House of the Dragon has no intense future in shop for its youngsters

Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO

“Driftmark,” today’s episode of House of the Dragon, included maybe one of the most extreme fight on the program until now: a four-way quarrel in between youngsters. What originally resembles a reprise of a training-ground scuffle in the previous episode unexpectedly takes an ominous turn as it maintains going additionally till a terrible little child sheds an eye after a wonderful little child protects his sibling with a blade. And as a result of this, the whole imperial court is caught in an R-rated speedrun of the NBC series The Slap as they invest most of the episode in the very same area, attempting to determine what is to be done regarding it.

Part of what makes this battle so stunning is that we’ve just met these kids, so when Aemond and also Aegon Targaryen face Jacaerys and also Lucerys Velayron in a passage, we’re not totally certain just how points are mosting likely to play out — and also House of the Dragon isn’t a program where enjoyable points take place. The battle goes amazingly much, as Aemond gets hold of a rock and also appears bent on murder Jacaerys prior to Lucerys jumps to protect him with a blade, blinding Aemond in one eye.

The results from this makes up most of “Driftmark,” as King Viserys should moderate the resulting dispute in between Queen Alicent, Princess Rhaenyra, and also all various other upset events. The conflict rapidly quits having to do with the youngsters and also plainly comes to be regarding the expanding break in between Alicent and also Rhaenyra, to the factor that Alicent, desiring an eye for an eye, endangers to reduce Lucerys’ out herself.

Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO

In some methods, “Driftmark” very closely mirrors “The Kingsroad,” the 2nd episode of Game of Thrones. In it, the young heroine Arya Stark makes a brand-new buddy, Mycah, a baker’s kid, that is consequently harassed by the petulant and also vicious Prince Joffrey. When Arya withstands Joffrey, he knocks her down and also her pet dog direwolf, Nymeria, attacks his arm to protect her. The outcome is a scene rather like the one in “Driftmark,” where the royal family members and also various other entailed events try to deal with the conflict in between the youngsters in such a way that will certainly additionally advise the grownups of their area.

But while the facility is comparable, what complies with deviates in considerable manner ins which additionally highlight just how House of the Dragon is a various sort of program than its precursor. “The Kingsroad” eventually fixes with Arya’s father, Ned Stark, being required to make restitution by eliminating his little girl’s direwolf. It’s a gutting final thought to a dispute that was properly Game of Thrones in mini, where great individuals are often fed on as long as they remain to accept an inequitable system that compensates chilly self-preservation that is uncaring to recognize, regardless of just how much lip solution it offers it. Yet regardless of its consistent grimness, Game of Thrones did have a touch of positive outlook regarding it, thinking that several of these youngsters would certainly outlive the scaries, and also maybe also alter the globe right.

The youngsters in House of the Dragon have no such glowing overview. These youngsters are fucked. Aegon and also Aemond are vicious, and also while Rhaenyra is the program’s lead character and also her youngsters feel like wonderful kids that won’t mature to be bratty little hellions, there is no area for the positive outlook of the previous collection. As much as any person because area is worried, the throne is currently vacant, and also sides should be considered whatever follows — and also they are not over making use of youngsters or murder to obtain it. Things are not mosting likely to work out when they all reach King’s Landing, and also also if little Jacaerys and also Lucerys make it through their benefits undamaged, it’s their whole lot to be at the facility of a power fight with no actual great end result, where no person has anything yet self-centered passions in mind.

By completion of “Driftmark,” Viserys is not able to get to a judgment that makes any person satisfied, really hoping everybody simply makes tranquility. In doing so, he just strengthens the break that has actually opened before him, and also ensured that his youngsters (and also theirs) are destined battle.

 

Source: Polygon