GoT: House of the Dragon - Warning: Spoilers!

[bundabergdevil]

Wonder if we’ll see Melisandre. The actress who played her rightly pointed out she was centuries old.

[JasonEvans]

Director and co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik is leaving HotD for season two. He has a deal to do other projects for HBO and is apparently exhausted after spending 3 years getting this show off the ground.

Sapochnik grew to fame in Hollywood for directing some of the most intense episodes of Game of Thrones including Hardhome (the episode where John Snow and the wildlings are driven off by a massive army of the undead**), Battle of the Bastards (for which he won an Emmy award), and The Long Night (for which he was nominated for an Emmy). Basically, the most memorable battles in the series were directed by him. He also directed the first episode of HotD.

This will leave co-showrunner Ryan Condal as the sole dude in charge starting in season two. Condal is primarily known as a writer (he wrote the first two episodes of HotD). It is hard for an outsider to say how much of season one is really being steered by Sapochnik and how much by Condal. I know some folks are freaking out a bit at Sapochnik leaving the show because he is so beloved for some of his GOT directing but I'm not gonna freak out yet. Remember, unlike GOT, this show has a pretty well-mapped out story from beginning to end because GRRM has already finished this book. I'm not sure how long HBO is planning to stretch this sucker out (I would suspect 3 or 4 seasons, at least) but at least there is a road map to guide the writers and showrunners, whoever they may be.

-Jason "**-the moment in Hardhome where the Night King raises his arms and all his soldiers, plus the dead wildlings, come back to life is still one of the great moments in TV history" Evans

[Wander]

Sapochnik grew to fame in Hollywood for directing some of the most intense episodes of Game of Thrones including Hardhome (the episode where John Snow and the wildlings are driven off by a massive army of the undead**), Battle of the Bastards (for which he won an Emmy award), and The Long Night (for which he was nominated for an Emmy). Basically, the most memorable battles in the series were directed by him.

Sapochnik wanted The Long Night to have Jorah die with little fanfare in the first few minutes to bring back the "characters are not safe" feeling of early seasons, kill more characters in that episode, and have Bran warg into a pack of direwolves that joined the fight to not be useless. But he was overruled by D&D. Sigh....

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Sapochnik wanted The Long Night to have Jorah die with little fanfare in the first few minutes to bring back the "characters are not safe" feeling of early seasons, kill more characters in that episode, and have Bran warg into a pack of direwolves that joined the fight to not be useless. But he was overruled by D&D. Sigh...

Having rewatched that episode last week - it's really quite a mess. So much build up and promise. So dark and hard to follow. All the tension and very little payoff.

That episode and the final episode were really the worst.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

If Rhaenyra continues to be an awesome cross between Arya and Dany, I'm going to fall in love with this show.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Dang. That was a good episode.

[JasonEvans]

What was Daemon's plan at the end? Was he just sacrificing his life in a foolish charge at the enemy and then help came at the last minute? I thought his dragon was going to be hiding somewhere but some other dragon came in (who was riding it, I could not tell?). It was a cool battle to close things out but I wasn't sure what was happening.

And they sure dispatched of the crabfeeder quickly. Barely got to know the dude. I guess that is one of the ways this series is letting us know it is gonna be all about the palace intrigue, not the battles.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

What was Daemon's plan at the end? Was he just sacrificing his life in a foolish charge at the enemy and then help came at the last minute? I thought his dragon was going to be hiding somewhere but some other dragon came in (who was riding it, I could not tell?). It was a cool battle to close things out but I wasn't sure what was happening.

And they sure dispatched of the crabfeeder quickly. Barely got to know the dude. I guess that is one of the ways this series is letting us know it is gonna be all about the palace intrigue, not the battles.

I think his plan was to end the war before his brother arrived, even if it meant dying. Nothing too complex. But Daemon seems like a "I do it on my terms even if it might kill me" sort of a dude.

[acdevil]

I think his plan was to end the war before his brother arrived, even if it meant dying. Nothing too complex. But Daemon seems like a "I do it on my terms even if it might kill me" sort of a dude.

I think this is right.

[JasonEvans]

I think his plan was to end the war before his brother arrived, even if it meant dying. Nothing too complex. But Daemon seems like a "I do it on my terms even if it might kill me" sort of a dude.

Yup, I get that and it makes sense but did he know that Corlys' army was going to follow him? And who was that dragon rider?

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Yup, I get that and it makes sense but did he know that Corlys' army was going to follow him? And who was that dragon rider?

No. He thought it was all over. I mean he knew in theory the reinforcements were coming. But he wanted to have it over before they arrived.

That's the irony - as much as Daemon was upset about the reinforcements, they saved his life.

From my recollection of the books, the Targaryens have many dragon riders. Dunno which one this was.

[wavedukefan70s]

Ok not to throw this off but after he's standing with crab kings corpse .
Did anyone's else think they were looking at Gordon Ramsay's satanic twin brother.

You know better than to trust a targaryen
You Donkey lol

[luvdahops]

Yup, I get that and it makes sense but did he know that Corlys' army was going to follow him? And who was that dragon rider?

I believe it was Lord Corlys's son Laenor, who is expected to become a more prominent character as the story evolves.

[acdevil]

What was Daemon's plan at the end? Was he just sacrificing his life in a foolish charge at the enemy and then help came at the last minute? I thought his dragon was going to be hiding somewhere but some other dragon came in (who was riding it, I could not tell?). It was a cool battle to close things out but I wasn't sure what was happening.

And they sure dispatched of the crabfeeder quickly. Barely got to know the dude. I guess that is one of the ways this series is letting us know it is gonna be all about the palace intrigue, not the battles.

I highly recommend watching the inside the episodes that appear right after them if you are streaming on HBO Max. They are short and usually hit the questions that you’ve been bringing up.

[bundabergdevil]

Yup, I get that and it makes sense but did he know that Corlys' army was going to follow him? And who was that dragon rider?

I believe the plan that the Velaryon group was discussing just before Viserys' messenger arrived was to lure out Crabfeeder and his men with bait --- and that the best bait would be Daemon. I assume Daemon agreed to that plan after he read the message from his brother so he could attempt to end the war before the ships from Kings Landing could arrive.

I appreciated seeing more anguish from Viserys this episode but as far as Westerosi kings go, he is still a pretty boring fellow.

Rhaenyra and Daemon remain by far the most interesting people in HOTD...hoping they bring other characters along soon. I get the sense HOTD is going to be a much more tightly focused story than GOT but there were just so many compelling characters in the original...I hope they can recapture some of that ancillary character magic.

[bundabergdevil]

I believe it was Lord Corlys's son Laenor, who is expected to become a more prominent character as the story evolves.

Yes. More importantly, it was Corlys and Rhaenys' son. He’s Targaryen through Rhaenys. He’s the one that the counselor told the king to have Rhaenyra marry.

[JasonEvans]

Yes. More importantly, it was Corlys and Rhaenys' son. He’s Targaryen through Rhaenys. He’s the one that the counselor told the king to have Rhaenyra marry.

The fact that the king didn't immediately behead the person who suggested that his 17-year-old daughter should marry his 2-year-old son is proof that weddings are well and truly !^^@!%-ed up in Westeros.

Whew, what a moment was that!

[bundabergdevil]

The fact that the king didn't immediately behead the person who suggested that his 17-year-old daughter should marry his 2-year-old son is proof that weddings are well and truly !^^@!%-ed up in Westeros.

Whew, what a moment was that!

The Targaryens like those 'pure' bloodlines!!!

[DevilHorse]

The fact that the king didn't immediately behead the person who suggested that his 17-year-old daughter should marry his 2-year-old son is proof that weddings are well and truly !^^@!%-ed up in Westeros.

Whew, what a moment was that!

I thought the plan might be to have Rhaenyra and Aegon betrothed (the word they used at one point), which means engaged, but perhaps not/never marry until Rhaenyra found someone else. A long engagement would mean that Rhaenyra would not be bothered with unwelcomed questions and suitors (while she could quietly look for a more agreeable mate).

Larry
DragonHorse

[bundabergdevil]

Daemon did not speak a single word from the moment he arrived at the council until the end of the episode. Heck of a bit of non-verbal acting by Matt Smith.