Amid whispers of bad omens, the Greens consider how to fill a void on Aegon’s Council, Jacaerys sets out on a rogue mission to strike a deal, and Daemon enlists Lord Willem Blackwood to help persuade the Brackens to bend the knee.
This season feels so uneven. It felt like we were slowly building, but too slowly, then last week felt like it kicked into high gear only for this episode to feel like it was dragging and recycling things again.
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My hot takes on episode 5
- Greens propaganda failure; the smallfolk aren’t happy with a dragon head being paraded through the streets of Kings Landing.
- Meanwhile, in the Riverlands, the war of attrition being waged by the Blackwoods upon the Brackens at the instigation of Daemon, ultimately fails to achieve the desired results.
- Jace takes the initiative and it pays off in the form of winning an important strategic ally to the Black’s side.
- Rhaenyra dithers on Dragonstone.
- Newly forged regent Aemond takes quiet pleasure in his elevated status, no doubt while awaiting Vhagar’s recovery before making his next move.
- After the death of Rhaenys, Corlys wishes to sail away and be done with Westeros. Despite this, Baela’s words strike a chord within him and going against his own wishes, he begrudgingly accepts the Hand of the Queen pin.
- Daemon continues to slowly lose his wits at Harrenhal, having strange dreams and visions, unable to tell what is or isn’t reality in the moment.
- Aegon lingers between life and death, Aemond has no remorse, quite the contrary, he appears satisfied even when Helaena calls him out - girl knows the truth.
- Cole’s machinations have come home to roost. He finds himself caught between his loyalty to Alicent and allegiance with Aemond. However, his true misogynistic nature asserts itself and he casts his lot in with the would-be kinslayer. Proving yet again what a total POS he is, are you having fun yet Alicent?
- Speaking of so-called ‘Kingmakers’; Lady Mysaria may yet prove to be the ultimate ‘King(Queen)maker’. Her astuteness, art of deception, and understanding of how both the highborn and the smallfolk think, make her the most dangerous chess player in this game of thrones dance of dragons.
Other thoughts
Daemon and Aemond are so alike, in their appearance and ruthless natures, including their willingness to betray others to achieve their own goals. Both feel passed over, sidelined and belittled, which makes both of them hurt, bitter and angry. However, Aemond has taken it a step further in his willingness to kill his brother/his king and become a *kinslayer and kingslayer. A line that, while Daemon may have flirted with the idea of, he hasn’t yet crossed.
*Luke’s death was supposedly unintentional (and he fought for the ‘enemy’), Aemond has no such rationale about his actions toward Aegon. The murder of baby Jarhaerys, while heinous, is still up for debate about Daemon’s intentions. The point being, only Aemond has purposely attempted to kill his own king/brother/one of his own team.
Alicent finally understands what her actions have wrought. Not only upon herself, her children and her grandchildren, but also upon the kingdom itself. She’d hoped to minimise the damage she’s caused by becoming Regent, but too late - there’s no squirting the milk back up the cow’s udders. Especially not, now that her psycho second-born son has power.
It seems poor strategy in a time of war to resort to verbal acrobatics when attempting to secure the allegiance of another powerful ally. “You did not specify the size of the dragon” - reaaalllllly?? What message does that send about acting in good faith, about trust, about dependability? That scene was crazy dumb imo.
Overall, the episode felt like a very real anti-climax after episode 4. Everything contained in the episode was fine, but the scenes needed to be more succinct to allow a little time for some action to be included in the episode. The show had spent 13 episodes building up to this conflict, and just as it begins, it abruptly stops again.
Seven Hells, show, please do stop blue-balling the audience and gods be good, get on with it.
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Criston has no loyalty Alicent; but you knew that.
However I did love “who told you to say my name BEE-ATCH, it’s YOUR GRACE to you!”
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Reading this back again- the difference between Daemon and Aemond (I think), is that while both are second sons, Daemon was always treated kindly by his brother (and his brother’s agents) until he did something to fuck it up. Where as from infancy, Aegon lorded his position as first born over Aemond, taunted him for not having a dragon, and encouraged his younger nephews to do the same. Aemond is the modern stereotype of the kid that was always taunted, hit puberty and got fit, and started picking on others as retribution. Daemon is the modern stereotype of the slacker kid who got by on nepotism and some charm, but now wants their own glory; but is self aware enough to know they haven’t earned it yet.
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I think it can be boiled down to this; regardless of any perceived justifications, Aemond is fuelled by spite and Daemon is fuelled by self-pity.
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