House of The Dragon S2, EP 2 Recap & Thoughts.!
Right after that dreadful incident in the end scene of the first episode, everything is ghastly. The whole scenario has changed, Rhaenyra will be considered as an evil queen for the very same reason that a toddler is just murdered gruesomely. An awful tragedy that will pave the way for more catastrophic events across the continent. King Aegon is pained at the loss of his heir but at the same time wants vengeance and will go to any extent to have that. He demands war but his council would want to use this death to gather support from every lords and civilians. He is not willing to parade the dead body of his child for that, not that he desired to win the war.
But Larrys Strong makes sure that the King will have his vengeance very soon. Despite all the drama, this season moves so fast when considering the quick unfolding of the events. New parallel plots are built alongside the central plot. But the pace at which the events progress hints at nothing short of a memorable season. The first episode had the retaliation of House Black and now the second episode further aggravates the horror. It is impossible to tell what happens in the next scene and particularly impossible to predict the fate of any character. Episode 2 also has a very interesting and emotional ending as well.
The queen is still to get a powerful scene but looking at the events that are unfurling in a thrilling fashion, a standout sequence is around the corner. The queen blames Daemon for losing the leverage they had and she is pretty devastated to know that the death of her son is answered with the death of a toddler. Now there is a conflict between Daemon & Rhaenyra, as the latter really doubts the loyalty and true intentions of the former. The plot will further develop on this part as the victory of House Black depends heavily on them being together. It needs to be seen how her council look up to her after this incident. She wants to retain the loyalty of her own people before seeking support from other houses. Now, Rhaenyra would definitely want everyone to believe that the blood of Jaehaerys is not in her hands as It is important for her claim to the throne. Her next steps will be very cautious and she wouldn’t want any decisions to be taken in a hasty manner. She is probably going to take the authority and give orders but for that she needs to seek allegiance from other ‘Houses’ first.
The actions of King Aegon becomes an important deciding factor in this episode.
When the council of the King is doing all the hard-work to gain support from every Houses, some thoughtless and ill-judged decisions come as a horror to many. The decision to execute all the rat-catchers has heavily impacted their case as well. This was definitely not the way to rule the kingdom as for the Hand of the King. This sequence was one of the very best throughout the season. Some strong words, myriad of emotions and clear objectives are put forward. While Otto Hightower sees King Aegon as an immature and foolish kid, Aegon sees Otto as a weak old man. The case of Larrys Strong appeared stronger here. But in a sudden turn of events, it was the surprising Criston Cole who was ultimately rewarded here for his actions. This sequence might definitely dent their unity severely. Otto wants a wise and true king which is not going to be the case with Aegon. Let us see how their strategies carry out from here on.
The episode ending will further underline the inexperience and reckless act of King Aegon. One of the most emotional segments in the whole episode comes with the Lord Arryk & Lord Erryk face-off. This was destined to happen sometime later but the actions of Criston Cole has led to another tragedy. He just wanted to vent out his frustration on someone and unfortunately someone has to pay the price. This will be the case of Aegon. He is too careless and not concerned about his duties anymore. He is blinded by vengeance and wants immediate results.
There are a few parallel plots building up unhurriedly and as of now, difficult to comprehend where it’ll end up. But they are some important characters and will definitely find a place in the story at some point of time. Every episode is going to be more thrilling and the viewers need a strong heart for the show. The dramatic episodes are cold and gripping where loyalty is tested more frequently in a vengeance driven war game.