Rhaenyra’s secret marriage to her uncle Daemon (Matt Smith) is the major highlight of House of Dragon episode 7 which serves to inflate her reputation as a ruthless power player.
Rhaenyra(Emma D’Arcy) and Daemon, both newly widowed, marry. This creates a powerful alliance that will be hard to break. Daemon might not be fully trusted because as soon as Rhaenyra takes power, he’ll off her and take the throne fully for himself.
The two might have children together, and it seems those “pure” Targaryen children will attempt to have more claim to the throne than the Strong bastards.
Episode 7 tagged “Driftmark” began in mourning, with the funeral, held on the island of Driftmark, for Lady Laena after last week’s death by dragon. All the major players were there—the late Laena’s husband, Prince Daemon, not exactly grieving himself, their children Baela and Rhaena, King Viserys, Queen Alicent, their children Aegon, Aemond, and Helaena, Princess Rhaenyra, Prince Laenor, “their” children Jayce and Luke. Otto Hightower, Ser Criston Cole, the entire House Velaryon.
Though the Velaryons, i.e., Lord Corlys Velaryon, Princess Rhaenys Velaryon, and Laenor Velaryon, were distraught after losing a member of their family, the others were more interested in looking out how it impacted their interests. Daemon saw through the deception created by the excessive outward display of emotions. The royals were accustomed to that kind of pretentiousness, but Daemon still couldn’t get used to it and found it extremely absurd.
After the ceremony, Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon continued where they left off ten years ago at the brothel in Old Town, but this time, on the beach, they consummate their relationship. “Rhaenyra and Daemon are made of the same stuff. They’re a terrible match,” says Emma D’Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra, in the video. “I think there’s a dangerous chemistry.”
Daemon is newly widowed, Rhaenyra’s children’s rivalry with their princely uncles is heating up (literally), and her father King Viserys’ failing health raises the question of succession once more, despite her unofficial royal motto of “we don’t talk about Harwin.”
However, it feels like things are finally shifting. After goading Alicent into making a spectacle of herself when she literally tries to knife the prince as vengeance for her maimed son, Rhaenyra reconnects with Daemon. Literally, as in, they sleep together, finally, but also in terms of executing a grand plan to secure Targaryen power and shore up Rhaenyra’s claim.
Check out the “Inside the Episode” below.
This was easily the best episode so far.
I’m back on the ‘loving Paddy Considine’ train.
I didn’t realize until afterwards that Matt Smith was so awesome, so expressive that he didn’t have any dialogue this episode. But, damn, he sure was spectacular. Ooh, and the fact that both.he and Rhaenerya ended their prospective episode arcs bloody was quite interesting.
I also found it interesting remembering a quote I read that the showrunners decided to start the story where they did because of important key aspects that come into play during the Dance of Dragons. Some complained about the shortness of this Steptones war, and Crabfeeders’ death. However, the importance of all that has happened in these building episodes, especially this one, do matter in the long run.
The show is doing sn excellent job in setting the Dance of Dragons up. It’s really so good.