“House of the Dragon” heated up as the fallout from Blood and Cheese’s bloody assassination of Prince Jaehaerys cast a long shadow in the second episode of Season 2.
Both the Greens and the Blacks were sent reeling. Mistrust loomed across both camps about how and why something so barbaric could happen. Some tried to use the death as a way to earn favor and sympathy from the public, while others were finally looking at their closest allies in a new light. As is common in war-torn Westeros, the episode ended bloody yet again.
These are the most shocking moments from “House of the Dragon” Season 2, Episode 2.
Jaehaerys’ Funeral
Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carey) was livid in the wake of his son’s beheading by Blood and Cheese – by way of Daemon (Matt Smith). The king wants war, he wants to hop on Sunfyre with the full might of their dragons and head to Dragonstone and attack Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) directly.
His entire council, really all of the Red Keep, were reeling after the assassination. Blame and mistrustful accusations are thrown wildly, Alicent (Olivia Cooke) is trying to focus on Helaena (Phia Saban) who barely escaped with her life. and Otto (Rhys Ifans) is scheming.
He brutally proposes that – although deeply saddened by the death of his grandson – Jaehaerys might do more in death than an entire army. The Hand suggests they hold a public funeral processional and have Alicent and Helaena ride with to show the people the bloody extremes Rhaenyra will go to get the Iron Throne.
Rhaenyra Confronts Daemon’s True Motives
The Greens are obviously feeling the death of Prince Jaehaerys, but things aren’t much happier in Team Black’s camp. Rhaenyra’s council seems convinced that the queen ordered the death of Aegon’s heir as repayment for Luke, but she vehemently denies the claim. The only person who is chalking the whole situation up as an “oopsie” is Daemon.
After the council is adjourned, Rhaenyra takes Daemon to her chambers and finally confronts him about the assassination, but really about everything that’s unfolded between them over the last decade+. We never see if Daemon gave Blood and Cheese further orders if they couldn’t find Aemond and he’s denying saying more. But the show – and book – thrive through unreliable narrators and it certainly seems likely he gave the killers further instruction.
Rhaenyra says Daemon only ever does what he thinks is best for him, or will further extend his claim of power. The two almost come to blows before Rhaenyra tells him to leave Dragonstone and the last we see is him mounting Caraxes and flying off – liking to Harrenhal since he can’t stop talking about getting a “toehold” there.
Criston Finally Feels Guilt
It’s refreshing to see Criston (Fabien Frankel) feel a little bit of guilt and remorse after years of shirking blame on other people. He’s also 0-2 on protecting children of the king (he wasn’t around when Aemond lost his eye, and he was “with” the dowager queen when Jaehaerys died) which isn’t a great record when you’re a member of the Kingsguard.
Unfortunately, we only get signs of guilt for the briefest of moments — seeing his reaction to Jaehaerys’ bloody bed might have been worth the squelching sounds from the assassination that ended Episode 1. It’s not long before he goes to fellow Kingsguard Arryk Cargyll (Luke Tittensor) and shames him for not being around for the prince’s death.
He proposes that Arryk go to Dragonstone disguised as his twin Erryk (Elliot Tittensor) and kill Rhaenyra. It would likely be a death sentence but think of the glory. It’s a Criston Cole plan so things go exactly as expected but more on that soon.
Otto Hightower Gets Fired
Aegon’s need for immediate action for his son’s death wasn’t just to plot with Criston to send Arryk to kill Rhaenyra, he also learned through a captured and tortured Blood that his accomplice was a ratcatcher. Aegon’s answer to that news was to hang every ratcatcher in the city who worked in the Red Keep.
Otto is furious. He storms into the king’s chambers exclaiming that all the good will they’d earned from the common people through the funeral was just destroyed. He then compares Aegon to his father which is triggering to say the least.
Aegon then informs his grandfather that his time as Hand of the King is over and that his next Hand will “be a steel fist.” Otto may have been a schemer, looking to enhance the station of his house – but he also ruled with Viserys peacefully for years. Another domino falls.
Erryk vs. Arryk
At this point it’s looking like every episode in Season 2 is going to end bloody. The week’s conclusion follows Arryk’s slow, tense journey into Dragonstone and through the halls until he reaches the queen. For as dumb as Criston tends to be, his plan likely would have worked had it not been for Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno).
Early in the episode, Rhaenyra confronted Mysaria about helping Daemon get in touch with Blood and Cheese, but the White Worm insists that she only gave him names and no orders. The two bonded a bit over Daemon’s promises and letdowns before Rhaenyra allows Mysaria to leave Dragonstone and be free. On her way out she catches Arryk walking into the keep despite having just seen Erryk inside with the queen.
Her decision to turn back and warn guards mean Erryk is able to get to Rhaenyra only a few seconds behind his twin. The two have a brutal fight in her chambers while other guards watch – unsure of which is Team Black and which Team Green. Erryk manages to pull through and kill his brother but is so distraught that he falls on his sword in front of Rhaenyra killing himself immediately after at the end of Episode 2.
New episodes of “House of the Dragon” air Sundays on HBO and stream on Max.
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