HOTD Episode 9 is Very Suspenseful

[@AW-xc1xc]

I actually find Alicent's reaction to Viserys' death very in character. It's like people don't understand that she stood by him for more than a decade, and had children with him. Of course she probably would have chosen a different path for herself if she wasn't so influenced by her father, but come on. Alicent saw Viserys through all the stages of his sickness and helped him through it the best she could. She may not have loved him, but it seems presumptious to assume that she wouldn't feel sad about his death.

[@mejdlocraftci]

Generally speaking it looks like the average viewer decided the Alicent = bad, Rhaenyra = good. So yeah. I agree that her reaction was in character but people dont wanna think about it

[@andromidius]

Yeah, she had feelings even if it wasn't 'romantic love'. She was a part of his life for a long time. And I imagine she's also realising just what is coming - a very messy succession. She fears for her family's future.

[@shitass6963]

I think she loved him but wasn't in love with him, which makes sense

[@MisakiZora]

I thought she would be sad, but not THAT sad, like shedding a tear or something. So when I saw her literally sobbing I was like wow didn’t expect that but ok. 😂

[@David-sl6xf]

@@mejdlocraftci To be fair Alicent is bad in the book, she orchestrates the entire coup. I do like the writers being creative and switching things up for the show, I just hope they do a good job in later seasons with it

[@SoldierSpiderx]

You can tell Aegon didn't want the crown he even mentioned Viserys had so many chances to name him king but he didn't. But the moment he turned around and saw all those people after him getting crowned. The moment all of those people started cheering he starts to embrace what power feels like. I think he will make rational decisions that will have dire consequences just like Joffrey. He will probably be influenced by Alicent and Otto a lot but i don't think he would be as cruel as Joffrey. But he will go a tad bit crazy on power and indulgence especially with the servent girls and drinking since i mean he is the king now. lol.

[@demirkazanasmaz6097]

He finally found the approval and love he desparately needs when people praised him.

[@ManSeekingMeaning]

I understand that he had an uneven upbringing and was denied the proper love and affection one might want… but he’s absolutely (in the show, at least) a spoiled, uncouth, drunken rapist regardless. No amount of pressure from his mother will turn him into a better man now that he has *all* the power. Power corrupts absolutely, they say, and Aegon was already deep in the red as far as I’m concerned. Fuck him. That being said, I wish they’d not had that fan service ending and actually showed him riding Sunfyre, providing the audience ONE likable quality.

[@SoldierSpiderx]

@@demirkazanasmaz6097 agreed now I wonder if going to his head or he finally found approval

[@michaelmcdoesntexist1459]

Nah, Rhaenys burns him like a french toast and he becomes a bitter, vengeful criple with higher selfsteem issues.

[@larochejaquelein3680]

So the dragon bursts through a wall of stone and magically the rider Rhaenys has survived the impact?? This is nonsense, no human would survive that, they did this in order to subvert our expectations like Dumb and Doofenschmirtz in Season 8.

[@samuelcano9042]

3:45 but didn't Rhaenyra say in ep 8 she's taking the kids home immediately and then she will return to King's Landing? That makes sense with the story of ep 9 being straight the next early morning after the "last supper" and last Viserys x Alicent scene. Also kind of makes sense that Rhaenys stayed the night and wanted to ride to driftmark in the morning.

[@axelfriberger2119]

Yeah thats probably it

[@Hero_Of_Old]

Yep

[@chaconcha]

That is exactly what happened

[@MoncœrCoyoteSmith]

The Black story picked up with Rhaenys departure. They get the next episode. The next episode should be an epic response to the events of 9 and keep us in suspense for however long it takes them to make the next season - probably 2 years. 😌 HBO productions are very very slow.

[@burakozturk2143]

if you waited in suspense for an upcoming for years beside the old, dying man who is the key to start the war, death of the man can unleash some strong suppressed emotions even if you dont love the man. i think is most of the alicent's sadness in the episode, she waited and waited and waited for a war she didn't want to fight but the war came nonetheless and it is disappointing and heartbreaking for her

[@Alexander-kc8oq]

Whenever Ramin chooses the piano for the score, you know serious shit is going down

[@scottyg262]

gave me winds of winter vibes

[@hamzamahmood9565]

Would've been a great episode without the last few minutes of girl-boss moment that killed a bunch of people and served no purpose.

[@sanjaykarthicks1226]

@@hamzamahmood9565 imagine the scene from Rhaenys's POV She wanted to burn them initially But later changes her mind as they are her family A good scene

[@bierwolf8360]

@@sanjaykarthicks1226 no

[@sanjaykarthicks1226]

@@bierwolf8360 yes

[@YounglingSlayer9000]

Larys having a severe foot fettish is not something I ever expected to see in this show 😂

[@za_warudo477]

I was surprised aswell ! but then it makes sense??!!

[@larochejaquelein3680]

So the dragon bursts through a wall of stone and magically the rider Rhaenys has survived the impact?? This is nonsense, no human would survive that, they did this in order to subvert our expectations like Dumb and Doofenschmirtz in Season 8.

[@za_warudo477]

@@larochejaquelein3680 sure sisi👍🏾

[@YounglingSlayer9000]

@@larochejaquelein3680 what’s that got to do with my comment 😂

[@slinkbradshaw8674]

My man Larys is down bad lmao

[@samham9931]

I think Meleys currently takes the cake for dragon design for me right now. She's such a menacing dragon, with as much character as her rider.

[@leonrussell9607]

It doesn't have a long neck 0/10

[@wittyusername1]

@CJJK are those bones or whiskers? Their should probably be a debate on KZbin about that

[@G_Kchrst]

@CJJK Because of these bones in her head creating a crown and her red colour with pink membranes she is named " The Red Queen".

[@FreezErmac519]

@@wittyusername1 spikes maybe, either way prettiest dragon

[@wittyusername1]

@@FreezErmac519 yeah, she looks amazing

[@franklyn2661]

Them being twins and looking the same is a very very very significant plot point for second season. It is meant for the viewer and characters in the story to not be able to tell them apart.

[@larochejaquelein3680]

So the dragon bursts through a wall of stone and magically the rider Rhaenys has survived the impact?? This is nonsense, no human would survive that, they did this in order to subvert our expectations like Dumb and Doofenschmirtz in Season 8.

[@franklyn2661]

@@larochejaquelein3680 What has your reply have anything to do with my comment?

[@natalytorres7286]

@@franklyn2661 lmfaoooo, they probably made a mistake but this made me laugh

[@ForgetAboutit520]

i love you brother ;)

[@tatskamaster]

@@franklyn2661 That loon commented that on other random comments as well. He is just butthurt about the show for whatever reason lol.

[@qjames0077]

The twins were in the books. Also, clever foreshadowing by the writers because in the previous episode Alicent mixed up the twins names earlier, then she mixed up Aegons at the end of the episode when Viserys was speaking to her about the prince that was promised.

[@MaRover66]

From Alicent's perspective, she thought Vicerys was continuing the conversation they had at the bonfire in episode 3

[@qjames0077]

@@ULTRAOutdoorsman it was and it is

[@qjames0077]

@@MaRover66 exactly. But in reality it was a continuation of the conversation he was having with Rhaynera

[@JJJS-mu9hj]

The twins where very confusing because I thought that she had just confused the kingsguard with someone else and I had no indication that they where twins at the time.

[@731freeman]

@@JJJS-mu9hj well you had to be introduced to one of them at some point, and at some point after that learn about the other twin. Sorry the show did both at once in order to not waste time. I wouldn’t call it clever foreshadowing like the op but I would call it economical writing. And if you don’t like economical writing you probably haven’t liked this whole season, especially if you’ve read F&B. This whole season has been trying to jam pack as much necessary backstory into the big Dragon themed Dance party that’s coming. Would the show be better if it was a two season slow burn before we got to the Dance? Maybe? Idk, I’d have to see that potential version. What I do know is that we could have gotten a well written, fully fleshed out, slow burn and that people would be complaining that nothing happens or it’s to slow. Instead we got twenty plus years of character interactions and development in one season. I’m not saying the writers made the bad choice by getting the lead up to the climatic crux of the story in one season, but if I was Ryan Condal I probably would have made the same choice. Honest question; would you have wanted this first season be split up into two seasons, so that for example the twins could have had more episodes of screen time so you could get into their characters more?

[@Revellius21]

Arryk and Erryk are in the book exactly they way they are here. That confusion you feel about telling them apart will pay off later. Trust. Also Rhaenys would have been a Kingslayer and a Kinslayer if she burned them. And everyone would have saw her do it. The common people don't know about the power struggle, they would have just saw Rhaenys burn their new king and his family, thus giving more power to the Hightowers in Oldtown to get more support to get Aegon's son Jahaerys on the throne. Just her proving she thinks before she acts. She really would have been a good queen.

[@thanos_karagiannhs5320]

Correct me if i am wrong but i believe the people know about the power struggle as the stage play Raenyra and daemon attended back when he returned from the stepstones implies as much

[@Oscar08814]

She wouldn't be a kingslayer because Aegon is an usurper not a king, also, the same common people she committed genocide on? yeah they won't be mad about that but kInG sLayIng is the real crime

[@leonrussell9607]

@@Oscar08814 he literally got crowned king by the faith in that scene

[@Oscar08814]

@@leonrussell9607 He is usurping the crown holy, if he is king only because dips then gg nothing that Rhaenyra can do because is not like her dad named her heir years ago, no amount of ceremony can make him king

[@leonrussell9607]

@@Oscar08814 Robert baratheon was a usurper and he was definitely king

[@TD-lh9ph]

without spoiling anything, Arryk and Erryk being twins plays a role plot wise in the future

[@GabesEdtiz]

What? 👀

[@TD-lh9ph]

@@GabesEdtiz I’m not going to spoil it but there is a reason the kingsguards knights Arryk and Erryk Cargyll are twins. It’s not some choice the writers made willy nilly

[@NekoHibaCosplay]

in fact this series, as in the books, is plenty of twins (Jason and Tyland Lannister, the Cargyll knights, Helena and Aegon's children as Rhaenyra and Daemon's) I guess there is some kind of metaphor in this choice from the author

[@ultimateshipper8997]

​@@NekoHibaCosplay Aegon and Viserys (Rhaenyra's last children) are not twins, only Daemon's daughters are.

[@TheGrimHHH]

@@ULTRAOutdoorsman They didn't? We literally see the twin brothers differ in opinions, with one siding with the Greens and the other escaping to very much likely siding with the Blacks. It's very much in line with what the books tell.

[@jimbomcgee7498]

They could have had Aegon’s dragon behind the stage as a show of force for the ceremony and the 2 dragons have a stand off before rhaenys decides she doesn’t want to risk a dragon fight

[@DannyMakesVideosIGuess]

Easy solution for the writers, pure genius.

[@ultimateshipper8997]

Very good idea! Sarah Hess, take notes, please.

[@GinoBtheman]

Finding Aegon’s bastard was a pretty big deal

[@vanquish421]

And that's just one of many.

[@xeronix9774]

imagine how many there are🫢

[@GinoBtheman]

@@vanquish421 but I guess that’s not important at all because Arryck and Erryck are too confusing!

[@vanquish421]

@@GinoBtheman Yeah, this wasn't his best video. He also slams Rhaenys for killing innocent people, but right before that he said he came around to Aegon in the span of just a few minutes? Right after they showed us he literally pits his own rape babies against each other? K.

[@michaelmcdoesntexist1459]

@@GinoBtheman yeah. How stupid from the writers to make this twins with the same name for the show. It surely has nothing of importance later nor was in the source book... seriously, that complain was stupid.

[@STAXXX313]

The only upsetting thing to me is how shocked Alicent's bewilderment that Otto has been conspiring to put Aegon on the throne.

[@sphinxcreed8329]

From Alicent's perspective up until that point she believed that although her father wants Aegon on the throne he was acting with her and with honor and wouldn't be going behind her back- as she is the one who would of pushed for him to return she saw his return as them working as parteners and a team, so him not disclosing what he was doing especially something so big threw her for a loop. There is a piece of her that has always felt as though a lot of choices in life were made for her, it's part of what adds to her resentment towards rhynera. Once she has that conversation with Rhyneys, Alicent I think is able to fully acknowledge how ambitious her father is and that since she was a child he used and manipulated her in some ways to further his own ambitions and visions of what the kingdom should be. That isn't to say he doesn't love her but in that scene and the one wherein she confronts Otto you can she her realizing that his love for her is secondary to getting what he wants. I'm in the film industry myself so these are just my observations from bread crumbs and scenes through the episode and overall season☺️

[@chrisrubin6445]

@@sphinxcreed8329 i mean Alicent raised Aegon constantly telling him he would be king, Aemond clearly was also raised the same, she was constantly telling them to never be friends with Jace and Luke because of their hair color, its pretty clear Alicent always intended to usurp Rhaenyra and her acting shocked and bewildered was just her mask of righteousness.

[@chrisrubin6445]

@Ali Chaudhry yes, Aegon seems very prepared for the throne, good job Alicent.

[@unc54]

Yeah her naivete was odd. Like for years she raised her son to be King. Like did she really feel that if Viserys didn't change his mind that was it?

[@joeysalazar98]

Yeah the shocked pikachu moment was bizarre and made me think about this: Episode 6: Alicent: “If Rhaenyra comes into power, your very life could be forfeit. Aemond’s as well. She could move to cut off any challenge to her succession. You are the challenge, Aegon! Simply by living and breathing!” Episode 7: Aemond said that Helaena was going to be Aegon’s Queen. Gee I wonder who he heard that one from… Also Episode 7: Otto: “I’ve never seen that side of you, my daughter. I even doubted its existence.” Alicent: “It was an ugly thing and I regret it.” Otto: “We play an ugly game. And now I see that you have the determination to win it.” Episode 8: The entire purpose of Vaemond’s petition for the succession of Driftmark, thus leading to the potential event of Rhaenyra being legally disinherited. Hmmmmm…. I guess Alicent kinda forgot about the plot to usurp Rhaenyra.

[@valasarius]

Heleana is so innocent in all this. So far she might be the purest of all the characters...which is not good in the Game of Thrones Universe...somebody please give this poor girl a hug and a dog.

[@gregb6334]

Oh, if you only knew what happens later…

[@valasarius]

@@gregb6334 i do...i do know it...and thats why its so heartbraking

[@DannyMakesVideosIGuess]

@@valasarius WHAT DOES THIS MEAN. LEAVE MAH HOMIE HELEANA ALONE SHE'S TOO PURE FOR THIS WORLD. (I don't actually want to know but I assume it's tragic af)

[@valasarius]

@@DannyMakesVideosIGuess thats normal to assume in the GoT World. But yes...she iiiis to pure for all this

[@ultimateshipper8997]

​@@DannyMakesVideosIGuess SPOILER No, I'm not going to do this to you. You're a good fella.

[@cba2make1up]

Finally some appreciation for the somber start of the episode. That was so masterfully crafted to represent the dark times ahead, it even made me feel cold

[@esmile101]

After the dinner scene last episode Rhaenyra says something along the lines of taking the children back home to Dragonstone and returning on her dragon so i'm guessing she left right after to Dragonstone with Daemon and her kids

[@anveshatripathi7034]

yeah but still, did they really leave in the dead of night? I assumed that they would leave the next day and that the night would be spent cooling off from the dinner. The writers kind of screwed the pooch on the continuity this episode.

[@danielmacdonald9287]

@@anveshatripathi7034 The left in the evening. There was clearly quite a bit of time between the supper and the scene where Viseys dies. Pretty clear honestly.

[@holysecret2]

A heroic moment indeed, just like that time where Daenerys liberated King's Landing. Very heroic

[@fragnichtwasfuersaft]

Aemond getting a lot of Screentime already makes the Episode good

[@DurpyKraken]

Is no one gonna talk about how badass the coronation was? The presentation along with the music just makes that scene so well done

[@domskillet5744]

The weird part about Rhaenys popping up out of the floor is that she's not wearing a helmet and should've gotten obliterated by the debris that's flying around everywhere lol. Well that and she casually just murdered like a thousand civilians but spares the greens who actually are her enemies. They definitely could've done that scene better, but it's by no means a show or episode ruiner.

[@milumav]

Her dragon has horns/spikes on its head, it can ram its way through rock and stone and if she ducked down, she would have been fine, as the power of the thrust of its huge spiked head was more than enough to send the debris outwards and away from Rhaenys, (imho). At first I too was taken aback at Rhaenys killing several of the townsfolk as well, but then I thought about it in the GOT context. Sure, some of the townsfolk got killed, but if all it takes for evil to win is for good people to do nothing, then all of those people were complicit by not only accepting but actually celebrating the usurping of the Iron Throne (to the point of giving Aegon a bulge in his pants), instead of rising up and rebelling against that audacious brazen act of treason, and were literally welcoming pure unchecked corruption, chaos and destruction, (those power hungry a-holes would think twice before planning a takeover if they actually believed it would result in a rebellion). Like the freeing of the slaves in GOT, they had to willingly rise up and rebel against their masters. It'a true that rising up means some people would no doubt be killed, but allowing and even celebrating a hostile takeover of the entire 7 kingdoms would inevitably result in more suffering and death for them in the long run. (The show's message to not be evil murderous usurping megalomaniacs is an obvious one, but the message warning against being complicit in the face of absolute corruption and extreme abuse of power, would be a valuable one.) Just thought I'd offer up another possible interpretation of the scene.

[@anveshatripathi7034]

I think this episode really cemented the idea of Alicent being a good person who was just caught up in the conditioning of her father. Her choice and adamant stand of not killing Rhaenyra and her children and actually crying over Viserys's death tells us that she hasn't truly lost her humanity yet. Also that scene with larys made me ache for her because it's so tragic how she thinks she needs to maintain Larys's "friendship" and is ready to pay whatever "price", even when she absolutely doesn't. It's her paranoia that was fed to her by her father that makes her think that there is a bigger threat and she needs to do whatever to combat it, which makes her seem like a villain, but this episode really humanised her and gave us a perfect "grey character". Though I am still Team Black, I have a shade more respect for Alicent's character now.

[@sanjaykarthicks1226]

I'm a black and I feel the same too

[@stephenjenkins7971]

Otto isn't wrong whatsoever, though. Rhaenyra, whether now or in the future, may have no choice but to purge Alicent's family purely due to the possibilities of other nobles trying to force Alicent's sons on the throne. From a historical and GoT standpoint, that's 100% a fair thing to be wary about. I don't have much respect for Alicent, but acting like it's mere paranoia when Rhaenyra has already exhibited cruel tendencies is hilarious.

[@sanjaykarthicks1226]

@@stephenjenkins7971 Rhaenyra wasn't cruel though She became truly paranoid when she lost her elder sons and when some dragon riders betrayed her

[@stephenjenkins7971]

@@sanjaykarthicks1226 She implicitly asked for anyone telling the truth about her son's lineage to lose their tongues, did she not? How is that not cruel?

[@sanjaykarthicks1226]

@@stephenjenkins7971 that is said by Viserys though, not Rhaenyra

[@justinehelene4831]

Alot of people have been saying it doesn't make sense Rhaenys' dragon pushed its was up without any harm coming to Rhaenys. Which is fair. Bursting through stone and all the debris that comes down and she has no helmet or anything. Pretty silly.

[@Richvwolfie8]

Yeah the Rhaenys's scene was pretty confusing. But I think a sense of urgency could have worked better, like the kingsguard surrounding her or bolts getting ready to fire, it would have make more sense as she was ready to attack but have to flee for protection. The acting was a little off as well, I mean, I know the siblings (Aegon, Helaena and Aemond) have dragons on their own but even so, Otto, Cole and the others were not that shocked to be completely defenseless and exposed in front of Meleys, especially taken into account that by their understanding she is still locked inside her room, the expressions were not that realistic, with the exception of Alicent shielding Aegon and closing her eyes like accepting their fate. But overall I like the episode, the tension and atmosphere was great.

[@tomy_blon7355]

I might be pulling this out my ass but maybe she had to leave since the doors were closing to fast. Still could’ve been written better🤷🏻

[@Lutzifalilia]

Yea the acting was off in this scene.

[@Nikolas5842]

@@tomy_blon7355 Come on she bursted on the dragon through the rock and floor. Some random doors and roof of the Church are not a problem.

[@Dyen55]

This review had me dying!! "Otto's feet are next" hahaha I love your videos so much

[@MrGetownedLP]

Otto's "as you wish" as Allicent leaves was so well done man HOLY

[@alexpiney2810]

Need a supercut of HotD but it's just close ups of Harrold Westerling turning his head (as they have shown this throughout the season and not just this episode)

[@mirandamalone6060]

The council meeting made me cry, seeing Viscerys’ hopes for his succession and family being destroyed. Lord Beesbury’s death was the peak of that

[@carmenworrall358]

I see it as Rhaenys wanting to avoid war. She didn’t want to be the first kinslayer

[@LegaLImmigrnt]

I think it's weird that Alicent is so adamant about viserys final word when he was on deaths door, you think anything he says would need to be taken with a pile of salt. Everyone is aware that viserys wouldn't change his mind except for Alicent

[@G0TIMAN]

Why is that weird? That's what he said to her

[@xenocide1307]

@@G0TIMAN Nothing he said to her made sense though. It was a bunch of gibberish and some names. If he said "Our son Aegon should inherit the Iron Throne and not Rhaenyra" that would be one thing, but that's not at all what happened. She interpreted a dying man's words, whose faculties have been compromised by Milk of the Poppy, as something very specific AND different because she lacked the context of the larger prophecy.

[@G0TIMAN]

@@xenocide1307 But he was sober this day.

[@sculptureofsound2]

@@G0TIMAN no he wasn't, she had literally just given him poppy. Plus he was delirious with pain anyway. Why tf would he use his last strength to defend Rhaenyra and Lucerys just to change his mind last minute? Alicent is gaslighting herself.

[@stephenjenkins7971]

@@xenocide1307 An old man being barely lucid enough to say "Aegon should be heir" to her is 100% fair. Idk why you need it spelled out for you in order to take it as fact when 99% of people do much more with less.

[@Frexican54]

That ending with the Dragon coming out of the ground was pretty ridiculous and seems like something that D&D would have done.

[@LeChina]

That shxt was hype af.

[@pax_sxprano]

@@asimhussain8716 nope.

[@baba_tdog1071]

@@LeChina true. I did say "those poor peasants got forced to ve there and got killed for no reason 😭"

[@boots4snootin571]

@@LeChina this dude thought arya icing the night king was hype as fuk

[@LeChina]

@@boots4snootin571 apples and oranges my guy.

[@Argos-xb8ek]

That Hightower Theme mixing in with Aegon II for his coronation was nice

[@ultimateshipper8997]

Also Bobby B theme

[@demirkazanasmaz6097]

Final scene was fan service, it was nonseless. We could see the most beautiful dragon in the realm, which is Sunfyre, instead of the final scene.

[@trolluu2368]

Was needed to explain how The black were to find out about visarys death

[@spearshake4771]

I really thought we would see Aegon mounting Sunfyre and flying over KL as a sort of "embracing the crown" moment. But alas we were robbed of it because girl power had to be shown. Even if it wasn't really a girl power moment its whole execution is dumb. It was an amazing visual spectacle for sure but Season 8 were also filled with those.

[@aureum7479]

You are literally complaining over nothing

[@Sulejmani123]

Nah Rhaynes made a fucking statement

[@david91lvb]

@@spearshake4771 You are unbelievably soft 💀

[@nicolasleroux5302]

The queen who never was just dragon’d dozens of civilians and everyone cheered for her ._.

[@Sulejmani123]

Indeed, royals don’t give a shit about peasants, you thought Rhaenys was a pure hearted human?😅

[@david91lvb]

They don't matter

[@chaotic-doxxer]

It was satisfying watching shifty peasants die like that lmao

[@nicbahtin4774]

"The citizens will remember that"

[@chaotic-doxxer]

@@nicbahtin4774 “what citizens?”

[@jacopoabbruscato9271]

Larys gets off on having the most powerful woman in the realm degrade herself for him more than any body fetish, I believe

[@bretzel8889]

Noone will talk about the White Worm and Otto conversation?It was magnificent.. "There is no power but what the people allow you to take"

[@valentin7693]

"power resides were men believe it resides"

[@metamorphosen3928]

This is what I've been saying! This episode felt like a white house political thriller with a "race against time" feel from start to finish suspense. The reddit fandom is going "S8 tier shIt, show ruined" & stan twitter going "yass queen! Rhaenys the best!". It's two conflicted groups as usual..but everybody hung up over Rhaenys. Regardless of what you felt about the gratuitous last 5 mins. I thought the rest of the episode was actually fantastic. I love nothing more than the political aspects of the series. When Otto was moving the chess pieces, Beesbury yelling..I was on the edge of my seat. Tom Glynn-Carney showed excellent range as Aegon. But unfortunately everything overshadowed by 5 mins of Rhaenys.

[@ultimateshipper8997]

Besides the Dragonpit bullshit, the entire episode was very good, Beesbury in particular was amazing. Lord Commander Westerling too. I wasn't on the edge of my seat. I was literally STANDING the whole time.

[@metamorphosen3928]

@@ultimateshipper8997 Fully agreed. This had some of the best political aspects of classic got.

[@maddogbasil]

The end just made me throw my phone out the window The whole episode felt off for some reason but that end just annoyed me The single weirdest coup you'll ever see Stuff like this gets pulled in the congo

[@guiyerod444]

I know its hard to make decisions while making a big show but Rhaenis splatting a lot of people with her dragon takes aways the ''heroic'' out of the moment

[@deadtotheworld00]

that is also kind of the point, the small folk always lose out from the squabbles of the high lords. Expendables

[@cmd7930]

@burneraccount Yes but it fails in multiple ways: 1. Rhaenys commited a massacre which seemed so out of character. 2. If the stone floor and walls are so easily broken, why cant the dragons escape when the dragonpit is stormed?

[@matthewtait2939]

@burneraccount yes we do. The book explains it very clearly. Jesus christ

[@ImmaTbagyou]

@@matthewtait2939 it's been a while but the dragons were for the most part chained up right?

[@darthvader7129]

fuck i love the Lord Commander; a man of honour. I loved his facial expressions being like "wtf" "disgust" "disbelief"

[@Carl-lv8vz]

I swear if D&D wrote this episode SD will make 10 videos on it

[@royraizel9270]

Lmao he’s so delusional

[@Jason-gg4lm]

@@royraizel9270 how so

[@playoffp2738]

@@royraizel9270 ?

[@JonnyLokz]

Facts bro

[@Despair505]

What do you guys even mean? lol

[@Proclifo]

I like to imagine Alicent having a sit-down with Rhaenyra, talking about his last moment... and mentioning a song, and Aegon... Then Rhae would be like "Oh wait, he must have meant that for me. The song is a prophecy by Aegon the Conqueror!" And then they'd see it was all a misunderstanding. Wishful thinking. It's a little too late for that. I wouldn't be surprised if they never see each other again.

[@relaxedpotato8425]

Aegon hides behind his mother when Raenys barges in. I think that says a lot about how he will rule as a king.

[@Heisenberg882]

Nah you should read the books, he constantly fights his own battles and even when he is horrifically wounded he still never gives up, Rhaenyra on the other hand doesn’t fight in a single battle in the war.

[@MasterSkywalker..]

Otto and Aegon are so similar to Tywin and Joffrey

[@Johno3998]

I feel like Rhaenys really couldn't kill them before Rhaenyra knows about the coup and can make a decision (fight or back down/agree to terms). Otherwise it'd be kinda weird for Rhaenyra to hear Rhaenys just burned Alicent, and Rhaenyra's half siblings alive. I also feel like it's Rhaenys making a statement, like "I COULD kill you now (insert something about carving a cake...or baking a cake I guess), but you DON'T get to imprison me or my dragon/You DON'T get to tell me who my family should pledge their loyalty to/question my word". As Alicent also stepped in front of Aegon, I feel like a mother protecting her son is not something Rhaenys is going to look at and easily go "Dracarys", especially given what happened to her own family. As an aside, I also don't think there's any particular reason why, especially in the storm of the coup, Rhaenys would really give a shit about the commoners of King's Landing (has she really even shown herself to be entirely morally virtuous before? I think in this moment it's a pragmatic choice to flee and tell Rhaenyra) I can agree that perhaps her entrance was a little bit SFX over the top (the fog and rubble didn't look too convincing to me) but I think the general premise and motivations make sense.

[@larochejaquelein3680]

So the dragon bursts through a wall of stone and magically the rider Rhaenys has survived the impact?? This is nonsense, no human would survive that, they did this in order to subvert our expectations like Dumb and Doofenschmirtz in Season 8.

[@deadtotheworld00]

​@@larochejaquelein3680 well obviously the dragon didn't smash through with her back where her rider was. Kind of an easy explanation

[@nymeriagloves3957]

i would say yes she tried to act more virtuous. she had multiple lines like men running things violently and the system is bad ect. implying she has better ways. but then straight to biggest massacre so far. its kind of the deanery's arc but even faster. just seems like a bit much just to tell someone you cant tell me what to do.

[@ultimateshipper8997]

Rhaenys confronting the Hightowers was not half bad of an idea, it's just the poor execution and AWESOME YEY bullshit that messed things up. There were plenty of choices to NOT make Rhaenys looking like an arrogant, disdainful, cruel murderer.

[@antonois]

"Instead of making the eight, [Larys] wants to cream on all the most powerful feet in the realm" perfect characterisation 😂👌

[@Vario69]

Making the eight what?

[@Khizar_kt]

'Cream on the most powerful feet in the world' Imagin If that is his actual goal

[@ultimateshipper8997]

Not feet, but when Otto was sealing that letter, I actually thought those were Rhaenys' hands. Otto's got some lady hands. lol

[@metamorphosen3928]

"everything you feel for me….as your queen." I can't handle that level of palpable sexual tension lol. Ironic cause in a way they are the cersei and jaime of this show lol. the last 3 mins aside,i thought this was an excellent episode. it felt like a white house political thriller with a "race against time" feel from start to finish suspense. When Otto was moving the chess pieces, Beesbury yelling..I was on the edge of my seat. I knew how good it was when it had reactors already coping for compeuppance lol. Tom Glynn-Carney showed excellent range as Aegon. But it got overshadowed by 3 mins of a Rhaenys "happy ending" lol. The crowning ceremony was a visual historygasm, finally befitting a king in got verse. The actors for Otto, Alicent, Aegon did a great job. And that "window in the wall of your prison" line is one of the best lines yet.

[@devan6935]

Personally I can agree with you on the final scene- having an external force be her reason to go away, or even her bursting out to retreat imediately, would've been better. I do also think that the scene doesn't outright ruin anything, but it's still noticeably weaker in terms of writing than the rest of the series has been.

[@antonois]

Yeah but this is nothing compared to Alicent "mishearing" Viserys and letting the cursed ser Crispin accidentally "slip up" in e05, both of which were unbelievably preposterous. Not to mention those two scenes are *literally* the grounds for the whole plot and conflict of the show

[@Srdauka11]

@@antonois you can justify it though, in other scenes she mixes up people with the same/similar names. also her just taking bits and pieces from that conversation to give her the green light on what she already wanted to do is realistic.

[@devan6935]

​@@antonois No, that's not really right. Allicent didn't 'mishear' Viserys. She (wilfully, be it consciously or subconsciously) misunderstood his ramblings. And putting Aegon on the throne would've happened either way. As for Criston..to which slip up do you refer? You mean when he told Allicent what happened? Because he did just..tell her that, he didn't slip up by accident

[@robertzeitz3924]

I think the foot thing is an act. Larys might be after something else and the footplay might make Alicent think she's paying him back for his help and not worry herself with asking "why is this guy helping me."

[@ASAP_Kenny]

Really hoping that they’ll keep this quality throughout the entire series. So far I am very impressed with season 1

[@patrickt6572]

Sunfyre should’ve been at the coronation, give Rhaenys some reason to leave

[@Tormund_Giantsbrain]

I was blown away by the details in the coronation. It felt like watching Nicholas II being crowned in an Orthodox ceremony with all the hollow pomp & circumstance of a rotting system. It's what I'd always envisioned from a GoT coronation but never got. Tom Glynn-Carney was terrific in bringing out Aegon's fear, hesitation, pride & euphoria all at once. I'm glad they kept the much despised Criston putting the Conqueror's crown on Aegon II's head. The Kingmaker is born! What the show does really well is the details, down to locking up servants. Usually the passionate debates, the sense of treachery, the heartbreak are glossed over & we only see the regime change as a "fait accompli". This brings to life the mechanism that historically goes behind a palace coup, which I assume is as emotionally taxing for the people seizing power. That's why I liked agonized & conflicted Alicent more than her steadfast source counterpart. Feels more flesh & blood. She vacillates but her messianic fear for her children fates her to make a doomed gamble. *Jk when u only support our Green Lives Matter King for extermination of Strong Boys cause ur pro Valeryian blood supremacy.*

[@unc54]

I do wish we saw more of Criston being "The Kingmaker". Right now it kind of feels like a technicality. Like he should have been convincing Aegon or rooting out Black loyalists in the Red Keep.

[@ultimateshipper8997]

Notice how the trumpeters played "the King's Arrival" from GOT?

[@embercrow7781]

My take on Rhaenys’ actions is that a combination of things influenced her decision not to kill the greens, in particular Allicent. There is clearly a moment in her expression where she heavily considers speaking the dreaded word for Dragon Fire, but for the conversation she had with Allicent where she actually started understanding who she is at last and gaining som respect for the queen mother’s struggle. This combined with Allicent’s actions in sending Cole to protect Helaena while throwing herself in front of aegon without hesitation despite the fact that none of it would matter if Meyles unleashed on them. She saw Allicent put herself between her children and danger just as she would have if she could have, being a mother who had lost her children to ill circumstance is what I believe ultimately what swayed her from torching them. Meyles roaring in their faces served to impress upon them that in this moment they were powerless, there was nothing between them and certain annihilation and If they pursue this path they will not be offered mercy a second time. The greens forget that it is not men who rule this dynasty but dragons and aegon is no dragon. Only thing I might’ve banged would have been for Meyles to come of the floor a bit slower, maybe have the floor start cracking in the center a bit before she erupted from the stone so that he people in the sept would have some time to get clear. It doesn’t bother me too much seeing as there isn’t really any easy way for a sixty foot dragon to come out of the floor 🤷‍♂️

[@flixr2576]

I thought Rhaenys was just doin a statement and was like: yea bitch don't fuck with me and my family It has big applications that she left. The Greens locked her away for a reason cuz if she allies with rhaenyra the power scale is massively in her favour and the fact that both Rhaenys and Allicent know about that is for me enough reason why it works. It's a moment which could be a big driving point in conflict between Otto and Allicent as well + It was epic

[@ladyseastar1452]

I'm so sad that they didn't showed Sunfyre, I've been waiting to see him since the show was announced, now I'll have to wait another two years to maybe see him! He is the King's dragon, the most beautiful dragon in the world, Aegon has the strongest dragon-rider bond in the Dance and what do we get? Almost nothing! Not even a single scene of him flying above the Dragonpit while Aegon is getting crowned. Instead we get Rhaenys having the most illogical fan service moment I have ever seen, and the only thing that we had of him was some distant shots from episode 6, Vermithor doesn't even have a rider in season 1, and we'll have a scene of him but none with Sunfyre, this is so frustrating!

[@cmd7930]

Yes the coronation should have had Sunfyre instead of the Rhaenys bs. One of Aegon's redeeming qualities was his bond with Sunfyre but this show is focused on making him seem completely evil and whitewashing Rhaenyra. Its indeed very frustrating. Sara Hess should be fired. It was her idea. Same with the feet scene.

[@Lutzifalilia]

You know whats even more frustrating? You crying like a baby.

[@kytry7060]

Larys= Littlefinger+Varys As intelligent as Varys and as manipulative as Littlefinger. But his desire for feet will lead to his doom as Littlefinger's love for Catelyn led him to.

[@fantasyhaven1]

Good episode? Yeah. Great direction? Absolutely. Underwhelming compared to the book and full of bizarre changes and cuts? OH BOY

[@shawnredmond8402]

This episode is easily one of the best episodes marred by three mins of a Rhaenys ending. The more I rewatch it the more I appreciate how good it is. It gives you that classic GoT political intrigue vibes. Otto with the ruthless purges, the suspense, the intensity, the chase for Aegon...has a crime noir vibe to it. it's finally the bad guys on top in HoTD, in classic GoT fashion! And that coronation ceremony! Hands down the best filmed coronation in Thrones universe and in TV in general. Definitely the most underrated episode because it got overshadowed by the Rhaenys thing.

[@ctm3922]

Not rooting for team green but god I love Otto and Alicent as characters. Otto is the perfect political schemer and he is able to disguise his own ambitions as being good for the realm extremely well. Alicent is really a super tragic character as she was groomed by Otto into the queen role and did not ask for any of this. Her motivations are purely doing what she thinks is traditionally right, and protecting her children. Also, if you look at Rhaenerya from her eyes its super easy to see that Rhaenerya is seemingly extremely reckless and dangerous, and she also resents her for being able to get away with that stuff solely because Viserys was her father.

[@larbear325]

I gotta tell you I really do enjoy your reviews of all the episodes. I can't wait after each episode to see what you have to say bc you do a great job hitting all the points.

[@rohit_7777]

The Rhaeneys scene at the end does not make sense but it will have massive consequences those who've read the book know what I'm talking about. It may look like a fan service but at the end of the day it does set up a lot of things like the destruction of the dragons pit by the small folks which will come full circle to Rhaeneys massacring the small folks here.

[@ROUGHSEES]

This. It’s supposed to be a “WHOA WTF WHY” moment. Dragons are dangerous and so are the people who ride them.

[@david91lvb]

Exactly. It's just going to contribute to what will happen to the dragons in the pit later on. Don't know why people have so much of a problem with the scene

[@rohit_7777]

@@david91lvb and Rhaeneys will pay the price for not killing them yk if you've read fire and blood. As a stand alone scene it looks kinda dumb and she did made a bad decision but it will have consequences so in the big picture this scene does have a purpose not just fan service

[@David-sl6xf]

That's assuming the writers actually demonstrate that though. Will there be a scene that shows the common people reacting to what happened at the end of episode 9? If not then this scene will just look really dumb later on in the show, with the only real effect being Rhaenys inaction leading to her entire family getting killed.

[@nosardines]

Sure... or maybe since this Tv series has several different Screenwriters; consequences for mass murdering may not carry between episodes (hopefully this is not the case).

[@efjay3183]

“Maybe Daemon has his suspicions, and has precautions in place for that event” Yeah, that’s why they left right after dinner

[@MrKYT-gb8gs]

I always love the mystery and suspense aspect of this type of fantasy shows!!!

[@OneOnOne1162]

I think it would've worked to have a threat drive Rhaenys out, however that would've trampled over the idea that she chooses to spare them, imo. What I think the best solution would've been is to have given Rhaenys more development before this point and maybe something more with Alicent. Like maybe Rhaenys expresses her disgust at kinslaying at some point due to Maegor's rule or says she didn't start a war when Jahaerys died because "I don't want to be Maegor with teats." Just stuff to establish the idea that she would never kill family members and wouldn't want that reputation. And then maybe in this episode Otto could command Rhaenys be executed or something to take another dragon off the board and with the idea that one of Vaemond's children can be put in charge of House Velaryon afterwards. And then Alicent could be the one who saves her. So that when the moment comes when Rhaenys has to either kill Aegon AND Alicent or neither, that she can't get herself to kill the woman who saved her life only hours earlier.

[@Hero_Of_Old]

I'm just kinda gutted they had Rhaneys bursting a dragon through stone, and killing innocents. It undermines a lot of goodwill the showrunners have built up.

[@aureum7479]

🤦‍♂️

[@ROUGHSEES]

Oh boo fucking hoo

[@spearshake4771]

Yeah not to mention how she didn't end up having a fucking concussion from her head going through the stone floor or how none of the debris really hit her

[@John-xr9ry]

That’s a good thing. You’re not meant to like any of these characters, all of these characters only care about power and satisfying their egos. If Rhaenys actually cared about the people, she could’ve just accepted Aegon as king instead of wanting to warn Rhaenyra, knowing Rhaenyra would fight back in retaliation.

[@bruhmcmoment196]

@@ROUGHSEES most intelligent Rhaenys apologist

[@cassi94]

•The opening music was a hybrid of the same instrumental from Winds of Winter, just with a different octave (becomes super noticeable when you first see Rhaenys in the chamber). • The adventure through Flea Bottom was an important factor for the series- it’ll come back into play in future seasons. • The feet- it’s a power move. She’s (one of) the most powerful people in the realm, as you said, so it’s putting her in a vulnerable place and allowing him to capture dominance over her. Also psychological with his foot and all. • Erryk and Arryk are right from the books- it’s just the writers being loyal to the source material. • The book isn’t accurate as it’s written by a fool/lore passed down. It’s accounts passed through the grapevine- so Rhaenys used the dragon (the beast beneath the boards) to show she is a dragon and can not be locked up. She spares them because A, it’s her family, and B, it’s not her fight. This is a moment for her to act. She couldn’t kill them after a public coronation and her dragon taking out a few dozen people. Makes sense and it’s good writing. It’s not reactive but rather smart and thought out for the set up of the story

[@qjames0077]

This show is just getting better and better

[@Okojscreech]

@@asimhussain8716 okay oscar the grouch, good god let people enjoy things.

[@qjames0077]

@@asimhussain8716 jeez Louise. Get laid man. And check my other two comments, obviously you have enough time on your hands

[@larochejaquelein3680]

So the dragon bursts through a wall of stone and magically the rider Rhaenys has survived the impact?? This is nonsense, no human would survive that, they did this in order to subvert our expectations like Dumb and Doofenschmirtz in Season 8.

[@qjames0077]

@@asimhussain8716 well, because they're more critical takes of the show. Specifically on this guy's video, which is worse than any opinion you or I may have of each other's statements

[@qjames0077]

@@larochejaquelein3680 I don't disagree with you, but that is a bit of semantics

[@DurgeshYadav-np3nx]

The last scene gave GOT s8 vibes. Hope they learn and don't repeat it again.

[@TheV8Pumpkin]

The first opportunity to stop the dance was when Daemon asked his brother to be the hand of the king…. Last opportunity was Rhaenys just purifying the greens all at once with Melys. WELL next week it all begins!

[@Jason-gg4lm]

She had no way of knowing what was to come and didn't want to be none as a homicidal kin slayer

[@TH-un9lh]

With Aegon, i think it has more to do with believing the people love him (like Geoffrey). He has wanted to be loved for so long, his disgusting sexual habits, are probably a cry for love, connection and satisfaction. But nobody loves him in return, resulting in the horrible act which befell the servant girl. His drinking habits, more of a want to escape from reality, culminating in him actually telling Aemond that he wants to leave to another continent. He is essentially the worst that can come out of having incredibly harsh parents, and to no small extent a level of abandonment. In this aspect the poem 'This be the verse' by Philip Larkin comes to mind.

[@Khizar_kt]

If only the actress who played rhaenys Was paid to say one more word All those dragons wouldn't have to die

[@jeom3808]

0:06 you know- sense you mentioned that parallel, I think it is an interesting comparison; one ends on a spectacle to create shock and clear the board off of several smart/complex/competent characters, the other has a shocking moment that illustrates character and has several layers and interpretations that help further deepen the way we look at these characters. The trial of the seven was another moment were DnD were making the world smaller then how it was, and while HotD's World doesn't exactly feel as big as GoT's, it doesn't feel like it's shrinking- rather growing at it's slower pace, and compensating with what does feel deep and rich: its characters and its unfolding history/events,

[@torsteinlb]

Dude she has one of the most badass moments of all the characters in the source material, so this was just wow. I'm in awe over how easily people sweep this under the rug considering how detailed all the criticism of ROP has been. Cool scene, but damn I hated this choice....

[@matthewtait2939]

Agreed

[@edoardocaprara3676]

“He wants to cream on all the most powerful feet in Westeros” I almost died choking on my dinner 😂

[@mohamedabrar1084]

Can someone explain why were Alicent and Otto racing against each other to find Aegon? Aren't they on the same team? What could have happened if Otto got to him first?

[@lukavidakovic2385]

He would push him to kill rhaeynare and her kids and alicent wanted to get to him first to convince him not to do it

[@mohamedabrar1084]

@@lukavidakovic2385 It's not like he had one shot and he missed it. He still can push him to do it. He's his Hand.

[@karmaplace]

@@mohamedabrar1084 He has one shot to do it before news of the king’s death and the coronation, i.e. so they don’t see it coming. Any time after that makes it harder (hence, The Dance).

[@mohamedabrar1084]

@@karmaplace Oooh, now it makes sense. Thanks

[@MrGetownedLP]

I knew this episode was something special after that first council meeting scene. I had to pause the show, got up started pacing a little and then texted someone to explain how they must watch the newest episode - THAT GOOD.

[@Khizar_kt]

I still can't otto Even with all the plotting against rhay Seeing him clapping that way is just cute

[@salemtargaryen123]

Frrr I love Otto! I personally disagree with the popular opinion that he's all cold cunning, I believe he genuinely cares about what's good for he realm (a lot of his political suggestions as Hand were the best out of all the alternatives and ensured the greater good); and of course he also wants to see his family on the throne, which is something pretty much every character in Westeros wants. A lot of he things he's condemned for are no different from what other - commonly beloved - characters have done, yet he is named a terrible person for them. In this episode I think he took a bit of a Daenerys-style turn, losing patience and misjudging the situation to take the quicker, bloodier path rather than the slow and peaceful one. I also don't think he has anything against Rhaenyra in general, she's just a constant threat to his grandson's claim which is why he wants her out of the way - again, until now not necessarily by killing her, but with everything falling apart around them and the stakes heightening, he sees no other way to ensure Aegon's safe rule. He's just a dude who wants to keep his family in a high position, but also wants what's best for the realm (as long as that doesn't counteract his first priority = his family's staus) and believes his family's rule to be best. He is prepared to do some ugly things for that, but so is literally almost any ruler in GoT/HotD, and above all else, he is smart and good at evaluating situations, but not in a Littlefinger way, he has always been much more transparent about his intentions and at least tried to make them line up with the public interest. He has certainly made mistakes, but I think it unfair to call him a evil character for wanting to see his family in power and being prepared to fight for that.

[@salemtargaryen123]

@Ali Chaudhry exactly!! maybe people just hate how realistic he is

[@BlackfangDragon]

If he cared about the realm Aegon would have never been put on the Throne. At the end of the day he is Ill fit and not worthy of it, especially as his reasoning is entirely circular. He does what’s right for the realm, even though most of the Lords only bowed out of fear of being executed even in the scene where he’s punishing Lords who won’t bend, because what’s in HIs interest is clearly what’s best for the realm. We had an impartial Hand who did want what’s best for the realm: Lyonel, and it’s even contrasted with how much worse Viserys health is visually both times when Otto is hand to when Lyonel was Hand.

[@nodinitiative]

I think atm, Otto was sincerely contemplating true peace but of course, he changed his mind the moment his daughter told him about the "last words". For a brief moment, we were shown what their family would have been like if they no backstabbing. I think, Otto would have been satisfied if Rhaenrys had been engaged with his 2 year old grandson. Aegon might have just been King Consort, but his great grandson or great granddaughter would have been King or Queen. Otto thinks very long term. The true open "stabbing" came when Rhaenarys convinced her father to fire Otto as Hand of the King.

[@salemtargaryen123]

@@BlackfangDragon I totally agree that Aegon isn't a good fit, and that Lyonel was a good Hand. Still I think Otto definitely did care about the realm, he just cares about his family a little bit more. And yeah, you're right, he does set his interest as equal to what's best, although I think that's part of human judgment - we can never fully know what is best, so we do what WE THINK is best... Which isn't always objectively good of course, but I do think that in the majority of situations, he has made the right judgment.

[@dmgroberts5471]

I like how when Ser Harold draws his sword and advances on Ser Cristen, Tyland is like: "Oh, am I in your way? Don't mind me, I'll just be on the other side of the room, behind Otto."

[@Midnightsstan521]

Guys who haven’t read the books What are your predictions for the finale? 😼🐉

[@drewlavay]

Haven't read the books but Joffrey told me Aegon feeds Rhaenarya to his dragon 😳

[@Negan2003]

Its not a prediction for the final but i think aemond is going to kill his brother

[@crackteon3978]

It’s interesting how i find myself waiting eagerly for your next review of every episode! I had the same feeling the entire small council meeting! Constantly nervous and on the edge of my seat!

[@MissMinasMelody]

I really hope you are going to do a video about the whole season once it's finished! 🙏

[@spanner5940]

i think the rhaenys scene would look SOOOOO much less like plot armour, no, plot mechanized vehicles, if only they added Vhagar's roar in the distance. that way it would send the message of "kill aemond or his family and ill tear you and your little dragon to shreds" rather than what we have here, which is the game of thrones equivalent to reading about the failed assassination attempts on hitler

[@Beren0323]

Considering the massive hurdle that the writers have of having to make stuff up since this chapter in the books was so brief, this was a pretty good episode. Comparable to episodes 2 and 5, but not as good as the rest of the season.

[@aedryk]

As long as the writers are okay with ignoring everything we know about dragons and what they are physically capable of doing. And also overlooking the fact that Rhaenys is apparently invincible to being crushed by a ton of stone.

[@Beren0323]

@@aedryk It was weird for her to just randomly "burst" out of stone and Meleys being among the bigger dragons really doesn't excuse it. A simple shot of the Dragonpit's floor getting melted and softened up by dragonfire would have been so easy to put there instead of the earthbending we saw.

[@I-kd3cz]

@@aedryk did u forget that ure watching a fantasy TV show lmao dragons r not real

[@aedryk]

@@I-kd3cz you entirely miss the point

[@I-kd3cz]

@@aedryk it's a fantasy show ofc they're going to exaggerate things ???what even is ur point

[@merrittfigure2924]

Beast beneath the boards is referring to much more than Meleys me thinks. It's basically referring to everything this episode and I think that's the point. It's referring to Aemond's ambitions for the throne. It's referring to Otto's brutal machinations behind his calm exterior. It's referring to Aegon's hidden depravity -- did you see the way Helaena recoiled when bowing to Aegon? It's referring to the White Worm's warning to Otto about how it's the people who ultimately enable them. As Larys said, Otto knew about the White Worm but allowed her to exist and essentially grow in the shadows. That was great writing. Our newly anointed king Aegon II was hiding beneath the "boards" too. Maybe we were looking at the wrong beast the whole time.

[@hugoyuugo1300]

You didn't watch the bonuses in GoT?? I'm surprised! The Black were always supposed to be away, so the Green would crown Aegon. For me it's the Rhaenys decision to burst through half of the mob of K's L only to yell then yeet that's troublesome.

[@dannypatrick9361]

It's called sending a message.

[@nunouno001]

The best defense I've found for the Rhaenys scene is that it's supposed to show that both sides are illegitimate. The Greens just treated the smallfolk like cattle, corraling them into the Dragon pit and just expected them all to accept their new king without question. Meanwhile, Rhaenys (I know she's not 100% on the Blacks' side but lets be honest she's going to help them) just stomps all over them under the power of her dragon. It shows how the war will be fought with the Greens holding political power and the Blacks using Dragon power to fight and destroy each other. And while The Dance of The Dragon will hurt House Targaryen, the true victims of the civil war be the little people whom are forced into these power struggles and conflicts whenever the ruling class play their game of thrones.

[@nkundisebina7893]

The ending was definitely one of the weaker choices from the directors! It really wasn't necessary to change that from the books!

[@DurpyKraken]

Why does it need to follow the book so closely? It’s not like it makes a major plot change that affects the progression. The whole “it’s in the books” is so annoying tbh

[@tyfoparalax8894]

@@DurpyKraken Because it makes more sense. This new change made either Rhaenys stupid or downright evil

[@nkundisebina7893]

@@DurpyKraken They should follow the books and if they do choose to make a different it should fit the characters and lore! This was VERY reminiscent of DnD in the later season! The directors even said it was for "spectacle" jus because they wanted the shock value! As recovering GOT fan I choose to air out these concerns now before it's too late! They did the same thing back in ep 5 with criston killing Joffrey! It was an absolutely dreadful choice to add and unnecessary!

[@DurpyKraken]

@@nkundisebina7893 Criston killing Joffrey? And you’re definitely exaggerating

[@nkundisebina7893]

@@DurpyKraken Criston killing Joffrey they way he did in ep 5 was so grotesque and vile! They literally admitted to doing that because GOT never has good weddings yet another unnecessary change from the book which hinders the lore that's been set by the author! If a knight of the Kingsguard killed a noble like that under the protections of guest right there would dire consequences! Especially considering none of the royals were being threatened by Joff! If the truly wanted to show Criston's depravity they could've used what is in the book with a little twist like the fight between Daemon and Criston in the Tourney! Where Joff says what he said to Cole resulting in him losing his shit and killing him after jousting! That would allowed! Instead of creating unnecessary spectacle which destroys the lore!

[@MylesGabriel]

Watch for the beast beneath the floorboards... No one takes her seriously...when they should. I hope they expand upon her role and give heed to her visions. I like her character, but I don't know her name without having to look it up because they've pretty much kept her in the background as a minor character and everyone around her dismisses her as insane when in reality she's been cryptically correct quite often. And from what I understand, if the show stays true to the books...she's going to have a terribly tragic story. I don't want to spoil...but I think she's going to break the audience's heart. So I hope they really elevate her character in the show before that time of heartbreak comes.

[@richtea615]

Rhaena forgot 'dracarys' when all her enemies were conveniently standing close together in front of her dragon.

[@danteandries4996]

killing all those people ralted to her and the king would ruin her reputation and evryone around her including rheanyra still kinda stupid but has somewhat of an explenation

[@chaotic-doxxer]

If she did that then no more show, also kinslaying would absolutely destroy any hopes for rhaenyra claiming the throne

[@danteandries4996]

@@chaotic-doxxer exactly but they should have just made her fly out of there

[@TheV8Pumpkin]

@@chaotic-doxxer they were all committing high treason by usurping Rhaenyra

[@larochejaquelein3680]

So the dragon bursts through a wall of stone and magically the rider Rhaenys has survived the impact?? This is nonsense, no human would survive that, they did this in order to subvert our expectations like Dumb and Doofenschmirtz in Season 8.

[@oltihajdaraj8682]

They should have had Sunfyre the golden pressent at the coronation. Aegon II and Sunfyre have a very strong bond.

[@JonnyLokz]

That rhaenys scene was D&Desque. Pure spectacle

[@Emperorofthemoon1]

It works internally imo, and it fits thematically, but I agree. It was very much for spectacle. That said, Rhaenys is my favorite Targaryen so she can do whatever she wants in my eyes

[@JonnyLokz]

@@Emperorofthemoon1 illogical for me and if D&D had come up with this supercuts wouldve been roasting the shit out of it

[@Madworld130]

I would love a video about just Otto when this is over with that little clap replayed several more times lol it is the cutest thing

[@rawbones4117]

How Otto handles Larys will be a character defining moment for me. For all his scheming, I still think Otto truly cares for his daughter in a way Tywin didn't. I think he will have his own moment of fatherly loyalty and protection as he *handles* this guy who has terrorized his daughter for years now. Or he will turn a blind eye to it. Again, character defining moment.

[@letiprochnow]

I simply LOVE your videos, great review of the episode ❤

[@layne3530]

If we need the d-bag directors/showrunners to explain to us why Rhaenys didn't kill the greens, that is a failed/bad scene.

[@shafique7z]

Your fav moment was the council scene but your thumbnail is the Rhaneys' scene 🤣

[@Hatypus]

Larys' foot thing was stupid and unneeded, and Rhaenys coming through the floor just felt dumb. EDIT: Thought I'd just add, what exactly is the point of the dragon pit if it's walls and ceiling can't contain dragons? And Rhaenys, on the back of her dragon, is apparently totally fine after being dragged up through the floor with all that debris around her.

[@aedryk]

Both were HBO additions to the story. We are not surprised.

[@domgk-rx5ih]

i LOVE this series as a history major, reading the book since it’s a history textbook written by people with biases all the characters seem to be greedy power hungry and lusting for power, but since this show is what really happened, seeing how each character is just a real person mistakes are made conflict was trying to be avoided of course there’s people who are power hungry and everything, but i love seeing this depiction of what really happened in a history book for real i’ve enjoyed this so much

[@whyareyoureadingmynickname8158]

I have mixed feelings about this episode. First 10-15 minutes were great. Otto and Alicent finding about Viserys's death, council scene, scene with lords in the hall, conversation between Alicent and Rhaenys - it was all great. Rest of the episode was kinda meh. Parts with the twins were confusing, I could never pick up who is who nor which one remained loyal. Aemond's behavior in this episode was also confusing. He hints at the idea that he wants a throne, than he fights one of the twins (again, I have no idea which one that was) and once Aegon starts begging him to let him escape, he just takes him back, which only made me wonder what all of that was about. Coronation scene was good, but part with dragon ruined it. Not only because Rhaenys didn't kill the Greens, nor because she just killed a bunch of innocent people, but the idea of dragon bursting through stone floor with rider remaining completely clean and unscathed just looked silly. Less I say about Larys's foot fetish - the better. I feel like he is becoming more and more cartoonish with each appearance and I'm not a fan of that. Overall - not bad, not great, just comfortably lying in the middle.

[@aLoganRS]

This is honestly how I feel about the whole show so far. Brain dead logic sometimes on one hand but also really cool detailed scenes on the other. I just wish the show was more consistent with what's happening contextually.

[@unc54]

This episode felt rushed in some ways. I felt that certain scenes like the small council, purging the pro-Black people in the Red Keep, and the coronation should have been stretched out. And the Rhaenys stuff gave me later GoT flashbacks. Just pointless action.

[@concraft9293]

I just really enjoyed this episode all around! and watching your video you've noticed things I hadn't, so love it more!

[@xaviermm5506]

Very good video! Btw one recommendation. I was hesitant whether to watch this video or not because at the beginning it said "Spoilers" and I didn't know if it meant spoilers from the episode or spoilers from the books. It'd been better if you specify which one it is haha. About the "controversial" ending, AT THE MOMENT I don't have a problem with it ONLY IF (and I pray to all the new goods and the old ones) this doesn't get treated like Cersei blowing up the Sept in S6-S7. I hope this topic of Rhaneys killing innocents gets touched next episode and that it affects her character somehow, then I'd be 90% ok with it.

[@ultimateshipper8997]

Either this or Ryan Condal is going to drag HOT D to the Dark Side.