DRAGONWAR | House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 Reaction+Commentary | The Red Dragon and the Gold

[@CoraReacts]

Well now I am terrified...! This far seems like team Green is in the lead? 🐲 If you want to watch me react to season one, you can find that here: kzbin.info/aero/PL_AN6_TZl8GM-WwdNHnCb0FVvKRcQJJnb&si=_c_InNauK6T_cVKE

[@thebruisedkind5345]

Unlike in the source material, the show has made it clear that Rhaenyras oldest son was born out of treason and illegitimacy meaning the Greens were right in sitting Aegon on the Iron Throne, as if Rhaenyra took the Crown her heir would be a Strong and not a Targaryen. In the book it could always be argued her heir was in fact a Targaryen but the show for some stupid reason made it clear he was a Strong

[@drrohanjacob]

​@@thebruisedkind5345Their right to rule comes from her,so who their father is has no bearing. The greens shall all join the dodo

[@thebruisedkind5345]

@@drrohanjacob The greens shall all join the dodo?..Oh my sweet summer child...you havent read the source material huh?...lol

[@drrohanjacob]

@@thebruisedkind5345 Yes I have they go extinct.otto and his entire line go to dodo will Even jahera gets poisoned

[@drrohanjacob]

@@thebruisedkind5345 Have you not read fire and blood?

[@L4zySh4ky]

I feel bad for Aegon this season. Definitely one of my favorite characters.

[@TheMrjonv]

I agree

[@rickywilcox7358]

Hes got way more depth to him than i expected and it helps that the actor has been great.

[@mauro5831]

He is the best and most complex character of season 2 so far

[@jord1215]

Aegon has been pretty good this season his problem is when he gets drunk, if he didn’t piss off aemond in the brothel he may not have got burnt the way he did.

[@tajaemartin2251]

He a grapist lmao😂😂😂

[@greendragon4870]

You probably first to notice that Sunfyre saved Aegon. He shielded him with his wing from fire and then while they were falling he turned over so that fall didn’t killed Aegon. He very loves Aegon, they have the strongest bond

[@CoraReacts]

Oh really? It was such a nice swirl to get them to not land with Aegon towards the ground. I really liked the scenes when he was with his dragon before he left, they seem to have such a nice bond.

[@nikitasingh0412]

Aegon and Sunfyre's bond is one the strongest bonds ever. Sad we only got see one tiny scene of them together

[@arobin6695]

99% of audiences would have no idea that Aegon's new golden dragon banner is based on his own golden dragon Sunfyre

[@CoraReacts]

It’s sad I agree! The scene before the fight made it seem like they were close but before that I didn’t know. I also had no idea it was based on his dragon but it makes sense!

[@davidboivin7996]

Many don't realize that Aemond now has the Valerian Dagger. It has the Song of Ice and Fire on it which appears when put under flame

[@CoraReacts]

I know!! And if there is one person who would even try putting it in the fire it would be Aemond honestly 😬

[@dustfan]

I think Aemond most definitely wants the Crown. When he and Cole were looking for Aegon to make him King after Viserys died he said something like "If you ever come looking for me, I won't be hiding."

[@CoraReacts]

I think he does too, or at least power. I reminder him saying that!

[@Sold1er_Boy]

Daemon needs to get his head straight and start fighting again cause he's the only one that can take out Aemond, otherwise Aemond will just keep on killing members of rhaenyras team.

[@rohanshende4338]

Don't forget Cole. Rhaenyra made big enemies while fooling around with the freedom her dad gave her.

[@CoraReacts]

Yeah even though Daemond is unpredictable and hard to trust, he might be the only one that could go up against Aemond head on. 😭 The biggest Emily Rhaenyra made is probably Cole (if you don’t count the greens that is), but that’s also because of who Cole is. He got angry at her for not wanting to give up her life to run away with him and holds so much hatred against her it’s scary!

[@TheMrjonv]

I do not like the way Aegon is treated. I am team black, but, team green would not allow Aegon to escape responsibility of the throne now they undermine him. He is trying very hard to be a good king. I hate the disrespect they are showing him.

[@hedinsee6830]

Aegon was trying to be *regarded* as a good king. But not willing to put in any work to that goal. Which is very much the opposite of actually trying to *be* a good king. Aegon's whole motivation is the need for validation stemming from his lack of upbringing.

[@arobin6695]

@@hedinsee6830 he was trying to put in the work but aemond and cole were keeping him in the dark and plotting behind his back. like he said, he needs to be informed of important information to make informed decisions.

[@hedinsee6830]

@@arobin6695 But he was not doing any decision-making to warrant being informed. He ignored any strategizing until bitching about Daemon when the campaign was well on the way. He ignored any logistical decision-making because it bored him when it was precisely the information he was bitching about being deprived of. And he ignored any details of ruling beyond trying to appeal to the masses, and even that did not last long. Instead of all that he was spending his days drinking, whoring and entertaining his friends. I see exactly no work being put in. If you want to be informed you need to *participate* .

[@arobin6695]

@@hedinsee6830 He was attending meetings and trying to participate, he just wasnt willing to be the puppet everyone expected him to be. he's the king and leader of his faction, cole and aemond wronged him by excluding him from the chain of command. he said it bored him once it became clear that everyone was valuing and prioritizing aemond over him as larys had taught him to fear. he was never trained for leadership and tried to help his citizens who asked him for help. yes he drank and whored in his free time, so?

[@hedinsee6830]

@@arobin6695 When was he participating? He ignored any and all logistical concerns by actively not listening to them, he grudgingly agreed to follow strategic plans laid out for him by people who knew what they were talking about, and his entire contribution to tactical planning consisted of him demanding to start a "real war". And *after* demanding to be kept in the loop he behaved like a petulant child. If you want people to value your input, you *participate* , you don't throw your toys at them and run out of the room. This is not a king, this is a petulant child. Which is of course not a surprise to anyone. A child who wants adults to start taking him seriously needs to show them the willingness to grow up. We saw nothing of a sort. Because he is simply not aware of this.

[@subhashismandal9871]

Aemond was putting his sword away to pick up the knife. In the books, he was loyal to the core towards Aegon but the showrunners are changing stuff.

[@DarklotusDD2]

he wasn't trying to kill aegon you can see him putting his sword away right before cole is calling his name i think he just wanted to teach him a lesson not to do stupid things on his own by burning him which it was kinda too far i guess you can argue but still aegon is an idiot

[@thebruisedkind5345]

but in the book he also tells Cole, after Aegon is incapacitated, that he himself should have always been King

[@DarklotusDD2]

@@thebruisedkind5345 he said that in the show too but still doesn't mean he would kill him remember how he reacted to luke's death

[@hedinsee6830]

Aemond was loyal to his *faction* in the book like in the show. We know almost nothing about his personal relationship with Aegon in the book.

[@DarklotusDD2]

@@hedinsee6830 true bcs in the book maesters kept most of the stuff secret

[@TheMrjonv]

IF I'm Aegon, and I survive, my first order of business is to kill Cole for communicating with ANYONE other than HIS KING. Then I'll have Larys deal with Aegon quietly....no burning this time. Sorry, I would have to.

[@CoraReacts]

I don’t know what I would do but I’d be real scared after something like this! I’m assuming you mean dealing with Aemond?

[@hedinsee6830]

How are Aemond's intentions in any way unclear? His plan to give Aegon enough rope to hang himself could only be more obvious if he screamed it out. =)

[@CoraReacts]

Well it’s a Game of Thrones series, things are not always what they seem at first glance :) just trying to voice what I think whilst also not judge too quickly 💁🏼‍♀️

[@DaneofHalves]

Sunfyre will feel better after a little... "royal barbeque". TEEHHHEEEEEHEHEHEHHEHEHEHEEEEEE

[@CoraReacts]

😭

[@TheMrjonv]

Daemon needs to get out of that castle and stop drinking Rum and Coke with mushrooms lol.

[@CoraReacts]

He definitely needs to leave, something doesn’t feel right and he has no ways of defending it when the greens come👀

[@retrograde9053]

Rhaenys stood resolute as Rhaenyra's unwavering counselor and staunch defender, striving to avert the catastrophic war between kin and dragons. She beheld Rhaenyra's fearless resolve as she risked her life, boldly confronting Alicent in the Great Sept, seeking to forge a fragile path to peace and pull their house back from the looming abyss. When all avenues were exhausted and the die cast, it was Rhaenys who first spilled the blood of the Greens. She embodied the promised prince from Aegon the Conqueror’s prophetic dream of the Song of Ice and Fire. Rest in eternal glory, Queen Rhaenys Targaryen and Meleys, the Red Queen.

[@arobin6695]

she advised Rhaenyra to go talk to Alicent which was the worst plan ever and never had any chance of success since Alicent doesnt have any power. Pretending that peace was still possible after B&C makes Rhaenys and Rhaenyra look naive and foolish.

[@retrograde9053]

@@arobin6695 I'm truly amazed at how some viewers, like you, struggle to fully understand the objectives of Rhaenyra and Rhaenys in this season. I know the show portrays Rhaenyra differently than the books, showing her as so reasonable that she goes to great lengths to ensure peace in the realm and to fulfill Aegon the Conqueror's prophecy. While we all know war is inevitable, as Alicent said, just because something is necessary doesn't mean it is wanted. Rhaenys and Rhaenyra did not passionately desire war in the first place. _"She advised Rhaenyra to talk to Alicent, which was the worst plan ever and never had any chance of success since Alicent doesn't have any power."_ Firstly, Rhaenys never explicitly told Rhaenyra to go to King's Landing herself and talk to Alicent. "There may be another way... Alicent Hightower" is all she said to Rhaenyra. Rhaenys fulfilled her duty to advise her queen. While she may not have provided a specific solution, it was clearly not her intention to send Rhaenyra to King's Landing. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Rhaenys went there herself if Rhaenyra had asked, just like Otto did in season one. Secondly, although Rhaenys said, "hotter bloods have prevailed," they were unaware that Alicent no longer had power and control in the Green's small council. She was informing Rhaenyra that both the members of the Green and the Black council acted without the knowledge of their respective leaders. Lastly, while Rhaenyra going to King's Landing herself may seem foolish, it was actually a selfless act. It demonstrated her desperation to avoid starting a war, especially one between kin and dragons. Again, Rhaenys had no knowledge of this plan or its potential for success, but Rhaenyra saw a slim chance for it to work, particularly after corroborating with Mysaria, the White Worm.

[@retrograde9053]

@@arobin6695 "Pretending that peace was still possible after B&C makes Rhaenys and Rhaenyra look naive and foolish." This is my take on this. While it may seem naive and foolish to pursue peace after Daemon's actions, it aligns with their characters. It reminds me of an episode in Grey's Anatomy where Bailey ordered George to perform extensive procedures on a dying patient, even though George knew it was pointless because the patient’s death was inevitable. George questioned this, thinking he had better ways to spend his time, but in the end, the patient died despite all efforts. Bailey told George to look the family in the eye and tell them he did everything he could because that’s his job. Similarly, Rhaenyra, acting as a queen, believed her duty was not to instigate war but to seek unity and peace. Despite appearing "naive and foolish," both she and Rhaenys did everything possible to prevent the war from happening in the first place.

[@arobin6695]

@@retrograde9053 Rhaenyra and Rhaenys wanted to avoid war. Too bad for them, war had already started and men were already dying in her name. Rhaenyra ordered the murder of the king's brother and it resulted in the killing of the king's son. That's war. Peace is off the table forever after that. Alicent stopping the war is not an option. There was never any "slim chance for it to work". Aegon is not giving her the throne under any circumstance after she killed his son. To keep trying for peace after that is just wasting everyone's time and wasting everyone's time during a war while people are dying makes her a bad queen. Rhaenyra is shown to be a weak incompetent leader who avoids her responsibilities and leaves all her men leaderless and refuses to let them take action while their castles are attacked and their men slaughtered for supporting her. She's delusional enough to waste her time talking to Alicent pointlessly when she could be doing her duty as queen and leading her people during a time of crisis. She never even named a Hand so her counsel could do nothing until she got back from her pointless trip. Her job as queen is not to avoid war or to pretend that a war isnt already happening, she has a responsibility to quash uprisings and challenges to her throne, as queen it is her job to take control of westeros. If she cares that much about the prophesy she can surrender to Aegon and let the realm be united. It's either that or she can take what is hers with fire and blood.

[@CoraReacts]

I’m going to miss Rhaenys, she was truly one of the strongest allies and carrying people around Rhaenyra. She was wise, levelheaded and also prioritised peace. I think her advice to counsel her to talk to Alicent was the right one, although Alicent doesn’t hold any power I can see how they could believe that she has influence over her children, and potentially the throne as she did earlier. It would have been impossible for them to know that she lost that influence completely, with no bond or control over her children and her dad not being the hand. I think it’s unfair to say that Rhaenyras side killing Aegons son is what set of the war. There are a billion reasons for it, and the greens had already killed Luke before that and Rhaenyra still strived for peace. I think that Rhaenyra has proven herself very component as a ruler. She also made it clear that if peace is possible she would give up her throne for it. I don’t know what the books says, but this is what the show is showing me at least.

[@KevDaly]

The Blacks should've used every available dragon at once rather than sending them off one by one to get killed

[@CoraReacts]

If they would have known Vhagar and Sunfyre would be there then yes maybe, but they couldn’t have known. But then again, all their dragons they have available are smaller so who knows if it would have actually worked anyways.

[@EraseMemoriesHD]

"Princess Rhaenys made no attempt to flee. With a glad cry and a crack of her whip, she turned Meleys to her enemies." 💔 - Fire & Blood (Im fuckin cryin bros) RIP to the Red Queen, and The Queen Who SHOULDVE Been.

[@CoraReacts]

😭😭😭 it was an emotional scene in the series but that quote from the books gave be goosebumps. I miss them already, I would have loved to have them in the show longer! I think she would have made a wonderful Queen ever given the opportunity, and she was an amazing “hand”🥹

[@thegoldentake7675]

Rhaenyra is literally the most inept person in the show. 😂 Does nothing and then walks right into a trap with her first action.

[@CertainlyCynical]

Team black with no daemon is just pathetic

[@penguin50279]

wdym? it was rhaenys who offered to go.

[@hedinsee6830]

@@penguin50279 Rhaenys is not the one who should dictate strategy. Even if the trap was difficult to avoid, Rhaenyra did dither for so long that she in fact is losing the war at this point. Whatever her intentions were, that is the situation.

[@penguin50279]

@@hedinsee6830 i’m aware rhaenys shouldn’t dictate strategy but you can’t blame rhaenyra for “walking into a trap” when she’s not the one who suggested the plan. also they had no reason to believe vhagar would leave kings landing to fight for a small unimportant castle. at the least aegon would be there and the blacks know meleys could beat him easily.

[@hedinsee6830]

@@penguin50279 No, I don't actually blame the Blacks for walking into this particular trap unlike @thegoldentake7675. It was well thought out and hard to avoid. I do, however, blame Rhaenyra for doing nothing for so long that she is already losing the war and losing badly. Striving for a peaceful resolution is one thing, ignoring any and all preparations while doing so is quite another.

[@drb6771]

🙌🙌👏👏👋👋💖💖

[@CoraReacts]

🙌🙌👏👏👋👋💖💖

[@richardsiegel5793]

Love yah, but a 16 minute intro is mad

[@CoraReacts]

I’m not great at keeping it short 😂 I think it’s also because of my English not being great, so I sometimes need more words to explain what I want to say. I have put a marker though so it is skippable for those who just want the reaction!

[@thebruisedkind5345]

So Rhaenys walks up to some random black guy, probably the only one around and says "hey you look like my husband" even though the two actors look nothing alike other than being black?...AND IT TURNS OUT SHE WAS RIGHT!!!!! the one random black guy milling about just happened to be the illegitimate son of the main black actor on the show..did that really happen? LMAO

[@dustfan]

You're just looking at the visual and inserting your own viewpoint into it. If you bothered to pay attention to the dialogue she already knew who he was.

[@penguin50279]

did you even watch the scene orrr

[@hedinsee6830]

Next time listen to the dialogue.

[@CoraReacts]

I mean it’s not a long dialogue but it’s not about it being a random black guy, if that were the case there are way more characters she could have walked up to. It’s about the fact that she knows who he is, and despite knowing thanks him and confronts her husband about it.

[@NyikoDoris]

@@thebruisedkind5345 homie wanted to be racist so bad he went straight to stupid I’m crying😭