Small Council: Let's debate the latest episode of House of the Dragon, "Smallfolk"

DAN: Last week I complained about the show being too slow. I'm ready to eat a bit of crow. House of the Dragon has planted a lot of seeds that are finally starting to sprout. For many episodes now we've seen that the smallfolk of King's Landing are growing restless and hungry under the Velaryon blockade, and this week the kettle finally boiled over in that exciting riot scene. Minor characters like Ulf White, Hugh Hammer and Addam of Hull have been hanging out in the background for a long time, and now they're coming to the fore. I didn't expect the Rhaenyra-Mysaria kiss, but they've been slowly building a rapport for weeks, so when it happened it made sense to me. Maybe slow and steady really does win the race.

Sometimes I feel like House of the Dragon doesn't let its characters form emotional bonds with each other the way they did on Game of Thrones, which makes it hard for me to fall in love with them. So I was glad to see a lot of vulnerability this week. I already mentioned the Mysaria-Rhaenyra scene, which was great. I also really liked the scene where Alicent asked her brother Gwayne about her son Daeron. The biggest surprise was definitely Larys Strong opening up to the bedridden King Aegon. Who knew Larys had it in him? Emotional moments for everyone!

The only stuff that didn't fully click for me was Daemon's material in Harrenhal, which has been a problem for awhile now. It's fun watching Matt Smith act crazy, but I'm just over the dream sequences. They've overstayed their welcome and I'm ready for that plot to get a move on. The sooner the Lannisters attack, the better.

In the interest of ending on a high note, the scene where Steffon Darklyn tries to mount Seasmoke and gets flash-fried for his trouble was wicked; it was tense, it was funny, it was everything. Also, Aemond continues to come into his own as an antagonist; he was a scary taskmaster this week. This was basically another bridge episode, but when it's this entertaining I don't mind at all.

JOEL: The first half of this episode was a bit slow, but picked up nicely toward the end. The early scene where Aemond dismisses Alicent from the Small Council was yet another gut-punch for the Queen Dowager in a season of gut-punches for her. It is further proof that even her son thinks his mother was merely a political pawn played by Otto Hightower to get his line into the royal family. I hope there is some serious payoff for Alicent at some point, though it seems less likely it will happen this season with only two episodes left. Alicent reminds me a little of Sansa in that she is constantly being set aside and under-estimated by just about everyone. Her frustration is palpable, and at some point, she is going to become the author of her own fate. At least, I hope so.

I couldn't even tell you what happened with Daemon's horrible storyline because as soon as they show his face, I reach for my phone and I hardly pay attention until his scenes are over. I'm pretty much done with that whole plotline until something tangible happens.

Rhaenyra showed some political astuteness by sending food to King Landing and stirring up the feelings against Aemond/Aegon. She probably did not intend for Alicent to get caught up in it as she did, but it was still an incredible move.

I have to admit I didn't see the final scene with Mysaria unfolding as it did. In hindsight, it makes sense as Mysaria has been the one councilor who seems to have faith in Rhaenyra, but this being in the Game of Thrones world, I hope Mysaria isn't playing her own game. I'm sure she has an agenda, but I hope it coincides with her queen's. It will be interesting to see how that unfolds.

Lastly, it feels like things are being set up for Rhaena to get her dragon. She finds out about a hidden dragon in the Vale, and it won't be surprising if she gets a heroic moment before the season is over.

ALEXANDRIA: Okay, let's start with the end. That ending makes me need Episode 207 immediately. I love that Seasmoke chose his rider, and I've always loved that it was Addam.

I did not see the Rhaenyra/Mysaria moment coming. I love that we're learning more about Mysaria and her past. Seeing her stand for a woman and the reasons why add depth to her character. Whether she was telling the truth or not is anotherthing. I hope she'sgenuine.

I'm done with Daemon's story. At first, I was willing to give the visions a chance, but this is getting dragged out. Let us see the Daemon we know from the book, George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood.

My favorite Alicent moment of the season came in this episode. That moment with Alicent and Gwayne looking at the past and talking about Daeron was needed. I got a sense that Gwayne no longer hates that he was left in Oldtown. King's Landing does not a kind boy make. This teases more Daeron to come, and while my heart will break for the boy, I'm excited to see him as a very different person to his brothers.

Overall, I did find the episode a little slow to start, but the ending made up for it. Bring me more dragonriders. I'm still on the fence about potentially not getting Nettles, but seeing Rhaena take in so much and be willing to stand up against someone who could just turn her and her half-brothers out shows that she has her mother's strength. I'm reserving judgment for now. I do want to meet Sheepstealer before this season ends.

DANIEL: Once again, I’ll be that person who says I didn’t think this episode was slow at all. It set up so much for what’s to come in the final two episodes of the season, while pushing a bunch of characters and plotlines into uncharted territory. It was juicy, and dramatic, and damn did it get me hyped for Episode 207! This is exactly the sort of episode I want from a Game of Thrones show.

I agree with all the highlights you guys’ve mentioned. I liked the way the Rhaenyra and Mysaria kiss happened so organically, both for the characters and in the way it was shot and acted. I didn’t see that development coming either, but I think it works so well for these characters. Rhaenyra is strongly alluded to having had a relationship with at least one woman in the book, so seeing the show bring that element of her character into the picture through Mysaria totally worked for me. And of course, the fact that it’s Mysaria just means that the eventual reunion with Daemon is going to be even more complicated. Love it for them, love it for us!

Speaking of Daemon, I do think this episode is the light at the end of the tunnel for his visions. I’ve been generally enjoying them for all the lore they add, and how spooky they make Harrenhal, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t underwhelmed by the return of Paddy Considine. That to me says that something went awry; there’s no way you should have a character like Viserys back for an episode without it hitting like a ton of bricks to the heart. I enjoyed his scenes, but the fact that it’s been a rotating cycle of guest appearances for Daemon made it way more predictable than I’d hoped. It’s a big contrast from how I gasped in shock at that first vision with Milly Alcock.

But Grover Tully is dead and Daemon finally gets a few winks of peaceful sleep by the end of the episode. Next week, it looks like he’ll finally be gaining the allegiance of the Riverlords by meting out some good old fashioned justice in front of the Harrenhal weirwood. I wouldn’t want to be Willem Blackwood right about now!

There was a lot else to enjoy; everything with Seasmoke, Steffon and Addam, Alyn of Hull shaving off his Velaryon hair, Corlys as Hand of the Queen, the dysfunction of the Greens, the Daeron Targaryen conversation, and of course Rhaenyra and Mysaria’s sneaky plan to incite a riot in King’s Landing. That last one’s especially devious when you think about the fact that it’s Rhaenyra’s own blockade which is causing the hardship in the first place. Plus, Hugh Hammer got to pet Cheese’s dog and then punch out a dude to steal all his lettuce all in the same few seconds, which is great foreshadowing that this guy might have a pretty serious war between good and bad impulses going on in his head. So excited for next week, and the Sowing of the Seeds!

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