It is not a spoiler to say that weddings in theGame of Thrones franchisedon’t often finish well . There was , of grade , the infamousRed Wedding , where Robb and Catelyn Stark were off after the former spurn a marriage / political alliance with House Frey . Then there was the wedding of the ugly KingJoffreyto Margaery ( not Sansa ) , where he was poison during his feast . So , after the decision that Rhaenyra Targaryen ( Milly Alcock ) and Laenor Velaryon ( Theo Nate ) should be we d inlast week ’s episode , you really should n’t be surprised to get a line that their getting hitched did not go off without a check .
Although to be comely , even established marriages have a tough clip in “ We Light the Way , ” as the episode get with Daemon Targaryen ( Matt Smith ) bludgeoning his hated married woman Rhea Royce to destruction with a rock and then affect she fall off her sawhorse . This is technically honest , since Daemon caused her horse to set up up and descend on her , but then he finished the task himself . Now he ’s free to we d a new wife and inherit Rhea ’s wealth , since she was the Lady of Runestone .
Even the preliminary to Rhaenyra and Laenor ’s “ courtship ” get ominously as Viserys ( Paddy Considine ) and his girl change of location to Driftmark to make ( i.e. , request ) Lord Corlys “ Sea Snake ” Velaryon ( Steve Toussaint ) to accept the match between the two . Viserys looks rough . He throws up on the ocean voyage , he ’s coughing up more rake than ever , and is understandably infirm and receive weak tight . Corlys knows he has the upper handwriting because he commands the biggest fleet in Westeros , and palpate the right to throw his free weight around after Viserys snubbed his daughter Laena ( Savannah Steiy ) for Alicent ( Emily Carey ) . He asks if Rhaenyra and Laenor ’s children will have the father ’s last name , as per customs , and the irritated Viserys agree to it but with the caveat that whichever offspring inherits the throne will change their name to Targaryen upon becoming queen or king . It ’s a near via media , given that Viserys had backed himself into a corner .
Image: Ollie Upton/HBO
On the positive side , Rhaenyra makes a very dissimilar proposal to Laenor as they take a walk on the beach . She spell out how this wedlock can bring for both of them . She knows that Laenor is gay , and she certainly want to continue her dalliances with Ser Criston Cole ( Fabien Frankel ) . Her thought is this : they make an heir , and then they can each “ dine as we see fit ” on other sexual partners as per a belabour metaphor about preferring broth as react to juice , lifted nearly sweeping from Stanley Kubrick ’s Spartacus .
Criston Cole , however , is not at all proud of to be dined on . During the voyage back to King ’s landing place , the princess ’ Kingsguard involve Rhaenyra to course away with him to Essos and espouse him , something he feels reasonably convinced she might choose feed how much she ’s kvetch about her want of exemption . Instead , Rhaenyra rebuffs him by recount him she must prioritize her duty as an incipient nance . Milly Alcock ’s first-class operation also conveys she has no intention of feed up the throne for a life of obscurity and impotence for a guy she ’s just cop up with . Cole is wound , wild , and discompose that he broke his swearing of chastity to the Kingsguard , and Rhaenyra has no idea she ’s just ignite a fuzee .
Meanwhile , at King ’s Landing , trouble is brewing , and it ’s being brewed by Larys Strong ( Matthew Needham ) , the unexpectedly wily son of the newly - coin Hand of the King Lyonel Strong ( Gavin Spokes ) . He asks Alicent if Rhaenyra has been unwell , all so he can mistake the pouf the news that Grand Maester Mellos brewed the princess a medicative afternoon tea by hired man upon the king ’s parliamentary procedure . Knowing what that tea could mean , Alicent has enough doubts that she muster up Ser Criston Cole to query him about whether Rhaenyra had sexuality with Daemon . But since she ’s too delicate to mention the business leader ’s pal by name , Criston assumes she ’s enquire about himself , who definitely had sexuality with Rhaenyra that dark . He promptly confess , and that ’s how Alicent learns that Rhaenyra consist to her face . Another fuse is lit .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
When the Velaryon family arrives for the wedding and Viserys begins hold a seven - day celebration of feasting and jousting tournament , Alicent is prominently absentminded from the mogul ’s side . But guess who demonstrate up ? Why , Daemon Targaryen , who just got expatriate from King ’s Landing forever last hebdomad . But Viserys forgives his brother yet again — it ’s probably easier than acknowledging what potentially happened between Rhaenyra and his brother — and invite him to the royal tabular array .
It ’s hardly the only drama happening on the first sidereal day of the workweek - longsighted wedding party . Rhea ’s cousin accuses Daemon of murdering his late married woman . Jason Lannister ( Jefferson Hall ) , Lord of Casterly Rock , makes a sexist joke to the mogul in front of Rhaenyra . And Alicent , without a speck of warmth in her eyes , makes a rarified entrance timed specifically to cut off Viserys ’s gravid lecture . And when she sit , she greets Rhaenyra coldly as “ step - daughter , ” and then refuses to look at her .
Like the royal hunt seen in“Second of His Name”a brace of weeks ago , “ We fall the Way ” showcases the over - the - top , hedonistic pageantry of chivalric liveliness to what must beGeorge R.R. Martin ’s huge atonement . There ’s a ludicrous amount of food and wine-colored , there are flowery decorations , and everyone ( include a great many extras ) wears the all right outfit the costumes cepartment could make . There ’s even an elaborated terpsichore that Rhaenyra and Laenor play out in front of the crowd , trace by a full dancing storey of extras stimulate down . It ’s a marvel to lay eyes on , at least before it all comes break apart down .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
The trouble is Ser Joffrey Lonmouth ( Solly McLeod ) , Laenor ’s lover , who realizes Criston Cole must be Rhaenyra ’s fan by the upsetting vivid fashion he ’s stare at her while she dances with Laenor . Joffrey sidles up to his fellow sidepiece to sympathize together about their soon - to - be fulfilling lives as paramours to the wed couple . Criston , having hoped to wed Rhaenyra and regain some measure of honor after breaking his oath disagrees , and by disagrees , I have in mind he beats Joffrey to death with his nude hands .
The way Clare Kilner , who did a expectant job directing last week ’s extremely horny instalment , shop all of this is just tremendous . When Rhaenyra and Laenor ’s terpsichore begin , all eye are on her — Viserys smiles at his daughter , well-chosen she ’s in the end doing her responsibility ; Daemon gazes at her with his sardonic smirk , starve for the exponent she ’ll manage ; and Criston ogles her with anger , bother , making love , and ego - loathing . After the chemical group terpsichore starts , Daemon ignore in with Rhaenyra and tell her to tie him , but Rhaenyra only taunts him and say to carry her away if that ’s what he wants . It ’s upsetting and gets increasingly tense , but so does everything else . Kilner uses speedy , tight shots to intensify the anxiety building both in the viewer and the lineament when the fight of a sudden breaks out and none of us see who ’s fighting . It look at what seems to be a very long metre to give away Criston and Joffrey as the combatants , although that ’s being rather magnanimous to Joffrey , who mostly has the side of his face caved in , to Laenor ’s heartbroken horror . ( It is super vulgar . )
It ’s all so horrible , in fact , that Viserys seemingly terminate not just the party but perhaps the intact workweek of planned festivity . That same Nox , he has Rhaenyra and Laenor get hitched with in a small , extremely secret ceremonial in the can elbow room to avoid any more disasters . Kilner also does a marvellous job here ; other than an establishing shot of the “ happy ” couple ’s backs and a ready mid - ceremony quite a little on the impudence , the director keep Rhaenyra and Laenor completely out of each other ’s footage . As the High Septon speak about the unity being formed , Kilner shows it ’s anything but , lingering on Rhaenyra the most as she struggle with Criston ’s anger , Daemon ’s betterment , Laenor ’s heartache , Alicent ’s fury , her status as heir , and her father ’s increasingly ill health — which make Viserys to collapses on the floor immediately after the ceremony . The last shot of the installment is a close - up of a pool of Joffrey ’s blood and viscera , still lying on the throne room storey , as a rat comes forward to enjoy a free repast .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
It does n’t get much more ominous than that , but “ We Light the Way ” is all about citizenry pick sides in the conflict that will erupt the minute Viserys kicks it . The Velaryons have thrown their weight in with Rhaenyra , because it ’s the only way their blood with sit on the Iron Throne . Alicent , furious at Rhaenyra ’s betrayal and likely jealous the princess has been enjoying the exemption and happiness she ’s long denied herself , is clearly preparing to catch the throne for her son Aegon against her married man ’s wishing . And it looks like she ’ll be joined by the heartsick Criston Cole , who ’s about to send suicide when Alicent stops him , almost sure as shooting recruiting the jilted lover to her side . Rhaenyra made two major enemy tonight , something that she will for sure regret when she takes — or , more potential , attempt to take — the throne .
I remember it would have been beneficial for the show to have taken more prison term to focus on Rhaenyra ’s friendship with Alicent and love life affair with Criston to make their rejection of the princess more powerful and poignant , but I understand why House of the Dragon kept it brisk . The show has already spent five installment ( minimum ! ) exploring the characters and the events result up to the war of succession , so the engagement can have more resonance . It ’s plenty . Besides , we ’re halfway done with the show ’s first season , and we still have n’t seen the chief actors who will be playing Rhaenyra and Alicent .
The dear word is that all that needs to find for the war over the throne to get started is the death of Viserys . If tonight ’s installment is any indication , he ’s not going to make it retiring episode six , at which point this violent , tragic party can get started . And unlike Rhaenyra ’s wedding banquet , everyone in Westeros will be assist — whether they want to or not .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
Assorted Musings:
Thank you to everyone who replied to last week ’s retread ; you were thoughtful and civil and I greatly appreciate hear your thoughts and perspectives , especially regarding the Camellia sinensis . I ’ve get wind something I require to be more serious-minded and deliberate about , and I ’m better for it . Thank you !
Which side will Daemon peck ? Well , he does some flirt with the Sea Snake ’s girl Laena , which would more or less put him in Rhaenyra ’s camp . Plus , I think he ’s got a good chance at wielding some kind of mogul if Rhaenyra becomes queen , given their … relationship . If he endorse Alicent and Aegon , he ’ll be completely supplanted by the male heir earlier or after .
In Spartacus , the comparison between favour women or man descend down to choose oysters or snails or else of stock or juice . Just FYI .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
When Criston confesses he had sexual activity with Rhaenyra to Alicent , he begs the queen to obliterate him rather of gelding him . Just a quick , everyday reminder of the savagery of the times !
Joffrey , at least before he was amaze to death , was call in the “ Knight of Kisses . ” I feel like that ’s probably a homophobic name given to him by others , but a Knight of Kisses sounds adorable .
Matt Smith is among an elite few who can say “ I ’m positively bereaved ” and convey how immeasurably he does not give a shit . It was outstanding .
Photo: Ollie Upton/HBO
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AegonFictionGame of ThronesGeorge R.R. MartinRhaenyraViserys Targaryen
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