Here we are. Three years after the last episode of Game Of Throneswe are finally entitled to the first of the long-awaited spin-offs: House of the Dragon. Let’s go for one episode per week which will be broadcast every Monday, and of course we are here to do our little recaps on the history of the Targaryens. I don’t know about you, but going back to the GoT universe made me feel like I opened my presents on December 25th and got the stuff I asked for (and not an old orange like time of our grandparents). Anyway, I feel you can’t wait any longer, so here’s the guaranteed recap full of SPOILERS, so if you haven’t watched the episode yet, do things in order and come back later. Go go go go.
1. We start the series with a little topo
Table of Contents
The story begins two centuries before Daenerys was born. The Targaryens have dominated the game of Westeros for quite a while now, but the 4th king of the line, Jaehaerys, is getting old. So he has to think about his heir, but there’s a little problem: he doesn’t have a son. The guy organizes a small meeting to find an heir, and it hesitates quite a bit between two suitors. On one side, his eldest daughter, Princess Rhaenys. On the other, the cousin of Rhaenys who is called Viserys. As we are in a somewhat patriarchal society, it is finally couz’ Viserys who is chosen and who will become the next king.
After that, we go on a flash-forward (a jump forward in time, for those who haven’t done English LV1) and we arrive at the ninth year of Viserys’ reign. All this in 2 minutes 30 of episode. This series is super effective.
On the left, Viserys, future king of Westeros. He looks super happy.
2. It’s flying on a dragon’s back
The series promised us dragons? Bah here is a first dragon, direct. And we feel that there’s some budget on the special effects side like in the last seasons of GoT, so it’s extremely pleasing. This scene is the occasion to discover Rhaenyra, the only daughter of King Viserys. Come on, let’s all say hello to Rhaenyra. HELLO RHAENYRAAAAA.
Well there we can’t see him well because he’s a little too big but behind Rhaenyra is his dragon
3. Viserys organizes a tournament in anticipation of the birth of his son
Viserys’ wife is pregnant, and, if you haven’t figured it out, the guy absolutely wants a son. He only has one daughter – Rhaenyra, you know her now – and as we saw earlier, the Targaryens they are more of a patriarch style than a feminist. So, if Viserys wants a direct heir, he has better have a male descendant. Not super woke all that Viserys…
“Ggngngn I want a son because I’m a big boomer”
4. Rhaenyra’s Uncle is going to piss off
It’s time to discover Daemon Targaryen, brother of Viserys and current heir to the throne until Viserys has a son. We quickly understand that the guy intends to remain the only heir and that his little life project is to put his little buttocks on the Iron Throne. At least, it’s clear. We love your ambition Daemon. We feel like you’re going to screw up, but we like your ambition.
Daemon is already on the OKLM Throne (and we’re not talking about the toilets)
5. Daemon and his golden cloaks fuck the zbeul in Port-Real
Ah yes, we forgot to specify it, but Daemon is Lord Commander of the Guard of Port-Réal (the police basically, it’s Darmanin the guy), which gives him a lot of power. And with his power, the uncle decided not to go into lace. Accompanied by his boyfriends, under the pretext of arresting bad guys, it cuts off hands, balls and heads. Aaaah, we missed the scenes of gratuitous violence at GoT.
A very nice character this Daemon, we would like to invite him to drink tea
6. What are these marbles?
Each member of the Council puts a large marble in a base integrated into the table when he comes to sit down. That’s nice, but what’s the point? I want explanations please.
They are still past the age of playing marbles guys
7. Daemon and the King’s Hand can’t kill each other
Daemon provokes Otto Hightower (the Hand of the King) by talking about his dead wife (it’s getting too ap) and he chooses his son as his opponent in the tournament just to piss him off. The series couldn’t be clearer: the two won’t be going on vacation together. Not even for a short weekend in Arcachon (a very nice city).
Otto not happy
8. The tournament goes downhill
And go ahead that everyone ends up fucking each other without anyone intervening to separate them. Tournaments are more what I was telling you. No I’m kidding, horses are boring, we prefer the real fight.
He had surely deserved it (personally I always tell myself that so as not to get too attached)
9. Childbirth also goes wrong
Viserys is forced to make a choice between his wife and his child, and since he is a loving and considerate husband (no) he chooses the child. The scene where his wife understands that we are going to open her stomach is just awful, but luckily it ends well because Viserys has a son… who dies a few hours later. This life isn’t easy though.
I draw your attention to this plan that it looks like a Renaissance painting, so beautiful
10. Ouuuh Shame Daemon
He lost his fight against Ser Criston Cole, a guy we don’t know much about but can’t wait to find out more about. Around a good tuna quiche for example.
The guy caught Rhaenyra’s eye, we saw it
11. A dragon is really practical
It’s perfect for lighting the barbecue or a funeral pyre, even if it takes up a little more space than a box of matches. But does your matchbox take you on its back to take you to the other end of Westeros? I do not think so.
It’s still more stylish than a cremation in the local funeral home
12. The Council doesn’t want Daemon as an heir at all
So some propose Rhaenyra, who is the eldest of Viserys, but the others are not hot because she is a girl (did we already say that the kingdom was not hyper feminist?) Lord Corlys proposes his wife, who is none other than Rhaenys, the daughter of the previous king Jaehaerys (you follow?), but nobody listens to her. In short, Viserys must choose between a violent brother, a daughter or a cousin to succeed him. Not easy easy.
Look how Lord Corlys is worried that no one wants his wife as heir. It smells like the coming rebellion.
13. What is Otto doing here?
Otto, the king’s hand, tricks his daughter Alicent into going to visit the king to you-know-what-I-mean. He hopes that she will make him an heir quickly done well? Plus it’s hot because Alicent is young, because she’s friends with Rhaenyra, and because Viserys just lost his wife and son. What are you doing Otto here? Don’t you want to stay in your place for a bit and learn the definition of the word “respect”? He pissed me off there.
We pity you Alicent, we pity you
14. Daemon pissed off his bro
When Viserys’ son died, Daemon celebrated his status as heir in a brothel and called the dead child “the heir for a day”. Inevitably, that annoyed Viserys who simply decided to banish his brother from Port-Réal and name Rhaenyra heiress. Shouldn’t piss him off.
Family relations are slightly strained, as you can see
15. The very end echoes Game of Thrones
At the end of the episode two interesting things happen between Viserys and his daughter Rhaenyra:
“Already, Viserys wears a dagger in his belt. It’s the same Valyrian steel dagger seen in season one of GoT when an assassin attempts to kill Bran. Arya will eventually inherit it and use it to kill the Night King. She has come a long way in 200 years this blade.
– Next, Viserys tells Rhaenyra of a dream that Aegon the Conqueror had, a dream called “Song of Ice and Fire,” which is a prophecy of a terrible winter that will bring death and darkness with it. He tells her that when that winter comes, there will need to be a Targaryen on the throne to unite the kingdom against these evil forces. Those who have seen GoT know that it announces what will happen with the White Walkers, when Daenerys and Jon Snow (who are both Targaryens) are more or less in power.
It’s very stylish to have connected the spin-off to the original series in this way.
