The Lord of the Tides” is the eighth episode of Season 1.
I’ve always appreciated “Game of Thrones” for its ability to make me feel genuine emotions despite its depiction of bizarre and terrible situations.
The touching moment when Cersei and Jaime, partners in twincest, embrace over their horrible, poisoned son Joffrey as he dies at his own wedding has been on my mind. Tell me, for example, about how sad I was to see Melisandre, the 900-year-old shadow-monster-birthing sorceress who orchestrated some of the show’s most terrible crimes, crumble into dust after finally losing a decent fight. It’s a gentle reminder that despite all of humanity’s faults and prejudices, it’s often forgiving and sympathetic in the face of sorrow and love.
After seeing this week’s episode of “House of the Dragon,” I felt the same way when Daemon escorted Viserys to the Iron Throne. The monarch graciously accepted assistance from his depraved, homicidal brother-in-law, Daemon, who retrieved the king’s dropped crown (the goal of his ambition since the show’s inception) and placed it atop Viserys’ scabrous head for one of the last times.
Naturally, none of it would work if Paddy Considine and Matt Smith, along with the writers, hadn’t spent the last seven weeks establishing a relationship in which mutual affection peaked through all the anger and outrage that otherwise defined it. And should the touching, near-wordless scene lead you to believe that true love and new dragon eggs have softened Daemon, we then watch him sever a man’s head in two just minutes later?
The scenario was also symbolic of the show as a whole, which served as the final chapter for Considine and Viserys (R.I.P. ), but in which the second sons, the overlooked, disgruntled men of Westeros, drove the plot.
(Lucerys might also be included for laughing at Aemond and prompting his annoying toast. However, I’m leaving him out for aesthetic purposes because his name doesn’t flow well with the others.
We resumed the story after another long time skip (at least six years, based on how long the Sea Snake has been gone), which required the introduction of a new set of actors.
Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), who seems to have had his visage carved from Valyrian stone just for the purpose of appearing in a “Game of Thrones” show, stands out early on. Rhaenyra and Daemon have also produced two new heirs: a new Viserys to succeed the one we recently lost and yet another Aegon to keep track of (curse the gods). (Not to mention the impending arrival of a new bundle of joy.)
The Red Keep has also been repainted, with Faith of the Seven symbols replacing Targaryen banners. House Hightower has deep and historic ties to the faith, therefore this is a clear indication that Otto and Alicent have no intention of abandoning their beliefs and will utilize religion to rally support for their cause when the time comes.
The establishment of a navy had been a goal. That, according to Vaemond, was the genius of his scheme to become the Lord of the Tides, leader of the world’s largest naval force. He said to Rhaenys, “I’d like your backing for my usurping, but I don’t need it. The throne has valid reasons for supporting me.
‘My cousin the king would have your tongue for this,’ Rhaenys warned. (Foreshadowing!)
“But it’s not a king who seats the Iron Throne these days,” Vaemond said. Clearly a royal lady.
The results were clear to all of us. It’s hard to find fault with Vaemond for wanting his family’s home to stay in the family, yet his protests about the disaster created by the Sea Snake’s ambition were rather rich as part of Vaemond’s own power play. (Given the disaster his own aspirations were going to bring him, he should have given them more thought, too.)
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What about the fact that he slandered the king’s daughter and grandkids right in front of him (well, part of him)? To what extent did you participate in the purchase? Even if the weak monarch is unable to do it himself, everyone in the kingdom would know the proper course of action. Do the events of the last several minutes really see Vaemond go from a power grab to a death wish?
I can’t tell if his flagrant blasphemy was meant as an example of his inherent irresponsibility, the result of his extreme indignation with what he saw as a grave injustice, or a final impudent kiss-off from a fed-up second son. Whatever it was, it laid the stage for a particularly brutal death scene in “Thrones” lore.
Earlier this season, I voiced my disappointment that “House of the Dragon” felt too similar to its predecessor and previous melodramas, whereas “Game of Thrones” frequently surprised me by showing me things I had never seen on television. To give credit where credit is due, I’ve never seen a severed head on TV or anyplace else that looked so professional. Jokes of the Day by Fabien Frankel a Picture Taken by a Fellow Cast Member When He Was Dozing Off in Character Earned Him the Nickname “Ugly Sleeper.”
As a result, Vaemond was able to preserve his tongue, and the Sea Snake, wherever he may be, was able to maintain his line of succession. With any luck, Rhaenyra’s newest plot to marry off her sons to relatives (this time, Laena’s daughters, Baela and Rhaena, the boys’ cousins and stepsisters) will ensure that Driftmark continues to be populated by biological Velaryon. (That is a pretty big if, though.) When a head is cut in half, this is about as good of a resolution as you’ll get.
The final act was a family meal with Grandpa before he passed away.
After his nosebleeds and fainting spells at Rhaenrya’s wedding bash, I said that Viserys was “circling the royal drain.” He spent the next 16 years of his life lanced and scraped and floating in the milk of the poppy haze, but he nevertheless managed to keep on living.
He had earned one more night with his family who generally loved him after his heroic final appearance on an Iron Throne that never loved him, even as they each pursued his own plans and messed-up aspirations. They showed that they could work together for the little time it took to give him a proper send-off with heartfelt toasts and a touching closing image of his bastard grandchild dancing with his scary daughter.
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