's just so charismatic, it's hard to root against him, even if the audience knows for sure he's an indefensibly terrible person. This week, however, Daemon shows us that he's capable of good, or at least more good than his brother, Viserys, or the average Westerosi husband and father. 

During the show's 10-year time jump, Daemon and Laena have married and are raising twin daughters, Baela and Rhaena, as upper-class nomads on dragonback. He rides Caraxes. Laena has since tamed the object of her affection, Vhagar, the largest remaining dragon in the world. She's pregnant with their third child and goes into labor while they're visiting Pentos. After hours of pushing to no avail, Daemon is given the choice to cut open his wife to save the child. He asks if the mother will live. When he's told no, he doesn't appear to consent to the procedure, which allows Laena to live out her final moments with dignity and as she wishes. In a heartbreaking scene, Laena crawls before Vhagar and repeatedly screams "Dracarys" until the reluctant dragon burns her alive. In the book, the baby — a son — dies an hour after its birth and Laena follows shortly thereafter, though it's thought she attempted to ride Vhagar one last time. 

Episode 7 opens with Laena's funeral. She may have died a Targaryen death in Pentos when she commanded Vhagar to incinerate her, but on Driftmark, she's receiving a proper Velaryon sea burial. Her uncle Vaemond delivers a eulogy at the end of which he says that Velaryon blood must not thin. Daemon, who has just lost his wife, chuckles uncomfortably at this. Likely, his outburst is at the farce that has become the question of Rhaenyra's children's parentage. Moments later, Corlys — who, it turns out, is as committed to keeping up appearances as Viserys — tells second-born son Lucerys that someday he'll inherit this castle. Little Luc is distraught by the idea ... should he become Lord of Driftmark, it would mean that everyone else is dead. And that, precisely, is the other hidden message in Daemon's inappropriate laughter.

Rhaenys, on the other hand, is a pragmatic player in the game of thrones and asks Corlys to use the occasion of Laena's wake to name Baela princess of and heir to Driftmark instead of Lucerys. She knows the three princes aren't really their kin, but the twin girls are, and she wants their domain to remain in the true family line. Corlys argues that history remembers names, not blood. By the end of the episode, as far as everyone is aware, the Velaryon family tree will have been pruned even thinner. Laenor seems to have lost a duel with his patron Qarl and has been disposed of in the fireplace. Baela and Rhaena remain, but as girls, they don't carry the Velaryon last name. Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey have the name but not the blood, and Corlys' legacy is in jeopardy.

"Driftmark" begins with Laena's funeral and ends with Rhaenyra and Daemon's wedding, but three more betrothals are either referenced or subtly teased throughout the episode. Aegon scoffs at having to marry his "idiot" sister, Helaena, who's muttering to herself about the Blacks, the Greens, and the coming Dance of the Dragons as she tries to trap a spider. If it wasn't clear last week, it is this week — Helaena is a dreamer with the ability to foretell the future, though we're not sure if she's aware of her own power yet. In the previous episode, she said Aemond would have to "close an eye" to get a dragon, which comes to pass. That Aegon and Helaena are to wed means Alicent got her way and refused Rhaenyra's proposed match with Jacaerys, which had pleased the king. Viewers can probably guess based on Prince Aegon's attitude toward his sister alone that theirs won't be a happy marriage. 

This also means Jacaerys is free to marry someone else. His mother tells him to comfort his cousins, Baela and Rhaena. The best the young boy — who's mourning the loss of his own father, Harwin Strong — can do is stand next to them. Baela grabs his hand in solidarity. Later, when Aemond steals Vhagar, it's Lucerys who defends Rhaena — whose egg is yet to hatch and who wanted to claim Vhagar — against his half-brother. In "Fire & Blood," Rhaenyra and Daemon intend to wed Jacaerys to Baela and Lucerys to Rhaena. These new marriage arrangements would keep the family lines of the Blacks and the Greens from intersecting. 

Weddings in the "Game of Thrones" universe are conducted in accordance with a variety of religious and cultural traditions. One element of many ceremonies is the binding of hands. We see a Septon wrap Joffrey and Margaery's hands in a strip of white fabric as they recite the customary vows of the Faith of the Seven. Through Bran Stark, we witness Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark do the same before their much happier though equally short-lived marriage. For their own wedding, Daemon and Rhaenyra (and the showrunners of "House of the Dragon") have decided to blend the rites of Old Valryia with the customs of modern-day Westeros. Most Targaryens aren't particularly religious ... at least not when it comes to the new gods. George R. R. Martin doesn't go into much detail about Targaryen weddings except that they are "wed by blood and fire." 

While earlier in "Driftmark," blood trickled from Rhaenyra's curled hand after Alicent slashed her with the catspaw dagger, at her wedding to her uncle, she willingly slices open her palm. Daemon does the same, and the brand-new husband and wife bind their hands and press their lips together in what appears to be a Valyrian blood ritual. We don't know what words Daemon and Laena exchanged, but Rhaenyra and Laenor's quick wedding after Joffrey's murder was done in accordance with the Faith of the Seven. In contrast, Daemon and Rhaenyra's ceremony is conducted in Valryian. This creates yet another source of tension between the Blacks and the Greens, who are practicing devotees of the Faith of the Seven. 

While Daemon, Rhaenyra, and their brood have been away at Dragonstone, Alicent has been busy redecorating the Red Keep. Upon their arrival (Alicent has orchestrated a royal snub that, in her opinion, befits their station), Daemon immediately notices a huge and prominently displayed seven-pointed star. She's erected new statues of the Seven. The Greens' garb is ornamented with impossible-to-miss seven-pointed stars. And prayer has become routine before dinner. Later, when there's a dead body to be tended to, the Silent Sisters — a religious order within the Faith of the Seven — perform their rites, and it's suggested that Rhaenys should follow their customs. 

Harder to miss is the fact that Alicent is erasing as much Targaryen ephemera from the Red Keep as possible. Gone are the hypersexualized tapestries and frescos depicting dragons and orgies. The show has highlighted the extent to which Alicent uses religion as a cudgel and a shield much more than the book does, but it's all in keeping with Martin's world. As previously discussed, the Hightowers lord over Oldtown, which is also where the Faith of the Seven is headquartered. Both the Hightowers and the Faith have an uneasy relationship with the Targaryens and view themselves as morally superior to the dragonriding Valyrians. But Alicent's hypocrisy is laid bare when her son, Aegon, rapes a servant girl. She has the Maesters brew their abortifacient tea for the girl ... the same one that she judged Rhaenyra so harshly for being prescribed after her night with Daemon and Ser Criston. 

For plenty of practical reasons, most of the children in "House of the Dragon" are born in between time jumps. By Episode 8, which takes place at least six years after Episode 7, Daemon and Rhaenyra have had two sons, and she's pregnant with a third child when they sail for King's Landing. We can gather that she probably hasn't seen her father since the wedding as she says she wants to introduce the king to his new grandchildren. First he gets to meet toddler Aegon, then he makes the acquaintance of the baby boy Viserys, whom the old man says has the name of a king. Of course that's true; Viserys I is the current ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. But Aegon is the name more synonymous with leadership, and Viserys already has a son named Aegon. 

Rhaenyra and Daemon certainly knew what they were doing when they christened their eldest son Aegon and their younger son Viserys. Sure, they both share a fondness for Targaryen history and culture and they both earnestly love their father and brother, but it doesn't hurt that the king is flattered and might continue to favor these boys and their side of the family for succession. Rhaenyra's choice of name is also meant to be a not-so-subtle slight to Alicent. Not only is she the named heir, she's got an Aegon of her own now, and one of pure Targaryen heritage. In the book, Alicent takes great offense at this new Aegon the Younger, as he's referred to in "Fire & Blood." 

So far, we've spent most of our time in King's Landing and at Driftmark, home to the Iron and Driftwood Thrones respectively. The latter is said to have been a gift to the Velaryons from the Merling King himself, a Poseidon-like god in Martin's lore. The current official occupants of those thrones are King Viserys and Lord Corlys Velaryon, but Episode 8 opens with both men indisposed and near death from illness and injury. 

Rhaenys (who was denied the Iron Throne) looks quite comfortable on the Driftwood Throne. Despite Vaemond's petition and open threat, she intends to honor her husband's wishes to name Lucerys Velaryon as his heir (though it's clear she'd still prefer Baela to inherit Driftmark). Rhaenyra solves this problem for her when she proposes marriage between her sons and Laena's daughters. 

It feels unusual to see Otto Hightower sit upon the Iron Throne, although the Hand is expected to fulfill the king's duties in his absence so there is some precedence for this. In Episode 1, Ser Harold was scandalized to see Daemon — the prince and at that time the presumed heir — lounging upon the great seat of swords when court wasn't even in session. Though Alicent has married into the Royal Family, unlike his daughter, Otto isn't a Targaryen or a regent. It's one thing that Queen Alicent sits at the head of the small council table when the king is bedridden on death's doorstep. It's entirely another thing for the Hand of the King to assume the throne to conduct royal business. This is evidence of Otto's hubris and tendency to overreach.

At this point, Rhaenyra and Jacaerys know their claims to the throne are solid (so long as the king lives, at least), but their public support grows ever shakier. Jace is also aware of his Uncle Aegon's reputation, however. Despite the fact that Aegon II is a white-haired boy with the last name Targaryen and no rumors swirling around about his parentage, he's also a louse without ambition, and a sexual predator to boot. The more traditional people of King's Landing and the Realm at large may think they want Aegon II in theory, but once they see him in action, they might change their minds. 

After Aegon makes distasteful jokes in Baela's presence (to whom Jace is now betrothed), and after Helaena's toast to her husband is a little too accurate for everyone's comfort level (she says marriage isn't so bad; he leaves her alone unless he's drunk), Jace stands up and, like a gentleman, asks Helaena to dance. In both the book and the show, Aegon takes this as an insult, as he should. Jace is suggesting by his simple good behavior that he's not only the rightful heir but the better man. By extending the offer of a dance to awkward Helaena, he's not only showing his aunt kindness, but effectively playing politics. There's also the added symbolism of the dance itself between one member of the Greens and one of the Blacks. The conflict on the horizon will be known as the Dance of the Dragons, and Helaena and Jace (who are both dragonriders) will be involved. 

One of the ways in which Rhaenyra and the Blacks underestimated their foes, the Greens, was by vacating so many Small Council seats to the Hightowers and their allies. Otto Hightower returned to replace the murdered Lyonel Strong as Hand. Tyland Lannister (no friend of Rhaenyra's) took over for Lord Corlys as Master of Ships and Jasper Wylde (better known as Ironrod) was installed as Master of Laws. Maester Orwyle — an effective physician and self-protecting politician, as well as one of the sources of information in "Fire & Blood" — was promoted after Grand Maester Mellos died, and Criston Cole has been loyal to Alicent ever since his Rhaenyra declined his marriage proposal.   

That left only Master of Coin Lyman Beesbury to defend Rhaenyra's claim. As he mentions in his exasperated speech, he's the council's longest-serving member. His age (76) is made a joke of in previous episodes when he fails to keep up with the pace of the conversation and bores the group with his detailed accounting. However, in Episode 9 it's clear he's been left out of the loop for a more explicit purpose. The rest of the council has been planning to install Aegon regardless of Alicent's misinterpretation of her husband's dying words. 

"House of the Dragon" likes to foreshadow plot points with fashion choices, as does "Fire & Blood." In this case, Beesbury is the only person in attendance wearing red and black — Targaryen colors, and, more specifically, Rhaenyra's colors. When he refuses to back down, Ser Criston crushes his face against his ceremonial Small Council ball. Though they make for cool props, we figured there had to be a reason they existed beyond aesthetics. 

The new Queen Helaena is the easiest member of the Greens to root for. Unfortunately, rooting for her rarely does any good. As a dreamer (a character trait the show has bestowed upon her), sweet, eccentric Helaena is cursed to see what's coming and to have no way of preventing it. So far, her prophecies have been communicated in seemingly random hushed phrases, but in "The Green Council," we see her embroidering a spider while spending time with her young children. Helaena famously loves bugs, but there's more to her cross-stitching than meets the eye.

Larys learns that Otto has been using a web of little spiders to glean sensitive information. He — still devoted to Alicent because of his apparent interest in feet — tells the Queen Mother that her handmaiden, Talia, is one of them. For Alicent to have influence over Aegon, that whisper network must be silenced. Earlier, Otto and Alicent imprisoned every servant who knew of the King's death (including Talia) to prevent that news from spreading to Rhaenyra. Near the end of the hour, we see that someone has set fire to the jail cells, not just to keep the King's death a secret but to give Alicent the upper hand. 

Helaena also repeats a phrase she said last week at dinner, only this time, she says, "There is a beast beneath the boards," with much more anger and urgency. We don't know whether the Queen can make sense of her visions yet (though book readers probably can), but she does seem to sense that they spell tragedy for her and her family, even in the face of what looks like a victory.

In an Episode 8 exchange that was almost too quick and too quiet for audiences to catch, Queen Alicent mistook one Cargyll twin for the other. In "Fire & Blood," that's the point of the maddeningly named Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk. They're said to be so precisely identical that even the other members of the Kingsguard can't tell them apart. While the same actor (Jefferson Hall) plays both Jason and Tyland Lannister (Hall also appeared in "Game of Thrones" as Ser Hugh of the Vale), real-life twins Luke and Elliott Tittensor portray Sers Arryk and Erryk. 

Like Alicent, viewers may have struggled to keep track of which twin was which. In the book, Arryk finds Rhaenyra and Daemon in bed together while she's still a young, unmarried woman and while he's still wed to Lady Rhea Royce. Presumably, this causes Arryk to favor the Greens. Ser Erryk is Prince Aegon's sworn protector and is thus exposed to his debauchery. In the fighting pits, Erryk hopes that Arryk will finally understand who Aegon really is and how unsuited he is for leadership. 

This makes Erryk more sympathetic to Rhaenyra's claim, which we see when he attempts to rescue Princess Rhaenys. He tells her he "could not let this treachery stand," but he loses her in the crowds forcibly assembling at the Dragonpit for Aegon's coronation. Thankfully, Rhaenys is more than capable of taking care of herself. We don't know where Erryk ended up, but we can be sure that this isn't the last we've seen of the Cargyll twins, who now find themselves on opposite sides of a civil war. 

As soon as the Greens outmaneuver the Blacks, the Hightowers turn on each other. Alicent and Otto both position themselves to become the true ruler as a sort of unofficial regent to Aegon, who is drunk, perverted, and disinterested in ruling. When Ser Criston and Aemond defeat Arryk and Erryk for possession of Aegon, Alicent declares herself the winner and begins arranging the ceremony during which he'll be anointed the next sovereign. She tells Otto that he'll be sworn in with his namesake Aegon's crown and sword. 

The namesake to whom she's referring is obviously Aegon the Conqueror, as her son will become Aegon II, the second of his name. As it's depicted in "House of the Dragon," Aegon wore a less ornate crown of Valyrian steel encrusted with large rubies. He also wielded Blackfyre, the ancestral Valyrian steel blade. This is the very same sword the late King Viserys used as a walking stick. The other ancestral Targaryen sword is Daemon's weapon, Dark Sister. Alicent hopes these totems will inspire renewed reverence for Targaryen rule among the people. However, Aegon's crown was also worn by his son, Maegor the Cruel, who ultimately came to possess both Dark Sister and Blackfyre. When Aegon II is crowned and thrusts the sword in the air, he's more the image of Maegor than Aegon, and Alicent seems to fear she may have made a mistake. 

She made a second mistake in getting the Conqueror's crown out of storage. The one worn by Jaehaerys and Viserys is up for grabs now, and now there's a scorned Princess in the market for one — with plenty of people still loyal to her in King's Landing.

Throughout Season 1, the Painted Table of Dragonstone has made brief but uneventful appearances. This is the very same table around which Stannis Baratheon and later Daenerys Targaryen draw up their battle plans in "Game of Thrones." The table — which doubles as a map of Westeros — was commissioned by none other than King Aegon I himself prior to his conquest, which is why it's here instead of in King's Landing. Many fans considered it one of the coolest pieces of set design in the screen adaptations of Martin's world before we knew it lit up. Apparently, the manual got lost sometime in between the Dance of the Dragons and Robert's Rebellion, as no one — not even Daenerys — seems to know about this wicked awesome light-up feature. 

The Blacks must assess the current and extremely volatile situation, and to do that, they'll need the interactive visual aid that is the Painted Table. Candles and hot coals are lit, which illuminate the carvings and make the map much easier to see. Queen Rhaenyra — newly anointed with her father King Viserys the Peaceful's crown — takes her place at the head of the table and asks about their standing. The blazing relief allows them to consider what they can defend and what they might conquer. It's likely we'll return to the Painted Table more often in the future, not only because it's one of our two warring monarchs' seat of power, but because future seasons of "House of the Dragon" will branch off into Westeros' other territories. 

Daemon exudes confidence, and never more so than when he's getting in jabs at Otto Hightower's expense. But in scoffing at King Aegon II's terms, which would allow the Blacks to retain Dragonstone and Driftmark, he makes a disturbingly prescient statement. "I would rather feed my sons to the dragons than have them carry shields and cups for your drunken usurper **** of a king," he spits at the offer before the actual Queen has had a chance to get a word in. 

Though Rhaenyra's three boys by Harwin Strong, attributed to Laenor Velaryon, aren't his biological children, Daemon has raised them for the last six years. Of course, by the end of the episode, poor 14-year-old Lucerys will have been eaten in but a single chomp by Daemon's ex-wife's ex-dragon, Vhagar. This ironic sick burn doesn't appear in the book, nor does Otto personally come to Dragonstone to negotiate with the Blacks at all. Daemon also decries Targaryens who believe in dreams and signs in the finale, so it's doubly ironic that he's prophetic himself without even knowing it, and about something as awful as what happens to Luke.  

In discussing their path forward, Queen Rhaenyra tells the Black Council that she wants to know who her allies are before she sends people to war in her name. Her loyalists assure her some houses, like Celtigar, can be depended upon for support, but the fealty of houses who swore oaths long ago will have to be reaffirmed. Chief among these are House Tully of Riverrun, House Arryn of the Vale, House Stark of Winterfell, and House Baratheon of Storm's End. We know how that last one panned out, but the Blacks' efforts to secure alliances with the other three will be the order of business in Season 2. That means we'll be meeting the ancestors of the Tullys, Starks, and Arryns and visiting these iconic "Game of Thrones" locations. (Technically it'll be the show's second visit to the Vale, as we did get a brief stopover there when Daemon knocked off Rhea Royce). 

In fact, savvy viewers got what amounts to an outline of the rest of the series as the Blacks move their pieces around the board that is the Painted Table. Their strategy includes taking or defending places that are prominently displayed by the fire below or mentioned by Council members. In future seasons of "House of the Dragon," be on the lookout for Rook's Rest, the Gullet, Tumbleton, and return trips to Harrenhal. 

We can't say if the fight above Shipbreaker Bay happens in the show as it does in "Fire & Blood." It's a stormy night in both versions, which makes it hard for onlookers to see in written accounts. What everyone agrees upon is that Aemond didn't fly to Storm's End with the intent to kill Luke, and that all anyone saw was two dragons tangling in a fury of fire and lightning. 

"House of the Dragon" renders Aemond's kin-slaying of Luke as something closer to manslaughter than murder. When they jump on the backs of their dragons, Luke and Aemond both speak to their mounts in High Valyrian. Luke coaches Arrax to obey in English before he switches to the ancient language, then repeats the command in Valyrian: "Dohaeris." Though the one-eyed Prince's evil laughter and his insistence that Luke owes him a debt suggest otherwise, once Arrax sprays Vhagar in the face with flames, Aemond tries to put on the brakes. "Dohaeris! Dohaeris!" he screams at Vhagar, who chomps down on poor Luke and Arrax anyway. 

This word might sound familiar to "Game of Thrones" fans. "Valar Dohaeris" is a common phrase used in Essos which translates to "all men must serve," often said in conjunction with "valar morghulis," which means "all men must die." It's also the title of the first episode of Season 3 of "Game of Thrones." For the purposes of "House of the Dragon," that two royal boys can't get their dragons to "dohaeris" indicates Viserys was right — dragons are an uncontrollable power men should never have trifled with.