House of the Dragon Recap, Season 1 Episode 7: Driftmark

Gods be good, that was a doozy! I’ll do my best to be brief, but Driftmark gave us a lot to unpack. I’ve heard some complaints about the lighting in this episode, but I didn’t notice it as markedly as I did for The Long Night, maybe because we turn off every light in the house to watch Thrones or HotD these days. Let’s get to what happened and what it might mean for the rest of Season 1!

Driftmark, Outdoors

The most dragons in one scene to-date! From right to left, I think we’re looking at Syrax (Rhaenyra), Sunfyre (Aegon), Seasmoke (Laenor), Caraxes (Daemon) and Meleys (Rhaenys), but it’s hard to be certain.

Vaemond Velaryon delivers a serious and pointed sermon as the body of his niece, Laena, is lowered into the sea outside High Tide. In addition to the Targaryen and Velaryon families, Otto Hightower is in attendance as the reinstated Hand of the King. As Vaemond stresses the importance of pure bloodlines while looking directly at Rhaenyra and her sons, Daemon lets out a laugh.

I think this is only the second time we’ve seen Vaemond Velaryon in focus, and notably he’s been critical of his brother, the Lord of Driftmark, both times. Back in Episode 3, Second of His Name, Vaemond was sharply critical of Corlys’ and Daemon’s war against the Crabfeeder. It could be nothing, but we’ve seen conflict between kin used against each other in war before, whether it’s Stannis and Renly in the War of the Five Kings or Edmure Tully and the Blackfish at Riverrun.
In addition to revealing his affinity for BNL, I thought Daemon’s laugh was only in small part designed to draw attention from Rhaenyra who was clearly being singled out. It seemed like a very natural reaction from someone who has been away from Westeros, specifically enjoying the distance from the politics around King’s Landing, having his wife’s funeral used as an opportunity to air grievances and concerns.
We didn’t have a significant time jump from the last episode, but it would have been nice to see the discussion around Otto being reinstated as Hand of the King. We last saw him dismissed by King Viserys for being too self-interested, and nothing we’ve seen from Alicent suggests the Hightowers have become more subtle. Even if he’s the choice in the end, I’d be curious to see how we got there.

When the guests gather in the aftermath of the ritual, Rhaenyra struggles to find a place to stand. Without any clear allies, she tells Jace to go comfort his cousins Baela and Rhaena.

They might need some kind of mnemonic to make sure Jace and Luke don’t slip up as easily as their dad (whoops!) did.

Aegon and Aemond watch their sister, Helaena, play with a spider, and discuss Aegon’s betrothal to her. Aemond expresses disappointment at not being chosen himself to carry on the Targaryen bloodline.

Alicent and Criston discuss Larys Strong’s blatant interest in the Queen, Corlys Velaryon tells Luke he’ll inherit High Tide one day, and Rhaenys passes on an opportunity to talk with Rhaenyra before comforting her granddaughters. Aemond and Jace look like they might exchange nice words but instead remain awkwardly silent, Aegon gets drunk, and Laenor’s sobbing in the sea prompts his father to send Qarl to retrieve him. Viserys approaches Daemon and asks him to return to King’s Landing, but he refuses. The King retires early, and mistakenly calls Alicent Aemma on the way out.

Maybe he can tell her he mistakenly called Criston Aemma because his armor looked like her hair?

Night falls, and Otto Hightower finds and sends a very drunk Aegon to bed. Qarl brings Laenor back through the crowd to the castle, and Aemond sets off on his own.

Again it feels like we missed the entirety of a pretty important discussion. Last episode, Alicent dodged Rhaenyra’s proposal of marrying Jace to Helaena and bringing the families together in a way that would have put the Queen’s concern for her children’s safety at ease. Not only did we miss out on any formal discussion of that proposal, we also missed Alicent’s arrangement of her son’s marriage to his own sister. It’s in keeping with Targaryen custom, sure, but it’s a dramatic departure from the position on incest we’ve seen Alicent and House Hightower take in the past. I guess Rhaenyra really left a lot up in the air and removed herself from all decision-making when she returned to Dragonstone.
Here’s the full text of what Helaena said as she played with a spider: “Hand turns loom; spool of green, spool of black; dragons of flesh weaving dragons of thread.” I’m not an expert on interpreting prophetic words, but if we go piece by piece:
The hand turning the loom here could very well be a reference to the Hand(s) we’ve seen. Otto Hightower is responsible for putting many of the events up to now and to come in motion, including the most notable green thread to date, Queen Alicent’s dress from We Light the Way.
Spools of green and black can easily be tied to the Alicent’s (the Greens) and Rhaenyra’s (the Blacks) factions. The spool imagery has two immediate meanings to me: first, the obvious color of threads used for their respective wardrobes (note the prevalence of green on Alicent’s children); second, the imagery of threads over time, whether woven into tapestries or just in the passing down of stories. In an episode so focused on legacy and securing a future for your house, both Greens and Blacks are aiming to extend the length of their spools or at least have them outlast the competition.
Dragons of flesh weaving dragons of thread hits a similar point, but “dragons of flesh” can be interpreted as real dragons or anyone connected to the Targaryen (House of the Dragon) bloodline. The dragons themselves, especially Vhagar, have witnessed more of the realm’s history and events than any individual people. Descendants of Aegon the Conqueror are literally weaving dragons of thread into their clothes in addition to propagating the same stories we mentioned earlier.
So, what can we take from that? I don’t know of anything in the books as blatant as last week’s line that Aemond would “have to close an eye”, but it could mean we should expect the next major move to come from the recently reinstated Otto.
As for the children, it seems like the lines between Blacks and Greens haven’t been fully drawn at this moment. Aegon is still more focused on teenage boy concerns than any inheritance, and Aemond actually looks like he’d have nice words for Jace if he knew what to say when they stand near each other after the funeral.

I’m not sure why Corlys chose to draw so much attention to Laenor and order Qarl to retrieve him when his behavior could be perceived as reasonable mourning, but it might show cracks forming in his usually focused approach. Perhaps the weight of two scandals (his grandchildrens’ parentage and his son’s sexuality) is beginning to wear him out.
Viserys’s slip of the tongue in calling his wife Aemma might suggest he’s just getting old, but it also prompted Lord Commander Harold Westerling to ask about Alicent. I thought it was just a gentle correction from a trusted advisor, but the exchange established Criston as responsible for the night’s watch. Is it possible he knew about or even encouraged Aemond’s plan to approach Vhagar?

Later that Night, Inside

Rhaenys and Corlys discuss the matters of inheritance closest to them and the possibility of giving their house to their granddaughters. Rhaenys scolds Corlys for his ambition for the throne, but he’s focused on the legacy they can create for their family line. Rhaenys wants to focus on the children they know have Velaryon blood, but it isn’t enough to dissuade her husband from the loftier goal of etching the Velaryon name into history.

It was odd to see real tension between what has been a very solid couple to this point, but like we saw with Corlys himself it could be the beginning of a rift between the Velaryons. Rhaenys wants to focus on the direct blood relatives she sees, but it’s not a realistic goal; Corlys might be overly ambitious, but acknowledging the true parentage of Luke and Jace doesn’t strengthen their family’s position in any way, and they’re probably in too deep to step back now.

Outside

Rhaenyra and Daemon walk along the beach and discuss the options lying ahead of them. Rhaenyra acknowledges that she needs more help than Laenor can provide. She says she needs someone capable of the levels of depravity Daemon can reach, and they complete the coupling they left unfinished so long ago.

--Those Targaryens do have queer customs.

In case you needed a reminder: Vhagar is very big

Aemond has snuck out of the castle and makes his way to where Vhagar is asleep. After a near-altercation, Vhagar yields and takes a new rider. Aemond hangs on for dear life on his first ride and takes the largest known dragon in the realm around Driftmark. Baela and Rhaena wake Jace up, saying someone has “stolen” Vhagar, and they run into Aemond returning through the halls of the castle. Rightfully feeling a bit full of himself, Aemond gets into a fight with all four children (Luke has joined). During the fracas, he calls Luke a bastard, and before he can hit Jace with a rock, Luke cuts Aemond’s eye out with a dagger.

So much for the possible goodwill between Jace and Aemond. While it makes sense for Baela and Rhaena to be upset, no one can really steal a dragon. Aemond took advantage of an extremely risky opportunity and deserves credit for what he managed to do. He obviously took it too far by calling his half-nephews(?) bastards and approaching Jace with a rock like his uncle/now-half-brother-in-law, Daemon. Do you see what your queer customs do to all of us, House Targaryen? The level of threat he posed with the rock does justify the response from Luke in my mind.

In the main hall, King Viserys is scolding his Kingsguard for letting harm come to his family. Criston offers a weak excuse: “The Kingsguard has never had to defend princes from princes.” Alicent scolds Aegon for not watching over his brother, and the King finally silences the children hurling accusations at each other. Rhaenyra listens to her sons and tells the King the boys were called bastards, demanding an explanation for where they heard such slander. The King asks Aemond, who, after looking to his mother, says it was Aegon who told him. Aegon decides not to deny the accusation, and the King demands an end to the infighting. He demands apologies, but Alicent wants an eye in exchange for her son’s eye. Overruled by the King, she tells Criston Cole to bring her one of Luke’s eyes, and he moves to grant her wish as her Protector. The King again intercedes and prevents any action, but Alicent grabs his dagger and moves towards Rhaenyra and her children herself. Criston goes to assist but gets stopped by Daemon; the rest of the Kingsguard moves to stop everyone else from drawing weapons. Alicent and Rhaenyra are locked together in the center of the crowd, and the Queen lets loose all of her grievances over the years. Rhaenyra calls her out for her self-righteousness to the crowd, and as they separate Alicent slices the Princess’ arm with the King’s Valyrian Steel dagger. As the people disperse, Aemond asks for an end to the hostilities, saying “I may have lost an eye, but I gained a dragon.”

Not a good sign one of your men requires a direct call-out not to attack the heir to the throne

Viserys’ ineffectiveness is laid bare once again here, but it makes more sense than ever with Alicent seemingly running King’s Landing since Rhaenyra left and her father returning to the second-most powerful position in the realm. I previously ran through some reasons it wasn’t insane for Criston to remain on the Kingsguard after beating Joffrey Lonmouth to death, but his position does look at least a little tenuous. Between his laughter at Alicent’s joke at the absent Laenor’s expense and his apparent willingness to heed the Queen’s command over the King’s, both Viserys and Harrold Westerling look at him askance this episode. It’s possible no one will have to worry about the King’s opinion much longer, but when sides are taken we might see Criston and the Lord Commander at odds.
From everything I’ve read, there’s no reason for Criston to obey the Queen in this scenario over the commands of the King and the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. An assignment as personal protector to someone less powerful than the King doesn’t override your Kingsguard vows, but we’ll see if it creates any trouble.
A final point on Criston: who else would step in to block his advance but Daemon Targaryen, his opponent in the tourney in The Heirs of the Dragon? Daemon was winning their fight before he took a break to soak in the applause, and if anyone has shown a comparable or greater level of skill and willingness in battle than Criston Cole, it’s the Rogue Prince.
I’m not sure the show resolved the situation clearly, but I think the perception of everything we saw go down will be negative for Alicent and the Greens. They spoke plainly a secret everyone knew about Jace and Luke, but the people in that hall had already committed themselves to looking past it. They’ll be more shocked by a violent outburst from the Queen and the naked ambition and hatred for the heir it revealed. With that in mind, Otto and Alicent will be moving fast.

After the Fracas

Otto visits his daughter and congratulates her on a demonstration of her willpower and willingness to play the game to its full extent. He tells her to go to the King and ask for forgiveness, recognizing the real value of what his house gained in Aemond’s bond with Vhagar.

You only have the two eyes to work with though, Otto

I love to disagree with Otto, but there’s not much room for debate here. As the battle lines are being drawn, the Blacks had a decided advantage coming into this battle. Aegon had claimed Sunfyre, a young dragon, and Helaena may have already claimed Dreamfyre, but the Greens we’ve seen had no dragons beyond those two. With Daemon, Rhaenyra, and the Velaryons aligned, they were bringing Syrax, Caraxes, Meleys (Rhaenys’ dragon), and Seasmoke to the table, all of whom were more mature and likely larger than Sunfyre. Vhagar is larger and more experienced in battle than any of the dragons we’ve seen or heard about to this point; it’s like an adult hopping on the lighter end of a see-saw with only children, and, in light of the other developments this episode, no less creepy.

Rhaenyra’s arm is stitched up while her sons look on, and Laenor comes to visit his wife. He apologizes for not being with her the night before and pledges to remain at her side through whatever challenges come next, as her husband and the father to her sons. She tells him not to hate himself for anything he’s done or that they’ve failed to do.

Alicent and the King leave High Tide, and she apologizes for what happened. Viserys looks very unwell and doesn’t want to speak about it. As Alicent and her family head back to King’s Landing by ship, three dragons accompany them. Larys offers to bring her an eye, but Alicent preaches patience for the time being.

Daemon and Rhaenyra watch the Greens leave, and she tells him she needs him on her side, proposing marriage. Daemon points out they’ll need to get rid of Laenor for such a union to be possible.

Elsewhere, Daemon approaches Qarl and offers him gold in exchange for a quick death with witnesses. Back in Driftmark, Daemon kills a man and Qarl picks a fight with Laenor. They draw swords and begin to fight, and Corlys and Rhaenys arrive to find Laenor’s boots poking out of a steadily burning fireplace.

Dragonstone

Pretty sure there’s a South Park song about this kind of thing

Rhaenyra and Daemon are married in a ceremony unlike the ones we’ve seen on the show to this date, with a small gathering of witnesses including their children and a Maester. As their wedding vows are sealed, Qarl and a freshly-shaven Laenor make their way out to a waiting ship.

It was nice to see Rhaenyra give her longtime husband a way out rather than sacrificing him for their cause, but before you rush to buy Blacks merch, they did kill a random worker to pull the trick off.
The weird nuptials for Rhaenyra and Daemon were steeped in Valyrian tradition rather than the weddings we’ve seen in Westeros with the Faith of the Seven or the Old Gods in the North. I’ll pass on the cutting of palms, but they effectively showcased both fire and blood, so good job on them.
Going forward, I’m fascinated to see where the final developments this episode put House Velaryon. Baela and Rhaena were on hand with Jace and Luke to witness the new union, but I wouldn’t put it past Daemon to keep them around in part as insurance policies much like Theon Greyjoy’s “stewardship” in Winterfell was intended to keep the Iron Islands in line. Will Rhaenyra tell Rhaenys and Corlys their son is alive if it will help secure their allegiance? I certainly would, but we haven’t seen Laenor’s mother and wife agree on anything yet.
There’s also an open question around the fate of Laenor’s dragon, Seasmoke. I guess someone could try to tell him his rider is dead in Old Valyrian, but the bond between a dragon and their rider has bordered on supernatural (think about Drogon returning to Meereen just in time to rescue Dany). If there’s any chance of convincing Seasmoke to take a new rider, both sides will be racing to do so.

One final bit on the creepiest person in the show, Larys Strong. Despite skulking so obviously Criston feels compelled to mention it, he offers to retrieve an eye for the Queen while they’re sailing back to King’s Landing. Despite lacking any subtlety, no one seems to have taken note of him so far; the Queen’s personal protector finds his presence unsettling despite Larys and Alicent dining together, and no one among the Blacks has mentioned his name, even as Daemon cast suspicion on Alicent and Otto for the fire at Harrenhal. We haven’t reached the point yet, but I’m going to start getting annoyed if he remains a ”shadowy” figure despite operating in broad daylight.