That was my favorite episode so far. An off-template episode focusing on what the show has set up as the villains so far was brilliant. I'm Team Black all the way now.
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It wasn't bad, but IMHO that was clearly the worst episode of the season to date.
Between the squicky scene with Larys jacking off to his foot fetish stuff, and the completely nonsensical action spectacle of Rhaenys breaking out with her dragon, it reminded me of later-day GOT in all of the bad ways.
Thankfully the characterization remains top-notch, and it's still very watchable.
Between the squicky scene with Larys jacking off to his foot fetish stuff, and the completely nonsensical action spectacle of Rhaenys breaking out with her dragon, it reminded me of later-day GOT in all of the bad ways.
Thankfully the characterization remains top-notch, and it's still very watchable.
I thought the scene with Rhaenys with her dragon was too over-the-top for my tastes. Especially since there was no way she was going to kill Alicent and the others. But the foot fetish didn't bother me. I don't think it was worth getting worked up about. And let's face it, Alicent has already proven in the past that she was willing to compromise her morals to achieve what she wanted - including allies. She had protected Ser Criston Cole from being punished for Joffrey Lonmouth's murder. And she had remained silent over Ser Larys' murder of his father and older brother. Feeding the latter's foot fetish seemed nothing in comparison. At least to me.
Expanding on the scene with Rhaenys and her dragon . . . if she had killed Alicent, Aegon and the Team Green leaders; she would have been guilty of regicide and kinslaying. The realm would have believed she had committed her deed on Rhaeneyra's behalf and rallied around Aegon and Haelena's children. It also occurred to me that Alicent, Otto and Team Green are committing treason. Despite Rhaenyra's oldest three sons being born bastard, Viscerys had acknowledged them as legitimate and future heirs. He had the power to do that. He was the King. After all, Daenerys Targaryen had legitimized Gendry in Season 8 of "GoT". And Viscerys had named Rhaenerys as his legitimate heir. In going against his wishes, Team Green is committing treason.
Expanding on the scene with Rhaenys and her dragon . . . if she had killed Alicent, Aegon and the Team Green leaders; she would have been guilty of regicide and kinslaying. The realm would have believed she had committed her deed on Rhaeneyra's behalf and rallied around Aegon and Haelena's children. It also occurred to me that Alicent, Otto and Team Green are committing treason. Despite Rhaenyra's oldest three sons being born bastard, Viscerys had acknowledged them as legitimate and future heirs. He had the power to do that. He was the King. After all, Daenerys Targaryen had legitimized Gendry in Season 8 of "GoT". And Viscerys had named Rhaenerys as his legitimate heir. In going against his wishes, Team Green is committing treason.
My problem with the scene is it just came across as exploitative. It didn't tell us anything we really didn't already know about Larys (we know he's creepy and a psychopath), Alicent (we know she's willing to dabble in unsavory things) or their relationship. Okay, I guess it told us one thing we didn't already know, but it's something gratuitous which is arguably there just to seem "edgy" - which again, is why it had vibes of some of the worst aspects of Game of Thrones.
Watching the inside the episode for the end of episode 9; the director/writer and producers said they fabricated this scene to give Rhaenys a moment to be a badass. They stated they started with the idea of a dragon getting loose during Aegon's coronation. Then made it Rhaenys. Even though this didn't happen in the books and there's no reason for Rhaenys to still be in Kings Landing after the Driftmark succession was settled a second time.
Action movie shit for a trailer was TPTB's thinking here. It's really goofy and undermines the serious tone the episode was going for.
It creates a scenario where Rhaenys could have ended the war before it started with one word to her dragon. As the Green's were committing treason and usurping the throne. But Kinslaying is a heinous capital offense and Rhaenys doesn't know the future. Like TV Alicent and book Rhaenyra (although show Rhaenyra will likely be the same), Rhaenys naively believes this dynastic dispute can be settled with diplomacy and no bloodshed.
A lot like how Ned Stark thought he could win the GOT cleanly after Robert died and Joffrey was next to be crowned king.
And who says HOT D isn't similar to GOT? Haha
Action movie shit for a trailer was TPTB's thinking here. It's really goofy and undermines the serious tone the episode was going for.
It creates a scenario where Rhaenys could have ended the war before it started with one word to her dragon. As the Green's were committing treason and usurping the throne. But Kinslaying is a heinous capital offense and Rhaenys doesn't know the future. Like TV Alicent and book Rhaenyra (although show Rhaenyra will likely be the same), Rhaenys naively believes this dynastic dispute can be settled with diplomacy and no bloodshed.
A lot like how Ned Stark thought he could win the GOT cleanly after Robert died and Joffrey was next to be crowned king.
And who says HOT D isn't similar to GOT? Haha
Well this episode displayed how fowl the Greens are.
Yet it also actually made me feel sorry for Aegon. He never even wanted to rule and now the guy thinks its his duty because it was his father's dying wish.
And it also showed why I will never cheer for the Blacks either, even if they got rid of Daemon. Bitch at the end killed random, innocent smallfolk just to prove a point. She can go die in a hole.
Yet it also actually made me feel sorry for Aegon. He never even wanted to rule and now the guy thinks its his duty because it was his father's dying wish.
And it also showed why I will never cheer for the Blacks either, even if they got rid of Daemon. Bitch at the end killed random, innocent smallfolk just to prove a point. She can go die in a hole.
The first rule of medieval daycare fight club is - don't talk about medieval daycare fight club is. Yikes.
Rhaenys not overly keen to BBQ family members, opting for mercy* while making a very dramatic point the succession is far from settled. But really, would that point not already be apparent to The Greens if she had simply chosen to sneak off on dragon back?
One thing that might make sense of it is if she had planned (or was at least favoring) the BBQ option when she burst through the floor. They did try to sell a moment between Rhaenys and Allicent. Impulsive mercy?
The scene achieved the badassery it was gunning for, although on reflection it does raise an eyebrow. Still, the show has been top notch so I'm willing to forgive a bit of dumb. A bit.
*Mercy applicable to nobility, not the "ordinary people".
Rhaenys not overly keen to BBQ family members, opting for mercy* while making a very dramatic point the succession is far from settled. But really, would that point not already be apparent to The Greens if she had simply chosen to sneak off on dragon back?
One thing that might make sense of it is if she had planned (or was at least favoring) the BBQ option when she burst through the floor. They did try to sell a moment between Rhaenys and Allicent. Impulsive mercy?
The scene achieved the badassery it was gunning for, although on reflection it does raise an eyebrow. Still, the show has been top notch so I'm willing to forgive a bit of dumb. A bit.
*Mercy applicable to nobility, not the "ordinary people".
I like how Rhaneys thinks kinslaying is going too far but killing hundreds of smallfolk is totally fine!
Olivia Cooke totally killed it with all her facial expressions this week. She even made the foot-wank scene palatable with her reaction.
I like how Aegon is at least aware of how hopeless he'd be as king...though he seemed to get into it in the end when he was holding the cool sword and everyone was cheering him.
I assume Mysaria somehow escaped the fire that burned down her whore house and will be out for revenge later. Maybe they could say the fire damaged her vocal cords and have her speak in the actress' normal accent from now on too...
Olivia Cooke totally killed it with all her facial expressions this week. She even made the foot-wank scene palatable with her reaction.
I like how Aegon is at least aware of how hopeless he'd be as king...though he seemed to get into it in the end when he was holding the cool sword and everyone was cheering him.
I assume Mysaria somehow escaped the fire that burned down her whore house and will be out for revenge later. Maybe they could say the fire damaged her vocal cords and have her speak in the actress' normal accent from now on too...
The sword that he was holding was Blackfyre. The sword of Aegon the Conqueror.
The sword looks like it is based on the real world damascus steel swords.
The blade of Blackfyre definitely looks closer to how a sword made of Valyrian steel should look, unlike the Valyrian steel swords we saw in GoT (Longclaw, Ice, Oathkeeper) which mostly just looked like regular swords. HotD has done a much better job of embracing the more fantastical aspects of this world than GoT did.
Well, the Internet has seemingly turned against the show now. We really can't have one sci-fi or fantasy property that people can enjoy from beginning to end without harassing actors and/or writers.
Yeah, that sounds like a pipe dream for that to happen.
Sad that it gets thrown at the actors and the writers though.
I haven't encountered any real complaints since everyone found out that Steve Toussaint was Corlys Velaryon. Unless the MAGA fanboys are still raising a fuss.
People really hate the foot fetish scene and the dragon breakout. Both remind them of the really bad elements of GOT under D&D (exploitation for its own sake and spectacle even if it makes no logical sense).
I thought you were the rating and reviews guy?
Nielsen doesn't do HBO Max yet, so no way for me to know, other than follow every news released by WB, which is too much work
