HotD Season 1 Episode 2 — Questionably Qualified

House of the Dragon Syrax Caraxes Dragonstone Standoff

Another week, another set of missteps by our dear friend King Viserys I. It can be frustrating to watch, but he’s been prone to self-owns since we met him. He may be the main character through two episodes, but he can’t be described as heroic. We here at Questionably Qualified aren’t here to judge the quality of the show itself. We’re more interested in seeing where a story goes and providing interesting details from the broader World of Ice and Fire, so let’s run through this week’s events and some relevant history to help us speculate on what’s in store for Westeros.

We Are the Crab People!

There’s a lot going on here, but let’s just say he seems unwell

After some rough torture shots and a very brief farewell to Lord Commander Ryam Redwyne (R.I.P. one of the most storied knights in the Seven Kingdoms), Corlys Velaryon updates us on what looks to be a major conflict this season: the Crabfeeder and his piracy in the Stepstones. The Stepstones are a series of islands between Dorne and Essos, positioned very conveniently to interfere with trade to and from cities located on the Narrow Sea (including King’s Landing, Braavos, Storm’s End, Pentos, and others).

Big shout to downloadable *Lands of Ice and Fire* for this and future maps

Knowing Corlys is the Master of Ships and that House Velaryon built its wealth on the strength of his fleet, you can see why he’d be concerned with a growing pirate presence on a critical trade route. He’s identified the Triarchy as the political force behind these activities, which is an alliance of three of the nine “Free Cities” in Essos: Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh. They banded together to end a war with another Free City, Volantis, and have since been causing trouble in the Stepstones by provisioning pirates or charging merchant ships significant amounts for safe passage. War between Westeros and Essos is rare, perhaps because they have plenty of problems to solve on their own continents, and King Viserys seems inclined to keep it that way; he does mention sending letters to both Pentos and Volantis, two of the other Free Cities who would also be impacted by these trade issues. I can’t say it’s a bad idea to attempt diplomacy, but Rhaenyra’s suggestion to send dragonriders (plural, conspicuously) seems reasonable. If Essos isn’t going to sort the issue out in short order, setting fire to a swath of pirate ships from above would make an impression. Instead, Viserys sends Rhaenyra off to help select the newest member of the Kingsguard.

That’s Ser Criston Cole to You

Can’t tell if he just had helmet hair at the Tourney or if you get a glow-up when you take your vows, but it’s working

After some noble attempts by Ser Harrold Westerling to play up some trivial accomplishments of noblemen, Rhaenyra wisely insists on a candidate with real combat experience. Our “Dornish” friend Criston Cole speaks of razing two towers on the Boneway, and is selected to the Kingsguard in short order. My first reaction was to think back to Barristan Selmy’s comments upon being dismissed by King Joffrey in Season 1 of Thrones: “Even now I could cut through the five of you like carving a cake”. Rhaenyra has hopefully avoided the foible of a deteriorating Kingsguard by choosing the most qualified candidate rather than one with favorable political or personal ties like Joffrey and Cersei. As for Cole’s exploits, the Boneway is one of the few pathways connecting Dorne to the Stormlands and the rest of Westeros. As the Targaryens have not yet conquered Dorne when House of the Dragon is set, this pass has been the site of numerous skirmishes and battles between Dornish houses like Wyl and Yronwood and Stormlanders like the Baratheons and Dondarrions.

Alicent Hightower takes over the next stretch of action, receiving (and providing us with) a lesson on Old Valyria and the Blood Magic there from King Viserys. We don’t know a lot about what can be accomplished with Blood Magic, but we’ve seen Melisandre use rituals that probably qualify, and the historian Septon Barth speculated that Blood Mages may have been responsible for creating dragons. The show’s intro, with rivulets of blood running through a model of the Valyrian Freehood, suggests we might get some additional details on the matter.

There are some great breakdowns out there, but this likely represents the crown of Aegon the Conqueror, with subsequent Targaryen crowns to follow

Corlys returns with his wife Rhaenys to propose a marriage between King Viserys and their daughter, Laena Velaryon. It seems like a slam dunk with a long, amicable history between houses to go along with shared Valyrian history and Targaryen blood. The only evident problem is Laena’s age; as a twelve year old, it looks weird (not historically an issue) and she may not be able to expand the bloodline for a couple of years. This sends Viserys off on a bit of a Bachelor-esque quest, consulting with members of his Small Council about the specific idea (marrying Laena) and keeping things more generic with his own daughter (remarrying). He receives three votes for marrying Laena (Mellos, Lyonel, Corlys), one for remarrying (Rhaenyra), and one for waiting (the suddenly patient Otto). His conversation with the eldest Velaryon daughter doesn’t reveal much beyond her extensive training in nobility and political marriages, but she DOES mention the dragon Vhagar, which I find much more interesting.

Seems weird for the Targaryens to just forget about such a valuable military asset, but maybe it’s hereditary

Chekhov’s Dragon

Vhagar’s name has now been mentioned in each of the first two episodes of HotD, but we’ve only gotten a bit of background information. Vhagar was Queen Visenya’s mount during Aegon’s Conquest, making her the oldest Targaryen dragon alive in the time of King Viserys. She’s also reported to be the largest living dragon by a fair amount (Laena mentions she’s too large for the Dragonpit). If in fact she’s been heard by workers in Spicetown, it’s hard to believe she’ll remain hidden from view much longer, as Spicetown is a shipping village near Driftmark, the seat of House Velaryon.

Daemon Targaryen: Classic Youngest

King Viserys’ season of the Bachelor is interrupted by his younger brother, Daemon, who has snuck into King’s Landing and stolen the dragon egg once meant for his baby nephew. In addition to being intended for the “Heir for a Day”, this egg came from a clutch of Dreamfyre’s, a dragon hatched during the age of Aegon the Conqueror. She’s witnessed plenty of battle and bloodshed, including the Civil War between Maegor the Cruel and Prince Aegon Targaryen, and currently lives in the Dragonpit in King’s Landing.

Otto insists on going to challenge Daemon on Dragonstone instead of Viserys going himself, and it goes about as well as you’d expect for twenty-some dudes making demands of a Prince with a pet dragon. Before things get TOO messy and Caraxes is forced to do more than deliver some intimidating roars, Rhaenyra arrives on Syrax and issues Daemon an ultimatum: put up (REALLY try to remove me from the line of succession) or shut up (give me back my brother’s egg). Daemon submits, seeming to appreciate his niece’s direct approach.

Gotta wonder if they’ve ever lost a dragon egg this way - they really need some coaching on ball security

Viserys I: The Ernest Byner of Westeros?

Returning to King’s Landing with Dreamfyre’s egg, Viserys is initially upset with his daughter for putting herself at risk. He calms down and realizes she’s an adult capable of handling herself, and that she accomplished the mission with a show of power in place of violence. A bit of familial conversation and he receives her blessing to remarry. It looks like everything is finally going to calm down in King’s Landing…

…until the next day when he announces to the Small Council that he’ll be marrying Alicent Hightower, his daughter’s bestie and the daughter of his Hand, instead of Laena Velaryon.

You’re supposed to *read* the room my dude, not mislead it

Before the episode ends, we find Corlys Velaryon recruiting Daemon Targaryen to take action against the Crabfeeder in the Stepstones, demonstrating the power of dragons and second sons for the wider world.

The second sons Corlys refers to here is the simple descriptive version. Daemon is a classic example, but it applies to lesser houses as well where inheritance is based on birth order. The oldest son will take control of the house and its wealth, daughters will be married off, and second (or any after) sons are often left with no wealth or property of their own. It doesn’t sound so bad, but Corlys is correct about needing to take things instead of having them given to you (relative to other noble houses, anyway). The Master of Ships himself is Lord of Driftmark and an eldest son, but he’s referring to his house’s standing relative to the Targaryens. The term might sound familiar for another reason: Daario Naharis, Queen Daenerys’s paramour, was a member of the mercenary group in Essos named the Second Sons. That sellsword company took its name from the population Corlys references here, a common source of recruits.